La Condesa
Beautiful pergola in Parque México
The area referred to as La Condesa actually comprises 3 neighborhoods (colonias): La Condesa, Hipódromo, and Hipódromo-Condesa. I called Hipódromo home for almost two years, and to this day it is the most aesthetically pleasing neighborhood I have ever lived in. I moved quite a bit growing up in Romania, but I always lived in the same type of Soviet-style neighborhood, so the Mexican aesthetic combined with the lush greenery that is so typical of La Condesa made me fall in love with this place. No wonder this area has been an expat paradise for so many years. So let's get to know the neighborhood with its wonderful architecture and green spaces that have mesmerized locals and foreigners alike for more than a hundred years.
1. Meet the countess
2. What to see
2.1. Parque México
2.2. Parque España
2.3. Landscaped median strips
2.4. The buildings
3. Where to eat
3.1. Maque
3.2. Azul Condesa
3.3. eNHORAbUENa CAFÉ
3.4. La Cupcakería Condesa
Meet the countess
La Condesa is located in the Cuauhtémoc borough and it owes its name (condesa = countess) to María Magdalena Dávalos y Orozco, Countess of Miravalle, born in Mexico City in 1701 into a wealthy family of Spanish descent.
She inherited the Tacubaya Estate that included the neighborhoods of Condesa, Hipódromo Condesa, Tacubaya and La Roma. There is no surviving portrait of the countess, but it is said she was beautiful and after becoming a widow at the age of 30 she was a popular socialite who would often throw week-long parties for members of the Spanish upper class.
It is said she died in 1777 poisoned by her lover, friar Tomás Camata Estrada. Her children then sold all of her properties and returned to Spain. One of these properties, the Jaripeo Estate, was sold to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, leader of the Mexican War of Independence and Father of the Nation.
What to see
📷 Parque México
The main attraction of La Condesa, Parque México was developed in the 1920s on the site of a famous horse race track, Jockey Club de México. What makes this park different is its organic design. There are no clear-cut paths here, and the ponds and wandering walkways almost make you feel like you are taking a walk in a forest.
The Lindbergh Plaza often attracts teenagers who come here to dance or work out. You will see a beautiful fountain in this plaza known as Fuente de los Cántaros (the Pitcher Fountain) where the sculpture represents a naked indigenous woman holding two pitchers. The model, Luz Jiménez, also posed for Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
The park attracts many dog owners and dog walkers and there is even a special landscaped area for dogs where they can play and run freely.
📷 Parque España
Another green oasis of La Condesa, Parque España was inaugurated in 1921 to celebrate the centennial of the Mexican War of Independence. Spanish Prime Minister Diego Saavedra y Magdalena participated in the ceremony that day and a cypress tree was planted in the park. The cypress tree is still there. Look for the plaque that says when it was planted and by whom.
📷 Landscaped median strips
The paved median strip of Avenida Ámsterdam
Remember a vast area of La Condesa was built on the site of a horse race track, which is why the main streets in Hipódromo are elliptical. The former track is now covered by vegetation (40% of Hipódromo is green, which makes it the greenest neighborhood in Mexico City) and the streets are simply gorgeous. The landscaped median strips add to the charm of this green neighborhood.
Streets where you can walk along the median strips and admire the Art Deco and neo-colonial architecture:
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Alfonso Reyes
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Avenida Mazatlán
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Avenida Ámsterdam
📷 The buildings
I can't think of a more exciting thing to do in La Condesa than explore the beautiful streets with their eclectic architecture and subtropical trees.
Look for these Art Deco gems in La Condesa:
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Parque España 55 - designed by Mario Pani
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Avenida México 187 (Edificio Basurto) - designed by Francisco Serrano
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Avenida México 167 (Edificio San Martín) - designed by Ernesto Ignacio Buenrostro
Aguascalientes 199, Hipódromo
Where to eat
For breakfast:
Maque
📍 Calle Ozuluama 4, Hipódromo
📅 8 am - 9 pm daily
💚 Try: enchiladas verdes con pollo (chicken-stuffed rolled tortillas with green salsa and sour cream)
For lunch and dinner:
Azul Condesa
📍 Avenida Nuevo León 68, Hipódromo
📅 1 pm - 11 pm Mon-Tue
9 am - 11 pm Wed-Sun
💚 Try: legendario mole negro (chicken with the traditional mole sauce)
For coffee:
eNHORAbUENa CAFÉ
📍 Calle Atlixco 13, Condesa
📅 8 am - 8 pm Mon-Fri
9 am - 7 pm Sat
9 am - 5 pm Sun
For dessert:
La Cupcakería Condesa
📍 Calle Campeche 322, Hipódromo
📅 8 am - 8 pm daily
Parque Enrique Pacheco Blancas