Mexico City Nightlife

Mexico City's nightlife is as lively and varied as everything else the city has to offer. All tastes are catered for, from gentle supper clubs with floorshows and loud, brash nightclubs to ritzy piano bars, rustic antros (or disco-bars) and bars specialising in traditional Mexican music. La Zona Rosa remains a popular nightspot district but has lost ground to Polanco and Condesa in recent years. San Angel is another hot hangout.

Bar-hopping at high altitude can have a dramatic effect on the body, from spells of dizziness and heightened intoxication to bouts of serious nausea. One drink in Mexico City can be the equivalent to two elsewhere in the world - so it pays to proceed with caution. Crime in the capital is another consideration after dark. Pickpockets are rife in crowded nightlife areas where wallets and bags should be well guarded.

Mexico City's rich cultural heritage boasts a colourful artisan tradition, from vibrant pre-Hispanic folk-art to the bold, brave works of the great muralists of the 20th century. A strong legacy of music and literature spans many centuries, styles and genres from hip-hop poets and graffiti maestros to Mexico's classic romantics. Perhaps the most typical Mexican music is the mariachi, where roaming groups of trumpeters, violinists, guitarists and a singer peddle their tunes.

For details of what is happening across the capital, pick up Tiempo Libre (www.tiempolibre.com.mx), Mexico City's comprehensive listings guide, published every Thursday. The monthly programme, Guía de Programación, is available free from the Bellas Artes bookshop and tourist offices, while government website Conaculta (www.conaculta.gob.mx) provides an excellent detailed guide to a wide range of cultural events. Ticketmaster (tel: (55) 5325 9000; www.ticketmaster.com.mx) sells tickets for most major events in Mexico City and publishes the monthly entertainment guide, ¿Qué hacemos? ('What shall we do?').