Iztapalapa is in the eastern part of Mexico City. It is a rough and tumble area that is the most populous borough in the city, as well as the poorest, and most crime-ridden. It has a long history, going back to the time when years were counted in single digits, and it has some unique attractions that a curious and adventurous traveler would enjoy, but it is also a poster child for urban decay and must be approached with diligence. See Stay safe.

During the colonial era, Iztapalapa was populated almost entirely by indigenas (Nahua) and was agrarian with chinampas and canals that connected to Xochimilco. In the 20th century, the area became heavily urbanized and the population changed to almost entirely mestizo.

Get in

Iztapalapa is well connected by public transit including Metro, Metrobus, and combis. Metro will be the best option for travelers.

There are several Metro stations in Iztapalapa close to places of touristic interest. Stations include:

• 1 Iztapalapa Line:  8 
• 2 Cerro de la Estrella Line:  8 
• 3 Culhuacan Line:  12 

Get around

Use Metro to get to most sites of interest. Uber is a good choice. If you use local taxis, be careful to use known sitios and take precautions (see Stay safe).

See

Catedral de Iztapalapa during Easter week

• 1 Catedral de Iztapalapa (Santuario el Señor de la Cuevita, Señor del Santo Sepulcro de Jerusalén), Ermita Iztapalapa 1271, San Pablo. Historic church that is famous for housing an effigy of Jesus that is said to have been the source of multiple miracles. Pilgrims come to the church to pray and seek relief from myriad maladies. During the annual Passion Play, nazarenes pick up their crosses and bear them up the Cerro de la Estrella (Mount Calvary) to be crucified. 

• 2 Ex-convento de San Juan Evangelista Culhuacán (Monastery of St John the Baptist), C. Morelos 10, Culhuacan. Historic monastery founded by the Augustinian friars in 1552, though the current church was built during the 18th century. The monastery was a center for teaching indigenous languages to arriving missionaries from Spain. Today, the site is an historic monument, park, and includes the Museum of the Former Monastery of Culhuacán. 

Head of Juarez

• 3 Head of Juarez Monument (Monumento Cabeza de Juarez), Av Guelatao S/N, Cabeza de Juárez III. Huge bust of former president Benito Juarez stylized in the manner of Olmec heads. A small museum presents historical interpretations. The surrounding area is clean with walkways and park benches. 

• 4 Museo Fuego Nuevo (New Fire Museum), Carrretera Escenica al Cerro de la Estrella Km 2. 09:00 - 18:00. The Aztecs believed that the earth lived on a series of 52-year cycles. At the end of each 52 years, a ceremony was conducted at the top of Cerro de la Estrella to mark the passing of a cycle and to assure the start of a new cycle. The ceremony was actually far older than the Aztec (Mexica) culture, with archaeological evidence from an INAH excavation in 1974 showing its ceremonial use stretching back at least 4,000 years and including fragments of mammoth and other prehistoric animals. This museum explains the importance of this pre-Hispanic ritual and shows artifacts recovered at the site. 

Do

• 1 Cerro de la Estrella National Park (Parque Nacional Cerro de la Estrella). Established in 1938 as a recreational area and green space for the city, the 1,093 hectare park is under enormous pressure from urban blight and overpopulation. Much of the original parkland has been lost to squatters and illegal commercial occupation. Nonetheless, the park is one of only 2 green areas in Iztapalapa. No natural flora or fauna exists in the park. Park flora consists only of planted eucalyptus and pine, and animal life consists only of species adapted to urban environments, such as pigeons, squirrels, rats and others rodents. Historically, the park was used by the Aztecs as the site of their New Fire ceremony, conducted every 52 years. Today, it is an important part of the borough's annual Passion Play: the hill becomes Mount Calvary where Jesus and other Nazarenes are "crucified". 

Passion play

Iztapalapa's Passion Play draws huge crowds

The Passion Play of Iztapalapa has been performed every year since 1843, though it wasn't originally a passion play to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It began during a cholera epidemic as a celebration by locals giving thanks to God for sparing them from the disease and death sweeping the rest of the country. Over time, the epidemic was forgotten and it became a pure Easter celebration taking place from Good Friday through the entire Semana Santa. Today, Iztapalapa's Passion Play is one of the largest and most famous in Latin America, drawing up to 4 million visitors to the neighborhood for the 1-week performance and celebration. During this time, the borough is generally safe for tourists as the police force deploys in full force.

Buy

Central de Abastos

• 1 Central de Abastos Iztapalapa. 22:00 - 18:00. Mexico City's largest wholesale marketplace. Farmers and ranchers ship produce, meat, and seafood here to be sold to shop owners and restaurants throughout the city. Huge, bustling place full of every kind of food product imaginable. 

Drink

Sales of alcoholic beverages are suspended for the entire week of Semana Santa when the annual Passion Play is presented.

Drinking tap water is always risky in Mexico, but particularly so in Iztapalapa where much of the water is referred to as agua de tamarindo because of its dirty brown color.

Sleep

There is a camping area in Cerro de la Estrella National Park.

Stay safe

Iztapalapa is a rough neighborhood. Do not wander far from crowds or into nearby neighborhoods. Stay near touristic sites: this is not the part of town to be adventurous in.

Combis and urbano buses may not be safe for outsiders in this part of town. Be vigilant.

Go next

• La Villa de Guadalupe
• Xochimilco