Mexico City’s foundation can be traced back to 1325 under the name of Tenochtitlan, the capital city of the Aztec empire. Legend has it that the God Huitzilopochtli ordered the Aztecs to build the city on the same place where they found an eagle perched on a cactus while devouring a snake. Upon seeing such a scene on what was then a lake, the Aztecs founded the city in the Valley of Mexico. The legend is famously depicted in the country’s flag.

Located on what was then an island in Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlan was the largest city in the western hemisphere and, as historians have stated, one of the three largest cities on Earth. When the Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes first saw Tenochtitlan in the early 16th century, the city reminded him of Venice, given its glistening causeway network.

Today, Mexico City is among the largest metropolises in the American continent, and it serves as a financial and cultural influence focus point in the region. The city’s center is 2230 meters above sea level. If you live closer to sea level, you may run out of breath due to the altitude during an adjustment period.

Weather-wise, temperatures in May range from 32°C during mid-day highs to 12°C at night.