Stand at the dock on the Lago de los Reyes Aztecs and you will see trajinera boats waiting in water that was once part of Lake Xochimilco, with chinampa plots of chard and corn still growing along the canals. This is the southeastern edge of Mexico City, where the urban grid gives way to farmland, wetlands and canals.
Tláhuac suits travellers who have already seen the centre of Mexico City and want the lake-and-chinampa landscape without the crowds of Xochimilco, as well as those interested in the borough's rural communities and its remaining wetland reserves. Be prepared for heavy traffic and transport problems, which the sources note are a serious issue in the borough.
This guide covers the lake and canals, the wetlands and green spaces, and the churches and small parks of the town itself, with a one-day plan that links them together.
Top things to do in Tláhuac
1. Lago de los Reyes Aztecs
This lake covers 1.9 hectares and connects to the large network of canals and chinampas in the borough. It is the most important tourist attraction in Tláhuac, with many docks and trajinera boats, and it hosts about twenty-five species of migratory birds, including ducks and storks, along with fish, amphibians and reptiles.
Come here to ride a trajinera through the canals and to see small natural islands and natural vegetation, with chinampas still growing broccoli, chard, beets, chili peppers, peas, fava beans and corn. Note that the main docks in Tláhuac do not have the large number of boats or restaurants found in Xochimilco, so plan your meal accordingly.
2. The canals of Chalco and Guadalupano
These are two of the four main canals in the borough, the others being Atecuyuac and Amecameca. The Chalco and Guadalupano canals are important both as sources of water for the chinampas and as tourist attractions.
Combine a canal trip with time at the Lago de los Reyes Aztecs, since the lake connects to the canal network. Smaller canals in the area serve as irrigation and are not set up for visitors.
3. Los Humedales wetlands
Los Humedales is a remnant of Lake Chalco and an ecological reserve covering between 400 and 800 hectares depending on whether it is the rainy or dry season. It is one of the few wetlands left in the Valley of Mexico and hosts a large number of migratory birds, and it is home to pocket gophers, skunks, squirrels, snakes and bats.
This is a place for birdwatching and for seeing the wetland landscape rather than for facilities, so bring what you need. The reserve's extent varies with the season, which is worth knowing before you set out.
4. Cienega de Tláhuac
On the border with the State of Mexico there is an important ecological reserve lake area called the Cienega de Tláhuac. It is one of the surface water areas that makes up much of the borough's protected land.
Pair it with Los Humedales if you are spending the day on the borough's water and wetland areas, since both are remnants of the former lake system.
5. Bosque de Tláhuac
This recreational area opened in 2007, converted from a former landfill, and extends over 72 hectares. It features an artificial lake, a teaching farm and greenhouse, a cactus garden, volleyball and basketball courts, soccer fields, a track, bicycle paths and an area for cultural events, and it includes an area called the "Mini-Marquesa" with attractions such as ATV tracks.
It is the easiest place in the borough to combine green space with organised activities, and the artificial lake here is separate from the canal network. Allow time to walk between the different sections, as the site is large.
6. Iglesia de Tlaltenco
Iglesia de Tlaltenco is a place of worship in the borough. It sits in San Francisco Tlaltenco, an area that has seen significant residential growth and a deterioration of its traditional rural appearance, especially in the locations closest to Avenida Tláhuac.
Visit it as part of a walk through the older parts of the locality, and note that the streets nearest Avenida Tláhuac are the most changed by recent building.
7. Iglesia Santa Cecilia
Iglesia Santa Cecilia is a church in the borough. It takes its name from Santa Cecilia, the locality known in full as Santa Catarina Yecahuitzotl, which has maintained more of its rural character because it is sheltered by the Sierra de Santa Catarina.
Combine a visit with the surrounding streets, which are among the best preserved in the borough. The Sierra de Santa Catarina also serves as an aquifer recharge area and a barrier to urban sprawl from Iztapalapa.
8. Parque la Piramide
Parque la Piramide is one of the parks in the borough. Parks, sporting venues and recreational areas make up part of the green space in Tláhuac, alongside the Bosque de Tláhuac.
It works well as a stop while moving between the town's churches and other parks rather than as a destination on its own.
9. Parque Santa Cecilia
Parque Santa Cecilia is a park in the borough, in the Santa Cecilia area. Like the other parks here, it is a local green space rather than a large visitor site.
Pair it with Iglesia Santa Cecilia, which is in the same locality, and with the rural streets of Santa Catarina Yecahuitzotl.
10. Rectoria San José
Rectoria San José is listed among the parks of the borough. It is a small local green space rather than a major attraction.
Include it if you are walking the town centre, where most of the commercial activity takes place along Avenida Tláhuac and the other main corridors such as Avenida Estanislao Ramírez, Avenida La Turba and Avenida Jiménez.
11. virgencita
The virgencita is a wayside shrine in the borough. Wayside shrines of this kind are small roadside religious markers rather than buildings you enter.
Look for it as you move between the localities; it is a brief stop rather than a scheduled visit.
12. The chinampas and farmland
Chinampas in the borough still grow foodstuffs such as broccoli, chard, beets, chili peppers, peas, fava beans and corn, and in the east and south of the borough corn, spinach, other leafy greens, alfalfa, figs, pears and walnuts are cultivated. The areas which have maintained more of their rural character are Santa Catarina Yechuizotl, San Juan Ixtayopan, San Nicolás Tetelco and San Andrés Mixquic, mostly surrounded by chinampas and other farmland under protection.
These are working agricultural areas, so view them from the canals or from public paths rather than walking into plots. The best-preserved areas are those that border rural Milpa Alta.
13. The Sierra de Santa Catarina and the Teuhtli volcano
The Sierra de Santa Catarina is a small volcanic belt with elevations of up to 2,800 meters above sea level, serving as an important aquifer recharge area and a barrier to urban sprawl from Iztapalapa. On the south end is the Tehuitli volcano, with an altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level, and the foothills of the Teuhtli mountains lie west of San Juan Ixtayopan.
These are the borough's elevated ground, contrasting with the flat former lakebed where most of the urban area sits. The climate is semi-moist and temperate, with most rain falling from June to August, so plan around the rainy season.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Lago de los Reyes Aztecs, where the docks and trajinera boats are, and take a boat out onto the water and into the canal network, including the Chalco and Guadalupano canals. This is the best time to see the chinampas and the birdlife, including ducks and storks.
Afternoon: Move on to Los Humedales wetlands, a remnant of Lake Chalco and one of the few wetlands left in the Valley of Mexico, then continue to the Cienega de Tláhuac on the border with the State of Mexico. If time allows, finish the afternoon at the Bosque de Tláhuac, with its artificial lake, cactus garden and walking and cycling paths.
Evening: Return towards the town for the smaller sites: Iglesia de Tlaltenco, Iglesia Santa Cecilia, Parque la Piramide, Parque Santa Cecilia, Rectoria San José and the virgencita. Note that traffic and transport in the borough are serious problems, so allow generous time for the return journey.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Tláhuac?
Line 12 of the Mexico City Metro was completed in 2012 with a terminal in the borough. The borough lies at the southeastern edge of the metropolitan area, bordered by Iztapalapa, Milpa Alta and Xochimilco, and by the municipality of Valle de Chalco Solidaridad in the State of Mexico.
Is Tláhuac the same as Xochimilco for boat trips?
No. The main docks in Tláhuac do not have a large number of boats or restaurants as in Xochimilco, though the Lago de los Reyes Aztecs has many docks and trajinera boats and is the borough's most important tourist attraction.
When is the best time to visit the wetlands?
The climate is semi-moist and temperate, with most rain falling from June to August, and Los Humedales covers between 400 and 800 hectares depending on whether it is the rainy or dry season. The borough also has flood-prone areas, especially during the rainy season, mostly due to poor drainage and urban areas built on former lakebed.
What should I expect from the rural parts of the borough?
Santa Catarina Yechuizotl, San Juan Ixtayopan, San Nicolás Tetelco and San Andrés Mixquic have maintained more of their rural character and are mostly surrounded by chinampas and other farmland under protection. Elsewhere, areas such as Zapotitlán and San Francisco Tlaltenco have seen a deterioration of their traditional rural appearance, especially closest to Avenida Tláhuac.
Use this guide to pick your days around the lake, the wetlands and the town's smaller sites, and start planning your trip to Tláhuac.