Touring the Canals at Xochimilco

This past month I hosted my first visitors to Mexico City during what turned out to be a busy two weeks of traveling and sightseeing. It was a lot of fun for me to show my friends around the city that I now call home. Of course there will be lots of posts to follow, but I thought I’d start out with something we did on their last day here in the capital — a ride in a colorful trajinera along the canals at Xochimilco.

Xochimilco is a favorite weekend destination among Mexico City residents and a popular tourist attraction. Visitors to Xochimilco can hire a colorful wooden gondola, or trajinera, to cruise the canals and waterways. In fact, it’s not unusual for family and friends to take to the waterways for parties or to celebrate special events.

After a Friday evening Lucha Libre match and a late night out at Plaza Garibaldi, our Saturday actually began at el Chopo shopping for old records and listening to live bands. Around 2 pm we boarded the Metro and headed south to Tasqueña where we switched to the Tren Ligero and continued even further south to Xochimilco. As soon as we stepped off the train there were local guides pointing us in the direction of the embarcadero, or boat landing, one of them even going as far as to ride along beside us on his bicycle until we were close enough to spot it on our own.

The name Xochimilco translates roughly to Place Where Flowers Grow in Náhuatl. You may be surprised to discover that Mexico City exists over what was once the ancient Lake Texcoco. The city’s original inhabitants — the Aztecs of Tenochtitlán — constructed an extensive network of chinampas (floating plots of land or gardens), canals and waterways that extended throughout the city. Today, all that remains are 114 miles of canals and gardens in the southern Xochimilco district of Mexico City and they are an impressive representations of the city’s original ecosystem and agriculture. Interestingly, farmers in Mexico City continue to harvest food, plants and flowers from the chinampas in the Xochimilco district and an urban farming cooperative has formed in the area.

After negotiating our route and rate we were on our way. Embarcadero el Belem is one of the main boat landings and close to the main tourist area, where you’ll find yourself sailing alongside trajineras with Mariachi bands and vendors. Express even the slightest bit of interest and they’ll be right there sailing along next to you in seconds. We browsed ponchos, blankets and a variety of trinkets and souvenirs. We passed people grilling up meat, preparing elotes and serving tacos all from their narrow wooden boats. We even stopped to grab a couple freshly prepared Micheladas.

If you’re hosting first-time visitors to Mexico City or simply looking for a fun and entertaining day out on the water than one of the more central boat landings such as this one makes a great and easy to get to departure point, however if you’re looking for a tranquil escape from the city, one that’s free of vendors, or if you’re set on visiting the Island of the Dolls which is slightly more difficult to reach, then you might prefer one of the more remote boat landings.

Another benefit to visiting embarcadero el Belem or any of the more central boat landings is that you’ll have the opportunity to explore more of central Xochimilco. There’s a lovely central plaza, some colorful tourist shops, an interesting market and a couple good, centrally located pulquerías. If you’re up for it, check out Pulquería El Templo de Diana (Madero 17) and Pulquería La Botijona (Morelos 109), both highly recommended.

Our time out on the canals flew by and before we knew it we were back on the train headed downtown, although I can honestly say that we all had a great time. A tour along the canals at Xochimilco — one of the best remaining examples of ancient Aztec city planning — is without a doubt one of the highlights of a visit to Mexico City. Keep this in mind the next time you travel to Mexico, as a visit to Xochimilco is not to be missed!

Routes and Prices

The main boat landing and one that is within comfortable walking distance of the Tren Ligero is el Belem and that’s where we headed. There were three routes along the canals that were offered to us when we arrived, a 45 minute trip through the main tourist zone, an hour and a half trip covering the tourist zone and the ecological reserves and a four hour trip which included the tourist zone, ecological reserves and a visit to the island of the dolls. It’s also possible to negotiate your own route and timetable if needed. We choose the second option. Originally quoted at 800 pesos we were able to negotiate a price of about half that or around 100 pesos per person. This was my second time touring the canals at Xochimilco and in my experience 100 pesos per person (about $8-9) seems to be a fair price, and of course, tips are always welcome.

Getting There

Xochimilco can be easily reached via public transportation. First take the Mexico City Metro to Tasqueña. before exiting the platform take a right and follow signs for the Tren Ligero. You’ll pay an additional 3 pesos (around $0.25) for a train ticket. The trains depart from the platform located just beyond the ticket windows and like most of the public transportation in Mexico City they’re almost always crowded. You may find people waiting on the platform alongside the train — they’re simply waiting for seats on the next train, so if you don’t mind standing feel free to bypass the line and board the waiting train. Chances are you’ll be standing for the duration of the trip — around 30-45 minutes.

Photo credits: Suzanne Delaney

Tagged as: Mexico City attractions, Xochimilco