Mexico City’s Chapultepec Castle is a gorgeous, historic must-see

I took a Sunday stroll. To a castle on a hill, inside a forest, in the heart of Mexico City. Chapultepec Castle was the first thing friends said I should visit while in CDMX. Boy, was I glad I did. 

Because, since I am a permanent resident of Mexico, I got in for free! On Sundays, it’s free for Mexicans and legal residents, so that was a delightful surprise. Another great perk of living here — and, I must say, weirdly validating. Like a giant hug of acceptance, it was a nice feeling to skip the line, just walk on through and start the climb.

Don’t worry. The walk isn’t that bad. Lovely scenery, a few little animal friends and a nice 20-minute stroll along a flat, then elevated paved carriageway.

Chapultepec Castle has a long, varied history dating back to the Mexica (Aztecs), whose structure there was destroyed by the Spanish. They later built the present palace as a home for the colonial viceroy. Later still, it became home to Mexico’s short-lived Emperor Maximilian I and his wife, Carlota, and then for presidents, including Porfirio Díaz.

It also housed a military academy. Mexico’s famed boy soliders, the Niños Heroes, died defending the castle. Today, the National History Museum is located there, and it features murals by some of Mexico’s artistic giants, including José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

The walk up to the castle

Overhanging trees provide shade while red-bellied gray squirrels scurry about, their fluffy tails and cheerful chirps delighting me as much as the children rushing over to see them. 

Abundant ferns and moss covered the rock wall on one side while treetops filled the other, dropping away to reveal a great view of the city the higher you climb. Every fitness level can walk up, but there are benches on which you can sit and rest, if need be — or just enjoy the incredible view! 

If you get thirsty, a water fountain sits about halfway up the climb.

Touring the castle

It was nice to wander around inside the castle, appreciating Chapultepec’s stunning old coaches, exquisite chandeliers in each room, unique branching staircases and frescoed ceilings.

It was a surprisingly peaceful experience, despite the hundreds of tourists. Most people seemed to take it slow, appreciating Chapultepec’s stunning old coaches, exquisite chandeliers in each room, unique branching staircases and frescoed ceilings. In the upper level, I must have spent a good 10 minutes admiring the stained-glass wall that ran outside the bedrooms. What a breathtaking piece of architecture and intricate craftsmanship! 

The castle holds many beautiful rooms full of beautiful things. But my favorite was the rooftop maze garden. The immaculately manicured hedges full of azaleas in bloom were gorgeous, and there I made a friend: a little figeater beetle that buzzed down to land and rest on my chest for a while.

The ladies around me stepped away, sharing uneasy smiles or grimacing. But I liked my little beetle friend. A lovely shade of deep jade green, she flew off again once she rested to roll around in the azalea blossoms once more. Well, I assume she did because her face was covered in pollen and they were the largest flowers around. But there were lots of other fabulous flowers all around the castle.

My next adventure in the maze garden was chasing the most exquisite butterfly I’ve ever seen in the wild, a two-tailed swallowtail. She was stunning and, honestly, the highlight of my day. And surrounding a water feature in the gardens was a stunning array of gazanias. I’ve never seen its flowers in such vibrant colors. Walking back down, I discovered an edible nightshade — creeping false holly — which I found fascinating.

So be sure to take your time when walking up and back down from the castle. Although the castle is lovely — and is the main attraction — there is a whole world of beautiful flora and fauna surrounding it.