Bosque de San Juan de Aragón

What it is. The second-largest green space in Mexico City —around 162 hectares in the north-east of the city, laid out as a wooded park rather than a formal garden. It has a lake, children's playgrounds, a scenic train and a palapa for events, and it is the main outdoor space for a very densely populated part of the city.

What happens there. The park is run as a cultural and recreational project as much as a green space: workshops, courses, outdoor activities and exhibitions are programmed through the year. The San Juan de Aragón zoo sits inside the same complex and is free, which makes the two together a full day out for families.

Practical notes. Open daily 05:00–20:00 —unusually early, and the best hours for running are the first ones. Entry is free. José Loreto Fabela, in San Juan de Aragón Sección II. The nearest metro stations are Bosque de Aragón on Line B and Deportivo Oceanía, the interchange of Lines 5 and B, with a short local bus or taxi for the last stretch; allow about an hour from the Historic Centre.