Centro Deportivo Xochimilco

What it is. A large public sports complex in Xochimilco, and better equipped than most: an Olympic-size swimming pool, fast-football courts, a football pitch, an athletics stadium with a tartan track, an outdoor gym and green areas for running.

Who it suits. Runners and swimmers staying in the south of the city, and families who want somewhere to spend a morning outdoors after the canals. The athletics track is the main draw —a proper surface, open to the public, which is rare.

Practical notes. Open daily 07:00–20:00. Access fees are low and paid in cash; swimming pools here normally require a swim cap, and public pools close for maintenance periodically, so call the listed number before making a trip specifically to swim. It sits on Francisco Goitia, a few minutes from the centre of Xochimilco, so it combines easily with a trajinera ride at Cuemanco or a visit to the Xochimilco Ecological Park.