Paseos culturales del INAH

What this is. The guided-tour programme of the INAH, Mexico's national institute of anthropology and history — the body that runs the archaeological sites and the national museums. The walks are led by the institute's own researchers, which makes them the most authoritative guided tours available in the city and, for the price, the best value.

Nearly sixty years of it. Paseos Culturales has been running for close to six decades and has been the main public route into Mexico's archaeological and historical heritage ever since.

The kind of thing on the programme. Myths, legends, pulque, tequila and beer; archaeological "windows" into the Mexica ceremonial centre; children's visits to the museums; bibliographic treasures in La Ciudadela; Día de Muertos offerings in Xochimilco; the Condesa as a neighbourhood of the past; and La Llorona performed from a trajinera.

What makes them different from a commercial tour. No shopping stops, no commission, and a guide who is a specialist in the subject rather than a general guide. The trade-off is that almost everything is conducted in Spanish, and that places are limited and sell out.

Practical notes. The programme is published on the INAH's own channels and changes through the year; book ahead rather than turning up. The departure point varies by walk — several start at the National Museum of Anthropology, Paseo de la Reforma and Gandhi, Metro Auditorio, line 7.