Torre Altus

What it is. A residential skyscraper in Bosques de las Lomas, in the west of the city: close to 200 metres tall and, when it was completed in the 1990s, among the tallest residential buildings in Latin America. It is a landmark of the Santa Fe–Lomas skyline, visible from the Periférico and from much of the western city.

Be clear about access. This is private housing. There is no observation deck, no lobby tour and no public viewpoint —the tower appears on lists of the city's skyscrapers, but it is not a place you can visit. Residents' security controls the entrance, and photographing from the grounds is not welcome.

What to do instead. If you want height and a view, the city has three places built for it: the Torre Latinoamericana in the Centro, the Mirador Torre Reforma area on Paseo de la Reforma, and the top floor of the Fórum Buenavista mall, which is free. From Paseo de los Laureles you can see Torre Altus clearly from the street, which is as close as a visitor gets.