Módulo Hotel Ritz

What this is. A tourist information desk inside the Hotel Ritz, on Madero in the historic centre — free to use whether or not you are staying there. Printed maps, transport routes and verified opening hours.

Where it puts you. On Francisco I. Madero, the pedestrian street that runs from the Zócalo to the Torre Latinoamericana — and the single best stretch of pavement in the city for a first walk. Within five minutes: the cathedral, the Templo Mayor, the Casa de los Azulejos tiled entirely in Puebla talavera, the Palacio de Iturbide and the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

What to ask here. Which museums close on Monday — almost all of them; how to reach Coyoacán and Xochimilco, which are the two trips that need planning; and where the nearest Metro entrance is, since Madero is pedestrianised and the stations sit just off it.

Practical notes. Av. Francisco I. Madero #30, Centro. Metro Allende and Bellas Artes, line 2, and Zócalo-Tenochtitlan two blocks east. The centre is walked; do not attempt to park.