Zona Minerva / Lafayette

Zona Minerva and Lafayette are an extension of Colonia Americana, with landmarks, a lot of good restaurants, and the city's busiest nightlife strip. They work well for daytime exploring and evening dining. Watch your phone on the busy bar strip at night, and take a DiDi home.

Zona Minerva spreads out from the Glorieta La Minerva, an 8-meter bronze statue of a goddess on a large circular fountain where Avenidas Vallarta, López Mateos, and de las Américas meet. East of the Glorieta, Avenida Vallarta has an almost unbroken strip of restaurants, wine bars, and cocktail lounges that comes alive at night. By day the same streets have café terraces and galleries in converted Victorian mansions. Next door, Lafayette is a French-influenced colonia where early 20th-century houses now hold boutique hotels, espresso bars, and design shops. It is also home to El Gallo Altanero (No. 8 North America's Best Bars), Fitzroy Espresso Bar, and the Gothic-revival Templo Expiatorio. The zone runs straight into Colonia Americana and feels much the same, with more architecture and restaurants. It's best in the daytime and early evening, with a DiDi home after the bars close.