Magical Neighborhood
This is the first time that a borough of Mexico City (CMDX) has been designated as a “Magical Neighborhood,” and Xochimilco always comes out on top.
Until now, the designation of “Magical Neighborhood” had only been granted to Mexican destinations outside of CMDX, those with a strong tourist appeal, preserving their iconic infrastructure and contributing significantly to the state by enchanting visitors and showcasing the tradition and mysticism of their locality.
The official designation of Xochimilco as a “Magical Neighborhood” has already been granted by the Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico. This distinction was awarded by the Head of Government, Martí Batres Guadarrama, in the company of the Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico (Sectur), Miguel Torruco Marqués.
This is the first declaration of its kind in Mexico City, recognizing Xochimilco as a tourist powerhouse with its deep historical and cultural traditions.
“This designation carries several meanings because calling Xochimilco a ‘Magical Neighborhood’ also means discovering what makes Xochimilco magical, and to a large extent, it has to do with the strength of its history and the persistence of its roots. Before the existence of the Great Tenochtitlan, Xochimilco already existed as a village, a culture, a civilization. It is a great tourist attraction thanks to its culture, and we want it to remain that way,” said the city leader, Batres Guadarrama.
It was from the Fernando Celada Pier that Xochimilco is recognized as the main producer of flowers distributed locally, nationally, and internationally, and its lands are used to cultivate food for the city’s residents, preserving its distinctive features and implementing various support programs for the native population.
Magical Neighborhood: a World Heritage Site
“Xochimilco, along with the Historic Center, is a World Heritage Site and continues to be a significant reference in the city and the country. From here in Xochimilco, in pre-Hispanic and colonial times, the intoxicating scent of flowers was carried to the Historic Center through the water. Today, with such strong urbanization in the city, Xochimilco continues to provide the flowers sold in the Central de Abasto and other places in our great city,” he noted.
Miguel Torruco Marqués, the Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, explained that the “Magical Neighborhoods” program is an initiative aimed at diversifying the country’s tourism offering, expanding the range of experiences for potential visitors, and creating strategies to promote the social and economic well-being of the inhabitants of the 32 magical neighborhoods declared throughout the country.
In addition to this designation, an agreement of collaboration was signed between the Xochimilco Borough and the Corazón Urbano A.C. Association for the implementation of the “Magical Routes of Color” project, which involves illustrating the streets of these neighborhoods with murals.
So, in the near future, Xochimilco, as a Magical Neighborhood, will be even more colorful as various activities will be carried out to increase tourist traffic, with the aim of boosting the local economy for the benefit of the population.
It’s important to remember that Xochimilco preserves a millennia-old legacy of chinampas, the customs and traditions of the Xochimilca people, which were recognized as Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity in 1987 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Xochimilco: basic data
This destination boasts 185 kilometers of canals, 2,700 hectares of a Natural Protected Area with chinampas, and it also naturally infiltrates water into the aquifers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, contributing to the sustainability of the region.
