It is almost jacaranda season and soon Mexico City will turn purple! The jacaranda trees are similar to the cherry blossom trees, as they only bloom for a short time each spring - from around late March to early April. Although they originate from South America, they can be found all over Mexico, and jacaranda season in Mexico City is not something to be missed.
These are the best places to see them and to take some beautiful pictures this spring.
Discover the top 5 things to do in Mexico City.
Parque Mexico
Parque Mexico is a gorgeous park in the Roma/Condesa neighborhoods. It's a super cute area with a hipster vibe that has tons of cafes and the streets are lined with trees. Parque Mexico always has tons of people out, lots of dogs (there's a dog park), fountains with ducks, a big playground, and it's a great place to stroll through no matter what time of year. During jacaranda season it's just that much more beautiful.
Paseo de la Reforma
Paseo de la Reforma is one of the most famous streets in the city. It is the main thoroughfare that leads from the Centro Historico all the way through Chapultepec Park and is a really beautiful walk, despite the heavy traffic. It's also where you can see the Angel of Independence, and the Fuente de la Diana Cazadora. On Sundays they actually close down a lot of the streets (including Reforma) for people to ride their bikes, rollerblade, or jog. You can rent a free bicycle and ride all around the city.
Chapultepec Park (Bosque de Chapultepec)
Chapultepec Park is huge - three times larger than Central Park in New York City - and it's divided into sections. For the best jacaranda views you'll want to go to Section 2. There are so many trees lining the streets and pathways, but the best part is Lago Mayor. You can walk along the lake, rent paddle boats, and there's even little cafes along the shore.
Polanco
Polanco is known for being a fancier area of Mexico City. There's lots of upscale shopping and pricey restaurants. This is also where the famous Soumaya Museum is located. Although this wasn't my favorite spot for seeing the jacarandas, it is a beautiful and lively area. Lincoln Park and Parque America are two spots you can check out.
Alameda Central
This park is located next to the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Palace). This is one of my favorite buildings in the city, with absolutely stunning architecture. It's surrounded by jacarandas, and the beautiful park next to it is perfect for an afternoon stroll (it can also get quite lively in the evenings!). The jacarandas here are huge and make for an incredible backdrop for your Instagram photos.
Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)
This is the only place on my list that I haven't personally been, but it was recommended so many times that I knew I needed to include it. In addition to being the most prestigious university in Mexico (and the largest in Latin America), UNAM is known for it's beautiful buildings and gardens throughout the campus. This makes it an already perfect backdrop to add in some blossoming purple trees. Located in Coyoacan, it's just a straight shot down Avenida Insurgentes by Metrobus.
Turibus
A great way to see as much as possible in one day is to ride the Turibus. This is an open air double decker bus that takes you to all of the main spots in the city. You buy a ticket for a flat fee and you can hop on or off at different locations, including the Centro Historico, Chapultepec Park, and Coyoacan. I enjoyed it a lot and it wasn't even jacaranda season when I did it. One thing to keep in mind though is that traffic can be really bad, and it can take quite a while between stops.
Come with me to see the jacarandas!