Xochimilco canals and Frida Kahlo Museum are two of the must see attractions when visiting Mexico City. The canals at Xochimilco are an Aztec marvel and the Frida Kahlo Museum in the town of Coyoacan opens our eyes to the amazing life of artist Frida Kahlo.

Xochimilco pronounced Socheemilco

Xochimilco is one of the destinations that everyone and anyone who has visited Mexico City or lives in Mexico City raves about. A leisurely boat ride on a colorful gondola on the canals created by the Aztecs! Talk about a totally unique experience!!

So unexpected and so colorful!!

I really hadn’t looked up any pictures of this boat ride beforehand so I must admit I was blown away by the vibrant colorful gondolas that take passengers on the canal.

Bright red, yellow, green, and blue

Bright red, yellow, green, and blue boats so full of vibrancy and cheerful color that it made us all instantly happy.

Vendors sell snacks, food and souvenirs right off their boats

While slowly gliding on the gondolas, vendors selling food, snacks and curios glide by on gondolas. Here we bought hot street corn from this boat food stall.

Local’s favorite destination

Locals come from all over Mexico come to Xochimilco to celebrate many milestones on the boat rides. Birthday parties, anniversary, bridal showers, any reason to celebrate and you’ll find groups of locals partying on the boats. Some boats even have mariachi bands!

Xochimilco the destination for all things plants

The soil is so fertile here that the town is the destination for all things plants from succulents, to flowers, to lawn sod, you can find it all here. Gliding on the canal we sailed past numerous nurseries on the banks of the canal.

Xochimilco – an Aztec Marvel

Xochimilco is the last remnants of a vast water transport system that was built by the Aztecs – dating back to the 1300s!! At one time the canals and the structures the Aztecs built on them covered over 500 miles.

But once the Spanish conquered Mexico they tried to build their churches and homes on the man made islands, however most of the Spanish structures flooded because of the materials they used.

Eventually the Spanish drained most of the Aztec canals to build their cities. What’s left of the Aztec canals in now at Xochimilco.

Fresh water canals

The canals water come from fresh water lakes that create a canal waterway with no smell whatsoever! In fact the water is pretty shallow only reaching a depth of 8-9 feet deep. It’s shallow enough that the boat captains use a long rod to push against the canal floor to move along the waterway.

Xochimilco a Must see destination when visiting Mexico City

The canals at Xochimilco are truly a marvel and a delight to visit. Colorful, cheerful, leisurely ride on the waterway, what better way to experience a relaxing afternoon in Mexico City?

The Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyocan, Mexico City

Frida Kahlo Museum and Xochimilko are often combined together on a day trip to southern part of Mexico City. Mere thirty minutes from each other it’s easy to see one and then the other.

The Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as the Blue House

The Blue House is where visitors can see the home that Frida Kahlo lived for most of her life. Contrary to what I thought, this is not a museum that houses her artwork. But rather it is the home where Frida lived and where she painted her famous artwork.

Here visitors can walk around the courtyard and the surrounding home and see how Frida and her family lived. Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen, and gardens all give a glimpse of daily life for Frida and her family.

Frida Kahlo – the life of a tortured soul

Frida Kahlo was the the daughter of a German Jewish photographer and Spanish Mother. She contracted polio at the age of 6 and developed a limp but compensated for with prosthetic shoes and self made attire to hide her imperfection.

Sadly at the age of 18 she was in a school bus accident which injured her so badly that during her lifetime she underwent 35 operations. It is during her early operations and recovery period that she taught herself to paint.

Many of her self portraits were painted when she was in a gurney in bed with her mother holding a mirror up for Frida to see herself and from that reflection she painted on a canvas on her chest.

The resilience that Frida showed despite her disabilities is what has inspired artists, designers and  intellectuals from all over the world to admire her paintings and artwork.

After her death in 1957 at the age of 47, husband Diego Rivera converted her home in Coyocan into a museum.

Frida Kahlo Museum, Coyoacán, Mexico City

If you visit Mexico City even for a couple of days, Xochimilco and Fridah Kahlo Museum are the must see sites in all of Mexico city.