The well-heeled suburb of San Angel lies 13 km southwest of the centre, offering calm respite from the chaos of downtown DF.
Replete with narrow cobble-stone streets, opulent old mansions, huge trees and exuberant flowers, it exudes the charm of an era now largely past. San Angel derives its name from a 17th-century Carmelite convent, the Convento de San Angelo Mártir, but owes its most distinguished architecture to the wealthy chilangos (inhabitants of Mexico City) who built summer residences here in the 19th century, when San Angel was still a separate town. Despite being swallowed by the capital’s urban sprawl, it has managed to retain its tranquil atmosphere and exclusivity with a wealth of upmarket designer stores skirting the streets. To get here, take the metrobús to La Bombilla and walk 300 m west on La Paz. Alternatively, take a bus from Chapultepec park or metro Line 3 to Miguel Angel de Quevado.
Many residents and tourists come to San Angel on a Saturday to visit the Bazar del Sábado (0900-1400) a splendid folk art and curiosity market that takes place on its main square, Plaza San Jacinto. This is also the site of one of the oldest mansions in the area, the beautifully furnished and preserved 18th-century Casa del Risco.
Nearby, the Centro Cultural San Angel stages exhibitions, concerts, lectures and cultural events. Further north on Revolución, the Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil has good changing exhibits and a permanent collection including paintings by Orozco and Siqueiros, as well as several of Diego Rivera’s Cubist works. Between San Angel and Coyoacán, at the intersection of Insurgentes Sur and La Paz, is the shady Jardín de la Bombilla, where you’ll find a monument to Alvaro Obregón, built on the spot where the former president was assassinated in 1928.
In this area you'll also find the Museo Colonial del Carmen and the Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera.
