March paints Mexico City in purple, both for the feminist resistance movements and the jacaranda awakening in spring. Very much like Tatsugoro Matsumoto, the Japanese gardener who introduced the species to Mexico, we capital-dwellers are eager to watch the jacarandas bloom with the coming of spring every year.
The city’s busiest arteries, like Avenida de los Insurgentes and Paseo de la Reforma, suddenly bloom with a canopy of light purple flowers. The blooming is so bountiful that these great avenues are carpeted with a bed of fallen flowers. The best part is that you can watch the trees, heavy with blossom, almost anywhere in town.
Watching these majestic trees from a quiet spot is a simple joy. If you’re not very much into crowded places and are really looking for a more contemplative experience of the jacarandas, here’s an insider’s digest of the best residential places to watch the trees in all their lilac glory.
Centro Histórico dressed in a flower gown
If you’re visiting Mexico City this spring and happen to stay in the Historic Center, head to Palacio de Bellas Artes for a first glimpse of the jacaranda trees. You can find them on one side of the museum, providing shade for carefree passers-by, who can’t help but look up to take photos of themselves with the little purple flowers.
This is a tourist-friendly spot, given that there is a public area with benches in front of Palacio de Bellas Artes to sit and simply watch the trees in full bloom. Continue walking through Avenida Juárez up to Hemiciclo a Juárez in Alameda Central, beautifully framed by flowers in the background. You can also sit on the benches and enjoy a nice ice cream while you watch the trees — if you’re feeling adventurous, try the ones in the “carritos” or street carts. My personal suggestion is ‘nieve de limón,’ which will both quench your thirst and cool you off
If you’re willing to take in the full jacaranda experience and enjoy walking at your own leisure, consider heading to Reforma Avenue. Reach The Angel of Independence and fill your eyes in purple wonder. And yes, that is exactly what spring feels like in Mexico City.
On a side note, please consider that spring is warm in Mexico City, with expected temperatures of 25 to 30 C (77 to 80 F) this year. If possible, I would strongly suggest bringing a bottle of water and a pair of shades to avoid heat strokes. Remember, spring is the driest season in town, so take your precautions.
Quiet spots to Jacaranda watch in Mexico City
I’m not a people person. At all. Much less am I someone who likes crowds. Instead, I enjoy quiet moments of contemplation, particularly when jacarandas are in full bloom in Mexico City. Believe it or not, you can find places in our chaotic capital that offer these experiences for quiet introverts like myself.
If you’re staying in town for a while (or live here), I would strongly suggest visiting residential neighborhoods in which jacaranda trees grow. Here are some of my personal favorite spots to enjoy the blooms.
Colonia Narvarte
If you really want to see Jacarandas in full bloom, head straight to Concepción Beistegui street, in the heart of Colonia Narvarte. Just in front of Centro Universitario de México (CUM), a corridor of light purple flowers arches the street. It is certainly a sight to see, particularly during the first weeks of April.
If you search for CUM in your Google Maps app, the address that will pop up is Nicolás San Juan 728, Narvarte Poniente. However, that is not where you will find the jacaranda corridor. Instead, head to Concepción Beistegui Street and prepare to be flabbergasted by the natural beauty of the trees as they tower from the sidewalks and break the road with their strong roots.
You can take a leisurely walk across the alley and then have a lovely latte at Café Buendía, which you can pair with their wonderful homemade pastries. Try brunching at their wonderful terrace, sheltered by the shade of native plants of the borough. My personal favorite is their banana and chocolate bread, but they also have absolutely vegan and gluten-free options available every day.
- Jacaranda Corridor: C. Concepción Beistegui, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX.
- Buendía Panycafé: Anaxágoras 630-B, Narvarte Poniente, Benito Juárez, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX.
Hipódromo Condesa
Just picture it: a nice, warm chai latte in the morning, watching the sunrise behind the branches of the jacaranda trees, heavy with purple flowers. My favourite is Orquídea Café, a lovely coffee shop on Amsterdam Avenue facing the neighbourhood’s iconic median strip. However, you can try practically any coffee shop on the circuit, as they’re all guaranteed to be a nice setting for your Jacaranda contemplation endeavours.
If you’re more of a forest-bather — and enjoy a nice stroll — I would strongly suggest walking around the Amsterdam circuit. Decades ago, horses ran across present-day Ámstedam Street. Now, Mexico City dwellers can enjoy the sight of magnificent Jacarandas during a warm spring afternoon.
- Orquídea Café: Ámsterdam 147, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX.
Chimalistac
Chimalistac is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved corners of the colonial era in Mexico City. Located south of the capital, both its civil and religious buildings are often framed with several jacaranda trees: quarry walls and purple flowers — it’s the quintessential spring postcard from the Mexican capital.
This picturesque colonial corner in Mexico City is the perfect hybrid between Coyoacán’s bohemian demeanour and San Ángel’s elegant feel. Most of the homes are still residential, and often have private areas which — ironically — you can easily access by car. In all of these, you can get glimpses of jacaranda trees without the rush of the city’s tourist hot spots.
After paying a due visit to Parque El Tagle, where you can feast upon the jacarandas covering the sky, my personal choice would be to head to “Octavio Paz” library. Head directly to the second floor, to the library’s cafeteria and grab a table with a panoramic view. As an introverted insider’s suggestion, rest assured: this will be the ideal place to be with one’s thoughts — and simply fill one’s gaze with the mystical sight of jacaranda trees in full bloom.
- Parque El Tagle: Arenal 3, Colonia Agrícola Chimalistac, Alcaldía Álvaro Obregón, 01050, Ciudad de México, CDMX.
- “Octavio Paz” Library: Av. Miguel Ángel de Quevedo 115, Chimalistac, Álvaro Obregón, 01070, Ciudad de México, CDMX.
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
