If streets could talk, Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma would fill multiple volumes. This magnificent boulevard serves as the capital’s main artery, where centuries of history, culture, and daily life converge under purple rain and everlasting sunshine. From imperial dreams to democratic protests, Pride parades to late-night esquites, Reforma offers a glimpse of Mexican identity. A walk down the lively boulevard reveals a past and present, tradition and innovation, and the struggle and celebration that unveils the reality of life in one of the world’s greatest cities. Whether you’re planning your first visit or you’re a foreign resident trying to uncover exactly what makes Mexico City tick, these ten aspects of Reforma reveal why it’s much more than just another pretty urban avenue.
The avenue had royal beginnings
Construction began on this grand boulevard In 1864, during Emperor Maximilian I’s brief reign in Mexico. Originally named Paseo de la Emperatriz — the Promenade of the Empress — legend claims Max commissioned the avenue so his wife Carlota could watch him travel to and from meetings in the Historic Center from her perch in Chapultepec Castle.
At the time, Paseo de la Reforma was much narrower than it is today, lined with imported elm and ash trees from Europe, as well as gardens and classical statues that added to the promenade’s elegance. However, by the time construction finished, Maximilian’s empire was crumbling. After his execution, President Benito Juárez renamed it Paseo de la Reforma — Promenade of the Reform — to commemorate his liberal reforms that restored the republic.
Its style shifted with the times
The 40-year dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz saw the construction of the iconic roundabouts on Paseo de la Reforma known as glorietas, as well as the emblematic Angel of Independence statue, designed by Antonio Rivas Mercado. Post-revolutionary modernization brought a series of Art Deco buildings including the National Lottery Building, and with Mexico’s economic growth of the 1950s came several international-style office buildings. True transformation arrived in the 1980s-90s when glass skyscrapers like Torre Mayor reshaped Mexico City’s skyline. Today, 21st-century architectural marvels stand alongside historic monuments, creating a tangible timeline of Mexican history.
Sunday is for cycling
Sundays transform Reforma into a hub of exercise and community. CDMX’s program “Muévete en Bici,” launched in 2007, encourages the city to get out and move by closing the entire avenue to cars from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Between the streams of cyclists, you’ll find Zumba classes, roller skating lessons and badminton matches taking place. Families with young children, professional cyclists in training and tourists on rented bikes all share the avenue.
It’s home to the ultimate spring spectacle
Come March and April, Paseo de la Reforma transforms into a breathtaking purple corridor when dozens of jacaranda trees burst into bloom and shower petals onto the sidewalks. The annual spectacle has become one of the capital’s most photographed natural phenomena, signaling spring’s arrival in colorful fashion.
Local photographers and artists time their visits to Mexico City with the sole intention of capturing the fleeting purple haze. Even though the trees aren’t native — they were actually brought from South America by a Japanese master gardener — they’re beloved in Mexico City and turn the ordinary commute down Reforma into a magical experience as blossoms drift down like gentle purple rain.
Every day is a veritable fiesta of street food
A stroll along Reforma is, at times, nothing more than a gastronomic obstacle course of street food vendors. Mornings are delightfully overrun with coffee sellers with massive steel containers, sliced fruit topped with chile and lime, and sugary churros fresh from the fryer.
Midday brings the aroma of elotes and esquites, perfectly-fried potato chips, and an array of candies and nuts. The real treasures emerge on weekends: carts selling coconut water hacked open before your eyes and rainbow-colored fruit cups sprinkled with Tajín chili-lime seasoning. Not sure which cart to choose? Whichever has the longest line of locals is definitely your best bet for lunch.
It was the site of a scandal
Today, the nude statue of Diana the Huntress is yet another iconic landmark on Mexico City’s grandest avenue, but it didn’t get there without controversy. In an attempt to modernize the then-Federal District, President Lázaro Cárdenas commissioned a sculpture of the Roman goddess as a representation of the strength and bravery of Mexican women. Diana’s uncovered curves caused such an uproar that several conservative groups, including the Mexican League of Decency, attempted to dress her in underpants. Diana’s presence was so contentious that the model’s identity remained a secret for half a century. While you won’t see her clad in a bikini anymore, the Huntress continues to reflect broader societal debates about public art and female representation in Mexico.
It’s an open-air shopping mall
More than just food, Paseo de la Reforma is an open-air street market, with vendors selling everything from lucha libre masks to tablecloths, woven friendship bracelets to hand-painted ceramic vases. Throughout the year, temporary pop-up shops appear to celebrate special events — flower festivals, book fairs, and tourism conventions — where unique products are available for sale. Many locals come here in October for Day of the Dead items, and in December to stock up on Christmas decorations. These sidewalk treasures offer authentic Mexican crafts, especially useful when picking up last-minute souvenirs.
There are a flurry of festivals throughout the year
Reforma transforms throughout the year for celebrations that showcase Mexico’s vibrant culture. Since 2016, inspired by the opening scene of the 2015 James Bond movie “Spectre,” a massive parade fills the boulevard on Day of the Dead with elaborate floats and costumed performers. Each June, hundreds of thousands join the Pride march, turning Reforma into a rainbow-colored celebration that grows larger every year.
Independence Day shuts down the boulevard for an annual military parade, and concerts light up the lanes to ring in the New Year. During Mexico City’s yearly tourism convention, representatives from each Mexican state set up shop, enticing potential travelers with samples of local delicacies and artisanal crafts.
There’s nature among its traffic jams
Reforma’s western end runs through Chapultepec Park, a magnificent 678-hectare green oasis that’s more than twice the size of New York’s Central Park. This ancient woodland provides a necessary balance to the boulevard’s urban energy.
Reforma itself remains surprisingly verdant: not only is the entire avenue lined with trees and native Mexican plants — including seasonal flowers for Christmas and Day of the Dead — but environmental initiatives have recently expanded Reforma’s green credentials. Wander down the boulevard and you’ll notice vertical gardens appearing on buildings and new pedestrian areas incorporating sustainable design. This green connection makes Reforma more than just a transportation artery. Today, it’s a living corridor connecting the city’s commercial heart to its natural lungs.
It’s Mexico City’s meeting place for protesters
No street better embodies Mexico’s democratic spirit than Reforma, the site of countless protests since the early 20th century. The wide, straight design has leveraged space for everything from President Francisco I. Madero’s 1913 Loyalty March to the student protests of 1968.
Not all gatherings are political, however. When Mexico’s national soccer team scores a World Cup victory, thousands spontaneously converge at the Angel of Independence to celebrate. During earthquakes, residents have used Reforma as an evacuation route and gathering point. This dual identity as both protest space and celebration venue means Reforma is more than just a street. It’s a representation of the myriad lives that bustle about every day in Mexico’s thriving capital.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or follow her on Instagram.
