Hotels near Castillo de Chapultepec

Chapultepec Castle perches on top of Chapultepec Hill at 2,325 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest-altitude royal residences ever built. Construction began in 1785 as a viceregal summer house and the building later served as a military academy, an imperial residence for Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota in the 1860s, and a presidential home. Today it houses the Museo Nacional de Historia, whose galleries walk you through Mexican history from the Conquest to the 1917 Constitution.

The Alcazar section preserves Maximilian and Carlota's private rooms, complete with European furnishings, stained-glass panels, and a rooftop garden that overlooks Paseo de la Reforma all the way to the Torre Latinoamericana. Admission is 85 MXN (about 4.50 EUR), free on Sundays for Mexican nationals. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00. The uphill walk from the park entrance takes about 15 minutes.

> Pro Tip: Combine the castle with the anthropology museum on the same morning. Walk downhill from the castle through the park to reach the museum in under 15 minutes.