Garibaldi
Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 43, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX
One of the most festive and exciting atmospheres in the city can be found in Plaza de Garibaldi, which has come to be known as a point of reunion for local musicians of any kind of folkloric musical style to find gigs for weddings, bautizos, quinceañeras, birthdays, or the drunkenly individual who wants to make amends with his loved one and take her (or him) a serenata with mariachis. A serenata, it should be said, is a tradition in all of Mexico that involves serenading a female (usually, but you can give serenata to whomever you want) late at night on the occasion of her birthday, anniversary, saint valentine’s, etc., and hopefully she’ll have some balcony where she can lean over and look regal while enjoying the gesture.
The plaza was originally a pre-Hispanic Texcatzoncatl neighborhood and was then known as Plaza Jardín after the Mexican independence, where harvest festivals were carried out, it was also known as Plaza del Baratillo for some time. It wasn’t until 1921 that it was renamed in honor of Lt. Colonel Peppino Garibaldi, who served in the Mexican Revolution in Francisco I. Madero’s revolutionary army. Peppino was the grandson of another fierce Italian warrior, Giuseppe Garibaldi, who also was an Italian patriot and fought for freedom in Brazil and Uruguay.
Today hundreds of tourists and residents of Mexico City each day flock to the plaza to hear some mariachi, trío, marimba, or norteño bands; a small tip is expected, most times $10 pesos will do the trick. The plaza is surrounded by restaurants and bars serving up traditional Mexican dishes and beverages. Salón Tenampa, a restaurant from the 1920s which first started hosting mariachi music in Mexico City, is still in operation. Plaza Garibaldi is conveniently located just a few blocks north of the Palacio de Bellas Artes on Eje Central avenue, and has its own Metro station “Garibaldi” from Línea 8.
Another point of interest is the Tequila and Mezcal Museum, a three-story building with clear glass walls, stone floors, and an area of 220 m² designed by architect Adriana Sepúlveda Vildósola. The whole building had a cost of 30 million pesos and has the purpose of showing tourists the history of these two beverages, how are they made and the great variety of tequilas and mezcals that exist, the museum also contains a tasting room. All-day and all night there’s a festive spirit in Plaza Garibaldi, showcasing Mexican traditional music in all its different forms, there have been significant efforts to revamp security in the area, as the city wants to keep it a place for the whole family to enjoy.
