Parque Lincoln

Av. Emilio Castelar 163, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 Ciudad de México, CDMX
Parque Lincoln

The upscale neighborhood of Polanco, sometimes referred to as exceedingly posh by visitors and tourists, is chock full of chic boutiques and luxury brand stores along Presidente Masaryk (the main avenue), and sure there’s a healthy selection of expensive restaurants that would make foodies wonder if they’re truly receiving good value for their money, and also swanky art galleries that will charge a pretty penny just to get in; but for a good old regular trip to the park, the Parque Lincoln is one of the most colorful and enjoyable in the whole city. The place is renowned as a popular destination for “selfie-taking” as it is riddled with sculptures and art installations throughout, such as the ones dedicated to Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln (after whom the park was named, of course), and the stone carvings depicting Mexican creatures, another beautiful sculpture is “Apoyo” (“Support”) by Marina Pompar, which has the following legend:

“Support is to provide hope with illusion, and to embrace the pain with tender sweetness” – Marina Pombar.

The park is also called the “Park of Mirrors” because of the large flat rectangular bodies of water that decorate the place and reflect the image of the trees on the ground, creating a kaleidoscope of imagery that just generally increases the aesthetic appeal of the park. A massive play area for children is also located in the middle of the park, with big and colorful jungle gyms for the kids to climb in and out of when at times the parents just need to sit and chill and drink coffee for a little while. The park is also surrounded by quality restaurants, and even though it’s Polanco and they don’t come cheap, at least consider La Casa Portuguesa for a nice and hearty caldo verde, or Ice Cream Nation, where the treats are less expensive and the place uses liquid nitrogen to create their ice cream selection.

But inside the park there’s the Lincoln aviary which has the very low entrance fee of $10 pesos and is a nice little getaway within the already laid-back setting of the park; you get to encounter some peacocks and Australian parakeets, the soothing atmosphere of the aviary is well worth the cheap price and the few minutes it’ll take you to traverse it. The park also houses the open-air theatre Ángela Peralta and the clock tower that’s a veritable landmark within the neighborhood of Polanco.