Visit the floating gardens of xochimilco

Meaning ‘where the flowers grow’ the floating gardens (chinampas) of Xochimilco, near Mexico City, were originally created to supply crops to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán. Today Xochimilco is still an important market-gardening and flower-producing centre for the city and has also become a popular weekend outing for both Mexicans and tourists who visit the area in colourful trajineras (flat-bottomed boats) accompanied by the musical merriment of local mariachi bands.