By James Stone

Mexico City is a busy, dirty, lively place to visit, with excellent nightlife, museums and tourist attractions. If you'd like to book flights to Mexico City, Uk Net Guide's Flight Search has all the best deals, and try our Travel Insurance Search too!

The infamous smog that hangs over Mexico City has been cleaned up dramatically in recent years and the vast city is now becoming popular with travellers. The Mexican capital is the third-largest metropolis city in the world, with a staggering 22 million inhabitants, and the highest at 7,347 ft.

Founded in 1325 by the Aztecs as Tenochtitlan, Mexico City is a treasure trove of ancient, exotic and historical sights, sounds and smells, from colonial palaces to Aztec ruins and lively dance clubs.

Some of the most important historical sites include the Basilica de Guadalupe, built around 1700 and site of an early miracle, the pretty Casa de Los Azulejos, the elaborate Catedral Metropolitana, the Museum of Modern Art, the Plaza de las Tres Culturas and the National Art Museum.

Wander around the Centro Historico (Historic Centre) to take in some of the best early architecture and museums, such as the Plaza de la Constitucion in the heart of the city, the Palacio Nacional, and the remains of the Templo Mayor (Main Temple) of the Aztec Tenochtitlan.

Other highlights are the Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, dedicated to the two artists, the Museo de Frida Kahlo, the Museo Franz Mayer, Plaza San Jacinto, and the observation deck at the top of the Torre Latinoamerica skyscraper.

For a break from the bustle of Mexico City's streets, try the historic Alameda Central park, the site of the Aztec market, with food vendors, benches, plenty of shady trees and fountains. The Bosque de Chapultepec is also worth a visit, with the world class National Anthropology Museum, boating lakes, a zoo, a cultural centre and a botanical garden.

The trendy bars, restaurants and nightclubs of Mexico City are becoming increasingly famous and a number of excellent music venues have sprung up in recent years, many offering exotic Latin beats, dancing and glamour.

Leisure activities are available in the city's parks, including boating and horse riding, or travellers can head for the La Feria de Chapultepec children's amusement park, with plenty of games and rides. Meanwhile, shoppers will delight in the eclectic markets, stalls and colourful shops all over Mexico City, many selling traditional handicrafts.

Some of Mexico City's old problems remain, though they are markedly less severe than they used to be, and crime remains a threat, with tourists advised to take care of their both belongings and themselves.

The best time to visit Mexico City is during the balmy spring and autumn months, as the height of summer can be suffocatingly hot and temperatures cool considerably in the winter months.

Visitors to Mexico City might find the heady, humid, bustling metropolis too much at times, but they will certainly not be bored, with plenty to see, do and simply experience amid the urban sprawl.

Click here for Worldwide Flights Click here for Holiday search Travel Insurance quotes