Although this landlocked capital city is often ignored by travelers, not a single Mexican beach town can hold a candle to the art scene found in the DF (as it’s known to Mexicans, which stands for Distrito Federal). April’s Zona Maco fair provides many opportunities for collectors, who can also discover Mexico City’s museums, galleries and architectural gems — not to mention its stylish restaurants and hotels.

Go:

ZONA MACO
WHAT: Mexico City’s only contemporary art fair, featuring 90 galleries from 18 countries.
WHEN: April 22-26
WHERE: The Centro Banamex
HIGHLIGHTS: Returning to the fair this year is Copenhagen’s Nils Staerk, whose booth features work not only by up-and-coming Danish artists but also sculpture by Brit Richard Hughes and Switzerland’s Olaf Breuning. • Josée Bienvenu, a New York gallerist who has been exhibiting at the fair since its debut, in 2004, will offer politically charged photo-based works from the Colombian artist Juan Manuel Echavarría and vintage photographs from Mexico City’s own Enrique Metinides. Bienvenu praises Zona Maco for attracting blue-chip collectors like Patty Cisneros and Diane and Bruce Halle. "It’s very international," she says. "You meet collectors there that you will see again at Art Basel." • The chic Hotel Habita will once again provide the fair’s concessions, giving fairgoers the option to sip champagne on an open-air terrace or munch brie-and-truffle-oil sandwiches at the indoor restaurant.

GALLERY-HOPPING
WHAT: Check out what the best galleries in Mexico City have to offer.
WHERE: Roma and Chapultepec districts
HIGHLIGHTS: Although you can visit their booths at Zona Maco, some of the city’s most prestigious dealers will also be holding exhibitions to coincide with the fair.
Don’t miss the show of new paintings by Gabriel Orozco at Kurimanzutto, which the fashion designer and entrepreneur Victor Alfaro calls "the leading gallery in Mexico." (Gob. Rafael Rebollar 94; 52-55/5511-1179). • Galería OMR (Plaza Río de Janeiro 54; 52-55/5256-2408) unveils two shows on April 21 — an installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, a Mexican artist who uses light, sound and audience participation; and work by Melanie Smith, a British-born multimedia artist. • Check out Galería López Quiroga (Aristóteles 169 Esq. Horacio/ 52-55/5280-1710), which is an excellent source for photography by Graciela Iturbide, Manuel Álvarez Bravo and others.

Stay:

LAS ALCOBAS HOTEL
This exciting addition to the high-end hotels of the tony Polanco district opened its doors in March. It offers 36 rooms created by acclaimed hospitality designers Yabu Pushelberg, the firm behind the ethereal interiors of the W Hotel in New York’s Times Square.
Avenida Presidente Masaryk 390
52-55/3300-3900
Rates: $415-$2,500
lasalcobas.com

CONDESA DF
The fashion and art crowds flock to Condesa DF, a hip, design-conscious hotel named after its bohemian district. "Condesa is the coolest neighborhood," says Bienvenu. "It’s like SoHo or the Lower East Side." Enjoy the world-class breakfast (especially the homemade granola) in an open-air courtyard, and don’t forget to browse in the Culture Room, where the obscure art books make for great late-night conversation starters.
Avenida Veracruz N. 102
52-55/5241-2600
Rates: $205-$695
condesadf.com

CAMINO REAL
This 712-room hotel sets the standard for large-scale lodging thanks to its flashy, ’70s-era design and a few touches from Mexico’s artistic elite. "There is a spectacular Rufino Tamayo mural and a metal gate that is by Mathias Goeritz," says loyal guest Julián Zugazagoitia, the director of New York’s El Museo del Barrio. Even if you don’t book a room, get a drink at the Blue Lounge, whose Plexiglas floor is suspended above a stream of water.
Mariano Escobedo 700
52-55/63-8888
Rates: $165-$280
caminoreal.com/mexico