Description
Zona Rosa is a portion of the official neighborhood of Colonia Juárez, comprising 24 of the colonia’s 99 city blocks. The borders of the area are formed by Paseo de la Reforma to the north, Varsovia Street to the west, Avenida Insurgentes to the east, and Chapultepec Avenue and Metro Insurgentes to the south. Most of the streets in the area are named after European cities. A number of these streets are made of cobblestone, with two pedestrian-only. About 40 sculptures — 17 created by young artists from the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas of UNAM — have been installed on various streets, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Zona Rosa.
The area is one of Mexico City’s primary shopping districts and nightclub areas. Streets are filled with bars and nightclubs, which fill on weekends. Among these clubs, men’s clubs with table dances and gay bars stand out. In total, there are 714 businesses in the area, 137 of which are restaurants, which cater to foreign and Mexican visitors as well as businessmen who work on nearby Paseo de la Reforma. From its bohemian and intellectual heritage, there are also art galleries, bookstores and the like. El Péndulo is a café/bookstore located on Hamburgo Street, which also serves breakfast with tables available in the indoor dining room and on a terrace. Many of its dishes are named after famous writers. The menu includes international items such as eggs in various styles and French toast as well as Mexican staples such as chilaquiles. Patrons are permitted to read selections from the bookstore as they dine.
One echo from the area’s past are a number of early 20th-century mansions built when the area was an exclusive residential area for Mexico City’s wealthy. These homes were designed to look European, especially French. Some of these still remain, such as the one at 115 Hamburgo Street, but most are abandoned.
Leading to the area from the Insurgentes Metro is Genova Street, a pedestrian mall lined with eateries, 13 of which own areas on the street on which to put tables. It is popular with both locals and foreign visitors. Here, dozens of people handing out flyers stop pedestrians and drivers advertising gay bars and men’s clubs, some of which operate illegally. It is also the site of the Corridor de Arte José Luis Cuevas, which occurs on weekends when an average of 40 artists display their works for sale. On this street stand around 40 sculptures created by young artists of the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas of UNAM.
Despite the installation of tourist police and other efforts, crime is still a problem in the area. The streets with the most problems are Londres, Hamburgo, Florencia, Liverpool, Niza, Amberes and Genova.
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