Plaza del Carmen, San Ángel

The Plaza del Carmen is a beautiful little triangular park in San Ángel. Facing the busy Avenida Revolución, it’s a first glimpse at the neighborhood’s far more tranquil atmosphere. Like much of San Ángel, the little park’s history begins with the Carmelite Monastery, today’s Museo de el Carmen. The former monastery anchored a colonial era town and allowed it to prosper until the 19th century when it grew into a satellite town. The monastery still stands just across the avenue with another tiny park called Parque de la Paz. Together with the Parque La Bombilla, these parks make up the central tourism corridor of the area.

On this side, the little park is sometimes confused with the gardens in front of the Centro Cultural San Ángel. Those are even closer than the others. But the old Plaza del Carmen is especially treasured for its fountain. It’s a community meeting place. More than anything, it’s a historic town square in a town that simply has never conceded its place within the larger city.

The Capital Bus Centro South Circuit makes its “San Ángel” stop here. That’s because passengers get easy access to the rest of San Ángel. The Plaza San Jacinto is just the most prominent at a five-minute walk down Madero Street. Buses stop on Avenida de la Paz on the north side, and continue south from here to the UNAM CU campus.