We’re only a few minutes from the heart of town, just a short car ride south, down the flowing arteries of one of the world’s largest cities. But here? Everything feels like a village. The sidewalks are shaded by palm trees, the fronds swaying almost silently in the breeze. The stone houses lining the streets, once home to the country’s elite, are now studios, galleries, and museums. Rounding the corner on a cobblestone lane, I find a hidden plaza. A fountain flows in the middle, locals all around, sitting on benches and reading books and enjoying this oasis in the middle of a sprawling megalopolis.

The Parish of San Juan Bautista in Coyoacán, Mexico City. Kamira/Shutterstock