Naucalpan

Satélite towers, Parque Quetzalcóatl and Los Remedios in one day

Naucalpan's sights fit into one day: the Torres de Satélite early, Parque Quetzalcóatl late morning and Los Remedios in the afternoon. Mathias Goeritz and Luis Barragán designed the five hollow concrete towers in the late 1950s as a gateway to Ciudad Satélite; see them before traffic builds, from the side roads around the Periférico median.

Have breakfast nearby in Satélite.

Late morning. If you have booked a slot, head west to Parque Quetzalcóatl in Paseos del Bosque, open only between 10am and 12:30pm by appointment. Senosiain, a leading Mexican exponent of organic architecture, shaped it as the feathered serpent: a long body of tiled mounds, a tunnel through its interior and fountains along the slope of a natural ravine. Guides speak English and Spanish.

Afternoon. Cross to the western hills and the Basílica de Los Remedios on the edge of the national park. The church dates from 1575 and houses the small Virgin carried, according to tradition, by one of Cortés's soldiers. Walk a stretch of the park trails, then look for the colonial aqueduct below the hill, with its two spiral-ramped towers. If you still have time before 5pm, the El Conde archaeological zone, a small pre-Hispanic site, is on the way back towards Cuatro Caminos.

Evening. End at Toreo Parque Central, the shopping complex built on the site of the old bullring, for dinner without another long drive.

Weekend barbacoa, chile en nogada and the Periférico restaurant strip

Naucalpan's dining is mostly in shopping centres and big Periférico restaurants built for office lunches and family Sundays, so plan around a few central Mexican classics. At weekends that means barbacoa, lamb slow-cooked in a pit under maguey leaves, a State of Mexico speciality sold by the kilo with its consomé and eaten in tacos.

At weekends, look for barbacoa, lamb slow-cooked in a pit under maguey leaves, a State of Mexico speciality sold by the kilo with its broth, the consomé, and eaten in tacos with salsa and onion. Weekday breakfasts mean chilaquiles, fried tortilla pieces simmered in red or green salsa, and sweet breads with coffee. Street stands near the CETRAM and around local markets sell quesadillas and tlacoyos, oval blue-corn cakes filled with beans or cheese.

For a sit-down meal, La Casa de los Olivos in the Valle de México area of Satélite serves traditional Mexican plates such as milanesa and, in season, chile en nogada, the poblano stuffed with meat and fruit under walnut sauce and pomegranate. Porfirio's, at Toreo Parque Central, is the polished option for a business dinner. In August and September, when walnuts and pomegranates are at their best, chile en nogada appears on menus all over the area.

Trails on Cerro Moctezuma and the rainy-season afternoons

Los Remedios National Park, declared in 1938 on the wooded slopes of Cerro Moctezuma at roughly 2,350 to 2,500 metres, is Naucalpan's best escape from the expressways. Wide, marked trails draw joggers, riders and dog walkers from its 5am opening until 6pm closing; weekdays are quietest.

Squatting and tree-felling have eaten into its edges, so stay on the main trails and avoid going alone late in the day.

The weather here follows the highland pattern of the Valley of Mexico. From November to April it barely rains, with under 10 mm a month from November to March, and afternoons reach 23-28°C under clear skies. Nights are cold for Mexico, around 4°C in December and January, so bring a jacket for early starts.

The rains begin in May and peak from June to September, when July and August each average over 190 mm. The pattern is reliable: bright mornings, cloud building by midday and heavy storms in the afternoon. Downpours flood the underpasses and make the Periférico even slower. Hike in the morning, keep afternoons for indoor sights, and avoid driving at the start of a storm.

Early September also brings the Los Remedios feast, when pilgrims climb to the basilica and the hilltop fills with stalls.