Xochimilco: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Centuries of agricultural trade established distinct local food customs, including regional preparations of esquites, chileatolli, and tlapiques. Farming continues across the borough, though deteriorating water quality pushed cultivation away from traditional crops toward ornamental greenery. Vast distribution hubs such as Cuemanco, Mercado de Madre Selva, and Palacio de la Flor now handle the capital city's wholesale flower trade.

Tourism remains anchored to passenger trajineras traveling the canal network from authorized embarcaderos. Despite heavy visitor traffic, the area lacks conventional hospitality development, maintaining a negligible share of the city's hotel supply. Environmental stress and urban plagues have also damaged the conservation territory, leading to the local disappearance of traditional fruit trees such as capulins and peaches.