Mexico City is a brew of clamor, culture, tradition and sophistication. Its size and sprawl are legendary, and much-publicized concerns about pollution, crime and traffic often add up to intimidation.

Many otherwise-seasoned travelers studiously limit their exposure to Mexico's teeming capital — or "DF" (Distrito Federal) for short — to the time it takes to catch another flight or a bus to more bucolic destinations. What they are missing is the country's very nerve center, with its fusion of ancient civilization and contemporary urbanity. Here are our Top 10 reasons to make Mexico City a destination rather than a transfer point.

1. Centro Histórico architecture. The oldest part of Mexico City compresses 700 years of history, including Aztec ruins, Spanish colonial grandiosity, Art Nouveau showplaces and avant-garde experiments. Must-sees: The Catedral Metropolitana, built on top of the temple complex from which the Aztecs once ruled; the Templo Mayor de Tenochtitlán, center of the Aztec universe, uncovered behind the cathedral only in 1978; and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, an Art Deco/Art Nouveau confection of marble and Tiffany glass that is home to the famous Ballet Folklórico de Mexico, political murals and a museum of contemporary architecture.

2. The colonias. Mexico City is made up of about 350 distinct neighborhoods, many of which were villages swallowed up by the burgeoning metropolis. The Paseo de la Reforma, running through the financial district, and the Zona Rosa, famous for its upscale hotels, are best known to tourists. Take a detour into leafy Colonia Condesa, a happening place with trendy bars and restaurants, and a mix of classic architecture and sleek lofts and apartment buildings. A hip gallery and café scene is taking shape in Colonia Roma, a traditional neighborhood originally plotted out in the horse-and-carriage era. Coyoacán, thrust back into prominence by Frida Kahlo mania, still possesses a quietly bohemian air; neighboring San Angel is a genteel residential colonia with good restaurants, cobblestone streets and a village vibe. It comes alive with Bazar Sábado, a festive handcrafts market, on Saturdays.

3. La cocina mexicana. Geography, disparate civilizations and an international roster of conquerors and immigrants have produced an almost infinite variety of Mexican cuisines. You can find all of them in Mexico City, from coastal seafood to Oaxacan mole to chiles en nogada,the national dish. As the ultimate melting pot, the DF also offers a vast array of exemplary international cuisine, from haute French to piquant Asian to earthy Lebanese — often incorporating corn, tomatoes, chiles, pumpkin and huitlacoche ("corn mushrooms") and other traditional staples of pre-Hispanic cultures. Fresh, high-quality produce, meat and fish make noshing a pleasure, whether it's tamales oaxaqueños (wrapped in banana leaves) at a humble street stand — the ones at the corner of Pachuca and Vera Cruz in Condesa are among the best — or duck in raspberry sauce at Hacienda de los Morales in Colonia Polanco, an enchanting 16th century hacienda with a torch-lit entrance, stone columns and a fountain-studded garden.