Lucha libre at Arena México

Lucha libre, Mexican professional wrestling, is one of the most entertaining nights out in the city, and the Arena México in the Doctores district is the place to see it. The grey concrete arena is known as the "cathedral of lucha libre" and is the home venue of the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, or CMLL, which says it has been running for 93 years and describes itself as the company that created lucha libre in Mexico. Crowds of around 15,000 can fill the seats on a big night.

The show is part sport, part theatre. Wrestlers are split into two camps, the técnicos and the rudos, and many of them fight masked. The audience takes sides with chants and verbal sparring, and the mix of workers, families, students and tourists makes for a loud, lively atmosphere around the ring.

According to the city's tourism office, the main shows are held on Tuesday and Friday evenings and on Sunday afternoons. CMLL's own listings show a Sunday family show at 17:00 and a Tuesday show at 19:30, and they warn that schedules can change at short notice. Special events are added through the year, such as Day of the Dead themed cards in late October. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster or at the box offices on Calle Doctor Lavista on show days, and the box office has its own phone line.

Inside, the seating slopes down towards the ring in numbered aisles, and the rows closest to the action have railings. Food and beer are sold for cash, with beer served in paper cups. If you plan to buy at the box office, arrive early on the day. Expect a dense crowd, especially when everyone leaves at once at the end.

The arena is about 360 metres from Balderas and Cuauhtémoc stations on Metro Line 1, which are also stops on Metrobús Line 3. Crowds pour out onto the side lanes of Avenida Cuauhtémoc after the show and traffic builds up, so plan your journey home before the last match ends. CMLL also runs other venues, including Arena Puebla, but Arena México is its main stage.