If you are like we were, you may be reluctant to select Mexico City as a travel destination because you’ve heard it’s nothing but a big, dirty, crowded, and dangerous city that is best avoided. Well, we’re determined to convince you to throw those notions out the window and start planning an unforgettable Mexico City itinerary.
While it is true that this capitol city is huge with a massive population and pockets of poverty and crime, this is far from the whole picture. And quite honestly not what most visitors will experience. After all, the same can be said of big cities all around the world. It is their nature to have a dark and seedy side but with research, common sense, and of course our guide to Mexico City you are no more likely to have problems here than in any other large urban area.
In fact, in our opinion, if you like vibrant cities full of abundant cultural activities, beautiful buildings, historic sites, fabulous parks and delicious food, then a bare minimum of 3 days in Mexico City should be at the top of your travel wish list.
If you can swing 5 or 7 days that would be even better! You can then add on some day trips like Teotihuacan or the beautiful and therapeutic Las Grutas de Tolantongo.
We had traveled around the diverse country of Mexico for seven months prior to visiting the city for the first time in 2014. From the west coast’s Puerto Vallarta to the Spanish-influenced Merida, the architectural mecca of Guadalajara and on to the Caribbean jewel Playa del Carmen and Cancun we felt safe and welcome everywhere we went.
Mexico City was no exception and we loved it so much we returned three years later for an even longer visit and then again and again. The truth is we fall more and more in love with Mexico City each time we go.
Mexico City 2017
When To Go to Mexico City
Mexico City is a great tourist destination any time of year. Unlike other parts of Mexico, here they have pleasant temperatures year-round and it rarely gets too hot or too cold. Although the winter nights can get a bit chilly and require a jacket.
November to May brings the dry season and of course more sun which is nice but the downside is that the lack of rain can increase pollution.
The rainy season is June-October which also brings the warmer temperatures. It’s good to have a light raincoat and/or umbrella but it usually rains in the late afternoon leaving the mornings dry and sunny.
October to December can be especially nice as the rainy season has just come to an end and left everything green and the pollution issues haven’t really kicked in.
Whatever time of year you go make sure to pack comfortable shoes appropriate clothing for Mexico City. You will walk a lot and will require very different pieces than you would for a Mexico beach vacation.
Where To Stay in Mexico City
There is everything from budget hostels to luxury hotels in Mexico City and they have a great transit system that makes it easy to get around. However, our first choice, and that of many people we asked, would be the areas of Zona Rosa, Roma and Condesa as they are very safe and clean and have an amazing selection of trendy restaurants, bars and shops.
Zona Rosa offers the most hotels whereas Roma and Condesa are more residential so you’ll more likely be staying in a private residence such as an Airbnb. They are all within walking distance or a short taxi ride from each other and from the Metro.
Historico Central is another popular area to stay if you want to be close to all the historic sites. The area is buzzing during the day but in the evening it becomes very quiet as it is not a trendy residential area like Roma or Condesa and lacks all the restaurants and bars that draw an evening crowd.
Airbnb:
Airbnb is a fabulous resource for booking accommodations in private homes. You will find everything here from a simple bedroom in the owner’s home to a private house or apartment. Either way, you will usually have the use of a kitchen and many other conveniences that you won’t get with a hotel including advice from a local. We used it all over Mexico and Europe, it’s our favorite way to stay.
Hostels:
Most of the hostels are clustered around Colonio Centro. We didn’t get a chance to check out many hostels but the ones below looked good from a quick inspection. Our go-to sites for booking hostels are Hostelworld and Hotels Combined.
Hotels:
You can find every style and budget in Mexico City so the first thing you should do is research which area you want to stay in. We stayed at an Airbnb both times so we’ve listed hotel options in three price categories below based on places we walked through while there or had suggested to us by other travelers. If you want to search further we recommend using Hotels Combined because they will search several booking sites and give you the best pricing.
Hotel Plaza Revolucion is a newer hotel on a quiet street but very centrally located. It’s just four blocks from Plaza de la Republica and close to Paseo de la Reforma and Revolucion metro station. The rooms are modern and comfortable with lovely wood floors and the big selling features for us would be the gym and free wifi.
In the heart of the trendy Roma-Condesa district the Stanza Hotel would be a top choice for us. The area is a mix of residential buildings, restaurants, bars and boutique shopping but it is still quick and easy to get to the historic center and other tourist sites. This is the neighborhood we stayed in and we would definitely go back.
If you’ve only got a few days and want to spend your time at the sites of historic downtown Mexico City the Historico Central Hotel is a great choice. It’s walking distance to Zocalo, Plaza de la Constitucion, Palacio Nacional, Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico and Banamex Cultural Palace Museum and the reasonable price includes breakfast, wifi and gym.
Getting Around Mexico City
Taxis:
There is an abundance of taxis in the city but be careful when using them as there are cases of overcharging and even robbery by taxi drivers. Always try to use the taxi ranks (sitios) and at the airport or bus depot always use the pre-paid taxis. If you don’t use a taxi rank or pre-paid taxi it’s best not to travel alone and always make sure there’s a meter running or set a price ahead of time. Turismo taxis will generally be waiting in front of hotels and almost always charge much more than they should.
Public Transit:
Public transit is very efficient and ranges from city buses and collectivos (smaller and faster than the bus but a bit more in cost) to the fabulous modern Metro and Tren Ligero. You can purchase individual tickets or transit cards that you can top up at the handy ticket machines. The Metro is very convenient but can be really busy especially at peak times. Many stations do offer a special boarding area for women and children.
Bicycle:
Yes I said bicycle in Mexico City. Not for the faint of heart but we rode in the quieter areas of Zona Roma and Condesa and had no problem. They have a wonderful system for renting bikes in the city and you can find them all over the place. You can go to one of the manned booths or you can purchase a card and pick up and drop off bikes from the stands that are scattered around. It’s amazingly convenient. We used Ecobici but I believe there may be more than one company.
Turibus:
Turisbus is a hop-on and off bus tour with several routes and many stops all over the city. We like to do these tours on our first day to get our bearings or if we only have a couple of days and want a speedy tour of everything that we don’t have time to see in detail. Just make sure you study the different routes and times because a day pass allows you to do more than one route.
Learn more about this amazing country with these 80+ Fun Facts About Mexico
3 Days in Mexico City Itinerary
It’s unlikely that you will be able to see and do everything unless you’re staying for several weeks so we have listed our favorite must-see sights. We have by no means covered even half of what this amazing city has to offer and have barely touched on the more than 150 museums but if you just have a few days this list will give you a good taste.
Day 1: Centro Historico
We suggest your first full day be spent around the Centro Historico. As the name suggests this is where you will find many of the cities most important historical sites and buildings as well as museums, galleries and cultural events. There is much to see here and it will be tough to cover it all in-depth in one day but you will have fun trying.
The Zocalo (Plaza de la Constitucion)
The Zocalo is one of the largest city squares in the world and is surrounded by impressive architecture in every direction. It is also the center of gatherings and peaceful protests which can be an interesting look into local politics.
Here are just a few of the sites to check out in the area in and around the Zocalo:
Cathedral Metropolitana is the largest church in Latin America. Open daily 7:30 am-7:30 pm free admission
Palacio Nacional houses famous Diego Rivera murals. Open daily 9 am-4:30 pm free
The Ayuntamiento houses government administration offices inside but the exterior is definitely worthy of photos.
Nacional Monte de Piedad is the National Pawn Shop with a multitude of amazing artwork and jewelry. Open Mon-Fri 8:30-6:00.
Templo Mayor and the excavation site of several ancient Aztec temples built one on top of the other. Also a very good museum on site. Included in the admission price. Open Tues-Sat 9 am-5 pm
Gran Hotel lobby with its stunning Tiffany stained-glass dome, cage elevators and intricate ironwork.
*If you venture further out from the square and wander the streets you will come across smaller squares such as Santo Domingo and Plaza de Loreto and other museums and churches as well as fabulous architecture, shopping and restaurants. For details on all of the surrounding sites you can pick up a map at the turismo office.
Transit: Metro Zocalo or Turibus
Best days to go: You can view most of the sites around Zocalo any day of the week but many of the museums are closed on Monday. Try to be in the square at about 6 pm for the lowering of the flag.
Palacio de Bellas Artes
Built in 1901 in the style of Art Nouveau the white marble-clad Palacio de Bellas Artes has a magnificent Art Deco interior which you can view for free in the foyer at any time. To see more of the stunning interior you can visit the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes. It’s a short and pleasant walk from the Zocalo.
Transit: Metro Bellas Artes
Best days to go: You can view the foyer any day. The museum is open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm and admittance is $40 pesos but is free on Sunday
Day 2: Chapultepec Park & Museum of Anthropology
*Allow a bare minimum of half a day just to wander through the park and enjoy the green areas, gardens, monuments and stands. The Museum of Anthropology will take up at least 2-3 hours.
Chapultepec Park (Bosque Chapultepec) is more than 1,600 acres of parkland with numerous paved pathways winding through green lawns, trees, lakes, statues, and museums. It’s a perfect place to be on a sunny day to wander, people watch and have a picnic.
Museo Anthropologia is known as one of the world’s greatest museums. Open Tues-Sun 9 am-7 pm at 64 pesos entrance but free on Sun.
Museo Nacional de Historia is housed in a castle built in 1785. Open Tues-Sun 9 am-5 pm Cost: 63 pesos but free on Sun.
The Zoo was a really pleasant surprise for us as it was quite big and nicely maintained and was absolutely free!
There are four small lakes in the park where you can rent paddle boats for a small fee.
Plenty of stands all through out the park selling everything you can imagine…food, drinks, sweets, toys, souvenirs…you could spend half a day just browsing the stands.
Transit: Chapultepec Metro. We also used the bikes mentioned above to take a ride through the park. Take note that there are bike stands at the entrances but not inside the park itself so you will not be able to go into the zoo or museums etc until you return the bikes.
Best days to go: Sunday is the day that all the locals go to the park. This means it is very busy but also very fun and vibrant so it depends on what you like.
Day 3: San Angel & Coyoacan
San Angel is an upmarket colonial suburb just outside the city with beautiful homes, restaurants and little cafes to sit and people watch. Definitely try to go on a Saturday for Bazaar Sabado, the market at Plaza San Jacinto.
Coyoacan is another colonial township that can be reached on foot from San Angel by way of a really pretty hour-long walk. Here you will find wide, tree-lined cobblestone streets with a much less touristy feel than San Angel. The weekends are especially good when the plazas are alive with music, artists and students.
*There are also many museums in these areas including the Museo Frida Kahlo.
Transit: Tren Legaro
Best days to go: Definitely on the weekend and especially Saturday for San Angel.
Evenings
Zona Rosa, Roma and Condesa
These areas are fun to explore during the days as well if time allows but they are also the best places to spend your evenings. After all, this cosmopolitan metropolis is on every list for the best party cities in Mexico.
Zona Rosa is just south of Reforma and east of Chapultepec Park. It doesn’t have much in the way of sightseeing but it is chock full of restaurants, bars, shops and hotels so it’s a great place to go in the evening for dinner and drinks or just a stroll to people watch. It’s also a perfect area to join a Mexico City food tour.
Roma and Condesa are south of Zona Rosa and are more residential with lovely leafy streets and boulevards lined with Art Deco buildings housing homes, offices and art galleries and dotted with peaceful parks. The parks and art galleries make it a nice place to stroll during the day but in the evening Condesa comes alive with some of the best restaurants and trendy bars in the city. The safe, walkable streets filled with lively people, delicious food and a variety of entertainment make it our first choice for staying while in Mexico City.
Transit: Metro Insurgentes, Sevilla or Chapultepec
Extra Days
As mentioned earlier you could spend weeks in Mexico City and still want to see more. However, if you have a couple of extra days the following sights should be added to your Mexico City itinerary.
Xochimilco (UNESCO site)
Although Xochimilco is known as the floating gardens it’s not the gardens that float but colorful boats called lanchas. These lanchas take you through miles of canals bordered by homes, flowers shops and green space.
Meanwhile, smaller boats navigate around the lanchas selling food, drink and flowers. It is a long-standing tradition for Mexican families and groups of friends to get together on a Sunday and spend the day on these vibrant boats eating, drinking and socializing.
As with all Mexican celebrations, music plays a huge role. No day at Xochimilco is complete without some Mariachi music. The traditional musicians hop from boat to boat playing popular mariachi songs that have everyone singing along.
The boats are there every day and if you want a peaceful boat ride then go during the week. However, if you want to experience a true noisy and colorful Mexican tradition definitely go on the weekend as we did. It’s absolute chaos on Sundays but it’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed.
*The cost of the boats is the same regardless of the number of people so if you’re just a couple or solo do as we did and try to partner up with another couple or group.
Transit: Tren legaro
Best days to go: Weekends for a true traditional experience or weekdays for a quiet boat ride
Teotihuacan
Historic Teotihuacan is just an hour away so it makes an easy day trip from Mexico City. This ancient city was found by the Aztecs 450 years after it was abandoned so it’s pretty unique and interesting. We advise going first thing in the morning before the heat and crowds hit. If you have the energy it’s definitely worth climbing to the top of some of the pyramids for a special view.
We really hope we’ve convinced you to add Mexico City to your must-visit list. It is a spectacular city that in our opinion rivals many top-name cities in the world for its abundance of exciting sights and sounds. Oh and the food! It’s a foodie’s dream!
If you have been, or plan to go, to this amazing capital city we’d love to hear your stories and if you know of anyone going please share our Guide to Mexico City!
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Born in England, Sarah developed her wanderlust at a young age as she traveled around Europe with her parents. As a young adult she spent every penny she could on experiences as opposed to possessions. Eventually she found a way to earn a living doing what she loved: traveling, writing and capturing images of the wondrous world we live in. When not on the go Sarah enjoys time in her “sometimes home” of Vancouver.
No we didn’t. Will have to put it on our list for our next trip!
Also, did you check out Rosetta bakery in Roma Norte? I enjoyed everything there immensely.