Mexico City is bigggg and especially if you come from a less populated area (like I did… I arrived straight from the cold and dark forests of Canada), it can be a bit daunting getting around during your first days. So my main suggesting if you’re planning a visit to The City is just to take your time… and to pick your neighbourhood well!
It’s really all about the barrios (neighbourhoods) in Mexico City – abbreviated as MXCD, Mexico Ciudad – and it’s important to know where you’ll stay. Personally I’d recommend La Condesa or Roma Norte – both are fun and relatively safe.
In the end we stayed for a full week and I think that is a pretty decent amount of time as an introduction to the city. Five days might do as well. But the bare minimum would be four I’d say, especially if you also want to see the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán, located some 40 km outside of Mexico City. Or the ever-roaring volcano of Popocatépetl, the second highest peak in the country.
If you can, try to visit MXCD during or right before Día de los Muertos. During those days, the streets, homes, shops and restaurants are colourfully decorated and you can just feel festivities are in the air. I loved it!
Apart from that, here’s a list of personal favourites to get you started. Don’t be to worried if you haven’t seen it all at the end of your trip in the Ciudad. MXCD is just so enormous that you never might anyway. Moreover, this is especially a city to enjoy, so just focus on that part!
Entonces, disfrute su viaje güey!
Mexican art galore @ Museo Nacional de Antropología
If there’s only one museum you’d like to see, make it this one! You can easily wander a full day through the 23 exhibition halls if you’d like to read all of the texts and observe all of the Mesoamerican objects in detail. Luckily the rooms are flowing from one into another, so you don’t have to be worried you’d get lost (which can be a struggle in European museums for example).
Perhaps it’s great to start at the Museo Nacional de Antropología on your first day in the city. The museum will give you a proper introduction of the many cultures and civilizations that made up pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. It doesn’t really matter if you already know a lot about that history or not, the artefacts are dazzling for sure.
Go cycling @ everywhere
Although hopping around by metro in general is safe as well, we preferred to see the city by bike. The true Dutch way :). I thought it was way more fun cycling around rather than using public transportation, plus it was a tad cheaper too in the end probably.
There are several sharing bike platforms in Mexico City, which is absolutely great. Our Airbnb host seemed to be most enthusiastic about Mobike. You can easily recognize this company as their bikes are dipped in bright orange. Our Airbnb-host even used them every day to commute to work. Read more about how to rent it in here!
I’d recommend you to go cycling in the area of La Condesa or Roma Norte. Especially Park Bosque de Chapultepec (next to Museo Nacional de Antropología) is great fun to cycle through. Except on weekends by the way, as it will be swarming with people by then. Also break for a second to see the Chapultepec Castle over there!
James Bond peeking @ Gran Hotel
You remember James Bond’s Spectre? The opening scene of that movie is set in Mexico City. You see Bond walking all nicely dressed up through the skeleton-like crowds doing his cool thing, before ending up in a hotel with some vague mistress before having this very unrealistically helicopter fight with the Día de los Muertos crowds beneath him (oh my god, what a horrible scene that was by the way haha!).
Anyway, that parade Bond’s a part of is actually a fictional one. Mexico City paid something like twenty million USD (according to The Guardian), to be the chosen one for the setting of the opening scene. Twenty million!!
All this in an attempt to attract more tourists ánd to get rid a bit of that criminal image the city is suffering from. And it worked.
I for that was an example as I wanted to see the hotel myself. Just around the corner of the Zócalo you can just easily walk enter the Gran Hotel Ciudad de México, no need to be dressed fancily. Just take a minute to soak up the vibe. Or go for a cup of coffee in the restaurant.
A walk on the main square @ El Zócalo
On the second largest public square in the world, there’s always something to see or do. All main squares in Mexico are called zócalo and this one is home to the Cathedral, the National Palace and Aztec ruins of Museo Templo Mayor.
The square is especially worth a visit during the weekends, when the entire square is filled with a big book fair and eating stalls.
For some kind of reason I forgot to make a picture of the square, whoops! But I did like this view on one of the buildings on the western edge of it. ↓
Go for an Aztec shaman cleansing
These guys below usually are walking around the Zócalo as well. Otherwise you can find them on the square in front of the Museo Nacional de Antropología.
They perform ‘spiritual ceremonies’ or ‘cleansings’ (a limpia in Spanish).
I observed them a few times and as far as I can see this is what it’s about: if you decide to join you have to wait in line (yesss, these limpias are popular among the locals). Next you’ll receive a pile of herbs and are asked for a donation. When it’s your turn the shaman take your herbs and rubs them sort of around your body, while smoking the evil forces out with incense. The idea is that you’re body is being cleansed from evil spirits and energized with strength.
Doesn’t hurt to try that one out right?
It’s slightly freaky though as well. ↓
Ruins from above @ Librería Porrúa
You can visit the Templo Mayor (next to the square) for free and that’s great! Even better is looking down upon it from a nice terrace with a drink in your hand! Walk to the Librería Porrúa, in the northern corner of the Templo, take the elevator and on the upper floor you’ll find this cool terrace, cheers!
The Diego Rivera mural @ Palacio National
After walking around the Zócalo and the Templo Mayor, entering the Palacio Nacional will feel very serene. Suddenly the hustle and bustle from the main square seems far away. The palace is like a serene oasis and is impressive because of its size, nice garden and the murals of Diego Rivera.
They are rather overwhelming. Guides are always around and it’s worth a few pesos to let them explain you what you’re looking at.
If you’re up for it, there’s more art around in the palace. So go for a little stroll and reserve an hour or three if you want to see it all.
Admission is free, but don’t forget to bring your ID (a driver’s license suffices) for this one, it’ll be checked upon entering. The same with your bag; you can leave your food and beverages behind at the counter as you’ll get it back at the end of your visit.
Enjoying a drink with a view @ Torre Latinoamericana
You won’t see a lot of high-rise buildings around and that’s quite understandable. Mexico City is located on highly active seismic land. Torre Latinoamerica, located close to the Zócalo, is therefore undoubtedly an important landmark. If only because of the view from the top at 182 m / 597 ft. Although this skyscraper wasn’t the first in the city, it was its tallest one for 27 years, from its opening in 1956 until 1982.
Something like a decade ago an observation deck was opened on one of the top floors of Torre Latinoamerica. You have to pay to get there… so why not go to the restaurant which is two floors below the mirador?! You’ll almost have the same view and can enjoying while holding a drink in one hand and a taco in the other. Sounds about right, right?
Go for a performance @ Palacio de Bellas Artes
Try to see what kind of plays or ballets there are during your visit in MXCD at the Palacio Bellas de Artes. We went ourselves to the Ballet Folklorico and it was spectacular! I expected it to be slightly similar to a classical ballet (which I love by the way), but it wasn’t like that at all. The ballet was way more expressive and even interactive. At some point a couple of guys came to the audience and danced with some elder Mexican ladies in the crowd! Now that’s something you don’t see everyday.
Our seats weren’t that spectacular as we reserved one of the cheaper type of tickets – I think they were something like $20,- USD per person. But the great thing was that once we were there, we were able to upgrade it for a small price. I have no idea whether this was legitimate or not, but I couldn’t really care to be honest.. we now had front row seats! Obviously, this is only possible when the ballet isn’t sold out.
Apart from that, the palace is worth a visit because of its museum, where expositions often occur (there was one about Kandinsky at the time of our visit). If you go on a Sunday, your visit will even be free. Again you’ll find murals of Rivera in here, but you’ll see others (from Siquieros, Orozco) too.
Mesoamerican pride @ the Teotihuacán Pyramids
I understand it’s tempting to remain inside the city ‘walls’, but you have to give yourself a kick in the ass and head out to the Teotihuacán Pyramids. This ancient Mesoamerican city is located some 40 km outside of Mexico City. These are also the pyramids that Frida and Trotsky visited. You know… from the movie ‘Frida’ (and in real life obviously, but this is just how I came to know about the ruins personally :)).
We were in a lazy mood and took an Uber to the pyramids, which was something like $30,- USD. But on the way back we discovered it’s also very easy to get there by bus, which was something like $2,50 USD per person. That’ll keep you on the budget for sure.
By the way, start out early in Teotihuacán… This really is a must, because it gets freaking hot over there during the day. You’ll definitely need something like three hours to walk it all. Perhaps a little more with a long lunch break in between (see next stop!)
Here’s how Teotihuacán looks like ↓
Dining in a cave @ La Gruta
Are you ready to release that inner caveman? Then I’ve got an excellent restaurant for you located within a cave (!!).
Our Uber guy (during our ride to the previous highlight) told us about an awesome restaurant in a cave, so we decided to give it a go.
Just a five minute walk from the archeological area of Teotihuacán ánd right behind the Pyramid of the Sun you’ll find the La Gruta Restaurant. It looks rather fancy, with a private access route with palm trees and all of that, so we weren’t sure if we’d be welcome with our sneakers and casual clothes. But no worries, as long as you’re not looking like you’re going to the beach or something, I think you’ll be good.
Read more about the cave in here!
Go on a pelgrimage @ Basílica de Guadelupe
This place is of highly religious importance for catholics in Mexico City. The Lady of Guadelupe is said to have appeared to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in Mexico. (Nope, I don’t know how to pronounce that either.)
Within the complex you’ll find both a brand new basilica and various old ones. The new basilica especially is popular, because it contains the cloak of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin with an image of Our Lady of Guadaloupe. It’s considered a relic and therefore the basilica is a popular place for pilgrims. Funny enough there’s this moving walkway sliding in front of the cloak, just to make sure everyone will get to see it. You can hop on and off if you want to see it again 🙂
The church can hold some 5000 parishioners and services are held every hour during the day. It is said to be the second most visited catholic church, only behind Vatican, receiving more than 20 million tourists and pilgrims every year.
Personally I thought the entire complex was mainly interesting because one of the churches is located on a hill. This is a beautiful site with pretty views, whether or not you are a believer. You could easily spend an hour or two in the area of the basilica if you like, as there’s a lot to behold.
Go at the end of the day, on a weekday, as it can be swarming with people in this area during the weekends.
Enjoy a coffee + book @ El Péndulo
Mexico City has a lot of authentic book shops, but for me El Péndulo was the coolest of all. Located in both Roma and La Condesa, these bookstores are located in multileveled old buildings, decorated with plants and are both in possession of a balcony seating area. So this means you can enjoy your book while eating cake or drinking coffee!
Museo Frida Kahlo
Yes, there’s a Frida Kahlo-mania in Mexico (and around the world), so therefore it won’t be surprising to know that almost every tourist wants to visit Casa Azul, the house of Kahlo where she was born, lived in with her husband Diego Rivera and died.
And still, despite the flocks of tourists and despite the commercial circus around the imago of madame Kahlo, this place is worth your time. The museum starts with an introduction about Kahlo’s life, some rooms with photographs and paintings and continues through her private rooms. They still look like Frida has just left the building.
Frida isn’t necessarily famous for her work, but mainly because her story is just such a fascinating one. Can you recall any other woman who made it to the cover of Vogue, was famous for wearing extravagant dresses ánd was preaching socialist ideas all around the world? I really need a moment to think of somebody else. Conclusion; it’s hard to define Kahlo as she seemed to have so many faces.
Book your ticket in time and online, it’s basically the only way to get in! There are time slots and you have to wait in line before you can get in.
Also watch the movie Frida (once more) before striking out, it’ll increase the experience!
Buy souvenirs @ Mercado del Coyoacán
Mexican markets are rarely disappointing, but the one of Coyoacán (close to Museo Frida Kahlo) was especially nice in my opinion. Whether you’re looking for souvenirs, regular stuff or delicious smells, you can find it all in here.
We also ate our best tlayudas (aka a Mexican pizza with seafood) ever with these guys! ↓
Stroll through the cute neighbourhood of Coyoacán
Coyoacán used to be nothing more than a hard-to-pronounce suburb of Mexico City. Museo Casa Azul changed all of that. As the museum is located in here and the former residence of the artists draws hundreds of tourists every week that all want to drink a coffee afterwards, the whole area has been uplifted. And yes, the cobblestoned streets are worth a little stroll.
Despite all of the souvenir shops there’s also a lot of old charm around. In fact, you can even still visit the Cantina La Guadalupana, where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera liked to go for a little tequila. Funny enough this place has nót become a tourist trap and stills oozes that old-fashioned Mexican charm from the old days.
Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli
I knew a lot about Frida Kahlo, but very little about Rivera. Therefore for me personally this museum was worth the visit.
Don’t be mistaken though, this museum tells little about the life of Diego Rivera himself, but all the more about his pre-hispanic art collection. Nevertheless, it gave a bit away about the guy himself. This museum south of Coyoacán is built by design of Rivera itself and – in my opinion – quite bold and a tad ugly. It’s constructed from volcanic material, therefore very dark on the inside and really… well, weird. The biggest room in the museum is decorated with (half-finished) murals from Rivera himself. From the top-level of the building you have a nice view on the neighbourhoods and its surrounding volcanos. All in all it’s interesting, but weird.
If you visit the Frida Kahlo Museum you can visit Anahuacalli on the same day for free!
Strolling the fanciest district of MXCD @ Polanco
The vibe in Polanco is entirely different from any other neighbourhood in MXCD. A mix of skyscrapers, banks and embassies, this place clearly is where the money’s at. That may not sound so inspiring, but the neighbourhood itself is actually quite lush.
Do as the white-collar workers do and walk through Parque Lincoln, have some sushi at El Japonez Polanco, eat a steak at Porter or a taco in the lush garden of Cervecería Polanquito or order some Venezuelan arepas at Orale Arepa.
Museo Soumaya @ Polanco
While you’re in Polanco head some blocks north and visit Museo Soumayo, owned by the richest man of Mexico: Carlos Slim. Not only is the building itself quite mind-boggling, it’s also chock-full of Rodin sculptures, Mexican and European paintings (a lot of impressionism and expressionism) and Japanese and Chinese ivories.
Take the elevator to the upper floor and walk your way down along the spiralling walkways, which similar the Guggenheim in New York and are filled with information that parallels Mexican happenings with world events.
The museum is free, plus it’s busy with both tourists and business folks and the aircon is só strong in here that I’d advise you to bring along a decent sweater!
Lucha Libre
So this was an activity my husband picked and I was like “oh bloody hell, here we go”… but it turned out I enjoyed this evening immensely as well. Lucha Libre is more like fake fighting and it’s all about the macho energy.
The ‘fighters’ announce themselves with a lot of ‘fuss’ (think; giant light show, smoke canons and ‘Eye of the Tiger’-like music), ladies in Hooter-like outfits pop up after each round, midgets are joining the fight and waiters are serving beer and popcorn throughout the entire spectacle, so that no-one has to leave their seats. In #metoo times, this indeed is a bit outdated, but hey, let’s give it a go for old times sake.
Tickets are something like $8,- to $10,- USD and it looks like you can just buy them right before the show start. At least, that’s what we did and there were plenty of seats available still. If you’re a little late it doesn’t matter either, you can join the show anytime! ↓
Have a drink and eat some tacos @ La Condesa, Roma Norte and Polanco!
Are you looking for a nice place to drink your chela (beer) and eat a taco on the side? Here are some great places to start your evening!
- Taberna Luciferina
- Blanco Colima
- Any cafe around the Fuente de Cibeles
- Palmares Azotea
- La Cervecería (they have several spots in the city, I already mentioned the one in Polanco)
- Hanky Panky Cocktail Bar
- Limantour
Looking for a place to stay?
We stayed via Airbnb with Maria Theresa on Campeche Street in the neighbourhood of La Condesa and had a superb time with her. Maria is young, witty and always eager to share her best tips with you (included many in this article). The area felt really safe, there usually were Mobikes available in her street and her home is comfy. All you need really as a base to explore that Mexican maze!
And here’s where to go in and around MXCD!
Ariadnne
November 15, 2022 at 10:32 am
Where did you found such a cheap lucha libre activity???