Three days in Mexico City was not enough. But I have a feeling that a week, or a month, or a lifetime would still be not enough time to spend in the city. The capital of Mexico is beautifully chaotic and vibrant, with patches of quiet and green space filling in the gaps. With year-round near-perfect weather, more museums than you can imagine, a rich culture, and, it almost goes without saying, incredible food, Mexico City is what I would consider a perfect destination for any traveler. No matter the length of time you have available, I urge you to go. The city holds something exciting around every corner, as long as you know where to look.
[Update: This vibrant city warranted another trip; you can find my second-timers guide here]
Headed there? Here’s what we did during our three days in the city, and what we would recommend to other visitors. Not headed there? Don’t worry, you’ll be booking a flight soon enough…
A word to the wise, Mexico City is an incredibly vibrant, photogenic city, so this post is image-heavy - but don't let that deter you from scrolling to the end to find all of my top tips for visiting Mexico City.
WHAT TO SEE + DO IN MEXICO CITY
Attend a Lucha Libre match
Arena México | Dr. Lavista 189, Doctores, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Arena Coliseo | República de Perú 77, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Even if you’re not “into wrestling” you can’t miss this important cultural phenomenon. Matches are held several times a week in the city at both Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo, and headliners are announced a few days in advance on the CMLL website. To save time, purchase your tickets in advance at Ticketmaster and collect them once you arrive. Be sure to stay tuned in the coming weeks, as this topic will have its own dedicated post (hello from the future! You can find my dedicated Lucha Libre post right here).
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Visit some of the city’s premier museums
Museo Nacional de Antropología | Av. P.º de la Reforma s/n, Polanco, Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Museo Frida Kahlo | Londres 247, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, 04100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Mexico City has no shortage of museums – both in quantity and quality. We only had time to see a few during our brief visit, but what sights they were indeed. The National Anthropology Museum (Museo Nacional de Antropología) is vast, housing tons of Pre-Hispanic artifacts, and impossible to get through in one visit. The Frida Kahlo Museum (Museo Frida Kahlo) is housed in the artist’s childhood home which she later shared with Diego Rivera, and it displays artwork from many points in the artist’s life. Be sure to purchase tickets online in advance; we weren’t sure what time we would end up at the museum and we decided to just chance it – bad idea. We waited in line for two hours.
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Take in the city sights and explore the parks
Parque México | Hipódromo, 06100 Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico Bosque de Chapultepec | Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc, 11580 Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico Parque España | Parque España, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Cuauhtémoc, CDMX, Mexico
One of my favorite travel experiences involves simply wandering the streets or grabbing a coffee or a glass of wine (depending on the time of day and cultural acceptance) and sitting in a park to people-watch. Mexico City has no shortage of green spaces, and the locals flock with their friends, families, and dogs to enjoy them. We vastly enjoyed Parque México, Chapultepec, Parque España, and several other pocket parks we stumbled upon during our wanderings to see how locals spend their day.
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Be in the center of it all – but just for a bit
Zócalo | P.za de la Constitución S/N, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
The Zócalo is the historical center of Mexico City, and it is as busy (and touristic) as you would expect. Linger awhile, snap a few photos of the cathedral and the people in action, and scoot on your way. We were fortunate to arrive on a day when a festival was taking place; otherwise, the square is surrounded by souvenir shops, a McDonald’s, and likely a few pickpockets.
WHAT TO EAT IN MEXICO CITY
Everything. Pictured below:
Churrería El Moro | Multiple Locations Panadería Rosetta | Colima 179, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Molino el Pujol | Gral. Benjamín Hill 146, Hipódromo Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico El Parnita | Av. Yucatan 84, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Food is a huge draw for us, especially when we are visiting a country with cuisine that’s often done poorly or is marginalized at home. Head here to read my full Mexico City food guide, but a few can’t-miss places are Churros el Moro, Panadería Rosetta, Molino el Pujol, El Parnita, and literally any street vendor with a crowd.
MEXICO CITY’S FAVORITE BEVERAGES
Coffee shops
Almanegra Café | Multiple Locations Boicot Café | Multiple Locations Cardinal Casa de Café | Multiple Locations Café Negro | Centenario 16, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, 04000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Buna 42 | Cda. Orizaba 42, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Coffee is grown in Mexico, so be sure to try a local single-origin or blend while you are there (and pick up some beans to take home!). There are wonderful spots all over the city, but a few that we visited and truly enjoyed were Almanegra Cafe, Boicot Cafe, Cardinal Casa de Café, Cafe Negro, and Buna 42.
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Mezcalerías and bars
Bósforo | Luis Moya 31-local 2, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico La Clandestina | Av. Álvaro Obregón 298, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico El Palenquito | Av. Álvaro Obregón 39, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Páramo | Av. Yucatan 84, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
You may have heard the quote, “Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, también.” (“For everything bad, mezcal; and for everything good, the same”), and it’s easy to see why the smoky liquor is so popular. Mezcal and Tequila are made from the same plant, the maguey or agave plant, but Tequila can only be made in Jalisco. Mezcal is made all over Mexico, and it gets its characteristic smokiness from the long roasting of the agave plant’s hearts (or “piñas” – they do in fact look like pineapples) in a pit of fire. It’s not a drink for the faint of heart, however, as it is made for sipping rather than shooting. Muster up some courage and head to a mezcalería like Bósforo or La Clandestina, or a good bar for a cocktail made with mezcal like El Palenquito or Páramo.
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Con una cerveza, por favor
El Depositio | Multiple Locations
It’s not hard to find beer in Mexico City, and for cheap, too; at a lot of the places we visited, the bottles of beer and the bottles of water were priced almost equally. Join the locals in drinking un Indio, or, better yet, settle in with a nice local brew. The bartenders at El Depositio are knowledgeable about beer, yet not condescending or pretentious. Beers from all over the world are on tap or in bottles, but you’re in Mexico City. Drink something local.
BOUTIQUE AND LOCAL SHOPPING IN MEXICO CITY
Hit the markets
Mercado de Coyoacán | Ignacio Allende s/n, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, 04100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Mexico City is host to many, many street markets, so take your pick! We did not have time to stroll through La Merced, one of the largest markets (also notably one of the most dangerous ones), but we did wander through Mercado de Coyoacán early one morning taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and some aguas frescas.
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Shop local
180° Shop | Colima 180, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Naked Boutique | Córdoba 25, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Apartment 25 | now in Guadalajara Utilitario Mexicano | Calle Marsella 3a, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
As a world city, local designers thrive in the scene. Shopping played a tiny role in our visit, but we enjoyed perusing goods at 180° Shop, Naked Boutique, Apartment 25, and Utilitario Mexicano, where we purchased a comal, a map, and some enamel mugs to enjoy back home. If I had known our suitcases would not be placed on the scale at the airport, I would have outfitted my entire kitchen at this place!
WHERE TO STAY IN MEXICO CITY
Our Airbnb in Plaza Popocatépetl felt simultaneously in the middle of everything yet in its own world. The circular park felt like an oasis, yet two blocks over the city was bustling with bars, shops, and restaurants. I can’t imagine a more perfect place to stay. If you go, I highly recommend staying in the neighborhoods of La Condesa, Hipódromo, Roma Norte, or Coyoacan. These all felt safe during the day and at night, provided you are on well-lit streets and are not making yourself into a target.
WITH MORE TIME IN MEXICO CITY
With more time (or perhaps on our next long weekend visit!), I would venture further and deeper into the city. We certainly saw a lot during our short visit, but there are so many other things to see and do. Items to add to our growing list include exploring more of Bosque de Chapultepec; visiting the pyramid and ruins of Teotihuacán, about an hour or so north of the city, cruising the canals in the south of Mexico City, an area called Xochimilco; and of course, visiting more museums.
MEXICO CITY TRAVEL TIPS
But what about safety?
I know this question is buried in the back of many minds, so I’ll go ahead and address it. Mexico City is a large, cosmopolitan city, much like New York, Paris, London, or Tokyo. As with any large city (or any small city, for that matter), there are places where you are more likely to encounter trouble than others. We took a few precautions during our visit, and, scout’s honor, never felt unsafe. By using city smarts like keeping aware of our surroundings, taking care to walk in well-lit areas at night, researching the “no-go” neighborhoods before we left (such as Tepito), not wearing flashy items, only using Uber instead of taxis – which are sometimes faked and driven by folks who may mug you – and wearing a purse secured with a clasp, making it difficult for potential pick-pockets to access, we never allowed ourselves to be considered targets. The city really comes alive at night, so don’t miss out on seeing it due to fear. The topic of safety arose during a conversation with a local couple who indicated that pick-pocketing is a fairly common occurrence, and recommended not holding cell phones or cameras in your hand in busy spaces, as they are likely to be snatched and resold in a market (and we did, in fact, pass several folks selling mobile phones on the street). They also recommended splitting up your cash into several pockets, which is something we always do, divvying up cash and cards between us.
Getting around Mexico City
Mexico City introduces itself to you from below well before you land, and at some point all you can see from the air is city. That being said, it’s a city of neighborhoods, and once you’re within one, it’s best to explore by foot. Mexico City’s Metro system is one of the cheapest in the world, ringing in at 5 pesos per ride, yet we did not use it on our quick weekend getaway as the weather was perfect for walking. Uber made the most sense for us when traveling distances longer than a mile, and it was an inexpensive way to get around. Looking back at my fare history, most of our trips clocked in at about $3-4 USD per ride, and our cost for the entire weekend hovered around the USD 50 mark. (New to Uber? You can sign up via my referral link for free/discounted rides). During our trip, the Uber app did not provide a way to tip drivers, however, the feature has since been added. I would still recommend having a few coins on hand to tip your driver, just in case.
Making cent(avo)s of the money situation
The tipping culture in Mexico City is stronger than in the U.S. in terms of whom you are expected to tip (including, but not limited to, restroom attendants, grocery store baggers, doormen, and of course restaurant servers), yet the amount needed to tip for each service is considerably lower. For restaurants, 10% is the average tip, and for all others, a few pesos should do it. We did get caught in Uber rides a few times without small enough bills, and ended up tipping more than the cost of the ride once. Even so, the Uber rides in Mexico City cost much less than they do here in the States, and our most expensive trip (including that large tip) from the airport totaled about USD 24. Skip the currency exchange stands and head for a secure ATM, preferably located within a bank (my Puerto Vallarta post includes a list of common banks you’ll find in Mexico). To save on bank fees, withdraw as much as you think you’ll need for the weekend, and stash some of it at your Airbnb or hotel. In fact, I always like to return home with a little local currency to use at the start of my next trip. One thing to note, try to break your larger bills whenever you get the chance. It was difficult for us to break MXN 500 bills unless we were spending near that amount (though this could also have been due to the fact that we were carrying the newest bill design, released only days prior), and of course, street vendors prefer when you have exact change. Plenty of larger shops and restaurants accept cards, though, so no need to worry about paying solely in an unfamiliar currency. Very touristic places may offer to charge you in your home country’s currency. This is almost always a bad deal; even with a fee from your card issuer, you’ll still come out ahead with the exchange rate.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON SPENDING A WEEKEND IN MEXICO CITY
Should the opportunity ever arise to visit Mexico City for the weekend, I hope this post has convinced you to take it. You’ll find a warm, welcoming city with great food, beautiful architecture, and near-perfect weather. It’s a city that will capture your heart and hold onto it long after you’ve returned home.
Enjoyed this post? You may also like:
- Five Days in Mexico City: A Second-Timer’s Guide
- A Meal to Remember: Dining at Pujol in Mexico City
- Things We Ate: Mexico City
- Things We Ate: Mexico City (Part Two!)
- Essential Mexico City: Lucha Libre
- Visiting Teotihuacan with a Local: An Airbnb Experience
- Three Days in Mexico City Packing List
- Five Days in Mexico City Packing List
- Five Days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Puerto Vallarta Packing List
- Guadalajara Travel Guide
- Guadalajara Food Guide
- Airbnb Experience: Tequila Day Trip
- Dining at Xokol in Guadalajara
- What to Expect During Semana Santa in Guadalajara
- Guadalajara Packing List
- All Travel Guides by Destination
- All of My Real-Life Packing Lists
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Have you visited Mexico City before? What are your favorite sights, and what did you find overrated?
We’ll see you later this week with another Mexico City post. ¡Hasta Luego!
i found your blog from Invincible Summer’s comments section and it seems like fate that i had stumbled upon your Mexico City posts as my husband and i are planning to visit for the first time in the fall! thank you! this is all so informative!!
Oh, how exciting! It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite cities to visit. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions as you’re planning your trip!