Mexico City is one of the world’s largest cities meaning there is so much to explore and do here. Going into our trip to Mexico City, or CDMX as it’s often referred to, I wasn’t too sure what to expect as I’d heard a mix of negative and positive things.

But I’m here to convince you today to add Mexico City to your travel bucket list and maybe even just book the flight right now! The city has something for everyone, famously known for amazing street foods and many Michelin-star restaurants it’s perfect for a foodie. Also, home to a vibrant art scene with galleries and street art on every corner, make sure to have your camera ready. With plenty of museums and old historic buildings to roam around, you can geek out on the history of Mexico all around the city too.

We spent 5 days in Mexico City and loved every minute of it, my favourite part was simply strolling around the different neighbourhoods, each one had such a different vibe making the city feel so diverse.

Have I convinced you yet… I hope so but if not I’m sure my full in-depth travel guide to Mexico City will have you pressing checkout on those flights in no time!

What Time to Visit Mexico City

There really isn’t a certain time you need to visit Mexico City, throughout the year the temperature ranges from lows of 6 celsius to highs of 26 celsius. The warmer months are March to June with the cooler months being from November to February. However we were in Mexico City in early November 2022 and although it got a little colder in the evenings, it was sunny and in the mid-20s at the height of the day. The wet season runs from June to September, with September being the month the city sees the most rain.

Another factor for when to visit Mexico City is festivals, check out below for just a few special times in the year to visit Mexico City:

Vive Latino / 18th-19th March 2023

Vive Latino is a large music festival that has been held annually since 1998 at the Foro Sol in Mexico City. It’s mainly known for rock music, however, there are plenty of stages with all sorts of different music genres e.g. techno, hip hop and traditional Mexican rhythms.

Festival de México en el Centro Histórico / Mid to late March

Regarded as one of Latin America’s most vibrant celebrations of art and culture, this 2-week festival features diverse events including opera, concerts, theatre shows, art exhibits and dance productions which you can find around the main square of the city known as the Zocalo. 

Semana Santana / Early April (2nd- 8th April 2023)

Mexico celebrates the last week in the life of Christ, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. As most locals leave Mexico City for the festivities it’s actually a very quiet time within the city, but Iztapalapa and Milpa Alta, just outside of the central city limits have great festivities to visit.

Dias de Los Muertos / Nov 1st-2nd

A day celebrated around Mexico and other Latin American countries which honours those who have been lost from this world. Throughout Mexico City, you will see ofrendas, processions and plenty of marigold flowers to celebrate this special time of the year. Head to the neighbourhood of Coyoacan in CDMX to see more celebrations of this traditional holiday.

Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe / December 12th

A popular catholic holiday that celebrates the belief a man encountered the Virgin of Guadalupe not far from Mexico City, expect many things to be closed around the city as it is a public holiday. You will find religious processions, street fairs, dancing and fireworks in the city all day long, and be warned the fireworks start EARLY.

Getting Around Mexico City

We mostly walked everywhere we visited in the city, we were based in the Roma neighbourhood. So it was about a 45-minute walk to Centro Historico, 15 minutes to Condesa and about 1 hour’s walk to Chapultepec Park. We always stuck to walking only in the daytime and encountered no problems and always felt incredibly safe. 

If we were going further afield and couldn’t walk or it was night time we opted to get an Uber, this was super convenient and even if you didn’t have mobile data the whole city had free wifi and the Uber’s in Mexico City were extremely budget-friendly.

When it was time for us to head to the airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez, I believe there is one further out of the city which is used more for internal flights) we opted for an Uber and it cost us 120 pesos, for reference that’s roughly around £5 and it was a busy time of the morning and the journey was about 45 minutes.

The metro system in Mexico City is extensive and cheap, although we didn’t use it during our time in the city. We had heard it wasn’t recommended to get on from the airport, as it can get quite busy and there would be limited room for our big bags. And also as with every metro system in the world people warn you of pickpockets so keep your wits about you. 

There is also the metro bus you can use, this is a little more expensive than the metro, but nothing compared to European transport prices. You’ll need a prepaid card if you wish to use the metro bus which you can also use on the metro and these can be purchased at the ticket machines/booths. Think of it as Mexico City’s version of the Oyster Card.

You can also rent bikes around the city to get around if you wish. You’ll need to download the app Eco-bici, just keep in mind you will need a form of ID (driving license/passport for foreigners). In some neighbourhoods this would be a fun way to get around, however, I’d be cautious cycling around the busier areas of town as traffic can get a little crazy and there are SO MANY potholes in this city. Like seriously you are in danger of breaking your ankle on every block so please look where you are cycling/stepping.

Overview of Neighbourhoods in Mexico City

This isn’t an extensive list of all the neighbourhoods in Mexico City just a guide to the most explored by tourists, so if you think I missing a super important one do let me know.

Centro Historico 

Let’s kick this off with the arguably most popular neighbourhood of Mexico City for tourists, it’s highly unlikely you won’t venture into Centro Historico at one point in your trip. 

Home to popular attractions such as Zocalo, Palacio de Bellas Artes and Temple Mayor to name a few. Right in the heart of CDMX, a lot of people choose to base themselves here for their first time as it’s conveniently located with many attractions and close proximity to other neighbourhoods. There’s a very busy and alive feel to Centro Historico with bustling markets, popular rooftop bars and street vendors on all corners.

Roma and Condesa

Technically this is two neighbourhoods, but as they overlap a little and have the same vibe, I’m lumping them together, so forgive me.

Both extremely trendy neighbourhoods there is a never-ending list of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars and shops to visit here. You’ll find Licorería Limantour in Roma, rated one of the best cocktail bars in the world, be sure to book if you want to visit. There is also gorgeous European-style parks dotted around Roma and Condesa, my 2 favourites were Plaza Rio de Janerio and Parque Mexico.

You could spend many lovely days just wandering the streets of these neighbourhoods just falling in love with the stunning architecture, green spaces and creative buzz there is here. Roma is the neighbourhood we stayed in on our trip and I loved staying here, there’s less accommodation in Condesa but it’s only a 10/15 minute walk between the two neighbourhoods.

Polanco

We didn’t actually stop here but you’ll find high-end shops, malls, hotels and some rather fancy restaurants. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why this wouldn’t be the most popular neighbourhood for a backpacker, as one of CDMX’s most upper-class neighbourhoods, it comes with some high price tags.

Bit niche but if you’ve watched the Netflix reality series Made in Mexico, I imagine this is where they live. Polanco is also home to nightclubs, and art museums and it’s one of the bordering neighbourhoods to Chapultepec Park, I believe there is accommodation here but again expect a high price tag.

San Angel

A quaint neighbourhood outside the hustle and bustle of the centre and just west of the neighbourhood of Coyoacan, I definitely recommend taking a day to visit the two together.

Check out the San Angel Art market on a Saturday and make sure to stop by the Parque de la Bombilla. Walking tours are also popular in this neighbourhood as there is plenty to learn about the neighbourhood of San Angel.

Coyoacan

Coyoacán is a vibrant, colourful and art-driven neighbourhood located south of the centre of Mexico City. Known famously as the birthplace of Frida Kahlo, it’s also one of the oldest neighbourhoods in CDMX. 

Check out my full post on how to spend the perfect morning exploring Coyoacan ->

Where to Stay in Mexico City

My where-to-stay recommendations are mainly based on my personal experience so the hostel style. Who knows maybe one day I’ll get rich and go back and stay in luxurious hotels and update this post, but for now, skip this part if you’re not a backpacker.  

Casa Pepe

This is by far the most recommended hostel we have heard of from fellow backpackers, everyone raves about how much of a great time they had whilst staying here. And in all honesty, we would have stayed here if it wasn’t for the fact the prices were so crazy high, we were in Mexico City over Dias de Los Muertos so that had an impact. Casa Pepe is located in the Centro Historico neighbourhood and it even has Mario Kart 64, I mean what more could you want?

Metro Hostal Boutique

This is the hostel we found ourselves in for 5 nights, we didn’t love it but if you’re on a budget it’s good enough. As I mentioned before we stayed in the Roma neighbourhood and honestly I am so glad we did, although it wasn’t the most central, the vibes of Roma are unmatched.

Want to know more about what I thought of Metro Hostal Boutique, check out my hostel review here ->

Things To Do in Mexico City

Walk around the Zocalo Square

This is undoubtedly a place you won’t miss, it’s one of the largest public squares in the world. It’s surrounded by important buildings such as the Palacio Nacional and the Metropolitan Cathedral and there are often performances and displays happening in the square.

Learn more about Aztecs at the Temple Mayor

Just off the Zocalo square, you will find the ruins of Temple Mayor which is both an archaeological site as well as a museum. This was the main temple for the Aztecs in the capital of Teotihuacan which is what we now call Mexico City. It will set you back 85 pesos as an entrance fee and it’s open Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to 5 pm.

Go museum crazy at Chapultepec Park

Chapultepec Park is double the size of Central Park in New York, meaning there is plenty to do here. Home to 9 different museums there is plenty to learn about in this park, my personal favourite was the Museo Nacional de Antropologia.

Want to know 8 other fabulous things to do in Chapultepec Park read more here ->

Take a street food tour

Mexico City is well renowned for having an amazing foodie scene, but as well as all the fancy restaurants you will find amazing street food or food market tours. I’m too much of a fussy eater to participate in this fun, but I have linked a great post from The Creative Adventurer which reviews a great sustainable food tour option here.

Catch a Lucha Libre show

Watching this Mexican wrestling show known as Lucha Libre is increasingly popular with tourists whilst visiting CDMX. Expect the wrestlers to perform wild acrobatics whilst dressed in humorous costumes.

In order to witness this unique sporting event, I recommend booking a tour so you don’t have to worry about transport at night time, a lot of hostels/hotels will offer this.

Climb the Monumento a la Revolucion for the best views of the city

We just happened to stumble by this after a long day of walking around the city and we debated whether to go in or not and I am so glad we did. It’s un-surprisingly a monument commemorating the Mexican Revolution and in the underground museum, you will find exhibitions related to the revolution. After this you will head to the top of the monument you will find crazy beautiful 360 views of the city.

The general admission was 120 pesos per person and is open every day of the week, note we had to have a mask to enter (as of Nov 2022). Check out the website for the most up-to-date details and events schedule here.

Visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes

This was my favourite building in Mexico City, it’s used as an art museum and a performance hall, often for ballet. Watching a ballet has always intrigued me and watching a ballet here is now firmly on my bucket list. Check out their events schedule here.

Wander the streets of Roma and Condesa

Have I talked about these neighbourhoods enough yet? I personally don’t think it’s possible. This is the perfect activity for when you want to be a little lazier, you can take a book and sit in one of the many parks in this area. Or maybe go cafe hopping which could turn into bar hopping. And with so many lovely independent shops it’s also the perfect place to pick up some souvenirs or a new outfit or two. 

Get overwhelmed at La Merced Market

From fresh produce to dried flowers there is nothing you won’t find in this place. It covers the size of 4 football fields so get ready for the madness. As well as many vendors, on the fringes of the market you will find masses of food stalls, so as well as shopping you can eat until you’re ready to burst. One tip someone told me about food stalls is always to head to the one with the biggest queue.

Check out the Museo del Tequilla y el Mescal

We had such a fun afternoon here, the admission ticket (60 pesos each) comes along with a free shot of Tequila and Mescal, which is a win-win. The museum itself is fairly small and a bit dated but it explains the process of how these spirits are made as well as how it all started. Treat yourself to a Margarita after at the bar and look out onto Plaza Garibaldi if you get lucky you may even get a live mariachi band performance.

Day Trips from Mexico City

As we were continuing our travels throughout Mexico after CDMX we decided against any day trips, mostly to protect the budget. But there are plenty of great options if you fancy a day outside of the city.

Teotihuacan

The pyramids and ruins of Teotihuacan are all that remains of what was one of the most powerful cities in all of Mesoamerica and it provides for a fascinating and historical day trip. It’s most common to take a tour from CDMX to Teotihuacan but it is possible to take a public bus from Terminal de Autobuses del Norte if you would prefer to go it alone, the site is roughly a 50-minute drive from the city.

Xochimilco

A very common trip out of the city, as you can spend the day cruising on the Aztec waterway, having a few drinks and listening to some mariachi music and grabbing a bite to eat from the floating food vendors. Think of it as the crazy colourful Venice of Mexico City. Although you can reach Xochimilco by public transport, I would advise taking a guided tour, unless you have a big group to go with. Mainly because the boat prices would be crazy high if there were just 2 of you.

Puebla

Puebla is a small scenic mountain town that is now actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With cobbled streets, colourful colonial-style buildings, churches, museums and plenty of good food it’s a lovely day out and it’s only a 2-hour bus ride from the city. If you go on a guided tour you will often find they take you to another town just outside of Puebla, called Cholula, the main attraction here is The Great Pyramid of Cholula.

Find more day trip inspiration and some tour ideas here ->

That about wraps up the travel guide to Mexico City, it’s an amazingly diverse city with so much to explore and discover, it truly is one of my favourite destinations I’ve been to and I would love to go back someday.

If you have any questions or want to know anything more about my travels in Mexico City don’t hesitate to ask. Also, share your Mexico City recommendations in the comments below.

Want to see more of what Mexico has to offer? Check out these posts….

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