Mexico City
Welcome to the Aztec capital. This city is filled to the brim with a rich culture. You will experience flavors that will excite your pallet. Music that matches the beat of your heart. Sights that are so grand it will keep you guessing how and why they were built. The passion and love of the people can be seen in everything they do and create. Mexico City is a must-do experience that you need to try for yourself.
For my top picks of a long weekend in Mexico City see 20 Top Sites in Mexico City.
Table of Contents
When to Go
Mexico City is beautiful all year round. The climate stays very consistent throughout the year. Summers in Mexico City are rainy and the winters can get pretty chilly when the sun goes down. The best time of year to visit Mexico City when based on the weather is in the fall. It is not too hot and great for exploring the city and archaeological sites.
The average high and low for each season are:
Spring: High 81 F (27C) Low 48 F (9C)
Summer: High 73 F (23C) Low 52 F (11C)
Fall: High 72 F (22C) Low 41 F (5C)
Winter: High 70 F (21C) Low 41 F (5C)
If you are planning on visiting during one of their celebrations or holidays the best fiestas are:
Independence Day, Sep 16
Day of the Dead, Oct 31-Nov 2
Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Dec 12
Planning
Planning a trip does not have to be stressful. If you follow these steps you will have an enjoyable, relaxing and enlightening experience.
The key to uncomplicated travel is to plan in advance. I would recommend beginning to plan as soon as you decide on a definitive date. Have all of your large expenses like the flight and hotel planned as soon as possible. I always book my plane tickets first to make sure the fight works for my budget and time frame of travel. Everything else is a lot easier once you take that first big step.
When planning your trip make sure you have an itinerary of what you would like to do. A great way to make an itinerary is by picking up a paperback guide book from a retailer like Amazon. The guide book that I used for my trip to Mexico City is by DK Eyewitness Travel. Guide books by Lonely Planet are also great. You can order one by clicking the link below.
Once you receive your guide book go over it and choose what locations and sights you want to see on your trip. I find hi-liting and using post-it-notes works great for going back into the book and finding where you left off and went over quickly.
Another way that I build my itinerary is by using an app. One that I really like is called Visit A City. You can search for the city you are visiting and choose the pace you would like to see it. To see more about different travel apps check out Best Travel Apps Ever.
Mexico City has a bad reputation for being dangerous. Just be mindful of your surroundings. I did not have any trouble or worries while visiting. For more information on staying safe while traveling check out my other blog Safety is #1.
What to Bring
When packing for Mexico City you need to keep in mind that the temperature drastically changes from sun up to sundown. it is pretty warm during the day and the temperature drops at night. Also, you want to try and dress similarly to how the locals dress. You do not want to stand out as a tourist.
Mexico City is filled with beautiful churches. When visiting these landmarks make sure you are dressed appropriately. The propper dress for going inside a church is having your shoulders covered, no mid-drift shirts or cleavage, capri pants or longer, and knee-length skirts. You should always keep in mind it is a practicing church so be mindful and respectful.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will not see any locals wearing shorts. They wear pants and jeans all year round.
Mexico City is huge spanning 573 square miles. You will be doing a lot of walking so make sure you bring adequate walking shoes. The sidewalks can be challenging and not well maintained so leave the high heels at home.
How to Get Around
Metro
Thankfully Mexico City is easy to get around. They offer an extensive public transportation system known as “El Metro”. It is extremely reasonable at only $2-5 pesos, which is about $0.25 USD.
Ride Sharing
They also offer Uber in Mexico City. I used it often to get around the city and it was extremely reasonable. I would recommend using Uber at night to get around safely.
Cab
They also offer cab services. This option is the most expensive and you need to be careful when getting a cab. Make sure your hotel orders you one from a reputable company.
Tour Bus
Lastly is tour buses. This option is usually covered in the price of a half-day or full-day tour. You can find a good company on a website like Tripadvisor.
Where to Go
Mexico City is split up into these 3 popular areas.
The Historic Center
Reforma and Chapultepec
San Angel and Coyoacan
For an in-depth list of what to see in Mexico City, see my top spots to visit 20 Top Sights In Mexico City.
The Historic Center
The Historic Center is filled with thousands of years of history. You will see indigenous dancers surrounded by local shamans burning incense across the street from the world’s largest Catholic diocese. This area is a great spot to visit to get a feel of the different traditions of the Mexican people.
Zocalo
This public square is surrounded by public buildings, shops, hotels, restaurants, and historical landmarks. While in Zocalo I would recommend you to check out:
Catedral Metropolitana
This is the biggest church in Latin America.
When you step inside its huge interior seems to go on and on. The church is filled with beautiful works of art, sculptures, and furniture. Exploring this church is a powerful experience, no matter what your religious belief might be.
Templo Mayor
The excavated remains of an Aztec temple is smack dab in the heart of Mexico City. It feels almost out of place with all of the newer buildings surrounding this archeological site.
When you walk through you will be able to see all of the different stages of construction the site underwent throughout the 14th and 15th centuries.
In the back of this amazing complex is a museum with vast information and artifacts for you to take in.
Palacio Nacional
Mexico’s presidential palace is an austere Baroque style of Spanish architecture. This massive building is filled with wonderfully detailed and moving artwork by Diego Rivera.
Palacio de Bellas Artes
An architecturally breathtaking theater filled with emotionally moving massive murals from Mexican artists.
Make sure to make two trips when seeing this building, one during the day and one at night. It transforms at night into a colorful celebration of lights.
Reforma and Chapultepec
This area is filled with some of the best green spaces in all of Mexico City. This 2-mile span of Reforma is perfect for a nice walk and some great pictures. You will see some beautiful monuments and sculptures along the way. At the end of the Reforma is Bosque de Chapultepec.
Bosque de Chapultepec
Mexico City’s giant green space is stunning. It is filled with activities for the whole family. You can find vendors selling goods and food. Lakes with paddle boat rental, perfect for a romantic afternoon. Inside the park, there are also museums for you to enjoy. Here are a few suggestions.
Castillo de Chapultepec
On the highest point in the park sits the once residence of past Mexican rulers. It has some of the best views of the park and a museum of national history.
Museo Nacional de Antropologia
This museum has a world-renowned collection of artifacts from Mexico’s pre-Columbian culture. You will find artifacts like the famous Sun Stone (Aztec calendar).
San Angel and Coyoacan
This beautiful neighborhood is nestled just south of the Historic Center. This was the home of the artist Frida Kahlo. This neighborhood is perfect for a full day itinerary. Perfect for a long stroll and wonderful pictures. This neighborhood is full of craft fairs, and local artists selling their art.
Start your stroll in San Angel and walk the historic colorful streets, checking the historic buildings and vendors along the way
A few sights to see along the way are:
- Plaza San Jacinto – A pleasant square filled with restaurants and on the weekends filled with Mexican handcrafted goods vendors.
- Museo de El Carmen – A historic monastery from the 17th century filled with elaborately decorated tiles, furniture, paintings, and historical objects.
- Bombilla Garden – This park and the monument memorialize the revolutionary general and former president.
- Plaza Federico Gamboa – Here you will find the chapel of San Sebastian Chimalistac, dating from the 17th century. It is filled with paintings from the 18th century.
- Plaza Santa Catarina – Here you will find a yellow church with a triple-arched facade.
- Museo Frida Kahlo/Casa Azul – The home of the wonderfully eccentric Frida Kahlo and her on again off again love Diego Rivera.
Hands down the Frida Kahlo museum was one of my favorite spots that I visited in Mexico City. When walking through her home you could feel the energy of who she was. All the pain she experienced throughout her life you can find in her paintings.
If you are planning on going to her home and museum make sure you purchase tickets beforehand on their website or arrive extremely early. They usually sell out of tickets for the entire day within the first hour of opening. They only sell a certain amount of tickets per day. The line will wrap around the block to get inside.
Coyoacan
The neighborhood of Coyoacan is packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, cantinas, plazas, and churches. There is so much to do and see it can easily take you 3-4 hours.
A few things to check out in Coyoacan are:
- Iglesia de San Juan Bautista – Church built in the 16th century, filled with elaborate gold alters and detailed paintings.
- Indoor Craft Bazaar – Huge two-story bazaar, perfect for picking up souvenirs.
- Plaza de la Conchita – A shaded square filled with artists selling their art.
- Plaza Hidalgo – A lively plaza filled with families and free entertainment. There is also a bandstand in the center.
- Jardin Centenario – Another perfect park to stroll around and take pictures. It is surrounded by numerous colonial buildings with an iconic coyote fountain in the center.
Teotihuacan
These ancient pyramids are extremely humbling when seen in person. These massive structures were built by hand, one stone at a time. This urban center once housed over 125,000 people.
When visiting this site I would recommend hiring a tour company that will transport you to and from the site. They will also guide you through all of the pyramids along with an in-depth history of this massive layout.
There is a lot of walking and climbing upstairs. Make sure you bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and proper hiking shoes.
I would recommend visiting earlier in the morning before the rush of all of the other tourists. It can get extremely busy and ruin the feel of these amazing historical structures. You need to keep in mind that while visiting you will be bombarded with locals trying to sell you trinkets.
Overall this site is a definite must-do. It will take most of your day so plan accordingly.
Conclusion
I hope all of this information will help you on your upcoming trip to Mexico City. It is filled with so much life and energy. The history alone is amazing. Just to be able to witness all of it is extremely humbling. Being in a large city like this can be overwhelming. Just follow these recommended steps and you will build new memories that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
Traveling is a spiritual experience. It opens your mind to new cultures and ways of life you might not have known existed.
Just remember my fellow travel friends, we are in this together.