Mexico City Bucket List
A bustling city with 22 million inhabitants and 300 neighborhoods. Home to the most amazing street food you could ever dream of. Beneath the ancient Spanish colonial cathedrals lie the mysterious Aztec ruins. The streets are lined with beautiful art and murals. Mezcal bars are open till late. This is Mexico City, a place that will constantly amaze you.
Why Mexico City belongs on your bucket list
But notice what has been omitted: no spark without friction, few success stories that involve no challenge. The uniqueness of this city is its democratic cost in living: the door to opportunity is ajar and relatively accessible. The wealthier districts can be found in the South Zone cerca the Pedregal, Santa Fe, and Interlomas en la CDMX, near the West Zone Polanco, Lomas, Tecamachalco, and Bosques en el D.F., and the East Zone Cancún (yes, that's a neighborhood) and say an investment in Playa del Carmen se han ido de la CDMX. Still, even in those contrasts, there's something for everyone.
When to go
March through May. Those are the best months to visit. Warm days, not too humid, and the jacaranda trees go full purple for the entire city – it's basically aggressive in the best way possible. June to October? Rain in the afternoons. Predictable rain that clears up in the evenings. November to February? Nice weather, though mornings can be chilly at 2,240 meters. Semana Santa? Easter week? Unless you love other tourists, don't come.
Must-visit places in Mexico City
Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul)
Visit the cobalt blue house in Coyoacan where Frida Kahlo was born, lived, and died. You'll see her wheelchair in front of her unfinished easel. Her vast collection of medicines (the row upon row of pill bottles is more poignant and self-revealing than any biography). Her beloved garden, wild and exuberant, faithful to its creator’s spirit. Buy timed tickets online. Try weeks in advance. Try months. Make the attempt. Time your entrance down to the nanosecond and production of printouts. Just know this: if, after all that, you happen to be late by five minutes or if your printer goes on the fritz, too bad and bye-bye.
Museo Nacional de Antropologia
This is likely the greatest anthropology museum on the globe. Just the Piedra del Sol (Sun Stone) is reason enough to remain open-mouthed for 20 minutes. The tombs room, specifically the all but abandoned and poorly lit king of Palenque's tomb, is jaw-dropping. The ground floor covers pre-Hispanic cultures, and upstairs you'll find some living cultures. Give yourself at least three hours. Should you be in a rush, stick to the Mexica (Aztec) room and go from there.
Templo Mayor
In 1978 a group of electric workers struck a massive stone disc. Noting, they'd hit the main temple of the Aztec capitol of Tenochtitlan. Which was buried under the Centro Historico all along. Today, the disc is still sitting next to the Metropolitan Cathedral. Symbolizing conquered civilization and conquering civilization in one. Inside are over 7,000 artifacts. The biggest collection of things destroyed by the Spanish you're likely to see. Including the priceless Coyolxauhqui stone.
Roma Norte
This is the epicenter of the city's food and design culture. Walk down the tree-lined esplanade of Avenida Alvaro Obregon, take a coffee, flip through vinyls at Retroactivo Records, have a meal at Rosetta or Lardo—the restaurants that catapulted Mexican haute cuisine onto the global stage. In one block, the architecture narrates the tale of the city's metamorphosis. Decaying Art Nouveau mansions next to gleaming new art galleries. Old money mingles with fresh concepts.
Condesa & Parque Mexico
Circular streets, Art Deco buildings, and more dogs per capita than I've ever seen in one place. It's the most walkable neighborhood in the Americas, and Parque Mexico is right in the middle of it all. Lush, oval-shaped, with musicians playing on the weekends, and everyone in the park looking like they're in no hurry. The café culture is up there with the best in Europe, and the mezcalerias on Avenida Tamaulipas keep pouring till the break of dawn.
Chapultepec Castle
Being the sole royal castle in the Americas makes the trek up the hill worthwhile in itself. This structure is located on top of Chapultepec Hill, within one of the world's largest urban parks. It was the getaway for the Spanish Viceroy, Emperor Maximilian's palace, and now it's the National History Museum with murals portraying the road to Mexican independence. The views from the terrace over the city are ridiculous.
Expendio de Maiz
There's no menu. It's a tiny space in Roma Sur. The daily heirloom corn varieties are the epicenter here. Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval's tortillas, tamales, and tlacoyos will forever ruin other Mexican food for you. You can't book. Get there early, put your name down, and hang around. And every second of waiting will be the furthest thing from wasted time.
Mercado de Coyoacan
It's a noisy, crowded, real-deal spot that might just knock you off your feet when you first walk in. This is where local residents show up to feast on tostadas heaped with tuna ceviche, gorditas stuffed with chicharron, and rainbow-hued fresh juices. Nobody's here to impress the visitors. They're simply doing what the rest of the town does. Pop by the Frida Museum and the central park in Coyoacan for a complete afternoon in one of the capital's sweetest neighborhoods.
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The palace was designed and engineered to exist in an area that was once covered by Lake Texcoco. Its clay subsoil is only capable of supporting the structure's monumental weight with telescoping piles that very, very occasionally need a tweak.
Xochimilco
The remnants of the canals that once ran through Tenochtitlán are still at Xochimilco. Here, the entreating boats, or trajineras, that transported goods and people through the city have become a place for seeking respite. Xochimilco is one of the last places in Mexico City that you can find these canals of the old world. A few minutes from the pier and the vendors hawking their wares, you can find yourself in solitude. Only the sound of the boatman’s oar cutting through the water will deliver you back to the now.
Polanco & Museo Soumaya
This upscale area features high-end shopping at Avenida Presidente Masaryk, the eccentric, free Museo Soumaya made of aluminum and curated by Carlos Slim with Rodin sculptures and the works of the great masters, and the nearby Museo Jumex contemporary art museum. One of the world's best restaurants, Pujol, is also in this neighborhood. Weminuche up.
Arena Mexico
This is more than a wrestling match. It's wrestlers wearing masks and soaring through the air, fans yelling so loud you can't hear yourself think, and beer pouring down from the ceiling. Friday night fights are the hottest ticket in town at the “Cathedral of Wrestling.” If you spring for a ringside seat, you’re almost too close to the action. I’ve been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things. This is right up there with the best nights I’ve ever had. Point blank.
Mexico City insider tips
- Getting around: Metro is cheap and efficient but sardine-like during rush hour. Uber/DiDi is great. Don't bother driving yourself. Traffic is crazy, and parking is nonexistent.
- Altitude: 2,240 meters. You'll feel it. Drink plenty of water, skip the tequila on arrival day, and don't freak out when a staircase makes you turn around.
- Street food safety: If there's a line, eat there. It's a good sign the food is safe. Don't drink tap water, but don't worry about the tacos – they won't get you sick if you eat with the masses.
- Neighborhoods to visit: Roma, Condesa, Polanco, Coyoacan – easiest for tourists. Centro Historico is a must but can be overwhelming. Visit it in the morning when it's less crazy.
- Mezcal etiquette: If you're a mezcal shooter, you're a traitor to Mexico. Order it neat in a jicara (clay cup). Sip it slowly. Ask for sal de gusano (worm salt) and a slice of orange.
- Tipping: 10-15% at restaurants. A few pesos for bag packers at the supermarket or gas pump. It's a real thing; it matters.
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