Getting around Mexico City is relatively easy due to the variety of options available! The two best options would be taxi/Uber and the metro. The metro is definitely the cheapest option, however, we ended up using Uber for most of the trip due to convenience and we found it to be pretty inexpensive as well. The only downfall getting around was the amount of traffic! Mexico City is extremely congested so plan accordingly.
Mexico City is an extremely versatile city with numerous options as where to stay. Being so large, the best way to narrow it down is by neighborhood. Here are some of the top neighborhoods in Mexico City:
Centro Histórico
The neighborhood of historic landmarks dating as far back as the Aztec era and the city's beating heart- Centro Histórico. This neighborhood is completely centered around some of the most historical sites such as the Zócalo Plaza, the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Metropolitan Cathedral. While this neighborhood is truly magical, it is quite congested with tourists so keep that in mind!
La Reforma
Paseo de la Reforma is a wide and lengthy avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. This avenue encompasses some of the most important attractions in the city, so naturally this neighborhood features some of Mexico City’s most exclusive hotels, gourmet restaurants, top venues, and historic landmarks. We personally loved staying in this neighborhood due to how close it is to everything.
Polanco
This neighborhood is the most luxurious neighborhood in Mexico City filled with the most elite hotels, upscale restaurants and premier shopping. If you’re not on a budget and want to be surrounded by Mexico City’s finest, then this is the neighborhood for you!
Condesa/Roma
Condesa and Roma are adjacent sister neighborhoods with a unique hipster/boho and urban blend. They both are vibrant yet relaxed neighborhoods filled with trendy art galleries, colorful boutiques and amazing restaurants. It’s definitely one of the trendier and surprisingly cheaper areas to be.
Coyocán
This southern, bohemian neighborhood is known for its colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. This district is surrounded by trendy cafes, boutiques, markets and home to the famous Frida Kahlo Museum and Jardín Centenario. Definitely an amazing neighborhood to visit, but quite a bit south from the main attractions.
No better place to start than by exploring the city’s heart and an UNESCO world heritage site- Centro Histórico. This cultural hub offers numerous museums/galleries, colonial architecture and rich culture. Centro Histórico is extremely easy to get around by foot so no need to worry about planning transportation. Best to plan your own walking tour!
The Zócalo is the main square in Mexico City and is one of the largest public squares in the world. Prior to the colonial period, this was the main ceremonial center in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Today, there are often dances and reenactments taking place along with numerous street vendors.
While in the center of Zócalo, you’re surrounded by some noteworthy buildings. You can either start with the Metropolitan Cathedral or the National Palace. Although the National Palace is no longer the president’s official residence, it’s definitely worth the free tour. The National Palace has been a palace for the ruling class of Mexico since the Aztec Empire, and much of the palace’s building materials are from the original that belonged to the 16th century leader, Moctezuma II.
After visiting the National Palace, you can walk right next door to the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas- the Metropolitan Cathedral. Built on the remains of an Aztec temple, this cathedral’s history spans from 1573-1813 drawing inspiration from gothic cathedrals in Spain. It’s truly a beautiful cathedral and a visit is a must, especially since there is no entrance fee. However, there is a small fee if you’d like to climb the stairs up to the bell tower for a grand view over the square.
From there, visit the Templo Mayor which was once the main temples of Tenochtitlan. It was only just discovered in 1978, when an electrical worker was digging and accidentally came across a large and uniquely carved stone that later revealed to be the Aztec goddess, Coyolxauhqui. It really is quite an impressive site to see full of rich history.
After we saw some of the main sites, we headed down the main street of Paseo Madero. This street is full of shops, restaurants and trendy cafés – definitely recommend for lunch or coffee. From there you can check out the Instagram famous Casa de los Azulejos or “House of Tiles”. Also, nearby resides the Palacio de Bellas Artes aka the Palace of Fine Arts. This art museum houses some of Mexico’s finest murals and art exhibitions along with hosting Mexico City’s most notable events in theatre, music and literature. Wrapping up our Centro Histórico tour, we stopped at Alameda Central public park. Created in 1592, Alameda Central is the oldest public park in the Americas.
Later in the day we decided to explore the neighborhood of La Roma, and it was magical. La Roma is definitely the hipster heart of Mexico City filled with trendy boutiques, art deco architecture and colorful street art. It’s a great area to just walk around and enjoy the culture. Many people come to the neighborhood for their variety of great dining options. We settled on the ultra-hip Mercado Roma. Mercado Roma has everything from pizza to tacos and coffees to craft beer- it really has almost anything you could be craving. Definitely a neat neighborhood to explore!
One of the top things we wanted to do whilst in Mexico City was to venture out and see the famous Teotihuacan Pyramids/archeological site, also known as the City of the Gods. It’s most famous for its two large pyramids that are dedicated to the sun and moon. This UNESCO world heritage site is roughly 25mi/40km north of Mexico City and about an hour drive depending on traffic. You can either find your own transportation to the site or if you decide to purchase a day tour in advance (like we did/highly recommend) then transportation to and from a selected hotel is usually included.
If you opt out on a hired day tour, you can either hire a taxi/Uber or take public transportation. Find your way to the Central del Notre station and from there you can easily find a bus to the archeological site marked “Piramides”. The buses run about every 30 minutes so it shouldn’t be too difficult to catch one. You can enter the site as early as 9am and general admission is 70 pesos per person. My recommendation would be to get to Teotihuacan as early as possible to beat the crowds. There are guides at the entrance if you decide you want a guided tour, or you can go on your own.
The early history and founders of Teotihuacan is still a bit of a mystery to researchers. However, it’s believed that the beginning of Teotihuacan began around 200 BC and at its peak between 300 – 600 CE, Teotihuacan was one if not the most important and largest cities in pre-Columbian America. Teotihuacan was abandoned around 750 CE and considered the end of the Mesoamerican period. The causes for collapse are still unclear, however there is evidence that major buildings were deliberately burned and religious sculptures/artwork were destroyed suggesting that there was an uprise from the poor against the rulers.
The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is the third largest pyramid at Teotihuacan and one of the most important. Archeologists found more than one-hundred sacrificial victims buried underneath the structure in a 1980s discovery. The pyramid takes its name from the representations of the Mesoamerican “feathered serpent” deity, which covered the structures sides. These displays are some of the earliest-known representations of the feathered serpent, later often identified with the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. The modern-day name for the structure is “Temple of the Feathered Serpent”, but is also known as Temple of Quetzalcoatl.
The Avenue of the Dead was the main street of Teotihuacan, stretching from the north of the Citadel to the Pyramid of the Moon. The Avenue of the Dead and the attached structures/pyramids were aligned astronomically and gives validity to the claims that the Avenue and city were thoroughly planned and organized before the construction. It is approximately 16 degrees northwest and is aligned with the setting sun on specific religious dates.
The Pyramid of the Sun or Piramide del Sol, is the largest structure in Teotihuacan and the world’s third largest pyramid being 216ft high and 760ft wide. Little is known of the people who built Teotihuacan and the purpose of the pyramids. In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered underground tunnel chambers and caves directly beneath the pyramid’s center where they found religious artifacts. If you’re up for a decent work out resulting in a great view, you’re able to climb the 248 stairs to the top! It’s a relatively easy climb, however the stairs are extremely uneven and a bit steep.
If you’re up for more views and climbing, make your way to the Pyramid of the Moon or Piramide de la Luna. This pyramid is the second largest in Teotihuacan, just a little over 140ft high. Atop the pyramid lies a platform where it’s believed to have been used as a stage for performing ritual sacrifices of animals and humans. The pyramid was also a burial ground for those sacrificed. Today, the Pyramid of the Moon is one of the most photogenic structures in Teotihuacan.
Being a history fanatic, visiting Teotihuacan was truly astounding. Even if you’re not so much into history, it’s still an incredible tour with shocking stories and grand views. I really can’t recommend visiting Teotihuacan enough, especially through a hired tour so you can have access to its history from a guide.
After the day tour, back in Mexico City, we decided to check out the upscale neighborhood of Polanco. We strolled around the glamorous neighborhood exploring some high-end shops and modern architecture. We stopped by the futuristic Museo Soumaya. This museum has quickly become one of the most iconic structures in Mexico City due to its tiled exterior of thousands of glimmering hexagons. The collection has over 66,000 pieces of art from notable artists such as Rodin, Dalí, Rivera, and Picasso.
Since our first two days were pretty hectic, we figured we’d slow it down a bit and start with a relaxing stroll through the Chapultepec Park aka Bosque de Chapultepec. This is one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere, measuring just under 1700 acres and is considered the “lungs” of Mexico City due to the many trees replenishing oxygen to the city. This park is home to nine museums, a zoo, amusement park, countless sculptures and gardens. Hungry? No worries, there are numerous food vendors throughout the park along with street performers to keep you entertained.
Tucked away on the far eastern side of Chapultepec Park you’ll find the historic Chapultepec Castle aka “Castillo de Chapultepec”. The castle is at the very top of Chapultepec Hill with beautiful views of the city. Entrance to the castle is 70 pesos per person and is closed on Mondays. Constructed in 1725, Chapultepec Castle was the only castle within North America to actually house sovereigns. It was originally meant to be a large manor house for the Viceroy, but was abandoned during the Mexican War of Independence for several decades. The castle was eventually refurbished and turned into a Military Academy in the mid 1800s. Then, in 1864 with the rise of the Second Mexican Empire, the castle became home to Emperor Maximilian I and his wife Empress Carlota who then redesigned the castle in the neo-classical style. Maximilian’s reign ended just four years later and since the castle has served numerous purposes and is currently the National Museum of History. The castle is stunning and definitely worth a tour. You may also recognize some parts of the castle from the movie Romeo and Juliet.
Our three days in Mexico City were truly wonderful. If you have more time to spend, you’ll be glad you did! There is so much to see and explore within the city, but there are also many different day trips from Mexico City that you might want to consider as well!
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