When I traveled to Mexico last year I planned 4 days in Mexico City. It was the maximum time I could stay, since there were other cities on the itinerary. But if I could have stayed longer.
Mexico City is huge and has a super population, it has gray skies and a lot of traffic, but it also has bright colors in the panels and murals spread across the city. There are kind and friendly people who occupy the streets and squares, making the city more vibrant. And the famous Mexican cuisine is also found on street corners and markets.
Mexico City offers a number and diversity of attractions. Pre-Chipanic ruins share space with the buildings of the colonizers (the Spanish) and buildings of modern architecture. Culture and art can be found in the squares, cultural centers and countless beautiful museums. With all this, Mexico City deserves as long as you can stay.
To organize my 4-day itinerary I followed tips that I read on some blogs and that I pass on because I found them super valid: Separate the itinerary by regions due to the size of the city and to save time, start at the National Museum of Anthropology, visit the Historic Center of preferably on a Sunday, and visit Teotihuacán on a Monday as it is busier.
To make this post not too long, the details of each day are in separate posts. Just click on the links.
1st day: Chapultepec Forest – National Museum of Anthropology – National Museum of History.
Reserve the entire first day for Bosque de Chapultepec, a huge urban park with many attractions, including the Anthropology Museum and the History Museum. So go early and museums also need time to visit. And even if you’re not that interested in museums (but I’m sure they’re impressive) and make a quick visit, the forest has other attractions and is worth the trip.
2nd day: Historic Center.
There is no shortage of things to see and do in the center of Mexico City. And on Sundays the visit becomes more interesting due to the movement in the streets and squares. Mexicans frequent public spaces in cities, which I think is really cool, and on Sundays this seems to be the rule.
As tourist attractions are not far away, take a walking tour of the Historic Center and enjoy the atmosphere of a Mexican leisure day. Allow yourself to walk the streets without commitment.
In the historic center is the Zócalo with the immense Cathedral next to the ruins of the Templo Mayor, which was the religious center of the Aztecs.
Further away from the Zócalo is the Palacio de Bellas Artes with a museum and concert hall. From there, cross the avenue and visit the Memory and Tolerance Museum. And at the end of the day, go up to Mirador Torre Latino and enjoy the sunset
3rd day: Teotihuacán and Sanctuary of Guadalupe.
The ruins of the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan are the most visited in Mexico. And, especially on Sundays, it receives a large crowd as it is the day when Mexicans don’t pay to visit.
That’s why the tip is to go on a Monday, as it is, theoretically, a busier day. And thus escape the general public.
Teotihuacán is located 50km from Mexico City and it is very common to visit the Sanctuary of Guadalupe which is on the way. But unlike the tours that visit on the way out, visit on the way back finding the emptiest place.
4th day: Frida Kahlo Museum and Coyoacán Market.
On my last day in Mexico City I went to Coyoacan, a neighborhood with characteristics that make us think we are outside the Mexican capital.
The neighborhood has some attractions, but I didn’t have all day because at the end of the day I traveled to Cancún. So I went to see the house where Mexican painter Frida Kahlo lived and which is now one of the most visited museums in the city.
So there is a queue to get in. Go early or buy tickets on the website with a pre-booked visit time.
But besides the museum, there was time to go to the Coyocan Market where I had lunch. It’s close by and it was worth it.
How to get around the city
On the day in the city center I didn’t use transport as I was staying in the region and did everything on foot.
O airport The city is 10km from the city center, but is served by the metro and Metrobus, which is what I used.
Food
If you like street food, you’ll have a good time in Mexico City. Everywhere there is someone selling tacos, burritos and other Mexican dishes. It’s a cheap option. After a while I couldn’t even stand the smell.
If you spend a little more, there are restaurants that charge a single price so you can eat as much as you want. And, of course, there are many better restaurant options.
Where to Stay
I stayed in the Historic Center. It has many accommodation options and it is easy to travel to other areas of the city.
As for security, I found it calm, but I didn’t go around in the early hours of the morning, only during the day and night and it was always busy and with police.
I stayed at Hostal Zócalo Pino Suárez booked through the Booking website where it is classified as very good. 7 blocks from the zócalo, its location could be better, but it is close to the metro and Metrobus.
Its entrance through the building’s garage is strange, but it has an elevator and the facilities are good, as is the cleanliness. The service was good and the inconvenience is the fact that the windows face the interior, taking away privacy, and the laundry works every night, causing noise in the rooms closest to it.
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