Mexico City Travel Guide: Things To Do & Day Trips

Mexico quickly became one of our favourite countries in the world, with Mexico City being one of the best capital cities we’ve been to!

Mexico City (CDMX or Ciudad de México) is currently the 5th biggest city in the world, so we found it hard to know where to start when planning our trip. Luckily, we ended up spending 12 days in CDMX in total, so got a pretty good grasp of the city and all it’s got to offer.

If you’re short on time (e.g. you’ve only got 1-2 days), we’ve summarised the must see activities at the bottom of this post. Although, we’d recommend trying to stay for at least 4 days – there’s so, so much to do and see!

Without further ado, here’s our list of the best things to do in Mexico City:

Best Things to Do in Mexico City

1. Estación México Walking Tour

If you have read any of our other Mexico posts (which you definitely should 👀) you’ll know that we constantly rave about Estación México. Estación México operates free, AMAZING walking tours in Mexico! Every single tour we went on (and we went on many) were exceptional – 10/10!

There are 5 tours operated in CDMX: Historic Centre, Roma Condesa, Chapultepec, Coyoacán and San Angel. The only one we didn’t do was San Angel, but all of the others were amazing. 

This is a great way to get your bearings on the first day, especially if there’s a tour near to where you’re staying, such as Roma Norte or the Central Historic area.

We stayed in Roma Norte our first time in CDMX, so we did the Roma Condesa tour on our first day which we found really helpful. The guides have SO MUCH knowledge and give you all the information on that area, including the best spots to eat and letting you know of any must see attractions or hidden gems!

Although the tours are free, make sure to tip your guide at the end if you think they’ve done a good job. We did every time since all of the tours we joined were brilliant.

Estación México also offer paid tours, and we’ve heard great things about the Lucha Libre experience (see more about this tour plus how to do it yourself below).

2. Teotihuacán: Ancient Ruins

Teotihuacán is an ancient Mesoamerican city, and a brilliant day trip to take from Mexico City. You’ll get to wander around the massive ruins and learn a little about the history and culture of Mexico from long, long ago.

It’s an absolute must-see, but just in case you’re not fully invested yet, here’s a quick few facts to whet your appetite:

• 🛕 Teotihuacán predates the Aztecs by many centuries, beginning around 100BC. The city was massive, covering 21km², making it at least the 6th largest city in the world during its time!
• 🔥 It was sacked and burned around 550AD, and was left in ruin and largely uninhabited for centuries. The Aztecs, after founding their new capital city in modern-day Mexico City, stumbled across the complex and assumed the ancient city was built by the gods themselves!
• 🌞 The Pyramid of the Sun (one of the two main ‘pyramids’) is one of the largest structures of its kind in the western hemisphere!

We won’t go into more history because you’ll learn all of that when you arrive, but it’s well worth the visit!

You can get there yourself, which is going to be cheaper than taking a tour, however you won’t get much information or value out of your visit without a guide! Taking a tour will give you a much fuller experience, and often they include visits to other places of interest along the way. We’d recommend these 2 tours:

➡️ Teotihuacán & Guadalupe Shrine Day Trip (9 hours)

We did this tour and had such a fantastic day! The tour includes pickup from CDMX, an English-speaking guide the entire day, a quick stop at Tlatelolco (the Aztec city that existed alongside Tenochtitlan – the ruins that now lie under the main Zocalo in the city), a short intro into the agave plant & the resulting Tequila it produces (with free tastings!), a visit to Guadalupe Shrine (one of the world’s most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites), a stop for lunch at a traditional restaurant, and finally dropoff back in CDMX.

That’s a LOT of value packed into one tour, and tickets start from just £27.50 ($34 USD) per person!

Book your tickets here or using the buttons below.

➡️ Sunrise Hot Air Balloon over Teotihuacán

Your other option, which is something we DEEPLY regret not doing, is the sunrise hot air balloon over Teotihuacán! Imagine drifting over the ancient ruins gaining a perspective that the original builders assumed could only be achieved by the gods, all while the sun rises and casts enormous shadows of the pyramids across the valley floor… sounds incredible, right?

It’s also super reasonable cost-wise at about £90 ($115 USD) per person! Get your tickets early!

3. Lucha Libre: Quintessential Mexican Experience

No visit to Mexico City is complete without experiencing Lucha Libre! For those who don’t know (Hannah didn’t!), Lucha Libre is a form of performative Mexican wrestling. Think WWE, but more acrobatic and wild. It’s inherently Mexican and one of the most fun things to experience in the city!

You can dress the part as a spectator with a mask, or just arrive as you are. Grab drinks or food inside the arena from sellers who walk the stands with different offerings – we’d recommend a cold beer and some popcorn as you settle in for a hilarious few hours. Get ready to scream and shout for your favourites!

We wrote a full guide on Lucha Libre in Mexico City, so if you have questions like “where can I watch it”, “should I go with a tour or on my own” or “where can I buy tickets”, check it out!

4. Float Down the Xochimilco Canals

Xochimilco is a neighbourhood in the south of Mexico City which is famous for its stretching canals that go on for more than 100 square miles!

A portion of these canals have been turned into a tourist destination hosting by a popular boating experience. You’ll board one of the many gondolas and glide through the canals to take in your surroundings, all whilst having some drinks served by neighbouring boats!

It’s a really fun experience and one that you have to do if you’re spending a few days in Mexico City.

There’s a couple of options when it comes to visiting the Xochimilco Canals, the easiest being to book on a tour.

➡️ Xochimilco Tour including Meal & Drinks

We’re recommend this highly-rated tour as a perfect way to visit Xochimilco – you’ll get unlimited drinks, some tasty food and a guide to give you all the info about the canals while you relax.

➡️ Go on your own/with friends

You can do it all yourself (which is what we did), however it’s not super cheap, so we’d only recommend this if you’re in a bigger group or if you’re confident asking other tourists if they want to join you on a boat to split the cost.

Each boat has a fixed price of around MX $750 (roughly £30 or US $40), regardless of the number of people. You’ll see this price written around – so don’t let them charge you more!

When we were there, we lucked out and found 9 other people who were willing to hop on a boat with us, which meant it was around MX $75 per person – that’s roughly £3 or US $4!

We had such a brilliant time and made some new friends, so think about doing this instead of a tour if you’re feeling lucky and up for a bit of winging it!

5. Explore the Historic Zocalo Area (Main Historic Square)

In the Zocalo – the main square of the city – you’ll find lots of things to do! It’s one of the main tourist ‘hubs’ in the city, so naturally you’ll find yourself here at some point.

Here’s what we’d recommend doing and/or seeing while you’re there:

Market stalls

Firstly, there are always market stalls to peruse in search of a souvenir outside the catherdral, so spend some time walking around and seeing if you can find some trinkets to take home.

You can also get ‘smudged’ on the street here, which is essentially an indigenous sage-burning ceremony used to remove negative energy and invite positivity. It’s quite an experience, so why not give it a try?

🕙 Opening times: Varies, but vendors are typically around from early morning until past dark.
💲 Cost: FREE

Cathedral 

At the heart of the Zocalo is Mexico City’s beautiful gothic cathedral, Catedral Metropolitana.

Not only is it impressive to look at and explore within, it’s also steeped in history. It’s situated directly on top of the ancient Aztec sacred centre ‘Templo Mayor’ (more on that below) in a deliberate move by the Spanish conquistadors to ‘assert their authority’ on their new territory. It was even constructed using stones from the toppled remains of Aztec temple.

If you’re interested in history, religion or architecture, it’s definitely worth your time to head inside. Even if you’re not, we’d still recommend checking it out – it’s stunning, cool (great to take a break from the heat), quiet and calm.

🕙 Opening times: Daily from 9:00 – 5:30 (avoid mass times)
💲 Cost: FREE

Templo Mayor Museum

Just to the right of the cathedral (when looking at it head-on) is a museum dedicated to Templo Mayor – the centre of the ancient Aztec capital city Tenochtitlan.

You’ll head down a ramp under the modern-day city streets where you’ll find you first glimpse of the sacred site. Digest the fascinating information in the entry room then head outside to explore the raised walkways built over/around the excavated ruins.

Around halfway, you’ll find the 3-story museum which is one of Mexico’s best – the other being the Museum of Anthropology – more on that below! Check out the amazing view from the top floor looking down the main atrium to the bottom floor to see the grand, incredible stone carving!

🕙 Opening times: Tues – Sun from 9:00 – 17:00
💲 Cost: MX $100 (£3.90 / US $5.25). FREE on Sundays and for children under 13, students, teachers and senior citizens.

Terraza Catedral (Rooftop)

If you’re like us and a day of exploring is always best topped off with a cold beer or cocktail, then head to Terraza Cathedral.

The rooftop bar has an incredible view over the cathedral and ended up being our go-to in the evenings while we were in the city, not just because it was on top of the hostel we were staying in!

You don’t need to be a guest to enjoy the epic views – just turn up and ask for the rooftop bar:

🇲🇽 Hola, ¿puedo/podemos visitar el bar en la terraza, por favor?
🇬🇧 Hi, can I/we visit the rooftop bar, please?

On certain evening there’s live music too, and every cocktail & snack we tried was delicious, so we’d strongly recommend it.

🕙 Opening times: Sun – Thurs from 13:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat from 14:00 – 00:00
💲 Cost: Beers are roughly MX $55, cocktails around MX $170

6. Indulge at the many Cafes and Brunch Spots in Roma Norte

Centro Historico isn’t the only area you need to visit during your trip to Mexico City! Roma Norte is probably the 2nd most popular district for tourists, with its European vibe and countless cafes along its tree-lined streets.

We stayed in Roma Norte for our first time in CDMX and immediately fell in love with it!

Spend some time wandering the streets and popping into cafes for coffee ☕️ or a sweet treat 🥐 – we promise you’ll love it. Definitely check out the AMAZING and FREE walking tour from Estación México. The guides will point out all the best spots to explore/eat/drink at.

Things to Do in Roma Norte, Mexico City: Full Day Itinerary

You’ll no-doubt see Roma Norte popping up as one of the best places for tourists to visit when planning your trip to Mexico City. Roma Norte is packed with leafy tree-lined streets, colourful murals, art galleries, trendy cafes and some AMAZING food spots. It’s safe, distanced from the busy traffic of other areas in the […]

Read more

7. Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacán Neighbourhood

As arguably the biggest icon in Mexico, you’ll no doubt see Frida Kahlo’s face all around the city in street art and on souvenirs.

If you’re interested in learning about her life and work, then the Frida Kahlo Museum (The Blue House) is a great place to visit. You’ll get to wander through the house she lived in from 1931 and see some of her famous works and personal belongings in her home, which has served as a museum to her legacy since 1958.

🕙 Opening times: Tues 10:00 – 18:00, Weds 11:00 – 18:00, Thurs – Sun 10:00 – 18:00. Closed Mon.
💲 Cost: MX $320 (£12.50 or US $16.85). Children under 6 enter for free.

In all honesty, we found it a little pricey for what you get, but that might just be us as we’re just casual appreciators of her work rather than big, big fans.

However, the neighbourhood the museum is found in, Coyoacán, is absolutely worth an explore anyway, either before, after or instead of the museum itself. It’s so charming and feels like a quaint little town, full of beautiful & colourful streets, cute hidden gardens and public squares.

You can try some delicious local food from within the lively market or head to the main plaza that’s always bustling with activity and restaurant options.

Guess what we’d recommend doing there? That’s right, the Estación México free walking tour! They’ll walk you through Coyoacán’s cobbled streets, painting a historical picture of the once separate town intended to be the capital of New Spain by the conquistadors.

8. National Museum of Anthropology

The Museum of Anthropology 🏛️ is one of those epic museums that you just CAN’T miss on your itinerary!

It’s home to the actual, real, original Aztec calendar – you know, the one everyone thought had predicted the end of the world! You’ll be in awe at all the incredible displays, covering the anthropologic (that’s a mouthful) history of Mexico’s inhabitants; from the pre-historic and the rise & fall of Teotihuacán, the Toltecs, Mayas, Mexicas, and much more.

It’s also home to world’s largest collection of ancient Mexican art, which really is worth checking out during your stop as well.

Even if you think museums are a tad boring (which they can be sometimes, we won’t lie), this one is so worth the visit.

Budget for at least a few hours (if not more!) to explore and enjoy.

🕙 Opening times: Tues – Sun from 09:00 – 18:00
💲 Cost: MX $100 (£3.90 or US $5.30). Check the official site for more info.

9. Day of the Dead Parade (Late Oct/Early Nov)

If you happen to find yourself in Mexico in late October and/or the first few days of November, you’ll no doubt already be aware of all the Day of the Dead celebrations. It’s probably the reason you’re going!

Well, lucky you! We were in Mexico City for Day of the Dead and it was absolutely incredible to be a part of – honestly, one of those bucketlist moments!

If you didn’t know already, the ‘official’ celebrations take place on 1st & 2nd November, but events, activities and festivities start to happen before, during and slightly after these dates. 

You might’ve seen the famous ‘James Bond’ parade from the movie Spectre. This usually takes place on the 2nd Nov and flows down Reforma Avenue to end in the main Zocalo square. It’s an event not to miss if you’re in the city on that date, and the atmosphere is electric!

That being said, it’s definitely not the most authentic Day of the Dead experience in Mexico, so if that’s what you’re looking for then we’d recommend heading to somewhere like Oaxaca instead.

10. Get a Metrocard

Ok, so this isn’t really a ‘thing to do’, but it is an essential. Mexico City is SO BIG, and you’ll need to use the public transport system to get around at least a handful of times.

You can opt for taxis, but we found the roads to be super busy and congested when we visited, which meant sitting in traffic for ages. Definitely not the way to do it!

What Mexico City does have is an exceptional Metro/Metrobús system. The buses have their own lanes that only then can use, allowing them to bypass all the traffic – perfect!

Journeys cost around MX $5 (£0.20 or US $0.25), so it’s much cheaper, more reliable, better for the planet, and much much quicker than a taxi. Win, win, win… win?

This brings us to the Metrocard – we found getting one a lifesaver for hopping around the city! They can be used on more than just the Metro/Metrobús – you can use them across all of these public transport services. There’s a handy image on the back of the card showing what it can and can’t be used for.

The easiest way to get yourself a reusable Metrocard is to head to the nearest Metro/Metrobús station once you’ve settled in (or at the airport!). You’ll find loads of machines issuing the cards for a cost of MX $15 (£0.60 or US $0.75). These machines can also be used to top up your cards.

Once you’ve got yourself one, you won’t need to worry about having the right coins when boarding a Metrobús or what it’ll cost, just stick MX $50 on your card and off you go!

Read our full guide on how to use Mexico City’s Metro & Metrobús for more info, incl. handy maps and cost breakdowns!

11. Tacos at Orinocos

You can’t visit Mexico City (or Mexico in general) without getting some 🌮 tacos! Not only is it nearly impossible to avoid them, it’d also be a huge waste of an opportunity. Think of the best tacos you’ve ever eaten, and now get ready for even better ones.

One of the most popular chain spots for tacos is Taquería Orinocos. Don’t expect a fancy sit-down meal – this place is all about quick, delicious, 10/10 tacos every single time, without the fluff. The beautiful thing about tacos almost everywhere Mexico is that they’re served with the sauces/chillies on the side, meaning you can customise them to your desire!!

The tacos at Orinocos are super affordable too, starting from around MX $28 each (roughly £1.10 or US $1.50).

They’ve got a couple of locations around the city so you won’t struggle to find one near your accommodation. Be prepared for queues out of the door – they’re that good! The queue moves quickly and the wait is worth it though, so hang in there!

We went back here quite a few times because we couldn’t get enough, and we’re sure you will too 😋

12. Take an Overnight / Day Trip to Puebla

If you’ve got a spare day or two, we’d highly recommend taking a trip to nearby city Puebla!

Puebla is only about 2 hours away from CDMX, and is famous for its UNESCO-listed historic centre. It’s a super pretty place, with tonnes of colonial architecture, an impressive cathedral, cobbled streets – and not to mention its delicious, local cuisine.

We’ve written an entire guide on Puebla’s highlights and what you should do there, so definitely check it out if you’re interested. We loved our 1-night stay there, exploring the streets and eating our bodyweight’s worth of food!

What To Do in 2 Days in Mexico City

Like we said before, you should definitely aim to stay in Mexico City for at least 3-4 days to get the full experience. But hey, we get it – sometimes it just doesn’t fit in with your budget, both in terms of time and cost.

So, if you’re only able to visit for a couple of days, then these are what we’d recommend as the must-do’s:

• 🥾 Choose an Estación México tour. These take between 2-3 hours, but are packed with value. We’d recommend either the Centro Historico, Chapultepec or Roma Condesa tour.
• 🏬 Explore the Zocalo (the main square), check out the cathedral and the Templo Mayor ruins next to it.
• 🛕 Don’t miss a tour of Teotihuacán ruins. Check out our recommended tours above!
• 🍺 If you enjoy craft beers, check out La Roma Brewing for craft beer or if you want to stay in the Zocalo, head to the rooftop bar at Terraza Catedral – especially at sunset!
• 👺 Don’t miss an incredible Lucha Libre experience!
• 🏛️ If you’re really into the fascinating history of Mexico, head to the Museum of Anthropology. 
• 🌮 Make sure to visit Orinocos at least once for dinner in Mexico City. It’s cheap and simple but so so, so delicious! 

Where to Stay in Mexico City

Choosing where to stay in a new city – especially a capital – can be daunting. Which areas are safe, which are best for exploring on foot, which have all the good restaurants? These sorts of questions go flying around our heads whenever we plan our next stop on our adventures!

In the case of Mexico City, there are 5 main areas that we’d recommend, especially for first-timers:

• ☕️ Roma Norte
• 🌳 Condesa
• 🏛️ Centro Histórico
• 🌇 Juárez / Zona Rosa
• 🖼️ Coyoacán

We’ve detailed benefits, hotel recommendations and what’s nearby each area in our Best Areas to Stay in Mexico City for First-Timers article. Check it out if you want more information before booking!

Some of these things to do in Mexico City are sadly not free – sorry, fellow budget travellers! However, we put together a list of the Best 13 Free Things to Do in CDMX to help you out!