The 15 Best Things to Do in Mexico City (and Top Things to Avoid)

Everything you need to know before your first visit to Mexico’s bustling capital city.What surprises most first-time visitors is how wildly cosmopolitan and cool Mexico City is. There is indeed history in spades, from ancient temples to sculpture gardens on centuries-old university grounds, but there’s also a pulse of reinvention through new restaurants, parties, and art projects that keep the city forever fresh. You could spend a month there and barely nibble at its edges. Mexico City is a world of a place with so many superlative and unique feats. It is North America’s largest metropolis with the region’s biggest urban park, for instance. It has influences from everywhere while being thoroughly rooted in Mexican traditions. The city’s azulejo-tiled buildings take me back to my travels in Europe, and the countless museums tickle my inner historian. As a boutique hotel lover, every mansion stay I spy in Roma makes me want to check in, and nothing pleases me more than charting a hunger-slaying course around its street food stalls. Here’s my distilled guide to seeing the best of Mexico City—what to do, where to eat, the hotels worth checking into, and what to skip, so you can experience CDMX wholeheartedly. 1 OF 27 Centro Histórico Walking Tour WHERE: Centro Histórico A walking tour of Mexico City’s Centro Histórico is the ideal way to experience its storied streets with context you simply wouldn’t get on your own. Wanting to go deeper than the blurbs I’d read, on my first Mexico City trip, I booked a “free” tip-based tour via Freetour.com, and it was the perfect informative yet relaxed introduction.The tour typically winds through Zócalo, Latin America’s largest plaza (officially called Plaza de la Constitución), flanked by the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Templo Mayor archeological site. At Palacio Nacional, Diego Rivera’s mural The History of Mexico vividly charts the country’s past. We also visited Palacio Postal, an ornate post office-cum-museum, and marveled at Palacio de Bellas Artes, which is home to Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros murals and is stunning both inside and out. You can, of course, visit these spots independently, but I personally love sightseeing with a bit of background. 2 OF 27 Binge on Museums WHERE: Multiple Locations Mexico City is a cultural buffet with more than 150 museums, one of the highest concentrations in the world. At Museo Nacional de Antropología, peruse over 20 rooms holding some of the most important Mesoamerican artifacts ever unearthed. History buffs should explore Museo Casa de León Trotsky for insights into the exiled Russian revolutionary who was assassinated in Coyoacán by Spanish Stalinist Ramón Mercader, and contemporary art fans should head to Museo Jumex to see works by Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst, all for free.You don’t need to break the bank to feed your passion for history and art, as many Mexico City museums offer complimentary entry or free days. Museo Banco de México is always free of charge, as is the show-stopping Museo Soumaya with its twisting façade. It houses paintings by Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, two Impressionist artists whose work I never tire of admiring. 3 OF 27 Dedicate a Day to Bosque de Chapultepec WHERE: Bosque de Chapultepec Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park) is Mexico City’s sprawling green lung. At roughly 1,700 acres, it’s one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere, far surpassing the size of New York’s Central Park. I recommend you set aside an entire day if you want even a glimpse of what’s on offer, as the highlights alone could fill an itinerary. There is the hilltop Castillo de Chapultepec, once home to European royalty and Mexican presidents, serene lakes for boating, jogging tracks, and a family-frequented zoo with elephants, kangaroos, and jaguars, as well as several museums. This includes Museo Tamayo, Museo de Arte Moderno, Museo Nacional de Historia (at Chapultepec Castle), and Museo Nacional de Antropología. INSIDER TIPOn Sundays, Mexican nationals and foreigners residing in Mexico may visit Castillo de Chapultepec without cost. Therefore, you may be asked about your nationality or residence status at the gate near the castle entrance. There is no need to feel singled out if and when you’re questioned. You’ll simply be directed toward the ticket office. 4 OF 27 Savor Tacos of Every Variety, Including Michelin-Starred WHERE: Multiple Locations If I could subsist entirely on tacos, I’d gladly do so, and Mexico City would happily oblige. It’s estimated that there are around 11,000 taco stands and shops there, ranging from family-run stalls with no signage to spots that don’t even appear on Google Maps. You simply can’t visit Mexico City and not indulge.Any day of the week, one may find tacos of cow head (Tacos de Cabeza Los Gueros in Centro), beef tongue (Tacos Tony), chile relleno (Taqueria La Hortaliza by Chapultepec Park in Condesa), birria (El Compita or Birria “Don Rafa”), or gourmet super-sized, petal-adorned tacos (at Callejón del Taco in Roma Norte). One of my favorite Roma Norte taquerías is Tacos Beto, which is a stone’s throw from La Valise Mexico City. The tacos are sizeable and gift you those bites that make you instinctively close your eyes. You can devour tacos of all shapes and sizes while on a Mexico City Streets food tour, a delicious outing with long-time Mexico City resident and travel journalist Lydia Carey who knows Roma inside out and literally wrote a book on it. INSIDER TIPIf you find yourself lusting after late-night tacos while in Condesa on a weekend, El Sirloncito Taqueria de Barrio stays open until 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. 5 OF 27 Toast at Top Tipple Temples WHERE: Multiple Locations The possibilities are endless when it comes to imbibing in this metropolis. Rooftops like El Mayor, Balcón del Zócalo, Balmori, and Toledo Rooftop offer an elevated outing, and the speakeasies are a thing of legend. Handshake Speakeasy was granted the esteemed title of The World’s Best Bar by 50 Best in 2024 and it serves up cocktail couture where even the humble biscuit becomes a branded showpiece entombed on a gargantuan ice cube. The adornments at Salón Palomilla are similarly impressive, though most come for the snazzy green sun roof.You can also find playful and polished cocktails at Las Brujas at Calle Rio de Janeiro 56. This is a women-run bar with drinks inspired by iconic ladies throughout history, depicted on the menu in comic book style. Whether you’re into craft (Fiebre de Malta) or international beers (Frankfurt), mezcal (Tlecān or El Palenquito), Japanese bites to pair with your cocktails (Hiya Wine Bar), or a laid-back evening with a curated playlist (Shhh Condesa) or vinyl spinning in the background (Café de Nadie), the city will keep your glass full. 6 OF 27 Find a Xochimilco Trajinera With Your Name on It WHERE: Jardines Flotantes de Xochimilco Located about 40 minutes south of the center, Xochimilco is a living relic of the pre-Hispanic world. It is a maze of canals where the Aztecs once farmed on chinampas, or floating gardens. Today, it is a festive, colorful escape, where multi-hued trajineras (flat-bottomed boats) glide through the waterways. Each proudly bears a name like Sofia, Andrea, or Julieta at its arching bow. I found one named Rosamaria, which felt delightfully close enough to my own.Locals typically venture out to Xochimilco to mark birthdays and anniversaries with music, food, and tequila. The trajineras have long tables for easy feasting, and vendors row right up to your boat selling everything from elote (corn) to floral headbands and cold beers. Essentially, a floating market comes to you. What you won’t find for sale there are speakers, so don’t be shy to bring yours. You might even end up in a dance-off with neighboring trajineras as I have. 7 OF 27 Visit Frida Kahlo’s Old Stomping Grounds WHERE: Coyoacán If there’s one place you need to book well in advance in Mexico City (along with the eternally in-demand Michelin-starred restaurant Pujol), it’s the Frida Kahlo Museum. Located in the leafy Coyoacán neighborhood, this house-turned-museum is where one of Mexico’s most iconic artists was born, lived, created, and died. It is known as Casa Azul for its vivid cobalt blue walls, it opened as a museum in 1958, and it’s your chance to walk among her personal belongings, including her art, books, clothing, bed, and even the corsets she wore after the accident that marked her life and work. I missed out on visiting during my first trip due to poor planning, so don’t make my mistake and get your tickets ahead of time on the bilingual website (it’s closed on Mondays).A ticket to Casa Azul also grants entry to Museo Anahuacalli, Diego Rivera’s darkly majestic temple to pre-Hispanic art and totems, just a short drive away. 8 OF 27 Browse, Buy, and Bite WHERE: Multiple Locations I regard wandering local markets as one of the most immediate and joyful ways to immerse yourself in the culture of a place, taking in the chatter, the colors, and the scents. Mexico City has hundreds of markets where thousands work, live, eat, and thrive on a daily basis.Mercado Jamaica is the city’s principal flower market, where fragrant aisles burst with lilies, roses, ferns, and, during Día de Muertos, it’s a place to find vibrant marigolds destined for ofrendas. Mercado Merced is a one-stop-shop kind of place that’s been serving the city since the 17th century. If you’re hunting for handcrafted treasures, head to Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela, where Oaxaca textiles, Chiapas ceramics, Guerrero silver, and colorful alebrijes (mythical figurines) line the aisles. This is a great place to pick up unique gifts for adored ones back home. For antique lovers, open-air La Lagunilla is your Sunday fix. For a more gourmet experience, Mercado Roma in hip Roma Norte is a sleek, three-story food hall where you can nibble on world cuisines or even get inked by tattoo artists who worked with Harry Styles. 9 OF 27 See the World Through Barragán’s Eyes WHERE: Colonia Ampliación Daniel Garza On an unassuming street in Colonia Apliación Daniel Garza, the Luis Barragán House and Studio is a pilgrimage point for design devotees from around the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was once the home and workspace of Luis Barragán, the celebrated Mexican architect born in Guadalajara in 1902. From the street, the façade is modest and grey, giving little away. But step inside, and you’ll see choreographed colors: vivid pink, cobalt blue, and a banister-free bone China white staircase.Tickets must be purchased in advance (the house is closed on Sundays) and you’ll need to bring identification on the day. The 1,161-square-meter structure is just a short walk from the Constituyentes metro stop, or you can get a rideshare there. 10 OF 27 Paseo de la Reforma on a Sunday WHERE: Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma is Mexico City’s grandest avenue. Known simply as Reforma locally, this wide, elegant boulevard was originally constructed in the 19th century by Emperor Maximilian as a ceremonial route from his home at Castillo de Chapultepec to Palacio Nacional. It was called Paseo de la Emperatriz before being renamed to commemorate President Benito Juárez’s reforms.Lined with modern skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and some of Mexico City’s most iconic landmarks—including the Angel of Independence, Diana the Huntress fountain, and a monument to Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor—Reforma is usually traffic-laden. But on Sundays, as part of the Muévete en Bici program, the avenue transforms. From 8 am to 2 pm, it closes to cars and opens exclusively to cyclists, walkers, runners, skaters, and skateboarders. Around 90,000 people take to the street to enjoy this liberating respite from the city’s congestion, and you can be one of them. 11 OF 27 Get Your Chuckle On WHERE: Multiple Locations While museums tell you where the city has been, comedians tell you where it is now. Spending an evening at an English Comedy MX show offers a crash course in contemporary Mexico City, delivered one punchline at a time. Through jokes about dating, bureaucracy, tacos and cultural faux pas, local and visiting comedians unpack the city’s personality in a way that’s both entertaining and revealing, and it’s an ideal activity for solo travelers. Shows take place in venues such as Whiskey Kitchen by Hot Mamma’s and Woko Comedy Club. 12 OF 27 Feel Alive on Day of The Dead Fun fact: Mexico City’s massive Day of the Dead parade only began in 2016, inspired by the James Bond film Spectre, which opened with a fictional version of such a parade. Now, every year, Paseo de la Reforma and Zócalo fill with flower-draped floats, stilt walkers dressed as skeletons, and revelers aplenty during El Gran Desfile del Día de los Muertos. Beyond the parade, you can stroll the historic center to admire alebrije sculptures or head to Xochimilco for a haunting boat ride performance of La Llorona (The Weeping Woman).It all unfolds from late October through early November, peaking on November 2. This sacred holiday honors deceased loved ones, with families building ofrendas (altars) at home adorned with candles, water, food, photos, sugar skulls, incense, and cempasúchil marigolds said to guide souls home. 13 OF 27 Lucha Libre Masked Mayhem WHERE: Multiple Locations Lucha Libre is a quintessentially Mexican masked wrestling spectacle that blends sport, theater, and tradition. If you’re keen to experience it for yourself, you’ve got two venues to choose from: Arena Coliseo and Arena México. Also known as “El Embudo de Perú 77,” Arena Coliseo opened first in 1943, offering a smaller, more old-school atmosphere near Tepito. Arena México is the city’s largest and most famous wrestling venue, seating up to 16,500 in Colonia Doctores.You can get your Lucha Libre tickets on Ticketmaster, but I’d recommend booking a tour so that your transportation is covered and you’re with a guide who can help you navigate the experience comfortably. Wherever you’re seated, you’ll join families, superfans, and first-timers all cheering, booing, and laughing as masked luchadores somersault through acrobatic battles. 14 OF 27 Conduct a Roma Reconnaissance WHERE: Roma Equal parts elegant residential enclave and creative playground, Roma is a tree-lined neighborhood that rewards aimless wandering more than almost anywhere else in the capital. On such walks, architectural treasures reveal themselves around almost every corner, from ornate French-inspired façades commissioned during the Porfirian era to elegant Art Deco apartment buildings that survived earthquakes and changing fashions.Roma is split between the bustling Roma Norte, the quieter Roma Sur, and La Romita. There is great pleasure to be found in ducking into its charming bookshops (Cafebrería El Péndulo Roma is a welcoming café and bookstore hybrid), discovering curiosities at its museums (Museo Casa de las Mil Muñecas and MODO Museo del Objeto del Objeto are wonderfully eccentric), lingering over tea or coffee at its cafés (try Libertario Coffee Roasters), exploring its tastes (do bite into the famous guava roll at Panadería Rosetta), and watching one of the city’s best-dressed neighborhoods go about its day. 15 OF 27 The Mega Library of All Libraries WHERE: Colonia Buenavista Biblioteca Vasconcelos can compete with the world’s most visually arresting libraries, like Porto’s Livraria Lello or Rio de Janeiro’s Real Gabinete Portugues Da Leitura. Its vast, cathedral-like interior is a geometric wonder with glass walkways and cantilevered bookshelves that create the sensation of hovering in midair—a thrilling experience for some, but potentially nerve-jangling for those with a fear of heights. Adding to the surreal atmosphere, a reconstructed whale skeleton hangs dramatically in the central corridor. The sculpture is a permanent installation designed by Gabriel Orozco titled Mobile Matrix.Located in the Buenavista neighborhood near an uber-busy transport hub, this monumental space was designed by architect Alberto Kalach and opened in 2006 with a rocky start (it closed soon after for repairs). While it’s officially a national lending library with over 600,000 books, Biblioteca Vasconcelos is as much a lively social space as it is a scholarly one. You’ll find students hunched over laptops, families plucking books off the shelves, musicians and dancers practicing routines, and friends deep in conversation around communal tables. 16 OF 27 Things to Avoid: Not Venturing Beyond Tacos I am a devoted worshipper at the altar of tacos, but limiting yourself to them would be a missed opportunity. The streets of Mexico City have so much more on offer if you’re willing to explore.From dawn until dusk, vendors tempt passersby with elotes and esquites (corn salad in a cup), chicharrónes (crispy pork skin), stuffed-to-the-brim quesadillas, tostadas (crispy tortillas piled with toppings), tamales wrapped in corn husks, tortas (hearty sandwiches), and even Dorilocos, Nacho Cheese Doritos with unexpected toppings like peanuts, gummy bears, carrots, and lime. You’ll find sizzling tlayudas (Oaxacan pizza-like loaded tortillas), plump gorditas (stuffed thick corn masa pockets), camote carts (sweet potato and plantains with condensed milk), and chilaquiles dripping in chili sauce for breakfast. Adventurous eaters can snack on chapulines (crunchy grasshoppers) and even worms at cantinas downtown. The variety is simply staggering. 17 OF 27 Things to Avoid: Only Visiting TikTok-Famous Restaurants Instead of spending your precious time in CDMX in a queue because you saw something go viral on TikTok or Instagram, let your eyes be the reviewer and go toward places that call you with their scents, sounds, and ambience.Staying in Roma Norte during my most recent trip, I’d always see hordes lining up and loitering around TikTok-famous Mi Compa Chava Marisquería in the hopes of getting a table. Meanwhile, there’s a perfectly decent seafood restaurant in the form of Mony Mariscos just across the street. Taquería El Califa de León may be super popular due to winning a Michelin star in 2024, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be the best taco of your life, or even surpass the taco purchased at an informal stall with no Google presence at all. INSIDER TIPDon’t automatically expect that the green salsa you see at a taquería is guacamole. It might be an avocado salsa with added serrano peppers or jalapeños. If your spice tolerance is low, ask if the sauce has a kick by saying, “se pica?” 18 OF 27 Things to Avoid: Letting Traffic Dictate Your Days If you’re planning to spend most of your Mexico City trip exploring Roma, Condesa, and Centro Histórico, stay nearby if you can. You might think you’re saving money by booking a less costly apartment further afield, but you’ll often spend the difference on Ubers and taxis, especially if you don’t plan to use public transport. What should have been a 30-minute journey once took me two hours by car at 8 pm. Mexico City’s traffic can be brutal, so group your itinerary by neighborhood, not by attraction. You’ll spend less time staring out of a car window and more time getting down to the good stuff. 19 OF 27 Must-Try Restaurants: La Capital WHERE: La Condesa La Capital set the bar high as my very first introduction to Mexico City’s culinary scene. I thoroughly believe that every category is done exceptionally well, but even if just the starters made up the menu, it would still be impressive. Octopus tostado or roasted cauliflower with mole, anyone? On the mains front, this is a surefire place to find Chiles en Nogada when Mexican Independence Day comes around in September.Located on Avenida Nuevo León in Condesa, La Capital has lofty ceilings and occupies two expansive floors. My preferred table is always upstairs in the top right corner from where I can adequately people-watch. On weekend evenings, the atmosphere feels bustling but never boisterous. Beer lovers should order a bottle of their very own Capitalager. 20 OF 27 Must-Try Restaurants: Madre Café WHERE: Roma Norte Madre Café is a destination restaurant in Mexico City and one of my favorite afternoon hangouts. Located on Calle Orizaba in Roma Norte, it is housed in a 1932-built stately mansion that has seen many lives, from a family residence to film archive offices.Come any day and you’ll find something worth savoring. Breakfast offers everything from red berry pancakes to eggs Benedict with gravlax, while lunch and dinner stretch from hearty arrachera tacos to portobello burgers and grilled salmon with Greek salad. Their inventive cocktail list keeps things interesting with mezcalitas infused with hibiscus or morita chile, lychee spritzes, and a seven-strong lineup of carajillos, including the horchata and brownie versions which will appeal to the sweet tooths among us. 21 OF 27 Must-Try Restaurants: Santo Spirito WHERE: Roma Norte In 2018, Mattia Bellucci, the owner of Santo Spirito in Antigua, Guatemala, traveled to Mexico City, fell for its charms, and decided to open a restaurant there. The CDMX outpost of his Italian establishment at Colima 152 is a delicious reservation for date night, anniversaries, or simply celebrating your first time in the Mexican capital. Romance lingers naturally in the soundtrack of clinking wine glasses and the layers of trailing foliage descending through the space. The restaurant is named after the Santo Spirito area of Florence, and these are Italian dishes you won’t soon forget and will never regret. Try the vodka gnocchi or the lasagne that’s presented in a frying pan. All pastas are homemade. 22 OF 27 Best Budget Hotel: OYO Hotel Hidalgo WHERE: Centro Histórico To feel the buzz of the historic center, make OYO Hotel Hidalgo your base. The main selling point is that it’s mere steps from Alameda Central, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and Palacio Postal. The standard double and triple rooms here are simple but functional for under 120 USD per night. You’ll be encircled by metro stops (Bellas Artes, San Juan de Letrán, Juárez, Garibaldi y Lagunilla and the like) and you’ll have no shortage of nearby eateries and bars. Try Bósforo or Fábrica Cervecera Bucareli when in the mood to imbibe mezcal or beer. 23 OF 27 Best Boutique Hotel: La Valise Mexico City WHERE: Roma Norte Housed in a restored 1905 French-style mansion, La Valise Mexico City is a design-forward hotel that has been charming visitors since 2014. A member of Small Luxury Hotels, it has just eight rooms, and each has a story. The hotel has Mesoamerican-inspired art, a petite spa, king-sized beds draped in Egyptian cotton, and, in some suites, beds that glide onto private terraces for sleeping under the stars. Book the Cilene Suite or Polaris Suite if you’d like that rolling bed magic.Beyond the hotel, curated experiences like mezcal tastings, hot air balloon rides over Teotihuacán, and guided architecture tours give you a richer taste of Mexico City. 24 OF 27 Best Luxury Hotel: Casa Polanco WHERE: Polanco For a stay at 19-room Casa Polanco, you arrive through a wrought-iron gate draped in greenery before being greeted by a lobby with soaring arches, green marble floors, and velvet seating that sets the tone for the experience to come. Throughout the house, artworks by celebrated Mexican artists hang alongside sculptural objets d’art curated with the care of a collector’s eye, and there are cozy communal spaces like a library with an honor bar. Rooms have 600-thread-count sheets, Bang & Olufsen speakers, and marble bathrooms stocked with custom toiletries from the local luxury perfumer Xinú. Many have balconies, and some (like the Lincoln Suite) have terraces large enough for an alfresco morning stretch.Casa Polanco is right across from leafy Parque Lincoln and a stone’s throw from the luxury boutiques of Polanco, a neighborhood some call the Beverly Hills of Mexico City. 25 OF 27 Best Airbnb: Casa Tepeji WHERE: Roma Sur Casa Tepeji is an Airbnb guest favorite that sleeps eight in three bedrooms. The whole group will have space to breathe in not one but two living rooms. You’ll want to spend as much time as possible in the plant-filled patio, reading and resting after pounding the city’s pavements. The understated exterior of this house is in stark contrast to its interiors, curves, and lines that are worthy of an Architectural Digest spread. There’s something pretty to look at wherever you are, right down to the rooftop where the washer and dryer are tucked away. 26 OF 27 Best Airbnb: A Contemporary Roma Norte Studio WHERE: Roma Norte Beyond its coveted location, guests staying at this Roma Norte studio enjoy access to a rooftop pool with sun loungers, a sky bar, herb garden, and a co-working space with city views and ergonomic chairs. There is also a gym that has weights, Swiss balls, bikes, treadmills, and elliptical machines.The apartment itself is contemporary and thoughtfully equipped with both an oven and microwave, a tall freestanding fridge, cubist art within, and a balcony to take in the outdoors. The studio is in the Icon Roma building, just five minutes on foot from Paseo de la Reforma’s Ángel de la Independencia and surrounded by some of the city’s best cafes, restaurants, and bars, including Handshake Speakeasy. 27 OF 27 Things to Know Remember to stay hydrated and take things easy on your first visit. At 2,240 meters above sea level, Mexico City sits higher than many travelers expect.Don’t forget that Mexico City is earthquake-prone. It bears scars from devastating quakes in 1985 and 2017, and locals know the drill, quite literally. Pay attention to evacuation routes and sirens, and if you feel an earthquake, follow the “drop, cover, and hold on” procedure when alone indoors or move to a designated safe area if advised by hotel staff or locals.Lastly, if you plan to stay in upscale Polanco, you might feel sticker shock when you see that a cocktail, dinner menu, or shopping haul can carry New York or London price tags.