THE BEST OF MEXICO CITY
With each passing year, I find myself trying to tick trips and experiences off of my bucket list. Last year, it was Machu Picchu with my children. This year, Día de los Muertos in Mexico City, with my friend, Stephane. The colors, sights and smells of Mexico City from late October to early November come together to create the magic that attracts over two million visitors every year. From the vibrant marigold-covered altars in historic neighborhoods to the mystical floating gardens of Xochimilco, Mexico City offers an authentic cultural immersion unlike anywhere else on Earth. Whether you’re exploring Frida Kahlo’s colorful Casa Azul, witnessing masked wrestlers at Arena Mexico, or climbing the ancient pyramids at Teotihuacan, this is your guide to the best of Mexico City.
DAY 1
From the moment I purchased my ticket to Mexico City, I was on a high. This trip is legit a dream come true for me. Stephane and I took our Aeromexico flight out of Panama City, and arrived about three hours later in CDMX. We grabbed our Uber and made the 30 minute trek into the neighborhood of Roma Norte where our comfy Airbnb was waiting.
FOOD
After a day of travel, it was time to get some real food. If you ask me, Mexican food is the best food on the planet. I came to Mexico with a food agenda. El Califa de Leon taquería located in San Rafael is both basic and Michelin star at once. This exceptional taquería opened its doors in 1968 and has since gained quite the following among critics and foodies alike. Known for their unique taco gaonera, this spot cranks out perfect beef fillet tacos served on fresh corn tortillas served with lime juice and salt. The homemade salsas are just an added bonus. Prices are very reasonable. Fun fact: they are so successful, they have opened locations in stateside in Chicago and New York.
Another must onmy list was churros at El Moro Churrería. The chain opened their first store in 1935, and now boasts 17 locations around the city. There’s no excuse not to stop in for one of their classic treats. These extra long, sugar-coated slices of heaven are legit to die for. Served up with cups of organic chocolate for dipping, they are beyond compare.
We had a little time to explore on our first night making our way to Plaza de la Constitucion. This plaza is commonly referred to as El Zócalo–or base. It was here that the Spanish built over the old Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. On a Wednesday night, the area was packed with visitors stopping to marvel at the lights, cultural displays, pose with indigenous warriors and even receiving a cleansing from a shaman. The vibe was amazing with families and couples coming out to enjoy the festive atmosphere.
THE MEANING BEHIND DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
Many people think Day of the Dead is “Mexican Halloween,” but the tradition runs much deeper. The holiday coincides with sacred days on the Catholic calendar. On All Saints and All Souls Days Catholics remember their departed loved ones–babies and children and all others respectively. The Spanish arrived on the scene in México aiming to convert the indigenous peoples to Catholicism. However, the natives didn’t readily accept the holiday one hundred percent. Instead, they combined the Catholic custom with their own practices: synchronizing the concepts of afterlife and reincarnation with commemmoration. Families decorate altars in memory of their loved ones complete with candles, photos, favorite foods, music and fragrant marigolds that lure the spirits back to visit their terrestrial families. It’s a different perspective on death as just another phase of life. I like this different take: after all, none of us is immortal and who doesn’t love a celebration?
WHERE TO STAY IN MEXICO CITY
Mexico City is massive and knowing where to stay is pretty important. With so many options and different neighborhoods to choose, there’s something for every type of traveler. For history buffs or someone who wants to be in the center of the action, Centro Histórico is the best. Here, you’ll be steps away from the city’s most iconic landmarks, great food and epic architecture. If a Bohemian barrio is more your style, check out accommodations in Roma and La Condesa. The tree-lined streets, trendy bars and art deco architecture are a cool contrast to the Spanish Colonial stylings of the historic area. Finally Polanco always ranks high for visitors with amazing shopping, dining and museums.
- *****Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico Zocalo View this stunning Art Nouveau hotel located in the city’s historic center is breathtaking with it’s sweeping views outside and turn of the century elegance inside.
- ****Hotel Catedral this gorgeous hotel is popular among travelers for its central location steps away from the Zocalo. It boasts beautiful vistas, modern decor and optional amenities like breakfast and massages.
- ****Eurostars Zona Rosa this modern hotel is loved by guests for it’s roomy accommodations, amazing city view and central location close to museums and monuments.
TOP RATED TOURS IN MEXICO CITY
DAY 2 FRIDA KAHLO, UNAM & XOCHIMILCO
Ideally, I would have planned a lengthy visit to Frida Kahlo Museum–or Casa Azul. However, in checking tickets online, I was unable to book my visit months in advance. My concern was arriving to Mexico City at the beginning of the month only to find that all the tickets had been scooped up by tour operators. This was a risk I wasn’t willing to take, so I booked a tour through Get Your Guide. The tour included other attractions that I planned on seeing anyway like Xochimilco, Coyocán and UNAM. I was happy to not have to worry about organizing transportation to all those sites.
FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUM – LA CASA AZUL
Frida Kahlo is my absolute favorite artist. Salma Hayek’s beautiful portrayal of this tortured painter inspired this bucket list visit to Casa Azul where she lived with her husband, Diego Rivera. Frida painted the chronic pain that she suffered as a result of a horrific tram accident when she was just 18 years old which left her with a broken spinal column, pierced pelivs and a fractured leg and collarbone. As an adult, she suffered the trauma of miscarriages, multiple surgeries and the toxicity of a chronically unfaithful husband.
COYOCÁN
We had a little bit of free time on the tour to spend wandering around the little town of Coyoacan. We checked out the cathedral, street vendors and a churrería. For lunch, we chose La Cocina de Mi Mama in the local market where I had some really delicious enchiladas and the best margarita of the trip. There was a tour option that included lunch at a beautiful, touristy restaurant for an extra $20. Most of the people that chose that option said that the food was not very good.
UNAM
After wrapping up the Coyocan portion of the tour, we headed to the UNAM campus to see some amazing artwork in the form of mindblowing murals and mosaics that depict the evolution of Mexican history from its indigenous beginnings to the Spanish Conquest. This was one of the most informative parts of the tour. Our guide, Roberto, broke down in great detail each level of the mosaic-covered library entitled, Historical Representation of Culture. It was a truly fascinating talk on this unique artwork.
XOCHIMILCO
This marathon tour ended in a colorful trajinera on the old Aztec canals of Xochimilco. I had always dreamt of floating around these ancient waterways that were once part of enormous Lake Texcoco. The rainbow-colored boats were set up with tables, buckets of beer and snacks that we could pay for at the end of our ride. As we glided across the waters of the lake, we were met by vendors selling flower crowns, pulque, micheladas and elote. Mariachi boarded our boat to take requests for all of our favorites. It was a pretty perfect vibe: cold drinks, live music and the sun going down on an epic day.
DAY 3
MORNING WALK HISTORIC CITY CENTER
After that super-long day, meeting up for our free Guruwalk tour of the historic district starting at 10 a.m. was kind of a blessing. We met our local guide at the main entrance of the Metropolitan Cathedral and spent the next two and a half hours wandering the streets of this unparalleled city. We checked out iconic sites like Templo Mayor, Metropolitan Cathedral and and Casa de los Azulejos. Julián painted a comprehensive picture of Mexico City’s history from the Aztecs to modern day. It was a great orientation for the rest of our trip. Guides at Guruwalk work for tips since the tours are free. We each tipped about the equivalent of $18. Our guide did mention that Guruwalk takes a 50% commission which is quite hefty. Keep this in mind if you decide to take one of their wonderful tours.
The Spanish conquistadors made it a practice to build a cathedral on top of the most sacred indigenous spots in the new world as a very literal symbol of dominance. Metropolitan Cathedral is built over one of the most important areas in the Aztec world near the Templo Mayor. Built with stones taken from Aztec ruins, construction started in 1573, and it took around 250 years to complete. As a result, this place of worship is a mix of architectural styles ranging from Gothic to Neoclassical. This cathedral has played a central role in historical events over the centuries. It is the heart of the city and the place to gather.
Templo Mayor was the largest and most important of the pyramids constructed by the Méxica peoples in what is now Mexico City. Construction on the site began in 1325 with building continuing into the 1500s. In 1521, Spanish conquistadors destroyed Templo Mayor. Soon after, they began stripping stones from the pyraminds to erect their own structures in the heart of the city. This fascinating museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9-5. Admission costs 95 pesos or around $5 USD.
La Casa de los Azulejos or House of the Blue Tiles is a breathtaking residential palace dating back to the 18th century. The exterior stands out with its glossy blue and white Talavera tiles produced in Puebla. This unique residence come department store and restaurant has been open to the public since 1919. The outside is super-instagrammable and the inside is WOW. Not only will you find Sanborn’s restaurant where you can get a delicious and reasonably priced meal, you’ll take in the incredible art of muralist, Orozco. His work, “Omniscience” crowns the staircase and the gorgeous stained glass ceiling is the cherry on top.
BASILICA DE GUADALUPE
With time to kill between our Guruwalk and a night of Lucha Libre, we decided to head way outside of the city center. We took the super-convenient metro system to Stephane’s top pick: Basilica de Guadelupe.
HOW TO GET THERE
- Take the blue line at El Zocalo heading toward Cuatro Caminos.
- Ride 3 stops and change at Hidalgo.
- Ride 5 stops on the olive green line heading toward Indios Verdes and get off at 18 de Marzo.
- Ride the red line toward the Martín Carrera and get off one stop later at La Villa. It’s a short walk to the Basilica.
The first thing that struck me about this beautiful basilica is the fact that it’s leaning like crazy. Nowhere was it more evident that Mexico City has a sinking problem than at this cathedral. Construction of this Baroque basilica dates back to 1695 and currently receives around 20 million visitors per year. This complex consists of several smaller chapels, a cemetery and an enormous, modernist baptistry constructed in the 1970s to make room for more visitors. If you are a devout catholic or lover of all things Our Lady of Guadelupe, this is one hundred percent worth the trip. My friend, Stephane, said it was among his favorite things on our trip. I, however, was more interested in the structural shortcomings of the crumbling church and columns.
LUCHA LIBRE
Never in a million years did I think I’d spend Halloween at Lucha Libre in Mexico City, but this was a totally epic, totally ridiculous experience. To be honest, I couldn’t care less about wrestling, but I do care about having a great time. Seeing this legendary event seemed like a perfect way to spend Friday night in CDMX. I bought our tickets for Arena México about 2 months in advance through Ticketmaster. After doing a little research online, I discovered that the best section at this venue is definitely the “Ring Naranja” or the Orange Ring. This section puts you directly across from stairway where the wrestlers make their dramatic entrance into the arena.
These guys and ladies are legit athletes. Every choreographed dive, throw and flip requires so much training and strength: I was super-impressed and amused. Locals love lucha libre and the crowd definitely knows the heroes from the villains. I highly recommend working this into your itinerary, springing for the tickets, grabbing a mask and a michelada and enjoying this classic night that families come out in droves for.
DAY 4 MERCADO, MUERTOS AND MAMÁ RUMBA
MERCADO JAMAICA
Since the 1950s, Mercado Jamaica has been wowing residents and visitors alike in Mexico City. Día de los Muertos is a really special time for this market decked out with multitudes of skeletons, pan de muerto, sugar skulls and literal truck loads of marigolds and cock’s comb. Local families come on a mission to pick up bundles and bouquets they’ll use to decorate their altars at home and the gravesites of their loved ones. It’s one of many fascinating cultural rituals that make this holiday so special.
DAY OF THE DEAD PARADE
Fun fact: the epic Día de los Muertos parade is a hollywood invention. The “original” parade was actually the opening scene of the 2015 James Bond thriller, Spectre. The spectacle drew so much attention, that CDMX made it a real event and since then it has been a huge success. I have seen some really great parades in my time from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, to Carnaval here in Panama, but the Día de los Muertos parade is on another level in my opinion. The colorful comparsas represented every state and culture across Mexico. From monarch butterflies to Catrinas en masse the artistry involved in pulling this off was really extraordinary and it was probably the highlight of the trip for me. It’s an experience I’ll truly never forget.
The parade began at 2pm in enormous Chapultepec park and headed down Paseo de la Reforma toward Palacio de Bellas Artes continuing on to El Zócalo where it finishes. Get your spot early. It was really difficult to strategize the best time and location with my travel partner. In the end, I just kind of lucked out and ended up squeezing my way almost to the front at El Zócalo after about one hour of watching behind about four other people. The parade viewing takes about two hours and wrapped up around 6pm in El Zócalo.
SALSA
It took a lot to muster up the desire to head out of our comfy Airbnb that night, but I promised Stephane and myself we’d go out on the weekend. We went to Mamá Rumba salsa club in the Roma neighborhood. We paid 150 pesos–less than $10 USD–to get in and grabbed our first cocktails. There were two levels, tons of seating and great, live music playing some of the most legendary salsa songs. There were plenty of tourists mixing with the locals and we got to do a little dancing with people that are way more adept than us. We were having so much fun, we stayed until 3am.
DAY 5 MURALS AND MIXQUIC
The late night out kind of messed with our Sunday plan. There was no way we were getting up super-early to check out the library. Luckily, there are more than a million things to do in Mexico City, so we adjusted and headed toward town to Palacio de las Bellas Artes. In fact, there are many attractions that are FREE to both nationals and tourists on Sunday. We saved ourselves $5 on the admission price.
PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES
Palacio de Bellas Artes, construction on this stunning Art Nouveau masterpiece began in 1904 and took thirty years to complete. This is the home of National Theatre, National Symphony Orchestra, National Opera and Folkloric Ballet. The Folkloric Ballet is extremely popular among visitors showcasing Mexico’s rich cultural heritage and diversity through performances of traditional regional dances. While inside you’ll marvel at the Art Deco stylings of the interior of this iconic CDMX landmark.
We checked out one of the temporary exhibits before making our rounds to check out the expansive murals painted by the greats of the muralist movement: Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros. I was really happy we didn’t skip this. I happened upon a guided tour chat in front of Diego Rivera’s, El Hombre Controlador del Universo. It was fascinating to hear how the two diametrically opposed sides of the mural really embody his political worldview: capitalism and its evils vs the promise and potential of communism. Food for thought.
DAY OF THE DEAD – THE CEMETERY OF MIXQUIC
It was basically a morning of snacking, shopping and recovering before grabbing our next tour to La Alumbrada taking place in the cemetery of Mixquic, two hours outside of Mexico City. This was another big bucket list check. Seeing the cemeteries of Mexico alive with with people honoring the lives of their loved ones was something I had long dreamt of doing.
Our tour bus left about an hour and a half late because of a traffic accident, so we made it into the town of Mixquic around 6pm. The town’s atmosphere was kind of like a carnival. Stall after stall lined the main street serving grilled meats, cotton candy, tacos and more. There was a concert on the other side of the cemetery as well that was actually packed. The band belted out, “Hey Jude” clashing with the broadcast priest’s prayers coming from the church. Upon arriving, we spotted the line of people waiting to view the cemetery from the outside wall. It took about 20 minutes to make it to the front of the line and it was really quite a sight to behold. It was also much more comfortable to view from afar than inside the walls as the cemetery was really jam-packed with people.
At the end of the day, I did enjoy the trip out to Mixquic. I took some beautiful photos, bought some cool souvenirs and enjoyed watching the families celebrating, but it was really commercialized. The plus side is that it’s a great opportunity for locals in the community to make money.
PRO TIP: Take enough cash for your purchases: about 90 percent of the vendors didn’t acccept credit cards here.
GETTING TO MIXQUIC
This little town is located about two hours from the city. The main reason I looked for a tour to Mixquic was my concern about traveling back to the city. I think it would be fairly easy to take Uber out of CDMX, but returning might be a challenge on a busy night. I arranged transportation through Tours Mexico DF, a local operator offering tours to spots all around the city. They can be reached via WhatsApp at 52 55 2819 4294. You are basically paying for the RT transportation as it’s not a guided tour. It cost $43 per person which is a fair price to check off yet another bucket list item.
TOURS FARTHER AFIELD
DAY 6 TEOTIHUACÁN
This ancient city, located about an hour outside of Mexico City is somewhat mysterious in its origins. Researchers have concluded that pre-Columbian peoples began arriving in this fertile valley as early as 150 BC. In fact, the Teotihuacans preceded the Aztec civilization. They were master engineers and builders constructing an enormous complex of pyramids that covers a vast area over this arid valley. The ruins reveal a civilization of extensive trade routes, ritual sacrifice, and very advanced architectural practices. The laypeople who lived here were primarily farmers growing staples like beans, corn and squash and artists who were potters and master craftsmen of obsidian.
The pyramids are truly impressive rising to nearly 70m in height and adorned with the faces of Tlaloc and Quetzalcoatl their principal gods. Our guide, Hector, was a wealth of information telling us everything we could possibly want to know from the earliest days of this massive settlement to daily life and religious practices. He moved at a perfect pace allowing us time to take photos, climb pyramids, check out vendors and explore a little on our own.
Because this was my first trip to Mexico City and I was traveling alone, I booked my tour through viator.com to arrive at the site. Barring a mixup with the pick-up location, everything went relatively smoothly. Initially, I had thought about saving myself some money on this one and making the trek on public transportation. If that route is for you, I found this blogpost, that seems to give very concise directions.
Sadly, this was the last item on this amazing adventure. It was time to go home, pack my things and mentally prepare for getting to back to life as usual.
DAY 7 – FLYING HOME
I cannot express how much I loved this trip. It was nonstop from beginning to end, but I saw so many things that I had only ever dreamt of seeing: Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul, the ancient canals of Xochimilco, the pyramids of Teotihuacan, the Dia de los Muertos parade and a candlelight vigil at the cemetery during this most sacred of holidays. This wasn’t just a vacation, it was a journey into the heart of Mexican culture, spirituality, and what it means to be family. One of the most special things about México and its beautiful people is the open embrace that welcomes people from all cultures to share in these amazing traditions.
In the end, five full days in this world capital was just not enough time. In fact, I only scratched the surface of an endless list of experiences to be had. There are museums, libraries, parks and castles that are still calling my name, so, until next time, Mexico City.