We visited Mexico City in September 2023 so here's a little recap of everything we did, where we stayed, and the restaurants and bars we visited while we were there!
If you want a short/saveable itinerary visit our Tiktok for the video versions:
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General Tips:
Make sure to exchange money or visit an ATM to take out some Mexican Pesos. Although a lot of places take card, there are a few that only accept cash.
Ubers are extremely affordable here, I would recommend sticking to Ubers instead of cabs for the best prices
The city is large but there are different pockets that are very walkable. As always keep aware of your surroundings, don't flaunt expensive jewelry or cash, and keep your phone in your pocket or purse. Otherwise, we felt very safe throughout the whole trip.
It unfortunately is very common to experience stomach problems when visiting Mexico. Avoid drinking tap water to help your chances but also take plenty of medicines in case it does happen - I recommend Pepto and Imodium. Liquid I.V. was also a savior for keeping us hydrated since we were walking around and drinking so much! Use this link or my code FLUENTINFOOD to get 20% off your next order.
Where to Stay:
This hotel was extremely central, located right next to el Palacio de Bellas Artes. It was walking distance to the Centro area where you can visit many attractions and just a quick Uber away from other parts of the city. The room was large and spacious and the hotel had various amenities like restaurants, a gym, a spa, and more.
Address: Av. Juárez 70, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: $7,539 MXN | $444 USD
Things To Do:
Alameda Central
The Alameda Central is the city's oldest public park. There you can find this monument, lots of trees, fountains, and while we were there, there were vendors selling books.
Address: Av. Hidalgo s/n, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: Free
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes is definitely worth a visit not only to admire its beautiful architecture inside and out but to also experience pieces of art from local artists. During our time there they had a wonderful modern art exhibit!
Address: Av. Juárez S/N, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06050 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: $80 MXN | $5 USD per person (cash only)
Teotihuacán
This ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and situated about an hour and a half drive away from Mexico City. We took and Uber there and back, we felt very safe and had no issues getting a ride back. There are many tours available on the internet but it's possible to do it on your own! I wouldn't recommend driving unless you are used to driving in rough conditions. Once you arrive you can pay the entrance and explore on your own or pay a tour guide on-site to give you a little bit more information about the area.
Address: 55825 San Martín Centro, Méx., Mexico
Price: 90 MXN | $5 USD per person
Museo de los Murales
Before you leave Teotihuacán be sure to visit the Museo de los Murales. This is included with your ticket into the area. The museum houses several art pieces, sculptures, murals, and more that were taken and preserved from the ancient city.
Address: Circuito Paseo de los Dioses 1, Av. Pirámides, Teotihuacán San Martín de las Pirámides, San Martin Centro, 55850
Price: Included with Teotihuacán ticket
El Zócalo
El Zócalo is the main square in Mexico City that is home to the Cathedral, National Palace, and lots of museums. The area is very lively with lots of people, music, street performers, shops, restaurants, and more.
Address: P.za de la Constitución S/N, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: Free
Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
This is probably one of the largest cathedrals I've ever visited. It's beautiful to see from the outside but also free to enter so you can see it's ornate inside. The only section that had a cost was to see the choir area.
Address: P.za de la Constitución S/N, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: Free
Templo Mayor Museum
In my opinion, the coolest museum we visited in Mexico City. Here you can visit the ruins of the main temple of the capital city of Tenochtitlan and visit a museum that has all the artifacts excavated from the Temple. The museum had so many cool things to see!
Address: Seminario 8, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06060 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: $90 MXN | $5 USD per person
Gran Hotel Ciudad de México
An in and out photo-op but definitely a must! Just walk in, look up, and admire the gorgeous stained glass ceiling.
Address: 16 de Septiembre 82, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: Free
Xochimilco
This is such a fun activity to do while visiting Mexico City. I recommend going in a group but even with just me and my boyfriend we had a great time! You can bring your own food/drinks onboard and you will get a whole boat to yourself (refer to the Price section for a breakdown of cost) or you can purchase food and drink from the vendors! We did a one hour trip which was perfect for two people, we got to see some of the area, enjoy micheladas, and listen to mariachis. I included the address for the Embarcadero Nativitas, it was easy to get a ride here and it didn't feel like they were harassing us that much to get on the boats.
Address: Av Hermenegildo Galeana s/n, Santa María Nativitas, Xochimilco, 16450 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: $600 MXN per boat per hour (it doesn't matter if you have 2 people or 10 it is the same price, otherwise you are getting scammed) | about $30 USD (cash only)
Polanco
A great area to walk around and visit some of the larger stores like Zara and Adidas to name a few. The streets are large, clean, and the surroundings are really pretty. You can definitely spend a good amount of time here if you enjoy shopping. There's not really a direct address since it's just a neighborhood but below I put the address for the Mexico Mi Amor wall since that's one of the reasons a lot of people go to this area!
Address: Edgar Allan Poe 66, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11540 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Price: Free, unless you shop
Bosque de Chapultepec
One of the largest parks in Mexico and home to several museums, recreational areas, and monuments. It's lush and green and has beautiful views if you look from a higher vantage point.
Address: Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico
Price: Free
Chapultepec Castle
The Chapultepec Castle is one of the main attractions in the Bosque de Chapultepec and one of those higher vantage points I mentioned. It is beautiful up here with well-kept gardens and preserved castle features like rooms, stained glass windows, art, and sculptures. It is a bit of a climb uphill (especially for us who aren't used to high altitude) but it takes about 15 minutes to walk up.
Address: Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11580 Mexico City, Mexico
Price: 90 MXN | $5 USD
Where to Eat:
There are endless places to find great food in Mexico City and there's a lot of variety. Since it was our first time here we pretty much stuck to Mexican food but here are some of our favorites.
Panadería Rosetta
This was one of the highest recommended places to visit in Mexico City through all my research. You can either check in with a host to sit and have a fuller meal or grab and go with their pastries, coffees, and breads. We opted for the grab and go in the interest of time! They have some unique and incredible pastries here like this Rol de Guayaba, it was worth making the line for.
Address: Colima 179, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Reservations: No
Paradero Conocido
A classic hole in the wall that you can tell is a local spot. They have a small menu but some fun and unique offerings like the Torta de Jaiba (blue crab). I highly recommend trying the chilaquiles.
Address: Ayuntamiento 103-Local A, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Reservations: No
Mux
The chef here supposedly traveled all throughout Mexico's small villages learning very local recipes. They all come together in this menu that celebrates different regions of Mexico with incredibly authentic flavors. Some of our favorites were the enchiladas and the green chicken mole.
Address: Esquina con, Jalapa 189 Col. roma CDMX MX, Roma Nte., 06700 San Luis, Mexico
Taqueria Orinoco
The best tacos I have had the pleasure of trying. This place has a few locations and has a retro diner-like look. You really can't go wrong with anything you order but definitely be sure to try the Trompo, it's so fresh, and our favorite the Campechana, you won't regret it. They are also open really late if you want good tacos after a night of drinking.
Address: Av. Álvaro Obregón 179, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Reservations: No
Antolina
This was probably our favorite dinner experience in Mexico City. It's a homey place with great service and classic dishes with small twists. The food was very high quality and had beautiful presentation. We got to try Chile en Nogada here which is a special found in many restaurants for the month of December due to Mexican Independence Day. This was unlike anything i've ever tried before and is a must!
Address: Aguascalientes 232, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Siembra Taqueria
A very casual restaurant where you order on a little paper from their single-page menu that has your favorite classics like tacos, flautas, quesadillas, etc. They also have some daily specials, aguas frescas, and beer. This place apparently used to be a tortilla shop and yes, the tortillas were fantastic.
Address: Av. Isaac Newton 256, Polanco, Polanco V Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Reservations: No
Blanco Colima
This restaurant is more for the experience than the food itself. It's located in a beautiful old mansion and the restaurant is gorgeous. If you're looking for real authentic homey eats this is not the place. Here you'll get that upscale experience with more expensive food that claims to be elevated and don't get me wrong the food was good but I'd rather eat at the more other places I listed above.
Address: Colima 168, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Where to Drink:
Let me preface this by saying that Mexico City has quite a few bars on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list. We tried a couple of more than these that in my opinion are not worth mentioning, these were our favorites! Also make sure to make reservations well in advance for these, otherwise you will more than likely have trouble getting in.
Licorería Limantour - #4 on the 2022 List
This bar is in the top 5 of all bars so it came with high expectations and I will say the drinks did not disappoint. They have a very innovative and extensive menu with some of the highlights being the Margarita Al Pastor. If vibes is what you're looking for, there are other places that do a better job. Here you feel like you're at just a regular bar that you can visit anywhere but the drinks speak for themselves!
Address: Av. Álvaro Obregón 106, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Handshake Speakeasy - #11 on the 2022 List
This was my personal favorite, it had all the makings of an amazing cocktail experience. It's a speakeasy, what can I say i'm a sucker for speakeasies, and has a really nice ambiance with an intimate feel. You only have your seat for exactly the hour and a half but you can enjoy at least 2 if not 3 drinks during your time. They have some really cool drinks like the Butter-Mushroom Old Fashioned but also classic martini-style drinks if that's more your vibe.
Address: C. Amberes 65, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Hanky Panky - #13 on the 2022 List
Hanky Panky is a speakeasy hidden behind a taco shop that serves drinks inspired by different cities. The most innovative and best drink we had was the Guelaguetza inspired by Oaxaca and made with mezcal, chile ancho liquor, and mole syrup (pictured on the left square - right drink).
Address: Turín 52, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Brujas - #64 on the 2022 List
Brujas is a bar entirely dedicated to women, but yes you can still go if you're not a woman. Anyways, they employ an all-female staff and each drink on their menu is inspired by a famous woman (writers, teachers, activists, etc). The drinks themselves were great, a lot of them using local ingredients like mezcal and corn liqueur.
Address: La Casa de Las Brujas, Calle Rio de Janeiro 56 Local B Col, Roma Nte., 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
So there you have it, hopefully you get to enjoy some of these places as much as we did!