Mexico City - Top Ten Things to Do
For us, there are a few quintessentials when taking any 'city break': good food, world-class art, ample green space, and a depth of culture found in varied architecture, a visible historical past, and bustling nightlife. Mexico City has it all! It's the sort of city where—if you're anything like us—after a couple of days you find yourself dreaming of staying for months.
We only had a week though, so shifting through options for what to do was tricky. Here's our top ten to help you out when planning your trip itinerary. They're in no particular order, so sample as you choose!
1. See the National Symphony Orchestra perform at the Palacio de Belles Artes
Interior view of the dome of the main hall of the Palacio de Belles Artes, Av. Juárez, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México.
Symphony buffs will relish hearing the American continent's second oldest symphony (save Boston) perform at the glittering Palacio de Belles Artes. The building itself is an architectural phenom—with a Neoclassical-meets-Art-Nouveau exterior and Art Deco interior—making it worth the trip whether you like orchestral performances or not! On the second floor, you'll find a trove of murals by one of Mexico's most famous painters, Diego Rivera, and his contemporaries (Siqueiros, Orozco). Admission is $60M (free Sundays, photos at a surcharge), but if you plan attending any of the scheduled performances you can wander some floors at your leisure.
And be sure take in the best view of that gorgeous Hungarian crystal roof from across the street at the Sears tower—obligatory tourist photo gold!
The Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México tuning prior to performing at the Palacio de Belles Artes, Av. Juarez, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México.
Close-up of the exterior of the Palacio de Belles Artes, Av. Juarez, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México.
2. Wander through Frida Kahlo's famed home Casa de Azul
View of the courtyard in the Casa de Azul (Frida Kahlo Museum), Londres 247, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México.
Anyone who's seen the movie Frida will instantly recognize this elegant home (now the Frida Kahlo Museum) where the celebrated feminist painter was born, raised, lived with her artist husband, Diego Rivera, and eventually died. Pre-Hispanic artifacts gracefully appoint every nook, and Frida's easel, paints, paintbrushes, books, notes, jewelry, and other effects are dispersed throughout the house. Highlights include her photograph collection (with pictures by her father), colourful kitchen with traditional earthenware, central courtyard, and dress collection—on display with designers like John Galliano's couture creations inspired by the artist's personal style. Expect lines, but it's worth the wait.
Mounted pre-Columbian artifact in the central courtyard of the Casa de Azul (Frida Kahlo Museum), Londres 247, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México.
3. Enjoy a sunset stroll in one of the city's stunning parks
Strolling in Parque México, Avenida México, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
Green space abounds in Mexico City, in part due to a concerted effort to create city 'lungs' in order to replenish oxygen and minimize heat, meaning you can stretch your legs and catch some air in any one of the City's numerous parks—heck, why not grab an ice-cream while you're at it! Doubling New York's Central Park in size, Bosque de Chapultepec plays host not only to several museums (including the Museo de Arte Moderno, pictured below), monuments, a recreational lake, castle, snack and handicraft sellers, but also nearly sixty species of local and migratory birds. Parque México, located in the trendy Condesa neighbourhood, boasts a large, open-air theatre and Art-Deco fountain with a statue (by José María Fernández Urbina) of Diego Rivera's famous model, Luz Jiménez.
Sunset at the Monumento a Los Niños Heroes, Av. Juventud Heroica, Bosque de Chapultepec, Ciudad de México.
View of México City's frenetic night traffic from the foot-bridge leading into Bosque de Chapultepec, Ciudad de México.
4. Reach dazzling heights at the Monumento a la Revolución
View of the Plaza de la República from the Monumento a la Revolución, Tabacalera, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
The Monumento a la Revolución was a last minute addition to our trip hours before our flight, and boy were we glad we went! Located in the heart of the Plaza de la República, the towering structure functions as a mausoleum for the heroes of the Mexican Revolution, and has yet more Art-Deco/socialist realist sculpture on each of the four corners at the base of its dome. $50M gets you a dizzying ride to the top, where you can take in one of the best views of the city from the 360° observation deck; be forewarned, if you have fear of heights you may want to skip the glass-enclosed trip up!
Three men walking in front of the Monumento a la Revolución, Tabacalera, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
5. Take a turn through Chinatown ('Barrio Chino')
Street lanterns in Barrio Chino, Colonia Centro, Centro, Ciudad de México.
We happened past El Barrio Chino on a hoppin' Friday night, and were drawn in by the distant sound of dragon dancing, couples walking hand-in-hand, parents hustling small children into restaurants, and glowing red lanterns overhead. Take a cue from the locals and join the fray—perfect people watching opportunities can be had from any of the balconied restaurants lining the pedestrian-only street.
6. Marvel at the archeological wonders of Teotihuacán
A man takes in the view from atop of the Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacán, San Juan Teotihuacán, State of México, México.
While not technically in Mexico City, the 2000 year-old UNESCO World heritage site of Teotihuacán is a must on any Mexico City trip! Getting there by transit is a cinch—either make your way via Über or metro (line 5) to the Autobuses del Norte station, then catch a bus from there. The ride takes about an hour, and drops you off at the site's main entrance. You can always travel with one of the many tour groups that depart from the city daily, but we typically find you have more time for photos/casual sauntering if you go it alone. Detailed instructions for how to get there can be found at: https://sightdoing.net/how-to-visit-teotihuacan-without-a-tour/.
View of the staircase leading up the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacán, San Juan Teotihuacán, State of México, México.
Two people looking out from on top of a platform along the so-called Avenue of the Dead, Teotihuacán, San Juan Teotihuacán, State of México, México.
If you've never been a pyramid site before, prepare to be ruined for others, and if you have been, get ready to be wowed! This is one of the few archeological sites tourists can still climb—many of the others have been closed to that sort of exploration due to site deterioration, or serious misstep accidents by tourists in the rain (when age-worn rock can be slippery). The views from the top of the two main pyramids—the pyramids of the Sun and Moon—are breathtakingly sprawling and well worth the upwards slog. Despite the crowds, you find yourself relatively alone on the Pyramid of the Sun's differing levels—no waiting for that perfect photo op!
Three bits of advice for a day trip to Teotihuacán. First, there are no restaurants inside the complex; however, you can leave the site and go for lunch in the neighbouring town assuming you keep your ticket, or just pack a lunch. Second, there is limited shade, so bring your sunscreen and wear a hat! (Or purchase one, as I did, from one of the site's many vendors near the entranceway.) Third, don't just stick to the main thoroughfare (called the Avenue of the Dead) between the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon—head in the opposite direction to catch the Temple of the Feathered Serpent and its surrounding Ciudadela (courtyard). It wasn't until we ventured to the other side of the complex that sheer magnitude of the site truly hit us!
View from the Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacán, San Juan Teotihuacán, State of México, México.
7. 'Art' at one of the city's many museums
View (looking up) of the central staircase in the Museo Nacional de Arte, Calle de Tacuba, Centro Histórico, Centro, Ciudad de México.
You may want to take in just one, or all, of Mexico City's better-known museums depending on your artistic tastes and foot strength! Classicists will enjoy the luxuriously Neo-Classical Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL), showcasing Mexican art from the early colonial period to the mid-twentieth century: think pastoral scenes in an imagined pre-Columbian countryside. Alternatively, the Museo de Arte Moderno houses mid-twentieth century work in a mid-twentieth century building (it looks like a space ship about to take off), including Frida Kahlo's powerful Two Fridas (1939), lithographs by Diego Rivera, Raúl Anguiano's La espina (1952), and Olga Costa's La vendedora de frutas (1951). Both play host to temporary and travelling exhibits. Finally, if you like contemporary art, seek out the minimalist and relatively recent Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (2008). Designed by Teodoro González de León, it displays cutting-edge work from artists from around the globe.
Interior of the Museo de Arte Moderno, Paseo de la Reforma/Gandhi, Bosque de Chapultepec, Ciudad de México.
Exterior of the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (University Museum of Contemporary Art), Insurgentes Sur 3000, Centro Cultural Universitario, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México.
8. Tour the Metropolitan Cathedral, and surrounding Plaza de la Constitución
The 'Zócalo', or the Plaza de la Constitución, feels like Mexico City's beating heart, helped along by live drumming, Aztec dancers, organ grinders, and its staggering size. It's flanked by the presidential palace (Palacio Nacional), government offices, ritzy hotels/shops, and, of course, the Catedral Metropolitana. Pop into the Cathedral for its Baroque elegance, but dress accordingly (no shorts, above-the-knee skirts, or skimpy tanks).
One of two eighteenth century organs in the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral), Plaza de la Constitución, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
9. Get schooled by Diego Rivera's History of Mexico at the Palacio Nacional
View of the west (main) wall of Diego Rivera's The History of Mexico, Palacio Nacional, Plaza de la Constitución, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
If playing a game of historical who's who at Rivera's Palacio de Belles Artes mural wasn't enough for you, find Frida in his History of Mexico, a multi-walled masterpiece that can be viewed for free by the public at the Palacio Nacional. Hob-nob with Mexico's current political elite as you tour the palace's graceful inner courtyard and gardens, but don't be surprised at having to leave your passport at the door—it's an operating government building after all.
View of the interior courtyard at the Palacio Nacional, Plaza de la Constitución, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
10. Take a night-time stroll on Paseo de la Reforma
View of the Monumento a la Independencia, or El Ángel, on Paseo de la Reforma/Eje 2 PTE, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
Nothing feels quite so 'edgy' as a evening stroll under the 'big-city' lights of downtown. Follow your sunset-ramble in Bosque de Chapultepec (see point 3) with a cruise down Paseo de la Reforma just as twilight sets in. Stop for a cocktail at the St. Regis Hotel's King Cole Bar, where you'll hear soul-soothing live jazz with a terrace view of the Fuente de la Diana Cazadora (Diana the Huntress Fountain) and the traffic circle below. Head further down the street to the Monumento a la Independencia, or El Ángel, and sit and chat for a while on its steps among necking couples. Your Mexico City trip will suddenly feel complete.
¡Buen viaje!
Want to do more in Mexico City? Check out our Where to Eat and Walking Tour of Condesa posts!
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Night-time traffic circling the Monumento a la Independencia, Paseo de la Reforma/Eje 2 PTE, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México.
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