Mexico city is the place that surprised me the most out of all my travels. The capital city of Mexico is simply stunning and filled to the brim with activities.
I can honestly say that Mexico city has something for everyone, it just doesn’t matter what you’re into.
It is such a world city that will rejoice foodies, art and culture lovers but also adventure seekers. Like I said, whatever you like you will find in Mexico.
This is one place where I never tire going back to and strive to do a long stay and slow travel around both Mexico and the capital city of Mexico city at least once to twice a year.
Each time, it always seems impossible to run out of things to do.
The list is never ending and whether you’re in Mexico city for a few days of a few weeks, I hope the following suggestions will help you narrow down your own itinerary or inspire you to discover new things you might have not even considered.
I will say that though Mexico is world class and has a plethora of activities to please everyone, it is the local Mexicans along with their warmth that makes the city so charming and addictive.
That said, let us dive into it and attempt to create an exhaustive list of the best things to do in Mexico city.
Just want to add that this will be an ongoing list that will keep on being updated regularly as I keep going back to Mexico and diving deeper each time.
So here we go, in no particular order, I present to you a list of absolutely noteworthy things to see, places to visit and foodie experiences to have in Mexico city.
I try my best to recommend things that I’ve actually experienced myself so I can give you an honest opinion of them. This way you know what to expect and that they are definitely worth your time.
Without further ado, these are the things that should be on your to do list when in Mexico city.
1. Teotihuacan Pyramids
First time I went to Mexico, I was back in the country within a month of leaving. And both times I made sure to make a trip to Teotihuacan.
This is a site that comprises of three major ancient pyramids that date back to pre-Hispanic time. This is a do not miss historical complex next time you are in Mexico city.
It is even more worth it as you can actually trek all the way up all of the pyramids.
I recommend visiting it with the tour guides from Estacion Mexico. It costs around 40 USD for this private group tour.
You will take a local bus with the guide to the site. I think it is totally worth it as the information that is given is invaluable. It becomes more than just looking at antiquities.
The guides really know their history and you can feel the passion in their voice. They really make the pyramids of Teotihuacan become alive.
All the guides are amazing but I went with Leon whom was quite the character 🙂 We even had a little traditional ceremony once we’ve reached the top of the pyramid of the sun.
2. Castillo de Chapultepec ( Chapultepec Castle)
Here is another place I’ve been to many times. Fun fact! The Chapultepec is the only royal castle in North America. Nowadays, this place is simply stunning.
You can walk around and discover the fabulous murals located throughout the castle. Get lost in the history and totally forget that you are still in the middle of hectic Mexico city.
I also recommend doing it with a free walking tour. I also did my tour with the same free walking tour company ” Estacion Mexico“.
And no this post is not sponsored at all. I just think that their free tours are top notch quality.
Ask if Ulysses is still around. He is a walking encyclopedia and is the one who guided us through the castle.
3. Bosque de Chapultepec
The Castle is located on a huge plot of land and there is also a beautiful park with a nice lake around. If you have time you should totally visit the lake.
Once you get there you can partake in activities such as pedaling over the water or simply people watching.
4. Audiorama
One of my favorite things to do at the Chapultepec castle ground is to head to the Audiorama.
Now I know about this place only because our tour guide Ulysses was going above and beyond and decided to share this little heaven with us.
Picture a little enclosed garden with exotic plants and flowers. There is a soft soundtrack mimicking different birds and there are also a few books you can borrow.
Lay down on the benches and spend a couple of hours there.
5. Palacio de Bellas Artes ( Palace of Fine Arts)
Once you get to downtown Mexico city, it will be really hard to miss this beautiful structure. It is simply a masterpiece with a unique yellow dome.
Every time I walk past it, I simply find myself in awe with its architecture.
6. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Some people just visit the Bellas Artes from the outside and don’t bother going inside. I really think this is a mistake. You should take at least an hour to check inside.
There is a museum where you can check a few famous murals. Diego Rivera’s famous mural “Man controller of the universe” is there and is a masterpiece to admire.
7. Museo Nacional de Antropologia
I know museum aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you love historical museum like I do, you will really love the anthropology museum.
You can spend a few hours there or laze away and stay the whole morning or afternoon.
There is a variety of cultural exposition and also a natural history section where you can refresh your mind and rediscover the human evolution path.
8. Coyoacan
Don’t miss the beautiful Coyoacan neighborhood. It is a very charming and colorful area. There is a unique vibe in this area and although its a bit far, you should really squeeze it into your itinerary.
This is also where the Frida Kahlo museum is located. So if you plan to go there, you will also have the chance to explore Coyoacan.
9. Zocalo
I like to think of the zocalo as the heart of Mexico city. Not going to lie but it is very hard to miss this area as it is smacked right in the middle of the historical center, close to all the major landmarks.
Most free walking tours use the zocalo as their starting point meeting area.
So what exactly is the Zocalo? Nowadays, it just looks like an empty squarish plot.
It is pretty much a main square or a Plaza. This was a place where ceremonies used to be held since Aztecs times.
This is also where they used to do the swearing-in of Viceroys during the Mexican Monarchy. Ceremonies and military parades were also held at the zocalo.
There is a huge Mexican flag in the middle of the zocalo, as such it is often referred to as the ” plaza de la constitucion”.
10. Free Walking Tour Mexico City
I absolutely swear by free walking tours. Whenever I find myself in a new city, I always kick off by taking a free walking tour. The concept is simple. It is free and you tip whatever you like afterwards.
I know I’ve mentioned them already but whenever I find myself in Mexico city, I always book tours and refresh my mind with as many free walking tours as I possibly can squeeze into my schedule.
My favorite company is Estacion Mexico, the guides with the pink umbrellas.
It’s an amazing way to get to know a city from a local’s perspective. They have all sorts of tours, cultural, food centric and street arts tours to name a few. Don’t forget to check their website as they have a variety of tours offered all year round.
11. Palacio Nacional ( National Palace)
For my history nerds, you can also stop by the national palace. It is located right next to the zocalo. Just make sure to check the opening hours for a smooth planning.
12. Diego Rivera Murals
I won’t lie, a lot of time, I find some painting museum a bit boring but when it comes to these political and social murals, I am totally obsessed.
Diego Rivera is not only famous world wide but he is also one of my favorite Mexican muralists. His work is scattered all around the city .
If you also love murals, you could organize your itinerary to haunt down some of his work. They can be found at the Chapultepec castle and the Bellas Artes Museum.
He also has some impressive murals inside of the Secretary of Public Education building. I definitely recommend checking the visiting hours as it is not always open for visit.
13. Museo del Templo Mayor
This is pretty much an open air museum located right in the middle of Mexico city next to the zocalo. If you take the free walking tour or Mexico city, this will be one of the first step and they will cover it extensively.
I truly recommend checking it out through the free walking tour as the place becomes alive and won’t be just another set of ruins for you to stare at cluelessly.
If you do end up taking the tour, get ready to get lost in some crazy creative storytelling which is also a part of the Mexican folk culture and heritage.
14. Paseo de la Reforma
This is a little bit different. You can see it as a bit of urban exploring. Paseo de la Reforma is pretty much a big avenue with major historical significance.
It was built by the emperor Maximilien as a route from his residence at the Chapultepec castle to the National Palace.
Today, there is a lush set of trees lining up along the Paseo. If you’ve ever seen the huge Angel statue, chances are you’ve been close to the Paseo de la Reforma.
I recommend taking a stroll on this major street and checking it out on a Sunday. The street is pretty much closed and cyclists take over. There is also some fun things to do like Zumba.
15. Museo Memoria Y Tolerancia ( Memory and Tolerance Museum)
This is a very intense museum to see. It covers a lot of atrocities around the world such as the Holocaust and many other genocides.
Although it is a very sad topic, this museum was extremely well done and for a history buff like myself, I’ve been many times and each time, I always end up learning something new.
This can easily be squeezed into most schedule as it is located only a few steps away from the famous Bellas Artes.
16. Check out a street performance in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral
Right in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral there’s almost always some performance going on. Expect some pre-Hispanic dancing and ceremonies. You can either just watch or even participate.
17. Palacio Postal
I was totally smitten by the postal palace of Mexico city. It shows you what one of the first postal office looked like back in the days.
The original elevator is even still in the building too. In an age of internet and emails, visiting the Palacio Postal truly felt like rewinding the clock and time traveling.
18. Casa de los Azulejos ( House of Tiles)
Another gem right in the hectic center of Mexico city is the house of tiles. Keep your eyes peeled for the building covered with beautiful tiles.
The free historical walking tour also stops there. You can quickly go inside where there is a shop. Further inside is a fancy restaurant with a beautiful indoor terrace.
19. Lucha Libre at the “Arena Mexico”
Now for some action, I totally recommend attending some Mexican wrestling at the Arena Mexico. It is called lucha libre and is definitely a fun night.
Once again, because it was at night and I was traveling solo, I chose to partake in this activity as part of a group tour with, you’ve guessed it, Estacion Mexico.
Enjoy a pint of beer or your favorite drink while you let yourself be entertained by the whimsical wrestling.
20. Ciudadela Mercado
If you’re anything like me and obsessed with handmade artisanal crafts, you will have a fun time exploring the different markets.
Check out la Ciudadela for things like local dresses, bags and clothes, jewelry, sandals, plates and unique souvenirs such as mugs. The prices are very decent.
Just don’t forget to bring cash and to barter as it is a way of life in Mexico.
21. San Juan Mercado
I ended up at this market by accident. I mostly see this as a food market. It is highly frequented by locals and there are so many unique and tasty food kiosks all over.
It is probably one of the best places to also go explore all kind of weird concoction and try things like Scorpios and whatnot.
22. Mercado de Coyoacan
Situated right in the middle of the beautiful coyoacan neighborhood, this would be my favorite place to go hunt for some unique jewelry.
I bought many rings there. There are also a few massage chairs where you can stop by and get a quick back massage.
23. Mercado Roma
I really loved this little market. Although it’s called a market, to me it is mostly an area with a bunch of taquerias and mini restaurant kiosks.
You can find a variety of artisanal food stop. There you will find some ice cream and desert kiosks, tacos, bar, etc. I even saw a kosher food area. It has a bit of an upscale artsy vibe to it.
24. Mezcal and Tequila Museum
Tequila and Mezcal lovers, rejoice! Where else can you expect to find such place turned into a museum for your educational enjoyment?
Now I’m not a big Mezcal nor tequila drinker. Yes, I know. What a shame!!
That said, I truly enjoyed the museum part of the place where there are different stations to explain the Mezcal and Tequila process. It was one of my favorite museums.
After the museum, you are taken to the main shop where you can buy all sorts of locally made Tequila and Mezcal.
I really loved how they had different sizing and many 100ml mini bottles. They really make for great gifts that you can take on the plane with you.
Of course they have big bottles for the true aficionados that are willing to check bags for their new found treasures.
One thing that was quite unique and very pleasant to discover is that the museum ticket also comes with a tasting at the end.
It isn’t a guided tasting. But at the end you can go to the terrace restaurant and bar on top of the museum and enjoy your included shots of Tequila and Mezcal while overlooking the Garibaldi square…
Now the name Garibaldi might ring a bell!
Remember these world famous Mariachi bands?
Well the Mezcal museum is located right in the Garibaldi square. There are tons of Mariachi bands waiting for you to tip them to play a song for you.
I will be honest with you, I’ve been to Mexico city many times and Garibaldi square is one of the few places where I just never quite feel safe. I do find it a little bit sleazy, especially as the evenings set in.
And although I was accompanied, I didn’t feel quite at ease there.
So I recommend taking a recommended taxi directly to the Tequila museum and then enjoying the Garibaldi square from the terrace area on top of the museum.
If you absolutely want to have a dedicated visit to the square, I would recommend going there as part of a group.
25. Museo Tamayo
Yes another museum! Usually this wouldn’t be my type of museum but I actually enjoyed the Tamayo museum.
It is a contemporary museum. It was a nice experience going through the visual effects. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit it but since it is right next to the museum of anthropology, it might be worth stopping by if you have some extra time.
26. Monumento a los Ninos Heroes
This monument is a part of the imaginative Mexican revolution stories.
If you take the free Chapultepec walking tour, you will pass by it and your guide will tell you all about the crazy events and story surrounding this beautiful monument.
27. Chase the street arts of Mexico city
If you’re into street art like I am, you will have a blast in Mexico city. The street art scene is so big over there that it might actually be an ongoing exploration for you.
Whenever I go to Mexico, I try to tackle a few. There are many tours covering this in the city.
28. Subway stations art murals
Now this totally caught me by surprise. I just didn’t realize how the metro in Mexico city DF could be another open museum. There are plenty of metro stations with beautiful murals or some other creative art piece.
You could seriously spend a whole week just exploring the Metro art. It does get a bit challenging admiring them with the huge crowd of commuters though.
But if you are up for the challenge, a few notable mentions are the extraordinary murals at the Tacubaya’s Subway station. The best place to admire the murals are from the staircases and balconies of the subway station.
29. Barrio Chino
Did you know that Mexico city had its own China town? This is something I did not expect to find in Mexico city.
After doing some research, I found out that under the ruling of the President of Porfirio Diaz there was a wave of Chinese immigrants.
They were brought up mainly for the construction of railroads. Today the Mexican Chinatown is mostly located in Dolores streets and only consists of two blocks.
There you can find a few shops and Chinese restaurants. I’ve sampled a couple of the restaurants in the Barrio Chino and I must say the food was quite good and didn’t disappoint.
30. Hipster Neighborhood of La Condesa
This is one of my favorite place to stay whenever I spend time in Mexico city. I guess we could call it a hipster neighborhood.
It is full of colors and nice restaurants all around. I’ve had one of the best chilaquiles in a random hole in a wall type of restaurant in La Condesa.
While it is true that there are a lot of expats in La Condesa, it still has a Mexican vibe and feels very safe there. There is also a big park right in the middle of it.
31. Try Pulque
Everyone kept telling me I had to try pulque. And try it, I did! I went on a Salsa night Tour with Estacion Mexico where we went to dance collective salsa and also tasted Pulque that night.
Now I will let you explore and discover it on your own but I will say that it is somewhat of an acquired taste 🙂
32. Pujol Restaurant
This is one of my absolute favorite fine dining restaurant in Mexico city. I totally recommend making a reservation. Book as early as possible as it is a very popular place.
By booking early, I mean weeks and possibly a couple months ahead. Book as soon as your trip to Mexico is confirmed. They will hold a deposit on your credit card in other to guarantee your booking. It is absolutely worth it.
I wrote a whole 4000 words review article on my experience there. Don’t forget to check out my extremely detailed foodie review on Pujol.
Also don’t forget to try the mole! The chef is very serious and ages it for MONTHS!
33. Nicos Restaurante
This is where you go to try ultimate authentic Mexican dining. I won’t rehash myself here as yes, you’ve guessed it, I also have a very detailed review on my dining experience over at Nicos restaurante Mexico city.
34. Cebicheria Agua y Sal
Anyone else obsessed with sea food and ceviche?
Raise your hands whilst swiftly making your way to the cebicheria Agua y Sal. You’re welcome and you can thank me later.
The food was just out of this world. I’ve had the best ceviche and Paella in my life seriously. Make yourself a favor and check out my lengthy review on the Cebicheria Agua y Sal restaurant too.
Is it obvious yet that I am a crazy hardcore foodie when I travel? 🙂
35. Dulce Patria
Dulce Patria is Mexican food, fancified and serve in a bit of a theatrical, over the top way. Think fine dining with a bit of entertainment.
It was a fun restaurant to try and the food was seriously good. I’m still working on the review for that one.
36. Eat all the Tacos and Drink all the Fresh Juices
One of my favorite things to do in the city was to start my day with a freshly squeezed orange juice from one of the street stalls.
A tip is to go where there is a lot of people waiting. Usually the locals know where to go and avoid. So it is one instance in life where it is definitely a great idea to follow the crowds.
Apply the same logic when it comes to taquerias and make sure you eat your weight in tacos. One of my favorite taquerias didn’t even have a name.
Make sure to rely on your sense of smell, check for hygiene practices. Make sure they are using sterilized bottled water.
Lastly follow the crowd, you’re guaranteed to find your own little gems, thus creating fond memories that you will cherish forever.
Bring it up a notch and go on a few taco food tours. It’s hard to go wrong with that one!
37. Hiking a volcano or other day expedition around Mexico city
Did you know that besides Teotihuacan, there are many day trip hikes you can take while visiting Mexico city?
I went on a full day tour. You can even hike a volcano and just find yourself in a totally different scenery.
Bonus/ More Things To Do:
There are so many things to do in Mexico city as you can see. These are some of the things, I still haven’t had the time to tackle and definitely looking to explore more on my next visit:
– Frida Kahlo Museum:
Never got around to it as each time it is just always so crowded. I hate how commercialized it has become but I still want to experience it myself to see if it is overrated or not.
– Floating Gardens of Xochimilco:
Exploring the unique water canals of Xochimilco with a picnic on a trajinera( the famous tuk tuk boat)
– Biblioteca Vasconcelos:
Very unique library where It would be nice to spend an afternoon or a whole day just lazing around enjoying a good book and soaking up the atmosphere.
– Ciudad Universitaria:
Free walking tour of the area to dive into it deeper.
– UNAM Bliblioteca Central:
Would love to explore the big popular art all over the university building
– Museo Nacional de Artes:
Would love to go there for the murals. For some reason I find murals so much more alive than canvas paintings. Anyone else relates to this?
– Museo Casa de Leon Trotsky:
Anyone else obsessed with soviet history? Did you also know that Leon Trotsky was assassinated right there in Coyoacan?
– Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli:
Totally obsessed with Diego’s murals and would love to keep hunting them down. Never had time to make it there as it is quite far away in the city outskirts.
– Cineteca Nacional:
Would love to watch a Mexican movie on their outdoor screen while lying on a blanket on the grass and eating tacos 🙂
– Day of the Dead:
Anyone seen the Disney movie interpretation “Coco”? Always been fascinated by this celebration and would love to experience it both in Mexico city and Oaxaca.
– Plaza de las tres culturas:
Remains of an old Aztec city
– The island of the dolls:
Creepy dolls yard not far from Xochimilco
– Museo Mucho Chocolate:
Anyone totally obsessed with chocolates?
– MODO Museo del objeto del objeto:
I love quirky museum. This place has a poster and pop culture little collection of previous years
– Museo de la tortura:
Small Torture museum taking you back to medieval times
– Monumental Plaza de Toros Mexico/ Plaza Mexico:
One of the few places where you can still attend a bullfight
So That is my extensive list of things to do in Mexico city. I will keep adding to the list as I keep going to Mexico city. So make sure to check it often.