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Travel Guide: México City
Looking out unto the pyramids in the ancient city of Teotihuacan.
Ever since I first visited the sprawling Méxican capital over a decade ago, I have been compelled to return every few years. Although I tend to feel overwhelmed in cities with massive populations, CDMX has the opposite effect on me. With an inspiring culinary scene; awe inducing historical sites and delightful shopping, each time I visit México City, it’s clear that I’ve still only scratched the surface. Maybe that’s why I never shared a travel diary of this favourite destination before - thinking I haven’t checked enough items off my CDMX list to justify a blog post. I’ve decided to finally take this post out of drafts (some of these photos are more than seven years old). Consider this a guide in progress since I’ll hopefully be adding to it in the not too distant future.
What To Know Before Visiting
Travelling there: Most major U.S. airlines have flights to CDMX. I travelled from Atlanta on Delta, which has several flights to Mexico City daily. I’m not aware of any direct flights coming from the Caribbean. However, you can probably find connecting flights through South and Central America. I’m sure Copa airlines would have such options.
Getting around:
The city’s public transit system is useful and inexpensive. I’ve taken the metro from the airport into the city as well as various buses around town. That has helped me learn the city but it requires patience and some time schedule flexibility.
Uber is an extremely convenient option for travelling around CDMX. It’s much less expensive there than in the US so I’m always tempted to spoil myself with it. Lol. I try to remember to be eco-conscious while travelling however, so I mainly use Uber there when I’m in a hurry or if I’m sharing the ride with others (for eg., with fellow guests at my hostel).
I like walking and much of México City is walkable. Traversing the city by foot is a great way to explore it and to burn off the calories from all the good food you’ll eat. Keep in mind however, that the city is huge so there’s a lot of ground to cover.
There are bikes one can rent throughout the city but from what I’ve heard, they are not the easiest to use and cycling on the local streets is not for the faint of heart.
Language: It's good travel etiquette to attempt speaking the language of the place you're visiting, even if you only know a few words. Google Translate is a handy travel tool (be sure to download it for use offline) and I strongly believe that México City is a perfect place for practising Spanish because are people there are generally patient and speak relatively slowly. If push comes to shove, you can be comforted by the fact that many locals speak English, particularly in places frequented by tourists.
Currency: the national currency is the Méxican Peso and at the time of publishing this post, the exchange rate was 19.67 Méxican Pesos to 1 US dollar. Speaking of money, museums in CDMX are either free or very inexpensive but most are closed on Mondays so plan accordingly.
Weather: México City has a subtropical highland climate with an annual median temperature of 15 degrees Celsius (59 F). The warmest months are April and May; the coolest months are December and January. Be sure to pack light warm layers, i.e jackets, cardigans and maybe a scarf if you travel during the cool months. I tend to wear fabrics like linen and cotton during the warmer months.
Safety: I have always felt safe in CDMX. As in any other big city, I apply my usual safety precautions and use common sense.
What to explore
Teotihuacán, this ancient city is located forty kilometers northeast of México City. While there’s debate over the ethnicity of its founding inhabitants (possible groups include the Nahua, Otomi and Totonac), most scholars of the area agree that Teotihuacán was of great significance in the pre-Hispanic Americas, even inspiring the succeeding Aztec. At the height of its power, Teotihuacán was the largest city in the Americas. Its pyramids, particularly, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon are two of the most significant archaeological sites in the Americas. While you’re in the area, it would be a good idea to hop over to the La Gruta, a restaurant that’s located inside a cave. The menu features traditional Méxican food and indigenous ingredients. I wasn’t aware of the restaurant when I visited Teotihuacán years ago but I intend to check it out next time. From what I’ve read reservations are required.
Museo Nacional de Antropología (The National Anthropology Museum) is the largest and most visited museum in México. I spent three hours browsing its exhibits and didn’t even see half of what’s there but what I did see blew my mind. As the name implies, the museum houses important anthropological and archaeological artifacts dating from Pre-Colombian chapters of MesoAmerican history, including territories that are now part of the southwestern United States. If you visit no other museum in CDMX, visit this one.
Museo Frida Kahlo (aka Casa Azul) home of the world renowned artist Frida Kahlo. The Blue House where Kahlo was born and where she shared part of her life with her husband - fellow artist, Diego Rivera is now a museum dedicated to her life and work. I’ve been to Casa Azul three times and it’s always inspiring to see Kahlo’s personal work in the context of the space along with her mementos and collection of Méxican folk art. This is an extremely popular venue and tickets usually aren’t available for purchase in person, so my suggestion is to reserve tickets in advance here.
Centro Historico Many of the cool places in CDMX are situated in neighbourhoods away from the city centre like Condesa, Coyoacán and Roma Norte. However, there are many other attractions - some of them centuries old- in the city’s historic district, such as the Zócalo, Templo Mayor, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Palacio Postal, la Casa de los Azulejos or House of Tiles and Alameda Central. Whether you enlist the services of a tour guide or explore it by yourself, you should put the historic district on your list.
Where to Eat
Taquería Orinoco - this place seems to appear on every blogger’s CDMX travel guide and the hype is well deserved. Their tacos are some of the best I’ve ever had.
Las Rejas - a quick Google search of taco spots near my hostel took me to this no-frills street side taco joint. Their tacos were messy but and delicious.
Eno - I wandered into this laid back eatery on the way back from the Anthropology Museum. I had two mushroom tacos and had to refrain from licking my fingers after.
Panadería Rosetta - This is one of the cutest pastry shops I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. Apart from the space being instragrammable, the food was so darn good! I had ciabatta with hazelnut pesto and goat cheese as a late lunch, ricotta lemon rolls for desert. I wish I could visit this cozy place every day.
Araciatta - this is another place that I just happened upon. If you have dietary restrictions and want a simple breakfast/brunch, this may be a good choice.
Churrería el Moro - the legendary churro establishment has several outposts in the city. Last year I had breakfast there for my birthday: churros dipped in hazelnut chocolate with hot Méxican cocoa to wash it down. :)
Lardo - Just as I began my past birthday , I ended it with something sweet. The night time treat was chocolate ice-cream, which I savoured at the bar while reading a book. The ambiance was casually chic. Next time I’m there, I intend to try their food too.
Birthday breakfast at Churrería el Moro
Where to Shop
La Ciuadadela - (the full name is Mercado de Artesanías La Cuidadela) one of the best places for sourcing artisanal goods in the city. It’s not the most intense market but you can still test your haggling skills.
Mercado de San Juan - with an extensive array of tropical fruit, exotic meat and more, this market is perfect if you'll be in the city for a while and wish to balance your diet or try your hand at a home cooked Méxican meal.
La Merced - this is another of the city’s main produce markets and one of the best for sampling mole, salsa as well as pre-Hispanic delicacies (hello spicy grasshoppers!)
Corner stores - I’m not sure what these neighbourhood tiendas are called in local vernacular but I use them a lot when in México to stock up on snacks, fruits, bottled water and other little miscellaneous things.
Other México City things I want to Experience:
Here’s my evolving list of things (activities, eateries and attractions) that I haven't gotten around to trying as yet…
The Xochimilco Canals - During my last trip I missed out on seeing these remnants of an extensive canal system that once connected the ancient settlements in the Valley of México. You can arrange to ride the trajineras (colourful traditional boats) that traverse the man made islands.
Casa Gilardi - a study in colour, this house was commissioned by ad exec Francisco Gilardi and designed by acclaimed architect Luis Baraggán .
Museo Soumaya - from the photos I’ve seen, the architecture of this museum looks stunning. Plus, there’s no fee to enter so visiting seems like a no-brainer.
Museo Tamayo - is supposedly great for browsing modern art and is located in Chapultec Park, a green enclave in the city.
Biblioteca Vasconcelos - I don’t know how I haven’t made it to this library as yet, because as a bibliophile, it looks like heaven.
El Pendulo - a book-store and café combined where there’s sometimes also live music - for those who don’t mind auditory stimulation while reading.
A Mescal or Food tour - While I’ve eaten Méxican food in México, I know it would be even more enriching to do a food tour or cooking class for greater insight into the country’s culinary tableau.
I hope that this guide proves helpful if you’re planning a trip to México City. Let me know below if you have any questions or suggestions for must do’s in CDMX.
