Mexico City, MexicoBy ArrivLast checked
Plan a trip to Mexico City
One of the great food cities on earth, sitting at 7,350 feet, which is the part people underestimate. Give the altitude your first day, eat standing up at the street stands, and book the big museums before you land, because the good ones sell out. Then eat again.
- Food trips
- Weekend getaways
- Couples
- Art
Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.
Mexico City at a glance
Timing first, because Mexico City is a different trip in February than it is in July, and the notes below say which months to book and which to leave alone. Then the stops, Museo Nacional de Antropología among them, and the three neighborhoods worth a look before you pick a hotel. 4 to 6 days covers it.
- How long
- 4–6 days
- When to go
- March to May is dry and warm, which is the easy answer. The rains come June to September, heavy and short, and because they nearly always arrive in the afternoon you can put the museums late and keep the mornings outside. Day of the Dead in early November is extraordinary, and it books out early.
- Getting around
- The metro is cheap and goes nearly everywhere, though at rush hour it is a crush. Use registered rideshare over street taxis, and save Roma and Condesa for walking.
What to build the plan around
- 1
Museo Nacional de Antropología
The best museum in the country, and three hours is the minimum, so it takes the whole morning. Closed Mondays.
- 2
Centro Histórico
The Zócalo, Templo Mayor, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes sit within a few blocks of each other, which makes this the one part of the city you can do entirely on foot.
- 3
Teotihuacán
An hour northeast for the pyramids, and if you arrive at opening you beat the heat and the buses in one move.
- 4
Coyoacán
Cobblestone streets, a market, and the Frida Kahlo house, which sells out days ahead, so buy that ticket first.
Where to stay in Mexico City
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- Roma Norte
- Walkable and tree-lined, with the densest run of good restaurants and coffee, so most first trips base here. Browse stays in Roma Norte
- Condesa
- Parks and art deco next door to Roma, a little quieter, and close enough that you can walk between them when you want a change. Browse stays in Condesa
- Centro Histórico
- Closest to the landmarks and the cheapest rooms, though the streets are the loudest of the three. Browse stays in Centro Histórico
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More itineraries to copy
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Mexico City planning questions
- How many days do you need in Mexico City?
- Most people take 4 to 6 days, and the extra one earns its keep if you dislike rushing. Four days covers the center, two neighborhoods, and Teotihuacán, though six is the version that earns the flight. Six adds Xochimilco and a long comida, once you stop treating meals as the gaps between sights.
- What is the best time to visit Mexico City?
- March to May is dry and warm, which is the easy answer. The rains come June to September, heavy and short, and because they nearly always arrive in the afternoon you can put the museums late and keep the mornings outside. Day of the Dead in early November is extraordinary, and it books out early.
- Where should I stay in Mexico City?
- Book Roma Norte if you are undecided, because it is the most convenient of the three and the choice you are least likely to regret. Walkable and tree-lined, with the densest run of good restaurants and coffee, so most first trips base here. Two others are worth comparing before you commit, and the difference is mostly rate against how far you walk. Condesa: Parks and art deco next door to Roma, a little quieter, and close enough that you can walk between them when you want a change. Centro Histórico: Closest to the landmarks and the cheapest rooms, though the streets are the loudest of the three.
- How do you get around Mexico City?
- The metro is cheap and goes nearly everywhere, though at rush hour it is a crush. Use registered rideshare over street taxis, and save Roma and Condesa for walking.
- What should I see first in Mexico City?
- Go to Museo Nacional de Antropología early in the trip, before the days start filling up with things you booked later. The best museum in the country, and three hours is the minimum, so it takes the whole morning. Closed Mondays. The other three stops can go in whatever order the map makes easy, since none of them depends on the others.
- Is there a free Mexico City itinerary I can copy?
- Yes, and you can read it without an account. The Mexico City itinerary on Arriv puts every stop on a map in a suggested order. Duplicate it and you get an editable copy for your own dates and your own group, so you can cut whatever you would skip.