Mexico City has been a destination at the top of my list for years now. From the moment I arrived, I loved it, and every day was a beautiful new adventure. When my week was finished, the idea of leaving was so sad. This city is full of beautiful places, incredible food, and fascinating history and culture.

My Itinerary

Day 1- Evening arrival in Centro Historico

Day 2- Museum hopping in Centro Historico and Parque Almeda

Day 3- Morning in Centro, relocate to Roma Norte and explore

Day 4- Day tour to Xochimilco, Coyaocan, & Frida Kahlo’s house

Day 5- Chapultapec Park, Modern Art Museum, dinner in Polanco

Day 6- Day tour to Teotihuacan, dinner in Roma

Day 7- Anthropology Museum, last night of mezcal and tacos

Highlights & Tips

For my week in Mexico City, I decided to spend my first two nights at a hotel in the historical center. I figured it’s such a large city and it would be convenient to stay in that area to easily visit some of the major museums and sites at the start of my trip.

The Zocalo Central Hotel was highly recommended to me for it’s central location, great service, and terrace views, However, while all of that certainly sounded great, it was WAY more expensive than other comparable options at the time of my trip. I opted for the NH Collection hotel down the block for literally half of the price and I was perfectly happy with everything.

There’s lots to do for a couple days in this area. First, I ventured over to the National Art Museum, which had a particularly cool collection of art from a range of eras. I also walked over to Plaza Garibaldi and visited the neighboring Museum of Tequila and Mezcal. It’s a small museum and a quick stop, but interesting to read about the steps in production and you even got to sample one tequila and one mezcal before you go!

The Alameda Park was at the center with lots of seats and shade, perfect for a break to regroup before your next stop!

After my first couple days exploring the center, moving to an Airbnb in the Roma neighborhood was a nice change of pace, and I enjoyed being there for the next 5 nights. After visiting most of the central attractions, this is the area I’d most want to return to- it’s very chill and liveable.

Mexico City is packed with things to do, staying busy for a full week was easy. I could have spent way more time there. Between exploring the neighborhoods, parks, the huge array of museums, nearby excursions, and checking out the food scene.. even after a busy week, I left feeling like I barely scratched the surface.

My Favorite Museums & Experiences…

• Museo de Arte Popular– This one’s a must-see, in my opinion. There are so many colorful sculptures and crafts with amazing detail that really celebrate the history, folklore, and culture.
• National Art Museum– Located in the Centro, not far from the Parque Alameda, this three-story art museum had a large, interesting, and well-displayed selection of art. Different exhibits are housed in different areas and floors of the large museum, and I had a great time wandering around and exploring it all. Lots of Diego Rivera art and other traditional and modern works. I definitely recommend coming here if you appreciate art!
• Museo Nacional de Antropologia– Mexico City’s enormous anthropology museum kept me busy for hours! Each section focuses on a different era and is packed with historical artifacts and replicas. I also loved how the exhibits extended to the beautiful outdoor areas and gardens.
• Frida Kahlo House, Casa Azul- Visiting Casa Azul meant so much to me. Strangely, I first learned of Frida Kahlo from a fifth grade text passage about her. I was so fascinated by her life, I went home and looked her up, read everything I could about her, and watched the “Frida” movie (she’s played by Salma Hayek). When the Frida Kahlo exhibit hit the Brooklyn Museum, I was there. I find her art and life so interesting and inspiring, and just being in her home felt incredibly special.
• Xochimilco– The colorful boats! This was so lively and fun. I found a fun day tour that combined the Xochimilco boat trip with Coyoacan and a visit to Frida Kahlo’s house. I thought it was a good way to combine those activities and would recommend a tour like this!
• Modern Art Museum– From Chapultepec Park, you can access this modern art museum which features cool photography, sculptures, and paintings across two floors. They have a Frida Kahlo painting and some Diego Rivera work, and a lot of other captivating art. I went on a Sunday, so it happened to be free entry that day.
• Tour to Teotihuacan– I went on a really special tour (found on Airbnb Experiences) to the pyramids with two brothers who hosted the small group at their family’s home, not too far from the entrance of the pyramids. First, we stopped by for coffee and breakfast at their lovely home to meet the family and adorable dogs. Then, the brothers took us to Teotihuacan and did a fantastic job teaching us about the history of the sites and touring us around. After this, we went back to the family home where lunch of two kinds of delicious homemade mole were prepared, followed by a pulque tasting, also produced by the family. It was great vibes, so friendly and welcoming. I can’t recommend this experience enough!
• Diego Rivera Mural Museum– This is a super cool mural that captures a lot of history. You can see it at a tiny museum in a very unassuming corner past the Alameda Park.
• Parque Mexico– In Roma, this was a beautiful, green, and lively neighborhood park. It wasn’t far from my Airbnb and I loved taking walks here.

Amazing Restaurants & Tacos…

• Masala y Maiz– I booked this MIchelin-starred Mexican fusion restaurant after reading about it online. Later, I learned it was even featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Kitchen. A bit out of the center and busy as can be during late lunch hours, I found the food here to be inventive, stunning, and delicious. I’d return during my next Mexico City visit, for sure. I still think about the suadero samosas.
• Rosetta– Another highly acclaimed and Michelin-starred restaurant, Italian cuisine. This beautiful restaurant in Roma is located in a big, beautiful house. The menu is inventive Italian and everything I ate was absolutely delicious. Sometimes I worry about being disappointed with such a highly hyped place, but there was absolutely nothing to complain about here.
• Entremar– You might have heard of the famous Contramar. Like most people, I couldn’t score a reservation there, but I was able to get in here. Entremar is in the Polanco area and has the same exact menu. Serving up amazing, fresh fish and seafood, this place was another absolutely awesome dining experience.
• Taqueria El Jarocho– I still dream about the tacos from this place. With my next to zero Spanish, I pointed at stuff from behind the glass and ended up with two incredible tacos. They’re known for guisado tacos (stewed meats in sauces). The flavors were just incredible, and unlike any tacos I’ve ever had. This is another place I’d definitely come back to during my next visit!
• Tacos Orinoco– Delicious casual (but very popular) taco spot in the heart of a fun area. In my opinion, the chicharron tacos are the ones to get here!
• Tlecan– Listed on the world’s 50 best bar list, this mezcal spot had really flavorful, interesting cocktails. The space was quite small and became crowded quickly, even going early on a weeknight, but I’m glad I went!
• Licoreria Limantour– I had such a lovely evening at this cocktail bar. My friend and I stopped by on a Monday night and were offered to sit in a special room. The cocktails were amazing and the ambiance was amazing. The rest of the bar seemed awesome too, but I’m grateful for the special experience I ended up having!

Next Time…

Oh boy. It was hard to let myself leave here and I can’t wait for any excuse to come back. There is an endless amount of foodie spots to try here. As sites go, I also never made it to Chapultepec Castle. I’d love to come back, stay in Roma again, and just live my life eating tacos and taking strolls through the Parque Mexico.

I’d also love to go to other parts of Mexico, next up- Oaxaca!