Mexico City: The Top 10 Places You MUST See for an Awesome Trip
Often believed to be an unsafe city teeming with crime, Mexico City is a shining example to not believe everything you hear. A major metropolitan city with over 10 million people in just its first ring of municipality, Mexico City is a power house of food, fashion, museums, and culture. In a city this big, it is easy to get lost and spend your days wandering aimlessly, not sure of where to go or what to see. I am going to break down the must-see spots in Mexico City that take any trip from mediocre at best to OH HECK YES!
FOOD
Food, my favorite part of any trip. As a matter of fact, whenever I book a flight to my next destination, the first thing I research is where to eat! So much can be gleaned from the local cuisine, such as flavors, the way in which food is eaten and shared, and the history behind the ingredients. I have had the great fortune to try every one of the food stops on my list, and can recommend them with great integrity to all of my readers.
Multiple locations, original location:
Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 42,Centro Historico
Open 24 hours, El Moro in Centro Historico is a mainstay in CDMX, and is loved as much by locals as it is by visitors. Serving up churros since 1935, El Moro draws crowds that wrap around the street corner and down the street every single day. While the line is always long, you have two options upon arrival, dine in or take it to go (para llevar). Hop in the take out line, and get ready to order. My suggestion is to order a single order of churros as you will receive about 15 of them in a bag, and they are incredibly filling. Make sure to grab the sauce trio for dipping (dulce de leche, chocolate, and condensed milk), and take them back to your hotel room to scarf them down in peace.
But what is a churro, exactly? Churros are a thick dough that is piped into boiling hot oil, fried, and dusted in cinnamon and sugar. Often served in long sticks, El Moro fries theirs in spirals, and imperfectly cuts the spirals once cooled, leaving perfectly imperfect dough arches that drop sugar all over your shirt as you indulge in the crunchy dessert until the bag is gone.
Av Michoacan 54, Hipodromo Cuauhtemoc
A tiny hole in the wall that would be so easy to pass if you didn’t know what to look for, Taqueria El Greco packs some serious flavor punch. Tacos are al pastor style – cut off a spinning spit (think gyro meat), and can come prepared a number of ways. The most popular, and my personal favorite, is to have it served “al arabe”, with the meat minced in with onion and parsley, and served on a hot pita instead of a tortilla. Have some cheese added for the full effect of how a few simple ingredients can take on so much flavor and texture when thrown together in the perfect proportion.
Havre 73, Juarez Cuauhtemoc
After a failed attempt to get pictures at the Biblioteca Vasconcelos, we hopped on a bus to the Cuauhtemoc neighborhood in search of a pick me up pastry. A quick google search lead our feet to Café Nin down a beautifully tree lined street. As we walked up, we noticed we were surrounded by the young and hip crowd of Mexico City. After a 20-minute wait, we were whisked to our table on a balcony overlooking the rest of the restaurant, and ordered from a long list of pastries and breakfast bites. The lattes here are warm and creamy, and the pastries are baked to perfection. Flavors are subtle, but sugary, and my croissant was buttery, flaky, and melted in my mouth.
Pro tip: if you ask for a particular pastry and they have run out, order another and keep an eye on the bread table. I originally ordered a concha instead of a croissant, but went with the croissant when I was notified they were out of conchas. I kept an eye on the servers carrying out fresh baked pastries and sweets from the kitchen, and was able to snag a concha on my way out once it was ready to be served.
MUSEUMS
I am personally not much of a museum person, and am more than likely dragged to them by my loving husband. Mexico City has changed my mind forever though, having some of the best curated museums I’ve ever seen, and boasting having one museum ranked in the top 10 museums in the world. From art, to history, to fashion, Mexico City has museums that tell a story, get people up close and personal to the subject, and hold so many artifacts that a person could spend hours upon hours at a single site like I did. A side bonus? Most are signed in both Spanish and English.
Mexico City National Museum of Anthropology
Av Paseo de la Reforma, Polanco, Bosque de Chapultepec
Admission Price: 80 pesos, 45 pesos for camera usage
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 9am to 5pm year-round, closed on Mondays
Prepare to be amazed as you walk through life-size exhibits that tell the stories of Mexican history. Stand among pieces of Teotihuacan that have original paint on them, and glance in on dioramas of the evolution of the community as Mexican tribes learned to farm, to hunt, and to build structures.
Each room has a regional theme, with rooms dedicated to the Mayans, Oaxacan tribes, Teotihuacan, and more, all detailing daily life, the historical changes to the region, and the influence European conquerors had on teach region. Find artifacts such as the Mayan calendar on full display, and walk around a full-sized court of the ancient Mesoamerican Ballgame. Make sure to make your way to the second story of the museum which covers the current state of Mexico, and how small pockets of indigenous people are thriving in their home state.
Seminario 8, Centro Historico de la Cdad de Mexico, Centro, Cuauhtemoc
Admission Price: 80 pesos to enter, no camera charge, but not allowed to use flash
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 9am to 5pm, closed Mondays
All I can say about this museum is WOW. One piece of history that I always loved hearing about was the ancient site of Teotihuacan, and this museum is about just that. When Cortez conquered the Mexica people who lived and thrived in Teotihuacan (today’s Mexico City), he leveled the massive Teotihuacan (a temple that was larger than the Colosseum in Rome), and built a series of buildings on top of the site. Now torn down and excavated, Templo Mayor serves to allow people to walk through the many layers and walls of this ancient site, and learn more about the people of this place.
You will find a small temple that is surrounded on all sides by walls made of human skulls (the reason for this still unknown), animalistic heads protruding from the sides of the building with original paint still intact and visible to the naked eye, as well as shrines where sacrifices took place. Head inside the main museum to see artifacts that have been dug up in excavations, and get a real feel for everyday life of the Mexica people. This museum is a can’t miss on any stop to Mexico City.
Plaza de la Constitucion S/N, Centro Historico de la Cdad de Mexico, Centro, Cuauhtemoc
Admission Price: FREE
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 9am to 5pm, closed Mondays
Special Tip: Bring a driver’s license to this museum. One person from each party will be asked to surrender an I.D. to enter, and a passport is a risky choice to surrender
A large sweeping museum, the National Palace was once the home of Cortez, but now serves as a museum housing impeccable gardens, marching Mexican army troops, and world-famous paintings by Diego Rivera. I loved walking around and exploring the grounds here, especially finding all of the resident cats that hideout under all of the large shrubbery, but come out to lounge in the sun.
Be sure to head to the second floor of the museum where frescos hand painted by Diego Rivera can be viewed and studied. The most famous is positioned at the top of a large staircase that tells the history of Mexico, from the conquering of the Aztecs by Cortez, up to the Mexican Reform War. The entire history of Mexico seems to blend together with Rivera’s painting, seamlessly flowing into one large quilt, yet tells so many stories on a single wall.
My personal favorite fresco of Rivera’s was the depiction of ancient Teotihuacan. In this giant painting, you will see temples, when if you look closely, you will see blood running down the tiny steps, signifying a sacrifice had taken place. You will see different tribes of the area paying their “taxes” via goods at the market, children being checked by doctors, and a young girl courting the males in the crowd for a mate. The lovely thing about these paintings, and Rivera’s work in general, is that the longer you look at it, the more you tend to see. Stand here and take in the frescos for a while, appreciating the attention to detail and storytelling in each piece.
If you would love a guided tour of these frescos, an amazing tour guide is Yaya Flores. I overheard her giving a tour to a couple, and could not help but introduce myself. She points out the most minute details of each painting, and helps you analyze the works like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Her knowledge on Rivera’s work and Mexican history is unmatched, and I would highly recommend her services if you are in Mexico City.
Yaya can be reached at: floresyardley@gmail.com
Londres 247, Del Carmen, Coyoacan
Admission Price: 230 pesos, 30 peso camera permit per device INCLUDING cell phones
Hours: Tuesday, 10am to 5:30pm; Wednesday, 11am to 5pm; Thursday – Sunday, 10am to 5:30pm, closed Mondays
The famous bright blue house of Frida Kahlo sits in a neighborhood somewhat separated from the rest of Mexico City called Coyoacan. A small neighborhood with beautifully yellow washed walls and just enough quirky to make it funky, Coyoacan seems to be the perfect back drop for the beloved Frida Kahlo. Known for her personal portraits, walk through the house she shared with Diego Rivera, and peek in her personal life as if you are there with her. See the bed she slept in, the kitchen where she cooked, and the smoky mirror she used for all of her personal portraits.
The most gripping portion of the museum for me was her clothing collection. The museum does a lovely job of setting up displays of her always eccentric clothing, as well as garments by designers that were inspired by her. I loved learning the reason for her whimsical clothing was to honor the women of Mexico before her, and to display her political and social beliefs. The most endearing story to hear, was that children often saw her outlandish accoutrements and asked her where the circus was, to which she would simply smile and keep moving. This museum plays with color unlike any I have seen before, and is a quick, but relaxing walk through the house and gardens of one of the most celebrated artists in history.
SHOPPING
I am a collector of beautiful things. I have jewelry from all over the world that I proudly wear in my everyday life. I have a carved Buddha from Bali hanging on my wall above my couch. I have a brightly colored woven rug from Oaxaca City, and a hammam towel from Greece that I have repurposed as a throw blanket. I love displaying beautiful works of art from everywhere I travel, and shopping is always something I take very seriously on each trip. Below are a few of my favorite shops in Mexico City where you can find amazing products unlike anything you will find in an airport gift shop.
Av Alvaro Obregon 230
Roma Nte, Cuauhtemoc
Disguised by two sheets that hang over the doorway and cover the storefront, Kameyama is a store that is sought out by foodies from all over the world. Selling only the finest in Japanese knives, Kameyama is a destination shop for many people in Mexico City to grab the best in cutlery in the world. Carrying some of the rarest knives on the planet, Kameyama has knives that can only be purchased in this store in all of North America! There is a knife for every customer here, in varying price ranges and different hand feels. For reference, we purchased a general chopping knife for $80 USD which was in the midrange for pricing for its size.
Multiple locations
Want to shop at a place that makes you feel good about your purchase? Drop by a Someone Somewhere store, and pick up one of the handmade items sold by this small, but special company. Introduced to the company when I won one of their backpacks, I fell in love with the bright colors and interesting stitching and looming of the fabric, using it as a blogging bag to transport my laptop to and from coffee shops.
The thing that has kept me a customer, though, is their insistence on using local labor to construct the materials and final product. Inside my backpack is a stitched tag that notates that Victor from Oaxaca assembled my bag, and gives me a sense of greater good that I know where my goods come from. Another stat of which Someone Somewhere is very proud of is that 98% of their artisans are women. They take great pride in employing and empowering the women of Mexico to produce their top-notch gear, and their sense of pride in their home country is very apparent in every single piece they produce. The products themselves are heavy duty, and well worth their price tag.
Rosario 159, La Merced, Merced Balbuena, Venustiano
A bustling market that sells everything from handmade bags to avocados, La Merced is truly a Mexican experience. Wander the stalls, taste testing moles of varying spiciness and chocolateyness, and try tacos made of goat head, shoved full of fries, and with carefully cooked tripe. My personal favorite stop was at a tamale stand, where the owner put a new twist on the dish. He and his wife took traditional rolled tamales, and deep fried them. Yep, you read that right, deep fried them. Cracking the crunchy, yet golden brown outer shell of the tamale to be greeted with the delicious center was an unexpected, but welcomed surprise.
The lower level presented most of the handicrafts, my favorite being the handwoven plastic purses. I have three at this point, and love them because of their durability, and how well they repel dirt. I’ve even been asked which designer made the bag when I was at an upscale salon in San Francisco! Baskets hang from the ceiling, and colorful souvenirs can be found here as well. The upper level tends to hold all of the food. Please take note that this is not like a western grocery store. Meat will be EVERYWHERE and will be open to the public. You will see red meat hanging from stalls, and the smells are a unique scent that only somebody who has been to an open-air market can explain. Go here with an open mind, and be dazzled by all the colors, sights, and sounds of the largest traditional market in Mexico City. If you would feel more comfortable being lead through La Merced rather than wandering, take a tour with Eat Mexico. Here, you will be guided through the market with a personal guide who will take you to all of their favorite stalls, and will help you find any handicrafts you may be looking for. I took a tour with Eat Mexico my first time in the city, and found the tour very worth the money, and all around fun!
As you can see, Mexico City is a place of diversity, luxury, grittiness, and wonder. Every time I return, I try new restaurants, see new places, and find new street art. I am always in awe of this city, and think it is the perfect getaway for a long weekend. If you are looking for a way to experience culture, delicious food, and unique shopping all on a tight budget, consider Mexico City, and be blown away by the largest city in North America. And yes, it’s bigger than NYC!
