Mexico City is one of the most popular travel destinations in Latin America. From its historical sights, rich culinary legacy, and fascinating culture to its wonderful tourism-friendly infrastructure, Mexico’s capital deserves all the attention it gets. This guide will delve into the essential Mexico City travel tips to ensure you experience the best the city has to offer.
The city has a population of almost 10 million and if you include its metro, you’re looking at over 20 million people. Because of its sheer size, there’s a lot visitors should know before arriving.
Is Mexico City worth visiting? Absolutely. Below are some travel tips to Mexico City to stay safe, get around, and make the most out of your time in this beautiful and historical global city.
Follow these 18 essential Mexico City travel tips to ensure you have a fun and seamless trip. We will explore safety measures, tipping culture, transportation and locations, dressing tips, and a ton more, all under the expert guidance of a local resident. Now, let’s get on with it!
This is a guest post by Melissa Douglas.
Contents
- Get a Metro Card and Use it
- Visit Teotihuacán and Other Day Trips
- Avoid the Tap Water
- Budget Accordingly
- Stay in the Right Place
- Street Food is Good, Very Good
- Don’t go off the Beaten Path
- Buy a SIM Card, it’s Easy
- Dress Like a Local
- See as Many Museums as Possible
- Don’t Hail a Taxi Off the Street
- Plan Your Days
- Prepare for Earthquakes
- Book Tours and Shows Ahead of Time
- No Dar Papaya
- Leave Time to Explore
- Study Spanish
- Uber at Night
- Like this post?
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Get a Metro Card and Use it
Also known as the Integrated Mobility Card, the CDMX Metro Card is a must-have ticket for getting around the city.
The CDMX Metro system, which includes subways, buses, and light rail, is easy and efficient. With this handy card, you can take the subway to any of the city’s major landmarks and sights.
You can buy your card at any metro station. As of 2024, it only costs MX$15, which is less than a dollar. Once you buy your card, just scan it in the sensors and enjoy one of the best metro systems in North America.
For whatever reason, a lot of tourists are somewhat terrified of taking the Mexico City metro. While it is best not to use it at night, for the most part, it really isn’t any less safe than using the metro in other large global cities.
An essential Mexico City travel tips is to keep your eyes on your personal belongings at all time and be aware of your surroundings.
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Teotihuacán, a must-see day trip from Mexico City
Visit Teotihuacán and Other Day Trips
Although there’s so much to do and see within Mexico City, there’s even more just outside its city limits. Make some plans to head outside the city, either by bus or through a tour.
The first must-see location that’s perfect for a day trip is Teotihuacán. This ancient city is over 2000 years old and is one of the largest pyramid complexes in the world.
Hundreds of thousands of people called this city home over a thousand years before the Aztecs. Here, you’ll walk amongst landmarks such as the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the massive Pyramid of the Sun.
Other wonderful day trips from Mexico City include taking the bus out to the Puebla capital, Puebla de Zaragoza and Cholula. Puebla is a large city with a booming food scene and some of the best colonial architecture in Mexico.
Just a half hour to the north of it is Cholula, a smaller city steeped in Indigenous Heritage and home to the largest pyramid on the planet by volume, the Great Pyramid of Cholula.
Avoid the Tap Water
This is one of the essential Mexico City travel tips to ensure you don’t spend your trip in a bathroom.
Right off the bat, you’ll hear many people tell you not to drink the city’s tap water. Mexico City is old, overpopulated, and sits on top of an ancient lake. Its pipes are notoriously leaky and, given its size, regulating what goes into its water supply is almost impossible.
Do yourself a favor and always buy bottled water. Never use or make ice from the tap water. Even while washing your fruits and vegetables, make sure you use potable water instead of sink water.
This way, you can avoid getting sick and enjoy all your time in Mexico’s capital. In Mexico, it is not just a case of your stomach not being accustomed to the tap water, as even locals do not drink it.
Budget Accordingly
Mexico City may not be as expensive as other major North American cities, but you should still plan your spending. Although street food is cheap, going out to some of the city’s famous restaurants and bars can be costly and prices are increasing with each passing year as the city faces a gentrification problem in some areas.
Expect to pay $20 USD or more for a meal at a nicer restaurant. Breakfast at a cafe will cost around $5, or sometimes more, depending on the neighborhood.
No matter where you eat, don’t forget to leave a tip. 10% is standard but if the service is great, you can happily tip 15% or more.
Stay in the Right Place
Mexico City is massive and has a lot of neighborhoods with their own flare, culture, highlights, and drawbacks. If this is your first time, consider staying in one of the three neighborhoods below. They are safe for big-city standards, easy to get around, and full of must-see landmarks.
Roma
In the last decade, the neighborhood of Roma has become a center for expats, digital nomads, and trendy restaurants and bars. It’s also centrally located, relatively safe, and easy to get around on foot.
You’ll find plenty to do here, plus some of the best food in the city. It also has popular museums, parks, and historical places.
Condesa
Just west of Roma and next to the sprawling and beautiful green space of Bosque de Chapultepec is Condesa. Its circular streets, tree-lined avenues, and quiet residential vibe make it the perfect place for first-timers to stay.
The neighborhood is full of restaurants, bars, museums, and parks. You’re also close to the city’s most famous park, Chapultepec, where you can spend the day in nature or museum hopping.
Coyoacan
Home to Frida Kahlo and some of the city’s most historical landmarks, this neighborhood feels like you’re far away in another Mexican state.
Coyoacan is about 30 minutes south of downtown. This leafy little neighborhood was once its own independent village but urban expansion has seen it slowly be engulfed by the Mexican capital.
It’s quiet, safe, beautiful, and full of small-town charm, and there are tons of things to do in Coyoacan. Here, you can experience its historical streets, the famous Frida Kahlo Museum, or hop on a tour bus that takes you around the neighborhood.
Because it’s far from the hectic city center, Coyoacan is perfect for those who want to rest in a quiet place after a day exploring the big city.
Street Food is Good, Very Good
‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’ is the old saying, and this applies to Mexico City too, especially with street food. Mexico City is a global street food capital and no trip here would be complete without sampling what’s on the street.
Rule number #1 for getting great Mexico City food is to go where the locals go. If you see long lines and, better yet, people gently pushing and shoving their way to grab their order, you’re in luck. Make your order, grab a stool, chat with the person next to you, and sink into a foodie’s dream.
Make sure to bring hand sanitizer and wash your hands when you can. When most people complain of getting sick from the tacos, it’s because their hands were dirty in the first place.
Mercado La Merced is the largest market in the city and visiting it is almost a rite of passage for travelers in Mexico. You should also add Mercado Abelardo L. Rodriguez, Mercado de San Juan, and the Coyoacan market to your radar.
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Don’t go off the Beaten Path
This goes for almost any big city. Mexico City has endless neighborhoods. (Over 300 of them to be precise). Many of them are fairly safe, others, not so much.
Stick to the main tourist areas and places frequented by locals and don’t stray to places that are unfamiliar. This way, you’ll always be in familiar places where businesses are open and the chance of becoming a victim of crime is much less.
Mexico City is not a place where you can just wander around aimlessly following Google Maps. You can be in a charming, super safe neighborhood and then walk 10 minutes down the road and find yourself somewhere where you really dont have any business being.
For instance, Plaza Garibaldi is a lively square known for its live mariachi performers and tequila cantaritos, but walk a little further and find yourself in Tepito, one of the most dangerous marketplaces in Latin America.
Buy a SIM Card, it’s Easy
You’re going to want to use Uber and other services while in the city, so unless your phone plan from home works in Mexico, get a Mexican SIM card. They’re easy, cheap, and work from anywhere.
First thing you’ll need is an unlocked phone. This means that you’ll be able to insert SIM cards yourself without relying on your local provider. If your phone doesn’t come unlocked just call your provider. You should be able to do it through your phone company.
The best SIM cards in Mexico City include AT&T, Telcel, and Movistar. You can buy them from the airport, official phone stores or Oxxo convenience stores.
Telcel is the most commonly used network in Mexico. For 200 pesos (circa $12 USD/£9), you can purchase a sim card and a package that offers unlimited calls, texts and social media use in North America, as well as 3GB of roaming data.
When you purchase the sim, your receipt will display your new Mexican number. Then, when you want to recharge, head back into your nearest Oxxo, as for a “recargar por favor” and add another 100, 200 pesos or so to your plan.
Dress Like a Local
Mexico is famous for its beaches, but its capital city is not. In fact, the city is located on a mountain plateau over 7,000 feet high. Before the Spanish invaded, it was surrounded by a large lake, with canals and waterways, but today it’s a landlocked urban jungle.
Because of this, you can be sure that wearing shorts and sandals will make you stick out like a newbie tourist. Plus, you’ll probably be pretty uncomfortable.
Dress like you would in any major inland city. Jeans, long pants, long dresses, jackets, or even casual hoodies work great. Mexico City’s altitude means that the city stays relatively cool and sometimes chilly for most of the year.
Women in many cosmopolitan Mexican cities, including CDMX, tend to dress pretty conservatively. (They wear jeans and t-shirts even when its hot). Solo female travelers in particular, may want to follow suit if they don’t want to draw attention to themselves.
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See as Many Museums as Possible
Museum hopping is one of the best activities you could do in Mexico City. After all, there are hundreds of museums, from world-renowned centers for archeology and history, to influential centers for the arts.
If there were one “must see” museum here, it would be the National Anthropology Museum. This sprawling cultural space is the most visited museum in the country and visiting is an enjoyable experience, even if you don’t consider yourself a “museum person”.
There are thousands and thousands of ancient artifacts on display here that have been recovered from all corners of the country, and notable archeological sites such as the Ruta Puuc, Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan.
Inside, you can learn the chronological history of Mexico through the ages, and the various civilizations that have existed here – from the Olmecs, to the Mayans and the Aztecs.
Of course, the Anthropology museum isnt the only great museum in town. Make a list of the top museums you want to see.
If you love chocolate, why not visit the Museo del Chocolate in Juárez? Or, if you love art, don’t miss Museo Soumaya in Polanco. The choices are endless, and each visit will make your time in the city even more fun.
Don’t Hail a Taxi Off the Street
If you need to get somewhere important and don’t have an Uber Account, taxis can be a suitable alternative. However, only grab a taxi from a certified taxi stand or at airport or bus station lines. This makes sure that the car you’re getting into is official and uses a meter.
It also saves you from scams or the rare chances of falling victim to express kidnappings. This is when a thief posing as a taxi driver will demand money, often forcing you to withdraw as much as you can from an ATM.
Although rare, it can happen anywhere in Mexico. To avoid this, never hail a taxi off the street and only take marked cars from official taxi stands.
Plan Your Days
Mexico’s capital is huge and even a month won’t be enough time to do everything you want to. Do yourself a favor and plan your adventures through this inspiring city.
Many of the city’s main attrations are scattered around different parts of the city so you want to create a logical CDMX itinerary that doesn’t require you to be constantly traveling backwards and forwards.
If you can, don’t cram everything into one day. Many of Mexico City’s best museums will take time to explore. Plus, you’re going to want to set aside enough time to eat. This is Mexico City after all.
Prepare for Earthquakes
Mexico City lies in the notorious Ring of Fire. This zone of earthquake prone land masses and volcanos circles the entire Pacific Ocean and Mexico is one of its hotspots.
Don’t be alarmed if the ground moves. Small tremors do happen fairly frequently and although the concept of a larger quake is terrifying (though rare), most of Mexico City’s buildings are designed to withstand even the most powerful earthquakes.
It is worth having a quick Google and having general knowledge of what you are supposed to do in the event of an earthquake. Many hotels will post earthquake instructions on the walls of their rooms.
In the absolute worst case scenario, just follow the advice from locals and authorities and you’ll be ok.
Book Tours and Shows Ahead of Time
Mexicans love to have fun and enjoy their capital city and so do tourists. Because of this, you can expect long lines and plenty of sold-out events.
To make sure you’re not out of luck, book everything ahead of time. This will save you a lot of time and headache waiting in lines or not being able to attend an event or see a landmark.
This is important for things like Luche Libre fights and the Frida Kahlo Musuem, where you absolutely wont be able to get inside unless you have prebooked a ticket online. (You should buy it a day or two before and then you will be given a 15 minute arrival timeslot. If you arrive without a ticket, you will be turned away).
No Dar Papaya
This useful Colombian phrase applies in most big cities in Latin America, even Mexico City. It means, don’t give a papaya. Papayas are sweet, juicy, and tempting to grab if you’re hungry. So is your expensive iPhone or purse for some people who are struggling.
While in public, don’t flash expensive electronics, jewelry, or anything that screams, “I’ve got money!” Watch your bags when you sit down too to avoid being pickpocketed.
If you follow this simple rule of thumb, you’ll blend right in and avoid any trouble. If you need to check your phone, you can do it safely inside a store. And, if you want to dress to the nines on a night out, take an Uber there and back.
You will see well-heeled locals and expats flashing fancy designer gear in Polanco, but doing so anywhere else is a big no-no.
Leave Time to Explore
Even though having plans is good, you’ll want to leave aside some time to explore, meet locals, and let the city’s vibe guide you. Mexico City is full of surprises, so make sure you don’t cram all your activities into one day.
After checking off a few must-see destinations, why not venture into neighborhoods like Coyoacan or even Narvarte to walk and take in the sights? One of the best places to do this is by far the giant green space, Bosque de Chapultepec.
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Study Spanish
Unfortunately, many people come to Mexico learning no Spanish. If you are going to be spending any amount of time here, try to pick up as much as you can before your visit.
Learning at least a little of the language will not only help keep you safe and informed, but is also respectful. Sure, many people will happily speak English if you need, but it’s best to try to communicate in Spanish whenever possible.
Mexico City has plenty of wonderful language schools. If you have time, consider attending a few hour lessons or even daily lessons to get your language level up. And most of all, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Uber at Night
If you’re going out at night, take an Uber. Mexico City’s metro system becomes less safe late at night and taxis can be risky because of scammers.
Because of this, it’s best to call an Uber. They’re cheap, safe, and plentiful. And they run all night, so you can enjoy the city’s notoriously fun nightlife without wondering how you’re going to get home.
Always check that the driver has a decent amount of past reviews and has been on the app for a while. (i.e. you are not their third journey!) When they arrive, make sure that the vehicle and license plate that you see corresponds to what you see in the app.
A B O U T T H E A U T H O R
Melissa Douglas is a British Travel Writer based in Merida, Mexico. She has contributed to numerous high profile travel publications across the globe and runs the website www.mexicotravelsecrets.com where she encourages travelers to explore Mexico off the beaten path.
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