North AmericaMexico City
Al pastor off the spit, Aztec foundations, and rooftop mezcal.
Why visit
01 / 10The case for going
Mexico City sits on the ruins of the Aztec capital, and you can see the seams: the Templo Mayor's stone serpents stand a block from the cathedral and the Zocalo.
What pulls you back is the everyday genius of the food, a 20-peso taco al pastor shaved off the trompo or a tasting menu in Roma, with leafy walkable barrios in between.
What to do
02 / 10Ways to spend a day
Activities €30–70 total
- 01Stand over the Templo Mayor dig beside the Zocalo. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 02Visit Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul in Coyoacan. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 03Drift the canals of Xochimilco on a painted trajinera. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 04Crawl the taquerias of Roma Norte and Condesa. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 05Walk the halls of the National Museum of Anthropology. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
- 06Climb the pyramids of Teotihuacan on a day-trip. Book on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)
Book activities & tickets
Al pastor off the spit, Aztec foundations, and rooftop mezcal.
Where to stay
03 / 10The right base
Accommodation €30–60/night
Condesa
leafy art-deco streets, cafes and parks
Roma Norte
hip and walkable, galleries and dining
Coyoacan
village-like and cobbled, Frida Kahlo's barrio
Centro Historico
the historic heart, grand and busy
Find a place to stay
How to get there
04 / 10Easiest way in
How to get around
05 / 10Once you land
The metro is vast and costs about 0.25 EUR a ride, though it crushes at rush hour. Uber and DiDi are cheap and easy for longer or late-night hops; for Teotihuacan, buses run from the Terminal Norte in about an hour.
Get around
What to eat
06 / 10Order this
Food €10–25/day
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Tacos al pastor
spit-roast pork tacos
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Esquites
cup of street corn
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Chiles en nogada
stuffed poblano
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Cochinita pibil
slow-roast pork
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Churros
fried dough
- TasteAtlas (opens in a new tab)
Tlacoyos
stuffed masa cakes
By the numbers
07 / 10Cards on the table
Safety index
68/100
General guide, not advisory data
Best seasons
Fall · Spring
When it's at its best
Stay for
4 days
The sweet spot
Daily spend
$$
Mid-range
How to fit in
08 / 10Read the room
Follow the queues and the smoke: the best al pastor is carved after dark off a spinning trompo, and the city eats dinner well past 9pm. On Sundays locals fill Chapultepec and the Coyoacan plazas, and Xochimilco's canals turn into a floating party of mariachi and michelada.
How to pack
09 / 10What goes in the bag
Best in Fall
Fall: pleasant days around 20 to 25C, cool evenings, and far less rain than mid-year.
- comfortable shoes for long city days
- a light jacket for cool highland evenings
- a hat and sunscreen for Teotihuacan
- a daypack for excursions
- a refillable water bottle
How to prepare
10 / 10The boring bits
Three things worth sorting before you fly.
Tomorrow's detour
One place worth the trip.
Hand-picked, one a day.