This list of places to see in Mexico City, formerly known as Mexico City, will help you get to know one of the largest and most vibrant cities in the world.
Located more than 2000 meters above sea level and with more than 20 million inhabitants, it has a beautiful historic center in which the Plaza del Zócalo is the great meeting point for locals and tourists who come to know this city in the which highlights the friendly nature of its people, the enormous green areas, ruins of ancient civilizations, incredible museums, charming neighborhoods and squares animated by Mariachis, next to one of the best gastronomies in the world, which make it a paradise for all those They visit her.
We know that one of the concerns of travelers before traveling to the capital is the issue of security in Mexico, so we want to comment that our experience in this aspect was incredibly positive, not feeling at any time feeling of danger or discomfort during all the days we toured Mexico City on our own.
Based on the experience of the days we spent in the city during our trip to Mexico in 45 days, we have made a list of what we believe are, the 10 places to see in Mexico City essential. We start!
1. The Zocalo
The Zocalo or Constitution Square, is the main square of the city and one of the places to visit in Mexico City more essential Being among the largest squares in the world, it impresses both its size and the frantic activity and social life, which with five centuries of history, mixes the country's colonial and indigenous past as well as being the point of celebration of all kinds of parties, concerts, cultural activities or demonstrations, being the seat of power of the whole country.
Around the square, declared a World Heritage Site, are two of the most beautiful buildings to see in Mexico City and that you can not miss, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace.
The Baroque Cathedral, which took almost 250 years to complete, was ordered by Hernán Cortés to be built on top of an ancient Aztec temple, in 1524 and some of the jewels you can see inside are the Archbishops' Crypt, the choir, the Altarpiece of the Kings and the Royal Chapel.
In the National Palace you can marvel at great works by one of the most recognized muralists in history, Diego Rivera.
A good way to save money in Mexico City is to book the Mexico City Flexi Attractions Pass that includes several attractions and monuments such as the National Palace, the Cathedral, the Frida Kahlo tour, the tourist bus and the Teotihuacán excursion, among others.
Visiting hours of the cathedral: every day from 8 am to 8 pm.
Visiting hours of the National Palace: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
The Zocalo
2. Templo Mayor
Near one of the corners of the Zocalo are the ruins of the Templo Mayor, the center of the political and religious life of the ancient Mexican civilization.
This great temple located in the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, was buried as a result of the Spanish colonization of 1521, when ordering to build on it a new city.
Throughout the twentieth century different archaeologists were discovering parts of the ancient temple and soon became another of the essential places to see in Mexico City. During the visit to the ruins you can see seven new phases of temple construction that were overlapping the old ones, among which the remains of a double pyramid and other buildings stand out.
Many of the best pieces that have been found in the great temple are stored in the museum that is located on one side of the complex, which we recommend not to miss and in which its great jewel is the great stone relief of the goddess Coyolxauhqui moon, although there are also other treasures such as the effigy of the god of fire, figures of Tlaloc or Mictlantecuhtli or the spectacular monument of Tlaltecuhtli.
A good option to know the history of the city and not miss anything important is to book this free tour of Mexico City Free !.
Visiting hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
Templo Mayor Museum
3. Neighborhood of Coyoacán
Coyoacán located south of the city, is the bohemian neighborhood and our favorite of Mexico City. Over time it has been the place of residence of renowned artists who settled in large colonial houses to continue being a reference in the cultural and artistic life of Mexico City by having several museums, markets and bookstores.
During our visit to Coyoacán we visited the famous Blue House, where Frida Kahlo lived with her husband Diego Rivera, until the day of her death, at which time 4 years later, the house was transformed into a museum, in which A large collection of paintings and personal objects that will help you understand the life of this great artist, turned into a world icon is exposed.
Other interesting places of Coyoacán are the Parish of San Juan Bautista, the Municipal House, the Centennial Garden, the Museo Casa de León Trotsky, the Plaza de la Conchita, the Mexican food market and the House of Hernán Cortés, places that will show you Little by little and little sips while walking, one of the most charming areas of the city.
To reach the places to see in Mexico City further away as Coyoacán, we use Uber, which has a very effective price and service in the capital of Mexico.
A good option to not miss anything in this neighborhood is to book this guided tour in Spanish which includes a ride on the traditional trajinera through the canals of the Xochimilco neighborhood. If you are in love with Frida Kahlo, we recommend you book this Frida tour of the Coyoacán neighborhood with a guide in Spanish.
Visiting hours Casa Azul: from Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
4. Francisco I. Madero Street
One of the best things to do in Mexico City is to walk along the emblematic and old pedestrian street Francisco I. Madero. Its shops, restaurants and street artists coexist with the great architectural and cultural heritage that this street treasures in which among its most beautiful buildings is the Casa de los Azulejos, a colonial palace with a facade covered by tiles and a beautiful interior.
Other outstanding buildings are the Iturbide Palace, the Borda House, the Temple of the Prophet, the Guardiola Building, the “La Mexicana” Building and the Latin American Tower, which is worth climbing to its 204 meters, to enjoy the Best views of Mexico City.
Visiting hours of the Latin American Tower: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 11pm.
Francisco I. Madero Street, one of the places to see in Mexico City
5. Bosque de Chapultepec, one of the places to see in Mexico City
The Chapultepec forest is the great green lung of the city and another of the essential places to see in Mexico City. In this park, in addition to taking pleasant walks along its paths or by boat on its artificial lake, you will find a great cultural offer in the form of museums, which we advise you not to miss.
The National Museum of Anthropology, is one of the most important museums in the continent as it has the largest collection of pre-Hispanic art in the world in which among its most important objects are the Stone of the Sun, the tomb of Pakal, the Monolith of Tlaloc and Teotihuacan sculptures, among many others.
To learn more about the history of the main pieces it can be very interesting to book this visit in Spanish with a specialized guide.
Another of the most visited museums in the city is the National History Museum located in Chapultepec Castle. Its wide collection allows you to review the history of the country since the arrival of the Spaniards.
Hours of the National Museum of Anthropology: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 7pm.
National Museum of History opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance to Chapultepec
Our recommended hotel in Mexico City
We stayed at the Hotel Zócalo Central located on Avenida 5 de Mayo, with stunning views of the Zocalo. The rooms are spacious and have all the communities, in addition to having breakfast included in the price, which is served every morning on the terrace overlooking the Zocalo and the historic center, two of the places to see in Mexico City essential .
6. Palace of Fine Arts and Central Mall
The Palace of Fine Arts, located at one end of the Alameda Central park, is one of the buildings what to see in Mexico City more beautiful. This lyrical theater through which great opera stars such as María Callas, Luciano Pavarotti or Plácido Domingo have passed, is considered the most important cultural and artistic space in Mexico.
The Palace is a fusion of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles in which a Carrara marble facade, a huge bronze dome and beautiful sculptures that adorn its exterior and an interior in which the 17 murals of seven national artists stand out and the opalescent glass curtain of the Main Hall.
The Alameda Central, located right next to the Palace of Fine Arts, is another place to see in Mexico City, considered the oldest public garden in America. This green space located in the historic center is perfect for a leisurely stroll among trees, fountains and sculptures.
One way to get to know the most important places in the city is to book this guided tour in Spanish or this private tour where you can choose the itinerary.
Visiting hours of the palace: Monday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Palace of Fine Arts
7. Visit the pyramids of Teotihuacán
Teotihuacán, the place where men become gods, is one of the most essential places to see in Mexico. These ruins, located less than 50 kilometers from Mexico City, were once the largest pre-Hispanic cities on the continent.
If you are going to visit them, something that is essential for us, it is advisable to arrive early in the morning to enjoy the place without many people, climb the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest pyramids in the world, walk along the Causeway Los Muertos until you reach the Pyramid of the Moon, where you will have spectacular views of the entire archaeological complex.
As we mentioned earlier, for us to visit the pyramids of Teotihuacán is one of essential places to see in Mexico City And it was one of the best experiences we had during our entire trip to Mexico, exceeding all our expectations.
If you want to make this visit on your own, you can arrive by bus in one hour from the Central Station of the North of Mexico City. To get to the bus station, you can do it by subway or Uber.
Another more comfortable and interesting option to know the whole history of this enigmatic place, is to book this bus tour at dawn with a guide in Spanish or book this tour that includes a balloon ride over the impressive Teotihuacán Valley. Both are among the best excursions in Mexico City.
Visiting hours: every day from 9am to 5pm.
Teotihuacan
8. San Angel Neighborhood
This old town from the colonial era became one of the neighborhoods over time what to see in Mexico City prettier in which the constructions of the ancient Mexican towns are still preserved thanks to the money of many powerful families who chose this space to build their villas and large houses. Today it is a place to stroll through its beautiful squares and buy some of the best artisanal sourvenirs in the city, while discovering the charm of this beautiful place.
We recommend going on Saturday, when in the Plaza San Jacinto and Plaza del Carmen there are markets where paintings, pottery, antiques, regional dolls are sold, among other things.
Another of the claims of this neighborhood are the stalls and restaurants of typical food in which they serve some of the Mexican specialties such as delicious quesadillas and fresh waters. Other interesting places in the neighborhood are the seats of the Graduates and the Archangels or the Diego Rivera Study House.
Barrio de San Ángel, one of the places to see in Mexico City
9. Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe
The Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe is the site dedicated to the most visited Virgin Mary in the world and one of the most emblematic places to visit in Mexico City. This religious complex is made up of several buildings of great historical value in which one of its jewels is the Chapel of the Cerrito, place of the first appearance of the virgin, which has several frescoes that remember it.
The Tepeyac Cemetery considered the oldest in Mexico, the New Basilica of Guadalupe, the Temple and former Convent of the Capuchins, the Pocito Chapel, next to the Old Basilica of Guadalupe complete the wonders of this enclosure.
You can arrive by subway from the historic center by taking line 6 and getting off at La Villa-Basilica. In Uber it will take about half an hour depending on the traffic.
A good option is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that combines the basilica with the archaeological sites of Tlatelolco and Teotihuacán.
Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 5pm. Some of the buildings open at 7 am and others close later.
Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe
10. Xochimilco
Xochimilco, which means "land of flowers", is one of the most picturesque delegations to see in Mexico City. Located about 20 kilometers from the center, this area still preserves the chinampas, artificial islands built on the bottom of Lake Xochimilco and cultivated in the ancestral style.
The best way to see the crops, declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is walking through the different canals with a trajinera, a traditional wooden boat painted colors and adorned with flowers.
Another of the best things to do in this area is to visit the Dolores Olmedo Museum, which has an extensive collection of works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
The best time to go to Xochimilco is at the weekend, when the locals set up their parties and walk with the trajineras, while the Mariachis liven up the party with their rancheras and make it one of the places to see in Mexico City essential.
To get from the center you can take the subway line 2 to the Taxqueña, then continue with the light train to Xochimilco.
Xochimilco
How to have internet in Mexico?If you want to have internet in Mexico a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to see in Mexico City, add yours in the comments.
