MEXICO CITY: THE AUTHENTIC CAPITAL OF MEXICO

Mexico! A trip I wanted to make for many years, an endlessly interesting country with rich culture, magnificent ancient ruins and stunning landscapes.

My Itinerary:

Flight from Athens to Mexico City. 8 days in Mexico city with 2-3 day trips and then flight to Cancun city in Quintana Roo state. We rented a car, drove 2 hours to Tulum (On December 2023, Tulum airport opened as well) and spent 4 days in the area there with 1 day trip in Valladolid. Then 2 more days in Holbox Island. Flight from Cancun airport back to Athens-Greece where my hometown is. Check my second article for Quintana roo state here. 

Let’s begin with Mexico City: THE CAPITAL.

An impressive city, elegant, full of amazing bars, parks, museums, great restaurants and stunning buildings to visit.

Is Mexico City safe?

When I first decided to visit Mexico City, everyone was wondering why, as they had in their mind that “Mexico City is too dangerous”. Especially for Greeks travelling to Mexico, it is common to visit mainly Yucatan area where the beaches and the resorts are. Mexico City tends to have a far worse reputation than it deserves, due to how media projects the image of Mexico worldwide. However, it is much safer than people may think it is.

Obviously, as in every city, there are neighbourhoods that are not ideal to walk alone at night, you don’t just get into random taxis on the street but only use UBER and you don’t stroll around with expensive camera or jewelry. Even in Athens, my hometown, there are spots that you shouldn’t be alone and walk after dark.

Before my trip, I read many articles, I talked to local girls, I spoke to several people who had travelled to Mexico City for holidays. Everybody was telling me the same thing, that rumors are not just and that the capital of Mexico is a safe place to visit.

Did I make the right decision? For sure! Staying safe in Mexico City is often the number one concern of travellers and tourists passing through the Mexican capital. I stayed in Mexico City for 8 days. Few of them I was alone since I travelled alone before my friends arrived and I can tell you that Mexico City and the areas that you will walk around are touristic and you will be perfectly fine.

GENERAL tips

Where to stay in Mexico?

My favorite neighbourhoods and the best to stay when in Mexico City are Condesa and Roma. I stayed in Centro Historico which was cheaper and very convenient as well.

Where NOT to stay in Mexico City?

• Tepito, often referred to as the city’s “Black Market”
• Ciudad Neza, one of the city’s districts that is majorly impoverished
• La Merced Market , not recommended after dark for sure
• Doctores , home of some traditional Mexican lucha libres (local professional wrestlers)
• Iztapalapa

When is the best time to visit?

Rainy season is from June to September, so ideally avoid these months.

All year long temperature is high during the day and chill during the night (you need a light jacket at nights even during the hottest months April-May) Angel’s tip: You can see my outfits and get an idea about the temperature while I was in Mexico City during November.

In my opinion, end of October/beginning of November is perfect since not only you can enjoy  mild weather with great temperature but you can also experience the Day of the Dead celebrations, like I did .

What is the “Dia De Los Muertos”?

The Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos in Spanish is a holiday traditionally celebrated beginning of November every year, on November 1 and 2 but celebrations start few days earlier. It is widely celebrated in Mexico, where it largely developed, but lately it is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respect and to remember deceased friends and family members. In towns and cities throughout Mexico, (and of course the capital as well) people do funky makeup and wear costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance in the cemeteries and make offerings to lost loved ones. Angel’s tip: Ideally arrive in Mexico a few days before the actual Day of the Dead to enjoy the parade as well and check online for the events in the capital or the city that you will visit. I was in Mexico City but I have heard that some villages and regions further out are amazing too like San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca or San Andrés Mixquic.

Can I drink tap water in Mexico?

Don’t drink the tap water in Mexico City! Only bottled.

Plug?

US plugs, type A with the two flat parallel pins.

Tip in the restaurants?

10-20% is recommended.

Visa is needed? 

As a Greek citizen, you typically don’t need a VISA for short visits to Mexico(less than 180 days) for tourism or business purposes! However, it’s always a good idea to double-check the current visa requirements! Angel’s tip: Ensure your passport has at least 6 months validity beyond your planned stay!

Let’s talk about Mexico City now…. 

Must places to see and visit?

Zocalo square known as the Plaza de la Constitución

Metropolitan Cathedral

The House of Tiles

Palacio Postal

Palace of Fine Arts

The Angel of Independence

Chapultepec Castle & Park

National Palace

Torre Latinoamericana

Garibaldi square during the day & night to see the Mariachi singing

Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe

Must neighbourhoods to stroll around?

• Roma, the hipster and alternative neighborhood of Mexico City with colorful colonial-style buildings and industrial modern architecture
• Condesa, with the charming atmosphere of tree-lined streets & amazing cute restaurants/cafes
• Polanco, with the 5-star hotels & high-end boutiques
• Coyoacan, a beautiful colorful neighborhood and home to Frida Khalo’s Casa Azul museum
• Centro Historico, located among the city’s major cultural and historic destinations

Museums to visit?

There are plenty amazing museums in Mexico – more than 150. This is no surprise considering its rich historical and cultural past though…So it is very hard to pick the “must see” ones.

I would recommend at least the below though which are amazing:

• National Museum of Anthropology: the most visited museum in Mexico
• Frida Kahlo Museum
• Palace of Fine Arts

Nightlife?

Mexico City has some exceptional bars, many impressive restaurants and great clubs.

My favorite ones were the speakeasy bars (reservation is a must).  Location was secret, the cocktails fabulous and the presentation impressive. Some of them are:  “Handshake” which is one of the best in the world, “Hanky Panky” cocktail bar , “Haman Bar” and many more.

Angel’s tip: A great way to visit some of the best bars in the city is by booking a Bar crawling tour with a local, as I did. It was the best night I had in Mexico city and his name is Mauricio, I totally recommend him. You can book and check more details here. 

There are many bars with exceptional view where you can enjoy the whole city. I will mention below very few of them:

• Carlotta Reforma sky bar in the Ritz Cartlon Hotel
• Terraza  in Gran Hotel
• Balmori Rooftop Bar
• Supra Roma Rooftop Bar
• Toledo Rooftop
• Cityzen in Sofitel Hotel.

Experiences?

• Watch a Lucha Libre fight. Lucha Libre is a type of professional wrestling originating from Mexico, in which the contestants wear masks and use rapid, acrobatic techniques Angel’s tip: For better seats close to the wrestling ring, book in advance. Otherwise you can find on the spot but you will be far away like me. I paid 100 MXN. (5 euros)

• Visit local food markets and traditional style Mexican markets which specialize in the sale of Mexican handcrafts & folk art. For food some that I suggest are “Mercado Independencia” and “Mercado Roma” . For souvenirs  there are many places like “Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela” , “Mercado de Sonora”, “Mercado de Artesanías” in Londres road or even individual street sellers that you find inside the Chapultepec Park.
  Angel’s tip: If you want to buy souvenirs I strongly recommend to visit a local market like the Ciudadela that I went since elsewhere or in the airport they are overpriced.

Must eat local & most famous food to try? Tacos.

I don’t know which is the most popular food in your country but there is nothing more famous in Mexico than the “TACOS”. You can find taquerias everywhere and enjoy the authenticity of the tacos in the capital! Some restaurants I visited and tried:

Restaurants:

• Salón Tenampa. A famous restaurant I visited one night and vibes were super Mexican but touristy. Food was ok , nothing amazing though. It is located in the popular Garibaldi square which is known for the Mariachi bands that sing day and especially night. In the restaurant, you can pay them and sing for you around your table.
• La Casa de las Sirenas: Historic venue with terrace views, serving traditional & contemporary Mexican dishes, plus great tequilas.
• Rosetta: Located  in the Roma neighborhood, Rosetta has a distinctly homey feel, with a dining room painted in pastel frescoes that wind through the restaurant’s many rooms. This is undoubtedly one of the best Italians in the city, so reservations are a must.

Do you want more party vibes and international dishes? Below some recommendations for restaurants:

• Taboo | Restaurante Mediterráneo en Polanco
• Casa Prunes
• Animal Masaryk
• Ryoshi

Do you want something sweet? Try Marquesitas, loved the ones with nutella flavor!

There is no question that there are 2 drinks you must try in Mexico! Which ones?

Mezcal & Tequila of course! Angel’s tip:  don’t forget to try Margarita and Paloma cocktails

Do you want to try something else with alcohol?

• Michelada
• Pacifico & Victoria beer
• Pulque

Non-alcoholic drink: “Agua Fresca” , fruit-flavored water.

Must Day trips while in Mexico city: (1 hour drive) 

• In Xochimilco with a boat ride in the canals in southern Mexico City. The famous canals of Xochimilco are the last remnants of a vast water transport system built by the Aztecs. Colorful gondola-like boats take visitors on small cruises while food vendors, artisans & mariachi bands float past. You pay 250 MXN for one song from Mariachi and 50-60 MXN for one beer. The atmosphere is festive, especially during weekends.

Angel’s tip: If you want to pay less for your drinks during the boat ride in the canals, bring your own with you.

• Teotihuacan Pyramids, a huge Mexican archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City and UNESCO World Heritage site. The main road that links the main sites is the Avenue of the Dead. It links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun. I combined it with a hot-air balloon ride with the company “SKY BALLOONS” and it was magical. Angel’s tip: You can go on an organized tour as I did, take an uber or the bus/car.  

Long distant day trips you can make from Mexico city:

• San Miguel d’Allende
• Grutas Tolantongo in Hidalgo mountains
• Puebla city
• Cholula Pueblo Magico
• Morelia
• Queretaro
• Taxco
  

  Grutas Tolantongo (hot springs in Hidalgo)

Angel’s tip: The days I was alone in Mexico City but when my friends joined as well, I made many bookings through “Airbnb Experiences” and “Get Your Guide”. You can read the reviews and decide, find the exact tour, excursion or experience you want and join groups to explore the area or even go for drinks. Totally safe and so cool!

My Itinerary:

Flight from Athens to Mexico City. 8 days in Mexico city with 2-3 day trips and then flight to Cancun city in Quintana Roo state. We rented a car, drove 2 hours to Tulum and spent 4 days in the area there with 1 day trip in Valladolid. Then 2 more days in Holbox Island. Flight from Cancun airport back to Athens-Greece where my hometown is. Check my second article for Quintana roo state here. 

For more pictures and details check my posts, guide  & reels on Instagram!

IG: angeliki.a_