Mexico City was named the New York Times #1 travel destination in 2016. So, why did everyone give me the side-eye when I hatched a solo plan to see Mexico City in 3 days? Actually, many people assumed I was going to Cancun and wanted to talk about the beaches. Between drug wars, cartels, and partying spring breakers, Mexico gets a bad rap in the U.S. and there are definitely some places tourists should not go. But I am in love with Mexico City, the largest city in North America. After a couple of solo trips to CDMX, I have rounded up the best things to see when visiting Mexico City.

Of course, amongst my well-traveled friends and fellow travel bloggers, there is nothing unusual about traveling solo to Mexico City. I’ve now visited CDMX two times on my own, and I look forward to many future Mexico City trips. I can confidently say it’s one of my favorite cities in the world, along with Vancouver, Chicago, and Vienna. (Guadalajara is pretty cool, too!)

This post contains affiliate links. Buying through these links will not cost you extra, but I will earn a small commission.

Mexico City Itinerary

I recommend at least a three-day Mexico City itinerary, although five days or more is ideal. I had 3 days in Mexico City on my first trip. By mainly joining Mexico City tours, I saw a lot, but it left very little time for wandering and exploring. Which is pretty much my favorite thing to do when traveling. On my second trip, I had five days in Mexico City. Honestly, I could live in Mexico City, so no matter how long I stay, it’s never enough! But five days will give you time to see the city and even explore one of the many day trips from Mexico City.

Check out my travel tips for a solo trip to Mexico City!

Best Things to See in Mexico City

Although I rarely return to the same place twice, that’s not the case with Mexico’s capital city. I love the opportunity to really get to know a city through repeat visits. The more you visit, the further off the beaten path you are willing to go. On my first trip, I filled every day with tours. When I returned to Mexico City, I spent more time just wandering and exploring.

Chapultepec Park & Castle

One thing that surprised me most about Mexico City is how green it is. The main avenues are lined with trees, and there are tons of parks dotted around the city. Chapultepec Park, or Bosque de Chapultepec, is the Central Park of Mexico City. At nearly 1,700 acres, it’s actually twice the size of Central Park! The park includes Chapultepec Castle, Chapultepec Zoo, and the Museum of Anthropology. Vendors line the paths selling food and toys. It’s a great place to take a stroll, especially on the weekend when the locals are out enjoying the park, too.

Chapultepec Park – open daily from 8 am to 8 pm, closed on Mondays

I was really impressed with the outdoor space as well – lovely gardens with ruins scattered about (authentic or not, I don’t know!) There is also a nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. I was baffled by the menu, which seemed to be all omelets until I later learned that lunch in Mexico is closer to 2:00, so I was mostly getting breakfast menus at 11 or 12 when I was ready for lunch.

Travel Tip: most Mexico City museums are closed on Mondays, so plan ahead!

National Museum of Anthropology – open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, closed on Mondays

Metropolitan Cathedral

Any trip to Latin America inevitably involves a few cathedrals. They are pretty magnificent, even for someone like myself who thinks religion is a bunch of hooey. I can still appreciate the architecture, artwork, and history. The Metropolitan Cathedral was built in the 17th century, right over important Aztec ruins. You can still see the ruins through a glass floor outside of the cathedral. Because this entire area was built on a lake, it is slowly sinking over time. You can even tell inside the cathedral, where the room at the back is leaning to the right. It’s pretty amazing when you think about how many earthquakes have rattled the historic city center!

Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral – Zocalo District – open daily from 8 am to 8 pm

National Palace of Mexico

The best reason to visit the National Palace is to see all of the incredible Diego Rivera murals that paint a vivid portrait of the history of Mexico. If you visit on a tour as I did, your tour guide will walk you through the murals as they relate to Mexico’s history. It’s quite fascinating! There are several murals, painted between 1929 and 1951 depicting life from the Aztecs to post-revolution Mexico. There are also some murals depicting the crazy relationship between Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

National Palace of Mexico – open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, closed on Mondays

Frida Kahlo Museum

One of the highlights of my return trip to Mexico City was visiting the Blue House or the Frida Kahlo Museum. I’m by no means an art aficionado, but Frida’s story is inspiring, and her Mexico City house is a reflection of her art. Located in the fun neighborhood of Coyoacan, the Blue House is where Frida Kahlo lived her entire life. This is one of the most popular Mexico City attractions, so I recommend going with a skip-the-line tour group. More on that below…

Frida Kahlo Museum – open daily 10 am to 5:30 pm, closed on Mondays

Torre Latinoamericana

Anytime I visit a city, I like to try to find a high point that offers a great aerial view of the city. It’s usually a church tower, but in Mexico City, the Torre Latinoamericana is the place to go. I wasn’t crazy about ascending 45 floors in an earthquake zone, but the photos were worth it! The 44th floor has an outdoor observation deck with 360-degree views of Mexico City, while the Skydeck on floors 42 and 43 has a snack bar and some souvenirs. The tower also contains a couple of museums, which require an additional ticket.

Torre Latinoamericana – open daily from 9 am to 10 pm

Palacio Postal

If you tend to think of Mexico as a poor country, take one step inside the Palacio Postal and you might change your mind. Finished in 1907, the Palacio de Correos de Mexico has a beautiful mixture of Art Nouveau, Rococo, Renaissance, and Gothic elements. The bronze railings were cast in Florence Italy. It’s a working post office, so you can pop in and look around as you’d like.

Palacio Postal – open weekdays 8 am to 7:30 pm, Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday 10 am to 2 pm

Palacio de Bellas Artes

Another gorgeous Mexico City building is the Palace of Fine Arts. It was built around the same time as the post office; clearly a rich time in Mexican history. Hosting events that include music, dance, theatre, and opera, I’m told the interior is just as amazing as the exterior. I’ll have to find out on my next trip!

The cafe in Sears is one of the best photo spots in the city! They only serve coffee, but there’s a terrace with this fantastic view!

Mucho Museo del Chocolate

One of the newer museums in Mexico City, the Chocolate Museum is dedicated to the history and cultivation of chocolate, an important ingredient in Mexico’s history. Chocolate was even used as a currency at times. It’s a small museum with a nice chocolate shop as you exit.

Museo del Chocolate – open daily from 10 am to 5 pm

Mexico City Tours

For your first trip to Mexico City, I recommend taking a few tours. It’s an easy way to start to learn your way around the city, and many tours will give you early access or skip-the-line privileges that can save you a lot of time. On my first trip to Mexico City, I joined a different tour each day. On my second trip, I only took one guided tour. Mexico City tours are also a great way to meet fellow travelers!

Mexico City Food Tour

Ok, yeah, all that stuff I listed above is pretty cool, but let's face it. I'm all about finding the best food in Mexico City. The best way to stuff your face and try as many amazing traditional Mexican dishes as possible is to take a food tour.

I joined a Polanco food tour for a sampling of authentic Mexican food. The tour included seven stops, and I was ready to burst by the end of the night. The establishments we visited ranged from upscale restaurants to divey family joints.  I'm a picky eater, and I liked everything on the tour!  Most stops had a special beverage as well, and I'm happy to say, I had ice in my drinks and never got sick!

Want to find the best tacos in Mexico City? Sol Salute has a great list!

Mexico City Sightseeing Tour

In many cities, I will join a Hop On Hop Off bus tour. I did this in Mexico City but I had several poor experiences with Turibus so I don't recommend them. Fortunately, I also signed up for the Mexico City Sightseeing Tour, which included many of the Centro Historico attractions I listed above. Stops included the National Palace, Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Anthropology Museum.

Coyoacan Bike Tour

This was one of my favorite Mexico City tours, as it included food, culture, and exercise! The Bikes and Churros tour of Coyoacan includes a half-day bike tour of the charming neighborhood of Coyoacan. We stopped at several interesting points along the way, before having a delicious tostada lunch at the Coyoacan market. Another stop was made for churros and atole, a yummy hot drink. The tour ended with VIP access to the Frida Kahlo Museum, so we could all skip the line. Highly recommend this tour!

Mexico City Day Trips

There are some great day trips from Mexico City, which is another good reason to extend your stay in Mexico City as long as possible. Puebla, Cholula, Taxco, Cuernavaca, and San Miguel de Allende are all possible day trips from Mexico City. I feel like all of these little towns are deserving of more than a day trip, so I am saving them for another trip.

Teotihuacan Pyramids Tour

On my first trip to Mexico City, I had a great day trip to Teotihuacan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In my usual travel style, it required a 5 am wake-up call. I took the Early Morning Teotihuacan Pyramids Tour with a Private Archeologist. A lot of people choose to take a bus or taxi out to the pyramids, but I liked having a guide and hotel pickup, and the $40 price tag is very reasonable. We had an excellent guide, early arrival before the crowds, plenty of time to climb the available pyramids, and then a fun lunch stop at a nearby cultural center. On my next trip, I think I'll splurge for a hot air balloon ride.

Where to Stay in Mexico City

I have now stayed in three different Mexico City neighborhoods and would recommend them all. Each offers a unique environment for travelers, so it was nice to experience different parts of the city.

Check out my full guide on where to stay in Mexico City!

• Polanco - this is the more upscale area of Mexico City. I compare it to the Gold Coast of Chicago - here you'll find the best Mexico City hotels, including the Intercontinental, JW Marriott, the W, and the Hyatt lined up alongside Chapultepec Park. Avenue Masaryk, a few blocks away, has luxury car dealerships, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, and a bunch of other high-end retailers.
• Condesa - is not as glitzy as Polanco, but still very safe and maybe a little more trendy. I loved the guest house I stayed in, The Red Tree House B&B.
• Reforma - the business and consulate area which is within walking distance of the Zocalo and the Palace of Fine Arts. I loved staying at the Hilton here, I walked everywhere!

Getting Around Mexico City

Getting around Mexico City is pretty easy, although the traffic is legendary. I liked staying in different neighborhoods as I could really walk everywhere. When I stayed in Reforma, I took an Uber once to have dinner in Roma Norte. Otherwise, I walked all over. Uber is easy to use and very affordable in Mexico City. My most expensive Uber trip was around $8, and that was at the airport. Otherwise, it was usually $3-5. There's also a subway system and public transportation that is super cheap, but I've not bothered to learn my way around. It's cheap enough to Uber!

Best Time to Visit Mexico City

I have been to CDMX in September and January and had great weather. Surprisingly, for such a high elevation (7382') the weather is pretty temperate year-round. June through September is the rainy season and I do recall afternoon thunderstorms a couple of times in September, but nothing drastic. Average high temps range from 72 in January to 80 in April. Lows rarely drop below 50. So, really anytime is a good time to visit Mexico City!