(Translated by https://www.hiragana.jp/)
Mexico City Travel Guide - Expert Picks for your Mexico City Vacation | Fodor's
The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20171101201529/http://www.fodors.com/world/mexico-and-central-america/mexico/mexico-city
View Gallery
  • Plan Your Mexico City Vacation

    Photo: Colman Lerner Gerardo / Shutterstock

Plan Your Mexico City Vacation

Mexico City is having a moment. All of a sudden, it seems, the largest city in the Americas has absolutely captivated international tastemakers, and gallons of ink have been spilled in glossy magazines extolling its historic architecture, booming gastronomy, and cutting-edge cultural scene. The capital is Mexico’s undisputed center of gravity, with the country’s best and brightest being drawn to the sprawling megalopolis like the river to the sea. As a result, Mexico City’s name is now uttered in the same breath along with Paris, London, Tokyo, and New York. This electric energy has been here all along, of course, predating even the arrival of Cortés, so it’s about time Mexico City gets its due.

By and large, people have the wrong idea about Mexico City. To many the name alone summons two words: crime and pollution. No doubt there are areas to be avoided, but the Distrito Federal is packed to the gills with decent people who will usually look out for one another, and for you.

Pollution summons visions of unwalkable, megahighway-filled cities jammed with cars, which this is not. The smog is real: the Aztecs built their city of Tenochtitlan in a high (7,347 feet) valley that often waits days for the air to move. But there are more than 6 million cars in the city, fewer than three for every 10 of 22-million-something inhabitants (reports vary). Truth is, those living in the capital do so more sustainably than most people in the industrialized world, at high—yet comfortable—densities (though not in high-rises), and move mostly on foot and by public transit. (If you are tempted to drive in this Gordian knot of merged villages, well, we would recommend that you do not.)

Most of Mexico City is aligned on two major intersecting thoroughfares: Paseo de la Reforma and Avenida Insurgentes—at 29 km (18 miles), the longest avenue in the city. Administratively, Mexico City is divided into 16 delegaciones (districts) and nearly 2,000 colonias (neighborhoods), many with street names fitting a given theme, such as rivers, philosophers, or revolutionary heroes. The same street can change names as it goes through different colonias. So most street addresses include their colonia (abbreviated as Col.) Unless you're going to a landmark, it's important to tell your taxi driver the name of the colonia and, whenever possible, the cross street.

Restaurants

View All (69)

Hotels

View All (41)

Sights

View All (73)

Shopping

View All (30)

Nightlife

View All (44)

Performing Arts

View All (2)

Sports and Activities

View All (4)

Top Reasons To Go

  1. Hitting the hippest spot in the country Mexico City is the undisputed cultural capital of Latin America, with a lifestyle as distinct as that of New York or Rio.
  2. Strolling through the Centro Histórico Imagine if Washington, D.C., contained Plymouth Rock, Jamestown, Gettysburg, and Hiroshima to understand the aura and historic significance of this 500-year-old neighborhood laid atop—and made of—Aztec ruins.
  3. Sampling la cocina mexicana As street vendors offer up traditional snacks, chefs reinvent those recipes with amazing results.
  4. Museum-hopping You'll find Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera all over; the stunning contemporary Museo Nacional de Antropología is worth visiting just for the building—a full exploration of its collection would take days.
  5. Mexico's melting pot The city's size and status mean you'll see all aspects of Mexican society from fashionistas to farmers.

When To Go

When to Go

Mexico City has a fairly mild climate all year round. The coldest and, consequently, most smog-infested months are December and January. Although...

Read More

Check historic weather for your trip dates:

Advertisement

Book A Tour
Tours & Activities

Experience the best of Mexico City by booking tours in advance.

View Tours Powered by
Trending Stories
Trip Finder
Store
Travel Phrases

Learn Spanish Phrases before or while you're on the go!

Download Now