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I spent 5 days in Mexico City during Christmas with my husband and his family. We arrived on Christmas Eve, only to find all the restaurants near our Airbnb in Roma Sur closed for the holidays! Luckily we found a convenience store that was still open, bought some eggs, and improvised dinner. Despite the rocky start and ending the trip with the flu, the incredible food made it all worth it! Here were our favorite things to do from Mexico City:
1. Eat Mexican Food
Why Visit:
Mexican cuisine is a vibrant fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican and Spanish traditions, built on local ingredients like corn, beans, and chilies.
Highlights:
- Ricos Tacos Toluca → street side chorizo tacos. The green one looked scary but it was my favorite!
- Expendio de Maiz → corn-focused restaurant with no menu and serves you dishes until you’re full. We tried four and loved all of them.
- Tacos La Chula Roma → delicious and budget-friendly tacos.
- Doña Vero → cozy spot with excellent pozole verde.
- El Moro → freshly made churros.
How to Go:
Bring cash for Ricos Tacos Toluca and Expendio de Maiz. Also I recommend going to Expendio de Maiz when it opens since they don’t take reservations. We went at 10:30AM and were on the waitlist for 4 hours!
2. Teotihuacán
Why Visit: At its peak between 1–500 CE, Teotihuacán was the largest city in the Americas. Its massive pyramids and wide ceremonial avenues are still standing today.
Highlights:
- Pyramid of the Moon → smaller than Pyramid of the Sun, but you can climb the first platform for amazing views of the plaza.
- Pyramid of the Sun → the most iconic structure in the complex. You can no longer climb to the top, but you can walk around the base and climb partway up nearby platforms for a great view of the pyramid.
- Calzada de los Muertos → grand avenue that runs through the heart of the city.
- Hot Air Balloon Flight → sunrise balloon rides over the Teotihuacán Valley.
How to Go:
Teotihuacán is about an hour drive from Mexico City, and it’s best to bring cash for the entrance fee (100 pesos) in case cards don’t work. We visited as part of a balloon tour and it was an unforgettable experience!
3. Chapultepec Castle
Why Visit: Perched atop a hill, Chapultepec Castle is the only royal castle in North America. It served as an imperial residence for Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota, while also being a military academy and presidential home.
Highlights:
- Grand Historical Rooms → walk through the well preserved rooms and see the beautiful stained glass panels.
- Rooftop Terrace → enjoy the rooftop garden and panoramic views over the city.
- National Museum of History → displays Mexico’s story from the Spanish Conquest through the Revolution.
How to Go:
The castle is closed on Mondays and free for residents on Sundays. We visited when it opened and bought tickets onsite. Note that they don’t allow water at the top (they forced us to dump ours), so if you want to keep your water, you’ll have to leave it in storage (10 pesos) at the bottom.
4. Centro Histórico
Why Visit: A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest downtown area in Latin America, the historic center is packed with monumental Spanish colonial architecture and indigenous ruins.
Highlights:
- Templo Mayor Archaeological Site & Museum → walk through the ruins of the sacred twin-temple that was once the heart of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. The same entrance ticket allows entry to the nearby museum that contains thousands of artifacts discovered beneath the city.
- Zócalo (Plaza de la Constitución) → one of the largest central square in the world with holiday installations when we visited.
- Metropolitan Cathedral → oldest and largest cathedral in Latin America. Apparently Mexico City is sinking up to 20 inches (50 cm) per year, and you can see the effects of that on the cathedral with slanted floor and extra stairs.
- Palacio de Bellas Artes → beautiful architecture with Art Nouveau exterior and Art Deco interior.
How to Go:
We visited as part of a historic downtown walking tour, which was a fantastic way to learn about the history of the area. The tour didn’t include entrance to Templo Mayor, so we went back by ourselves after the tour and bought tickets on site.
5. Museo Nacional de Antropología
Why Visit: The Anthropology Museum houses the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian Mexican art, covering vast history from early humans to modern indigenous cultures.
Highlights:
- Mexica (Aztec) Hall → the museum’s most famous hall where you’ll find the Sun Stone and Statue of Coatlicue.
- Maya Hall → contains key pieces such as The Jade Mask of Pakal the Great and reconstructed tombs.
- El Paraguas → a massive concrete umbrella and a great photo spot.
How to Go:
The museum is closed on Mondays and free for residents on Sundays. We bought tickets online when we saw a huge line to buy tickets onsite. I recommend going early in the morning if you’re going on a Sunday since by the time we finished the museum around noon there was a massive line outside just to enter the museum. We visited the museum by ourselves, but I wish we had done a tour instead since many individual artifact labels were Spanish only.
Planning a trip to Mexico City? Check out my top 5 tips to help you prepare.
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