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An angled view of the marble entrance and ribbed orange dome of Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.

Mexico City

A huge capital you explore one neighborhood at a time: world-class museums, Aztec ruins in the center and food from street tacos to tasting menus.

Approved by TravPa Editors, Nov 3, 2026
The tiled dome rises behind the south entrance of Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.

Itineraries

An angled view of the marble entrance and ribbed orange dome of Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
The tiled dome rises behind the south entrance of Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
Mexico City in 3 daysZócalo, Templo Mayor, Bellas Artes, Plaza Garibaldi, Chapultepec, Museum of Anthropology, Roma Norte, Xochimilco, Coyoacán3 days, MexicoBalanced pace

Where to stay

Roma Norte and Condesa for first-timers: leafy, walkable and full of places to eat. Polanco for upscale hotels by the big museums, the Centro for the main sights.

The areas: Roma Norte, Condesa, Polanco, Centro Histórico.

Where to stay in Mexico City: areas and adviceHotels in Mexico City

Places to see

All things to do in Mexico
ViewpointÁngel de la IndependenciaA golden winged Victory on a tall column over Paseo de la Reforma, built for the 1910 centenary of independence.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumChapultepec CastleHilltop castle in Chapultepec Park, now the National History Museum, with city views.
NeighborhoodCoyoacán centerColonial plazas, a busy market and churros, in the old village south of the center.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumFrida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul)The blue house where Frida Kahlo was born, lived and died.Entry: Tickets sold online only
MuseumLeon Trotsky House MuseumThe house where Leon Trotsky lived in exile until he was assassinated in 1940.Entry: MX$[fee]
MarketMercado de CoyoacánCoyoacán's covered market, known for its tostada stalls.Entry: Pay as you go
MarketMercado de San JuanA market known for hard-to-find produce, cheeses and meats, with counters that serve food on the spot.Entry: Pay as you go
MarketMercado MedellínA Roma Sur neighborhood market with fondas serving set lunches and stalls selling foods from across Latin America.Entry: Pay as you go
ChurchMetropolitan CathedralThe largest cathedral in the Americas, built between 1573 and 1813.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumNational Museum of AnthropologyA huge museum of Mexico's ancient cultures, home to the Aztec Sun Stone.
MuseumPalacio de Bellas ArtesArt nouveau palace with murals by Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros.Entry: Free on Sundays
NatureParque MéxicoThe leafy park at the heart of Condesa, laid out inside the oval of an old racetrack.Entry: Free to visit
NeighborhoodPlaza de la ConchitaA quiet square around a small colonial chapel, a few blocks from Coyoacán's main plazas.Entry: Free to visit
NeighborhoodPlaza GaribaldiThe square where mariachi bands gather to play for hire, with the San Camilito food market on its north side.Entry: Free to visit
NeighborhoodRoma NorteLeafy streets of early 1900s houses, cafes, bars and some of the city's best restaurants.Entry: Free to visit
RuinsTemplo MayorExcavated ruins of the Aztec capital's main temple, with a museum of the finds.
ViewpointTorre LatinoamericanaA 1950s skyscraper with an observation deck at the top, known for riding out the 1957 and 1985 earthquakes.Entry: Observation deck and floor 38 museum included.
NatureXochimilco canalsCanals left from the lake that once filled the valley, lined with chinampa farm plots and toured on painted trajinera boats.Entry: Price per boat, for up to 18 people
NeighborhoodZócaloMexico City's main square, framed by the cathedral and the National Palace.Entry: Free to visit