One of the world’s great capitals, CDMX blends Aztec ruins, world-class museums, leafy neighborhoods and unbeatable street food. Here are the best things to do.
The 8 best things to do in Mexico City
The vast main square, the cathedral and the Templo Mayor Aztec ruins beside it.
Climb the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon at this ancient city, an hour out.
Frida’s cobalt-blue home in Coyoacán — book tickets well ahead.
World-class, with the Aztec Sun Stone — the city’s must-see museum.
Float the canals on a colorful trajinera with food, music and mariachis.
Frida’s bohemian neighborhood — markets, plazas and churros.
The huge city park, castle and museums — CDMX’s green heart.
Tacos al pastor, a market lunch, and mezcal — the city is a food capital.
Suggested itinerary
Day 1: Centro Histórico (Zócalo, Templo Mayor, Bellas Artes). Day 2: Teotihuacan. Day 3: Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo, Xochimilco.
Tips for visiting Mexico City
- Book Frida Kahlo Museum and Teotihuacan tours in advance
- Use Uber — cheap, safe and easy across the city
- The altitude (2,240 m) is real — pace yourself the first day
Skip the trajinera party boat, and never pay for a Teotihuacan tour
Xochimilco’s reputation as the must-do canal trip is half right. The problem is the Nativitas dock, where you’ll fight beer-blasting party trajineras and pay the official 750 pesos (about US$40) per boat per hour whether you fill all 18 seats or not. Go to the Cuemanco embarcadero instead, next to the Parque Ecologico, and take an ecological route through the protected wetlands. You actually see axolotls, herons and chinampa farms rather than someone’s bachelor party.
The bigger waste of money is a guided Teotihuacan tour at US$45-50 a head. You don’t need one. From Autobuses del Norte (metro line 5), walk to Gate 8 and find the booth marked Piramides or Autobuses Teotihuacanos. A round trip runs roughly 208 pesos cash (~US$11), buses leave every 15-20 minutes, and the ride is about an hour. Site entry is 210 pesos for foreigners as of January 2026. That’s under US$25 total versus US$50 for a tour that herds you through.
One more reality: ignore advice to Uber everywhere. The Metro is 5 pesos (US$0.30) a ride and faster than traffic on the Insurgentes corridor at rush hour. Save Uber (60-100 pesos a hop) for late nights and the airport.
Mexico City FAQ
How many days do you need in Mexico City?
Three to four — for the centre, museums, Teotihuacan and the neighborhoods.
Is Mexico City safe for tourists?
The tourist areas (Roma, Condesa, Centro, Coyoacán) are fine with normal big-city caution.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.