Ahh, the city that I will never get bored of. Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico, CDMX) is full of history, culture and delicious food. While I only had 5 days in this city and spent most of those days enjoying the nightlife, I was able to see the main attractions the city has to offer. Of course, a city this size has numerous things to do that unfortunately I was unable to experience during this trip. This only means that I have to come back! Here are a few must do’s in Mexico City.
Table of Contents
- Tolantongo to CDMX
- Casa Pepe Hostel
- Quesadilla Spot in CDMX
- Things to do in Mexico City
- Coyoacan
- Frida Kahlo House
- Xochimilco
- Leon Trotsky house
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Lucha Libre
Tolantongo to CDMX
From the bus station in Ixmiquilpan I wrote about in my last blog post, I took the Ovnibus bus to Mexico City. It was about a 4 hour ride and I arrived at Central de Autobuses del Norte. From there I followed Google Maps and took the metro to my hostel in centro. The metro was very easy to follow, there were clear signs, the metro itself was very clean, and the first cart of the metro was the women and kids cart which I used every time.
Casa Pepe Hostel
This was an amazing hostel. It is very big with several rooms and several travelers, making the hostel very social. They have a rooftop bar and lounge area. They had something called “power hour” during 6-7pm which was 50 pesos for the whole hour and you can drink as much beer or margaritas as you’d like. The margarita was pretty weak so many people were only taking the beer. As someone who rarely drinks, I only participated in this happy hour once. Casa Pepe also gives you a free welcome drink that you can use outside of happy hour. The free drink they had available when I was visiting was a margarita, and it was delicious. On top of the happy hour, Casa Pepe has events and activities almost every day. From karaoke night to walking tours, the hostel organizes several activities which are great for meeting new people.
The rooms themselves were very clean. I stayed in a 6 bed dorm and the beds were comfy and clean, the bathrooms were separated with shower and sink in one room and toilet in another room. This was a bit annoying because the sink wasn’t with the toilet and if someone was using the shower then I wasn’t able to wash my hands after using the toilet. Otherwise the room was great and I had no complaints.
The location was central to all the historical buildings, the zocalo, and the shopping area. Casa Pepe was also within a 5 minute walk of the metro station. With that said, for nightlife there isn’t much going on in the Centro area, so most nights I would have to take a metro or an Uber to Roma Norte or Condesa to experience the nightlife. Roma Norte and Condesa have amazing restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Next time around I will definitely be staying in this area.
Quesadilla Spot in CDMX
One night after participating in the infamously famous power hour at the hostel, I was strolling through the streets of Mexico City with my new friends feeling hangry and searching for a place to satisfy our munchies. We stumbled upon this small, unassuming hole-in-the-wall quesadilla spot and thought to ourselves, “Why not? It can’t be any worse than the tiny but expensive tacos they sell at the hostel.” To my utter shock and amazement, the quesadilla was so good. In fact, it was the best quesadilla I had ever had in my entire life. The cheese was like liquid gold and the sauces were blended perfectly with the meat, I swear it was like a foodgasm in my mouth.
It was a fairly large quesadilla and for only 30 pesos, which made it even more delicious. I can’t even remember how many times I came back to this place during my stay here. But all I know was that I left the place with a belly full of deliciousness and a mind full of quesadilla dreams, every time.
To get this fantastic piece of heaven on earth, you will have to go to Quesadillas Las Escaleras, a short walk from the Casa Pepe hostel in Centro. I always got the chicken quesadilla with cheese, lettuce, and green sauce, and it was always amazing. Cannot recommend this place enough.
Things to do in Mexico City
Walking Tour
I did the walking tour offered through Casa Pepe. The walking tour was advertised as the “free downtown walking tour.” However, this tour did not meet anyone’s expectations and everyone ended up bailing on the tour. Rather than a tour of the city, our tour guide led us to a museum and wanted us to visit it. Our tour guide later said that the walking tour is visiting 3 museums in the city. This wasn’t what most people had wanted to do so we ended up thanking her for her time, and ended up walking the city on our own. In the end, even though the walking tour was not that great, I made good friends with everyone that was on the tour and ended up spending the rest of my time in the city with them.
Here are some of the spots I visited while walking around the city on my own:
- Plaza de la Constitucion
- Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
- Palacio Nacional
- Museo de Templo Mayor
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Alameda Central Parque
Museo Nacional de Antropologia
This is one of the most popular things to see in Mexico City. We took the metro to the Auditorio stop. The Chapultepec metro stop is also nearby. The metro costs 5 pesos and to get the ticket you will need exact change if you are using the machine. There may be a ticket counter at some metro stops, but I didn’t pay too much attention to see if there really was one. From the Auditorio stop its a short walk to the museum.
Outside of the museum there are several food stands. I was so hungry I got a burger and fries. They will have you go through a metal detector and check your bags before you can go in. The ticket is 90 pesos. There is an extra charge for a camera, however, cellphone cameras are not included in this. The museum only allows small bags or purses so anything larger will have to be coat checked, which is free. There are also larger lockers for 15 pesos if you’d like to keep your belongings secure.
The museum is beautiful. There is a huge fountain right when you enter the center courtyard. You will get wet if you get too close. There is a small pond towards the other end of the courtyard and benches surrounding the perimeter. The exhibits are in chronological order around the courtyard and there are two floors. Here you will find several anthropological and archaeological artifacts from Mexico’s history. There are also exhibitions for each area of Mexican territory.
The artifacts and reading the story behind it was very interesting but truth be told, I am not much of a museum person and after a while I just got tired of it. So I didn’t make it to the second floor of the museum (which I heard was where they keep their spotlight exhibits, so skip to the second floor if you’re like me!) and instead walked around Chapultepec Park, which is right across the street from the museum.
Chapultepec Park
First of all, this park is HUGE. It’s much bigger than Central Park in New York City and has so much to do, I definitely did not give myself enough time to explore it. Not to mention the park also has a lake that has boating, a zoo, Castillo de Chapultepec that has been converted into a museum, and so much more. There are several walking and running trails, grassy areas for a nice picnic, and several peaceful gardens. Chapultepec Park is like the salad bar of Mexico City’s attractions. You can pick and choose what you want to see, from ancient Aztec artifacts to a lush green oasis in the middle of concrete jungle. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re into exploring museums, people-watching, or just trying to find a quiet spot to nap in the grass. Next time, I will definitely have to spend more time here!
Teotihuacan
Visiting Teotihuacan was one of the highlights of my time in Mexico City (other than the cool techno club I went to on one of my nights out). The ruins at Teotihuacan date back to 100 BCE and was likely one of the largest cities in the world at its time, with a population of perhaps 100,000 or more. Teotihuacan was a cultural and religious center for the surrounding areas and it also controlled a large network of trade. Teotihuacan has been known for exporting obsidian tools, which you can find as souvenirs at the site today. The civilization at Teotihuacan declined around 550 CE, for reasons that are still not entirely clear but may have been due to extreme weather events. The city was eventually abandoned and its ruins were eventually buried by layers of sediment, until it was discovered by the Aztecs in the 13th century.
How to get to Teotihuacan?
Getting here is very straightforward. You will have to take a metro to the Autobuses del Norte bus station and find Sala (gate) 8. Next to it you will see a ticket counter for Autobuses Teotihuacan and you can ask them for roundtrip tickets for “Piramides” or “Zona Archaelogica” and it should cost around 104 pesos roundtrip (52 pesos each way). When finding the bus, look for the one with a “Piramides” sign or just ask around and someone will point you in the right direction. The ride should take about an hour. I got off at the first stop at Puerta 1 (found at this location) at the ruins. There are a few more stops later but I preferred to get off on the first stop so I could walk from one side to the other and exit from the other side at Puerta 3 (found here).
The bus drops you off right at the ticket booth at the entrance of the park. The ticket is 80 pesos. The whole area is CASH ONLY, so don’t forget to bring cash. There is one ATM near the bathrooms which you won’t be able to get to until after you have the ticket (why did they do that, I don’t know). Then you will walk down a street and then through an area with a bunch of shops. You will finally enter a park building where there are bathrooms and the ATM. Keep walking outside and you’ll eventually begin to see the ruins, and they are magnificent!
What to see in Teotihuacan (in order from Puerta 1 to Puerta 3):
- The Citadel: The large courtyard area surrounding the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
- Temple of the Feathered Serpent (Templo de Quetzalcoatl): This pyramid is one of the most well-preserved structures in Teotihuacan and is adorned with intricate carvings.
- The Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the Dead): This main street runs through the center of Teotihuacan and connects the Pyramid of the Sun to the Pyramid of the Moon. This is where I walked along to see all the ruins.
- Museo de la Cultura Teotihuacana (Museum of Teotihuacan Culture): Museum that shows the history of the ancient city and artifacts.
- The Palaces: Located in the western part of the ancient city, these palaces were likely the residences of the city’s rulers, nobles, and priests. The most popular is the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl, which is believed to be the home of a high ranking priest.
- Pyramid of the Sun: The massive pyramid is the largest structure in Teotihuacan and is believed to have been used for religious ceremonies and as a calendar.
- Pyramid of the Moon: This pyramid is located at the northern end of the city and offers great views of the entire site. This was used as the stage to perform sacrifice rituals.
Right next to the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl, there is a small sidewalk lined with shops that goes back to the parking lot and onto the main road. This is where we caught the bus back to Autobuses del Norte bus station, just make sure to confirm with the driver that the bus does indeed go back to Mexico City. I believe the buses run quite frequently as we didn’t have to wait too long to find out.
A couple questions I had about visiting Teotihuacan that I hope I can answer for you:
- When is the best time to visit Teotihuacan?
- The archaeological site is open every day from 9am-5pm, with 3pm being the last entry time. It gets very hot during midday so I would recommend going as close to 9am as possible. This may also help avoiding the crowd.
- How much time do I need to visit Teotihuacan?
- The bus ride is about 1 hour each way and I was able to walk around the entire archaeological site within 3-4 hours. This includes the million times I stopped to take photos, a short 20 minute break from walking in the hot sun, and enjoying a popsicle in front of the pyramids. I did not visit the Museo de la Cultura Teotihuacana. I would say this is a great day activity still leaving you enough time in the evening for a nap followed up a night out.
- What do I need to bring to visit Teotihuacan?
- CASH!!! You need to bring cash for the ticket and any snacks/souvenirs. In fact, while traveling around Mexico, you should always keep cash on you as most things will take cash only.
- Suncreen and a hat. Its hot and sunny, and there is very little shade.
- A phone with a good camera. If you are an amateur photographer like me, and don’t want to pay the extra charge for bringing a camera, the phone camera is the next best option.
- Can I climb the pyramids?
- I visited in May 2022 and, no, you cannot climb the big pyramids (Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon). However, rules are constantly changing so make sure to check when you are there. There are certain areas that you can climb near the Temple of the Feathered Serpent and the Plaza for the Pyramid of the Moon.
- Are there places to eat or shop near the site?
- There are many small shops around the Gates where you enter the site from. Some of these are convenience stores that sell snacks and drinks. In the site there are several vendors selling small souvenir-like items.
Coyoacan
Coyoacan is a historic neighborhood in Mexico City, known for its well-preserved colonial-era architecture and vibrant cultural scene. Here I took a walk through the busy Mercado de Coyoacan where they sold everything from clothing to exotic fruits to chapulines (grasshopper snack) and other insect delicacies. There was also a food court section that sold tacos that they made right in front of you, it was delicious! The town is also filled with interesting artisan shops and is nearby a peaceful park called Viveros de Coyoacan.
Listed below are some more interesting things to see in CDMX that I was not able to see during my time there:
Frida Kahlo House
Frida Kahlo House, also known as the Blue House, was the lifelong home of renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. It’s now a museum dedicated to her life and art, showcasing some of her most famous paintings, personal possessions and more. The house is located in the Coyoacan neighborhood of CDMX
Xochimilco
Xochimilco is a neighborhood in Mexico City known for its colorful boats and canals, which are a remnant of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan. Visitors can take a boat ride on the canals and enjoy traditional Mexican music and food. There are several food vendors, artisans and mariachi bands on other boats floating by. Many hostels offer a day drinking activity here while boating around on the canals.
Leon Trotsky house
This is a museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky, who lived in Mexico in from 1939 till his assassination in 1940. The house has ben preserved the way it was when he lived here, including the study in which Trotsky was killed.
Palacio de Bellas Artes
This is a popular cultural landmark in Mexico City. Home to some of the country’s most important art collections, it’s also host of multiple art exhibitions, concerts, and performances throughout the year. The palace is recognized for its beautiful architecture and murals painted by Diego Rivera, and others. While I did see this from the outside (which you cannot miss), I did not go inside.
Lucha Libre
Since I had already seen a Lucha Libre fight in Guadalajara, I decided to skip seeing it in CDMX. While the fight was much cheaper from the hostel in Guadalajara, I do believe seeing the Lucha Libre fight in CDMX could be a fun experience.
Where to Next?
Mexico City is a vibrant metropolis with a rich history and culture. Popular to the digital nomads around the world, this is another city that I will have to come back to. Hopefully this will help you put together your itinerary for Mexico City. After spending a few days in the busy city, I went looking for a change of pace in the nearby city of Puebla. In my next blog post, I detail the strenuous and only hike I did in Mexico. Stay tuned!
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