There are so many things to do in Mexico City. It will be difficult for you to choose. Let this list help you find at least a few things.
Mexico City is a land of enchantment. It’s seldom that you’ll find a place so filled with art, culture, food, people, and things to do. I spent two weeks in the city and barely touched the surface of all that is on offer. You’ll never get bored.
Despite working remotely the entire time I visited, I was still able to do a lot – most things are close enough that it’s easy to check multiple excursions off your list in a day if you’re ambitious. The list below are my favorite things in order of how much I loved them.
1. Monarch Butterfly Migration
Every autumn near Mexico City, the Monarch Butterfly migration takes place. Millions of butterflies travel over 3,000 miles from northeastern North America to Mexico. They spend the winter in the forests of southwestern Mexico. Four preserves about two hours outside Mexico City allow visitors to see the butterflies high up in the mountains.
Experiencing the migration of the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico is something out of a dream. It’s also one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena in the world. If you’re near Mexico City in the winter, it’s a lifetime trip to see where they roost. You can’t have this experience almost anywhere else. If you’re there when it happens, put this at the top of your list. Read the entire post here.
2. Teotihuacán Pyramids
This ancient site filled with pyramids is a tourist favorite and a point of pride for locals. Teotihuacán, according to Aztec tradition, is where the sun, the moon, and the rest of the universe trace their origins. There you’ll find two pyramids, one temple and various ruins. Teotihuacan is translated as “the place where the gods were created.” People have flocked to it for centuries, seeking wisdom, spiritual enlightenment, and the manifestation of dreams. The site holds three significant pyramids and various other ruins, and it’s the best “museum” in Mexico City.
Many companies offer tours, which I highly recommend. There isn’t much signage, so you won’t know what you see. Having a guide with you will make it a much more enriching experience. Read about my experience here.
3. Frida Kahlo Museum
The Frida Kahlo house is the second most popular museum in Mexico City. It’s one of the most popular places for tourists and locals. Revelers stand outside and gaze at the famous house and the bright blue and maroon colors. If you’ve ever known anything about Frida, it is immediately recognizable. Frida was born, lived most of her life, and died in this house. Much of her work was created here, so of course, it’s a mecca for lovers of the artist.
Getting tickets to the museum can be tricky and requires pre-planning or a connection. Both times I visited (yes, I loved it that much), I paid a guide to obtain the tickets in advance. There is no line for tickets because all entries are timed, and tickets must be purchased online. Find it at Londres 247, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, 04100 Ciudad de México, México City. Read the entire post here.
4. Coyoacán, Mexico
This small town about a 45-minute-drive outside Mexico City, is where Frida Kahlo lived. The city is wildly historical, and bohemian. The modern updates make it more approachable than some other cities around Mexico. Coyoacán is an upper-middle-class community, so the streets are filled with shops and restaurants. There are plenty of public spaces and town squares every few blocks.
At Mercado de Coyoacan, you’ll find nearly a hundred vendors. They sell everything you can think of, from piñatas to pineapples. There are places for groceries, restaurants, flowers; you name it. If you’ve seen it in Mexico, they’re selling it in this market. Oh, and did I mention fresh tortillas? Don’t walk, run! Read the entire post here.
5. Temazcal Ceremony
A temazcal is a type of low-heat sweat lodge that originated with pre-Hispanic Indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica. While it’s an ancient ritual, it’s still popular all over Mexico. Because it’s a traditional ceremony, there’s no commercial place that hosts it. You can find one by asking tour guides and others. I found the temazcal I attended on Airbnb events. It was a deeply transformative experience that I’d recommend to anyone who can manage heat and isn’t claustrophobic.
I’ve seen a few distinctive styles of temazcal, but they’re all small, stone or mud structures close to the ground. Be prepared to crouch or crawl to enter. Inside, there are mats on the floor and a pit in the center. During the ceremony, a temazcalero, or shaman, will add multiple fire-heated stones to the center. Participants sit around the outside edges as the heat rises. As the temazcalero throws hot water on the stones to create steam, it gets very hot (and sweaty!), and he guides you through a spiritual cleansing ritual. The rituals are done for different reasons, but great for body and soul, regardless. If you don’t find a temazcal by asking around, see if there’s one listed on Airbnb experiences.
6. National Museum of Anthropology
The most spectacular thing about this museum is its sheer size. The comprehensive number of artifacts from very distinct areas and eras, and how they’re organized, is stunning. The museum takes you from the beginning of documented history to the current time. It’s a cohesive timeline, so you can see progress happening. (You’ll note that not a lot has changed in Mexico, really, and that’s special). You can easily spend several hours here. Take a break for lunch in the cafe – which is a real cafe, not just a cafeteria. Delicious!
Check times before you go and don’t depend on the website because it isn’t updated. The first time I went they were closed, though the website showed them as being open. I suggest calling. Find it at Av Paseo de la Reforma y Calzada Gandhi s/n, Chapultepec Polanco, Mexico City.
7. Diego Rivera Mural Museum
There’s only one thing to see at this museum, but it’s so good it’s worth having its own museum. It’s the only place to see Sueño de Una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park).
This one piece of art takes up an entire wall. It has about 50 characters to examine, including Diego himself, Frida, and the famed depiction of the “Caterina” skeleton. Renowned Mexican Illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada (also in the mural) first created the Caterina figure. It’s now beloved by Mexico and tourists alike.
Despite this being a museum with only one artwork, it still gets crowded. Find it at Balderas S/N, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, México City.
8. Diego Rivera and Frida House Studio Museum
If you’ve ever seen the movie “Frida,” starring Selma Hayek, this place will be familiar. Of course, like Frida’s house, it used to be a home, not a museum. I like to call it “every married couple’s dream.” This is where Diego had one house, and Frida had another. They were connected to the other by a bridge across the roof. Genius!
Frida and Diego only lived there together for about seven years, but it’s iconic. Now, both homes are museums, mostly of Diego’s work, art collections, sculptures, and supplies. It’s a quick and affordable self-guided tour and worth it just to see the studio.
It’s always interesting to see how renowned artists lived and worked and this one was surprising. If you don’t want to go in, drive by and see the bridge connecting the two homes. The best part for me, though, was walking across that iconic bridge. Find it at Av. Altavista & Calle Diego Rivera, Mexico City.
9. Frida Kahlo Immersive Experience
The Frida Kahlo Immersive Experience is a spectacle to behold. Like the Vincent van Gogh experience that has toured the states, this show animates images of her art to tell a story. Unlike others I’ve seen, this one is very surrealist. More theatrical and you probably won’t see any art you haven’t seen before. They show many of her most famous art, it is a small selection. What you get instead of a lot of art is a surrealist way to experience Frida Kahlo. She was a trippy artist, which is partly why we love her.
It is held in a small auditorium where probably fewer than 50 people attended. There was sand on the floor, cushioned chairs and a few rope walls to provide texture. While images were projected, sounds and images like ancient statutes (her archaeology trips) and scissors (from when she cut her hair), floated around the room. In the background, you can hear a heart beating and often, a sigh from a world-weary, Frida. Find it in various locations around Mexico and the United States.
10. Xochimilco Floating Flower Gardens
Floating through the canals of Xochimilco on a trajinera is a cultural pastime. It’s popular with tourists and Sunday favorite activity for locals. The once pristine canals and waterways were beloved by the likes of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The area was once home to the main source of agriculture for the area and produced many of the flowers. It’s a main producer of the Poinsettia for much of the country.
The floating islands that make up the canals were created from rafts made of juniper branches with soil on top. Farmers grew all sorts of flowers and produce on them. Eventually, the raft would sink, and they’d build a new one. In time, the sunken rafts formed islands. In Frida’s time, it was a beautiful oasis. Now, things are changing. Read the entire post here. Find it at Laguna del Toro, San Juan, Xochimilco, 16038 Mexico City.
Bonus: Belle Arts Museum
This place, aptly named, is beautiful to look at. If you like architecture or gorgeous places, you want to make this stop. I went there to see the Diego Rivera murals. Under a glowing glass-filled atrium, several Rivera murals are on display in the center of the palace. If you’re familiar with his work, they’re immediately familiar, rich, colorful and filled with secret and not-so-secret meanings and symbolism. Mostly, he threw shots at the politicians and policies of his time. Some of his murals no longer exist for this reason. That makes it even more important to see what is still displayed. Find it at Av. Juárez S/N, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06050 México City.
Find other things to see and do in Mexico here.
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