Mexico City, where to start? The largest city in North America is sensual and sensible, and has seen huge influx of international travelers and immigrants through the decades. Read my neighborhood guide if you’re wondering where to stay.

Discover the historical city center

Spend at least a few hours wandering around the Centro Histórico through winding streets of shops and beautiful public buildings, many you can go in. The architecture here is stunning and many establishments lovingly retain an old world charm, from the restaurants to the pharmacies, which we love.

The architecture in the area is a standout, with many turn-of-the-century masterpieces including the Palacio de Bellas Artes and Palacio Postal.

The Zócalo, or main square, is where you can see how the past clashes with modernity. In Mexico City’s case, how the Spaniards took over their Aztec predecessors was erecting the Catedral on top of the Templo Mayor, the excavated site of the city that was once Tenochtitlan. Today, the square is where public events are held and is busy every day, often with some sort of event going on.

Explore world-class museums

Locals are proud to tell you that CDMX has the most museums of any city in the world. The Museo Nacional de Antropología houses some of the most majestic artifacts from Mayan, Aztec, and other prehispanic cultures and is a must-see before a visit to Teotihuacán.

There are also countless museums for modern art, folkloric art, and European art. The Soumaya Museum, an art museum featuring Carlos Slim’s personal collection is free to the public, while the National Art Museum in Centro Histórico has striking pieces from Orozco, José María Velasco, and more.

With museums covering history, currency, architecture, cartography, media, decorative arts, and more there’s something for everyone. You can even tour the houses of Frida Kahlo in Coyoacán or architect Luis Barragán in the Miguel Hidalgo District.

Walk down the Paseo de la Reforma

Towering buildings surround the Avenida Paseo de la Reforma, a boulevard constructed during Habsburg times to connect Parque Chapultepec with the city center. A wide pedestrian median is punctuated by monuments including the Ángel de la Independencia and Monumento a la Revolución and surrounded by trendy neighborhoods including Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Zona Rosa, Condesa, and Roma.

Visit at night and join locals sitting on the steps of the Angel with the buildings all lit up. A great way to experience it during the day is on Sundays when the streets are blocked off for biking and pedestrian use.

This is also where vendors might set up to sell wares in preparation of festivities like Día de los Muertos.

Wander around the Parque Chapultepec

History, culture, and nature meet in the expansive Parque Chapultepec. Here you’ll find the Zoologico de Chapultepec, an unassuming zoo with many fantastic animals including a few of the only giant pandas in North America. Castillo de Chapultepec houses the National History Museum, nestled on the hill with great views of the city.

With several museums nearby, you might find yourself having to return to the park over multiple days. Therefore staying in an adjacent neighborhood has advantages, and a convenient, economical way to get around is by taking bikes from the Ecobici docks.

Sails through the canals of the Xochimilco Floating Gardens

Xochimilco is located about an hour from the city center but well worth the trip; it’s one of my favorite activities in Mexico City. The canals are a setting for vendors to sell food, flowers, and more in a floating market during the day. It’s a fascinating throwback to the way the city was when it was Tenochtitlan.

To visit get an Uber to one of the piers like Embarcadero Nativas where you can find boats for hire. You pay by the hour for the entire boat (around 500 MXP, or $30 USD) and can bring your own food and drink, so this is awesome for large groups. There’s plenty of space on the boat if you can find others to share.

If you don’t want to figure out the journey yourself, book a guided tour that includes a visit to Coyoacán.

Visit Frida Kahlo’s house in the Coyoacán neighborhood

Bright colors welcome you to Coyoacán, a lively neighborhood towards the south of the city. This is the puebla where Hernán Cortés and the Spaniards based their conquest against the Aztecs in the 16th century.

Browse the market and eat a local lunch at La Cocina de Mi Mamá in Mercado Coyoacán, then visit the Frida Kahlo Museum to see how she lived and what made her extraordinary. You can get tickets there or buy them in advance online, but note the system rejects many non-Mexican credit cards.

A lesser know known attraction is the museum of Leon Trotsky, a friend of Frida and Diego Rivera’s. You can now tour the home where he sought refuge and was later assassinated.

Enjoy 360 degree views from the Torre Latinoamerica

Mirador Torre Latinoamerica, located near the Palacio Bellas Artes, gives you the opportunity to see the vast size of Mexico City from above. Constructed in the 1950s, the design is inspired by New York’s Empire State Building and engineered to withstand seismic activity.

Try to go up before sunset, so you can experience both the day and night views. If you want to avoid the admission fee but still get great views, visit the cafeteria on the 40th floor.

Watch a Lucha Libre fight

Lucha libre is an iconic experience, period. Head over to the Arena Coliseo and admire the show while drinking massive micheladas. It’s easy to get tickets at the billeteria.

Everybody inside seems to be there to have a good time – even the security guards!

Eat fine dining

While you’d do pretty well at any given taco purveyor, Mexico City boasts some of the most renowned restaurants in the world. Don’t miss out on classics like Contramar or try your luck getting reservations at Michelin-star Pujol and Quintonil in Polanco.

Go luxury shopping

If you’re into it, Mexico City is a good destination for luxury shopping. It may be easier to find hard-to-find items since these boutiques are generally less crowded than other cities.

The Polanco area has many of the designer boutiques plus Plaza Masaryk and El Palacio de Hierro shopping centers. There’s also ARTZ Pedegral farther south.

When applying for a tax refund (minimum is 1200 pesos), in addition to your purchase invoices/receipts you’ll want a copy of your boarding documents and the migration forms you filled out when you arrived. This is crucial to avoiding difficulties in getting you refund. Find the Moneyback booth at Terminal 1 in the airport, although hours can be limited so you can submit your refund request online. In my experience, TaxFree works but takes longer to process than if you applied in person.