This sprawling, complex, always changing megalopolis is a study in contrasts. From its epic street food to its chef-driven, pilgrimage-worthy restaurants, Mexico City is arguably the most exciting food city in the world. Its art scene—folk and cutting-edge contemporary—is equally dynamic. And its sophisticated hotels, grand public parks and boulevards, and chic shopping streets rival those of Europe. There’s no way you can see, taste, and do all you’ll want to in one visit. But don’t worry, it’s a place that gets deep under your skin. You’ll be back.
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Mexico City Travel Guide
Plan Your Mexico City Trip
Featured
In Mexico City, Aztec-Era Floating Gardens Offer a Path to Sustainable Eating
Xochimilco, largely known to travelers for its colorful party boats, has been an important food source during the pandemic.
Your Next Big Mexico Trip Is a Drive Across the Border
Last-meal-worthy fish tacos and biodynamic wineries are much closer than you think.
FAA Downgrades Mexico’s Air Safety Rating—Here’s What That Actually Means
The change in safety rating is not an assessment of individual airlines.
26 Best Hotels in Mexico City
This city’s choice of accommodations is as eclectic as the city itself.
Editor Hotel Recommendations
- Hotel DamaMexico , Mexico City, Zamora 94A boutique hotel in Mexico City filled with personal touches that celebrate Mexico’s heritage.Read full review
- Soho House Mexico City$$$ | Mexico, Cuauhtémoc, C. Versalles 28, Júarez, CuauhtémocA four-room playground for Mexico City's most affluent.Read full review
- Casa Cuenca$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Cuernavaca 4Casa Cuenca is like a time capsule of Mexico City’s leading design and architectural movements.Read full review
- Casona Roma Norte$$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Durango 280Be it for the art or the food, travelers arriving at Casona Roma Norte are immediately impressed by the equal parts stateliness and softness of the 1920s rose-hued building.Read full review
- Hotel San Fernando$$ | Mexico, Mexico City , Iztaccihuatl 54In-the-know urbanites flock to this restored 1940s Art Deco masterpiece in Mexico City's Condesa neighborhood.Read full review
- Campos Polanco$$ | México, Mexico City, Campos Elíseos 361This boutique, apartment-style hotel is steps from Polanco’s iconic Lincoln Park—perfect for those interested in long stays.Read full review
- The St. Regis Mexico City$$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma 439, CuauhtemocA luxurious experience awaits at this family-friendly hotel on Paseo de la Reforma.Read full review
Readers Choice Awards - Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Mexico City$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Masaryk 390, Polanco ChapultepecLas Alcobas earns its reputation as one of Mexico City’s top hotels, delivering on design, amenities, service, and especially food.Read full reviewReaders Choice Awards
Gold List - Colima 71$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Colima 71, col. , Del, Roma Nte.Tucked within the dense Roma Norte borough, this four-story boutique hotel is a celebration of the country’s contemporary art sceneRead full review
Hot List - Volga$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Río Volga 105A boutique hotel offering a different kind of stay from the big hotels off the Paseo de la Reforma.Read full review
- Casa Polanco$$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Luis G. Urbina 84In Mexico City’s posh Polanco neighborhood, this elegantly renovated Spanish Revival-style mansion feels like a peek inside the lives of well-to-do locals.Read full reviewHot List
- Mondrian Mexico City Condesa$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Aguascalientes 158A property that somehow manages to capture the metropolis’ thriving art scene, historical past, and modern cosmopolitan vibes.Read full review
- Umbral, Curio Collection by Hilton$ | Mexico, Mexico City, C. de Venustiano Carranza 69, Centro HistóricoAn ideal outpost for art-driven travelers who seek to experience Mexico City’s aesthetic delights of past and present.Read full review
- Hotel Carlota$ | Mexico, Mexico City, 73 Río AmazonasA design hotel with personalized touches near Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma.Read full review
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The Best Things to Do in Mexico City
- 25 Best Things to Do in Mexico CityEverything to do in one of the Americas' very oldest cities.
- 20 Best Museums in Mexico CityMexico City has long been a center for anthropology and history. In recent years, it's also become one of the world's hottest cities for art, design, and architecture—and it's got the institutions to prove it.
- 13 Best Markets in Mexico CityMexico City's markets run the gamut from food to antiques to spell-casting materials. Exploring them's not just a great way to shop—it's a great way to get to know the city's soul.
- 5 Best Day Trips from Mexico CityThese places make ideal getaways from the country's capital.
- What To Do in Polanco, Mexico City: Our GuideWhat to see, what to eat, where to shop in this opulent and artistic neighborhood.
- 14 Best Things to Do in Zócalo, Mexico CityCentro Historico, or "Centro," colloquially, is both the historic center and beating heart of Mexico City—like Times Square, but with more soul.
Editor Recommendations
- Proyectos MonclovaMexico, Mexico City, Lamartine 415Cool, modern, and already classic.Read full review
- Self-Guided Centro Historico Cantina Crawl$ | Mexico, Ciudad de México, Let's start at Tío Pepe: Avenida Independencia 26 Colonia Centro CuauhtémocBeer and tequila prevail.Read full review
- Iglesia San Ignacio de LoyolaMexico, Ciudad de México, Avenida Horacio y Moliere Polanco Miguel HidalgoIt's both a place of worship and a haven for architecture nerds.Read full review
- Cárcamo de DoloresMexico, Ciudad de México, Avenida Rodolfo Neri Vela Bosque de Chapultepec II Secc Miguel HidalgoThose who've seen everything haven't yet seen this.Read full review
- Monumento a la RevoluciónMexico, Ciudad de México, Plaza de la República S/N Tabacalera CuauhtémocThe largest triumphal arch in the world.Read full review
- The Centro Histórico BoleadoresMexico, Ciudad de México, Plaza de la Constitución Centro Histórico Centro Cuauhtémoc 06010 Ciudad de México CDMXOne of the best (and cheapest) shoe-shine experiences you'll find.Read full review
- Museo AnahuacalliMexico, Ciudad de México, Museo 150 San Pablo Tepetlapa CoyoacánPart studio, part museum and part shrine for Mexican art that Diego Rivera built as an architectural piece uniting past, present, and future to the natural environment.Read full review
- Sculpture Garden at the Museo Universitario Arte ContemporáneoMexico, Mexico City, Centro Cultural Universitario, Mario de La Cueva, UniversitariaEven if you don't love art or sculptures, this garden is still a lovely place to spend a few hours.Read full review
- Eat Like a LocalMexico, Mexico CIty, Calle Ozuluama 21, HipódromoThis Mexico City–based company runs intimate, casual culinary tours that immerse visitors in the city's vast food scene.Read full review
- Colonia JuárezMexico, Mexico City,Once gritty, the area is now teeming with great boutiques, bars, and restaurants, especially the leafy central square.Read full review
- Museo JumexMexico, Mexico City, 303 Miguel de Cervantes SaavedraMuseo Jumex is a contemporary art museum with works by the likes of Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.Read full review
- Lucha Libre at the Arena ColiseoMexico, Mexico City, República de Perú 77, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de MéxicoA giant venue that hosts sporting and entertainment events, the Arena seats as many as 23,300 spectators.Read full review
- Dolores Olmedo MuseumMexico, Mexico City, XochimilcoThe private art collection of Mexican heiress Dolores Olmedo is on display at her hacienda-style former estate, with impressive gardens.Read full review
19 Best Boutique Hotels in Mexico City
All you have to do is pick the right one for you.
The Best Places to Eat & Drink in Mexico City
- 28 Best Restaurants in Mexico CityThe stand-out spots in a city that's dense with incredible food.
- 20 Best Bars in Mexico CityFrom highbrow dens to working-class cantinas, and a few mid-range newcomers, we've got you covered.
- 13 Best Markets in Mexico CityMexico City's markets run the gamut from food to antiques to spell-casting materials. Exploring them's not just a great way to shop—it's a great way to get to know the city's soul.
- Mexico City Dance Halls in PhotosAn accompaniment to Mexico City Dance Halls
Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
- Voraz$$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Aguascalientes 93
- Maza BistrotMexico, , Calle Dinamarca 47BUnder-the-radar in a neighborhood chock full of restaurants and bars
- Chuan Bei Wei - 川百味 火锅串串香Mexico, Mexico City, Hamburgo 234A tantalizing new Sichuan restaurant among a wave of them that's taking the city
- Esquina ComunMexico, CDMX, Fernando Montes de Oca 86Redefining what a fine dining restaurant should be
- Tacos del ValleMexico, CDMX, Avenida Álvaro Obregón 130The cream of the crop in the new wave of taquerias taking the city
- Baldío$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Antonio Solá 26 CondesaEnter the first zero waste restaurant in Mexico City.
- El Huequito$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Ayuntamiento 21Order the torre de pastor (literally, a tower of sliced meat with a stack of tortillas) and make your own tacos at the table with the selection of salsa
- Lardo$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Agustín Melgar 6, Colonia Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
- Mi Compa Chava$$ | Mexico, Mexico City, Zacatecas 172, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Mexico,Seafood is a hangover cure in Mexico, and almost everyone eating here is intent on either fixing last night's damage or getting a head start on creating today's.Hot List
Foraging for Ant Larvae, the Past and Future of Mexican Gastronomy
In the highlands of Hidalgo, farmers forage and harvest ant larvae, known as escamoles, for some of the country’s most high-end gastronomic experiences.
More from Mexico City
Inspiration
Why I Moved: To Find Life's Softer Side in Mexico City
As a child of immigrants, writer Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey acknowledges the privilege of being an American living abroad.
Style & Culture
On Location: In ‘Rotting in the Sun,’ Jordan Firstman Confronts the Role of the Mexico City Tourist
Comedian Jordan Firstman sits down with ‘Condé Nast Traveler’ to discuss his new film, which follows him from Oaxaca to Mexico City.
Destinations
Ask a Local: Artist Luisa Salas’ Ideal Mexico City Weekend Includes Dance Parties and Cool Galleries
Curating the perfect CDMX itinerary isn't easy, but these art galleries, eateries, and garden parks are well worth your time.
Shopping
How I Packed for a Weekend in Polanco, Mexico City
The chic dresses, light layers, and comfortable walking sneakers I packed.
Food & Drink
My Favorite Airbnb Experience: An After-Dark Bike and Food Tour Through Mexico City
We cruised through Roma Norte and Condesa, picking up agua frescas, vegan suadero tacos, and esquites along the way.
Food & Drink
Author Gary Shteyngart's Dispatch From a Multi-Day Food Tour of Mexico City
Gary Shteyngart gathers some friends and heads out on an epic Mexico City grub crawl, hitting chilaquiles joints, creaky cantinas, and farm-to-table restaurants.
Style & Culture
Diego Luna's Favorite Places in Mexico City
The "Andor" actor opens up about his beloved home town—and the road trip he can't wait to take.
Style & Culture
On Location: How Alejandro Iñárritu's ‘Bardo' Captures the Magic of Mexico City and Pulled Off an Ambitious Scene at Chapultepec Castle
Lifting the curtain on some of the season's most exciting new releases.
Places to Stay
My Favorite Airbnb: A Bright Loft in Mexico City With Vintage Decor and a Lush Patio
It's a slice of mid-century modern Mexico City.
Destinations
The Mexico City Bar and Restaurant Openings We’re Excited About
From a hole-in-the-wall taquería to a French bistro with a top-notch wine list.
Destinations
A Mexico City Tour of Architect Juan O'Gorman’s Design Legacy
The architect behind Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s studio was known for fusing traditional Mexican motifs with functionalist design.
News & Advice
Why Colonia Cuauhtémoc Is Our New Favorite Neighborhood in Mexico City
In just a few streets, this neighborhood has a little of everything we love about Mexico City.
Places to Stay
Currently Obsessed With: The Pink Room at Ignacia Guest House in Mexico City
Just when I thought Mexico City's hotel scene couldn't get any better, Ignacia Guest House proved me wrong.
News & Advice
The Dance Halls of Mexico City Show Off a Different Side of the City
These decades-old dance floors are more intriguing than ever.
News & Advice
Our Favorite Places to Shop in Mexico City
The high-energy capital is known for its folk art and grand architecture. Now, modern design and homegrown fashion are bringing a new edge.
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