Mexico City - 4 Day Itinerary

 Mexico City & Teotihuacan Pyramids - 4 Day Itinerary

Note: Have visited Mexico City 4 times - this would be an ideal itinerary for 4 days. Switch the days around as fits personal itinerary and interests. 

Mexico City, Mexico 

ITINERARY: FOR HI RESOLUTION ITINERARY AND LINKS TO TOURS WE TOOK CLICK HERE: Itinerary for Mexico City

• PHOTOS: See photos here: Instagram 

• TRANSPORTATION: 

• Flight: We flew in to Mexico City via Aero México (Delta partner).
• Terminals:  Make sure and pay attention which terminal (T1 or T2) you are landing in as it makes a difference where you can catch an uber/taxi. There is a train to go from one terminal to the other. 
• Arrival to MEX: Depending on the volume of passengers, customs can take 30 minutes to 3 hours. **There are 3 lines: Foreigners, Mexican citizens & an e-passport line. US Citizens can go in the e-passport line instead. They take your photo and scan your passport. This line is on the left side (follow the green line on floor) and is the fastest. After customs, make sure and check in with an airline representative to see which carousel your bags are at.
• A couple days before your flight, fill out your travel information on the airline website with passport info / address etc. 
• Departure from MEX to USA: If in Terminal 2, go to L3 area first to check in bags (if flying back to USA or Canada). Then, go to M area to go through screening. Lastly, look for which Sala (Room) and Gate you will fly out of. The gate can be assigned as late as 30 minutes before boarding time. 

• Rideshare Apps to Download : Uber 
• Uber is very popular and easy to use in Mexico via the app. 
• Uber from airport is very easy. Put in the terminal and the Puerta (door) you are at. The airport can take from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours to get to your hotel depending on traffic

• HOTEL: Areas to stay: Downtown area or Roma Norte/Reforma/Poblado area 
• Centro Historico (Downtown) - extremely walkable; close proximity to the Zocalo (main square) & has sites including the Grand Cathedral and Palacio Nacional. A bit more of a sketchy area. We've stayed at Centro Historico hotel and liked it. 
• La Condesa/Reforma/ Roma Norte/El Poblado  - More of a higher class scene with international dining options.  Highly recommend!! We've stayed at Hilton Reforma, Intercontinental & St. Regis hotels & enjoyed all of them. Barcelo hotel also came recommended. 

• PAYMENT METHODS: 
• Cash: Recommend bringing $100 USD worth of Mexican Pesos. We exchanged money in USA at Bank of America a few weeks before leaving.
• Several food places only accept cash - especially smaller hole in the wall places
• Lucha Libre is cash-only at box office 
• Public bathrooms can charge 25-50 US Cents to use
• Bring pesos from the United States as you'll get a far better conversion rate than you will in Mexico (ATM fees are also higher)
• Credit Cards
•  Only use credit cards with 0% foreign transaction fee
• Always charge your credit card in Mexican Pesos instead of USD (better conversion rate)

• SAFETY: Emergency phone number is 911
• We generally felt safe, however, always be around of your surroundings. Pick pocketers are prevalent and its important to protect yourself
• Safe to walk during the day; would recommend using uber when going between locations at night
• Don't keep cell phones and valuables out in the open or visible

• WHAT TO PACK: 
• Sunscreen is a MUST due to the altitude
• Print color copies of passport to carry in wallet
•  No plug converter needed if coming from USA 
• Bring a jacket as is it can get chilly at night
• Bring Tylenol/Motrin. Mexico city is at a high elevation: when adjusting to the altitude, drink a LOT of bottled water & may need medication to help with a headache. 

• WEATHER/BEST TIME TO VISIT: 
• Rainy (June-Nov) vs Dry (Nov-May) season - recommend dry season. However, OK to visit year around. Rainy season only rains a few hours/day

• LANGUAGE: Try and learn some basic Spanish phrases. The touristy areas will know some basic English, but knowing some Spanish can be extremely helpful. 
• Download Google Translate App to help communicate
• Use the calculator app if unsure how much something costs 

• RANDOM TIPS: 
• Download Google maps offline for any city you will be visiting
• Download WhatsApp to communicate with tour guide/groups
• If possible, avoid visiting any major tourist attraction on weekends / holidays due to heavy crowds. Morning & weekdays are much better to visit.
• BOTTLED WATER ONLY - do not drink from the tap Including at your hotel. Bottled water only!! Try to avoid eating fruits on the street or ice in your drinks. We would go to the convience store OXXO to get our bottled water. No ice in any drinks. 
• Mexico City is a very high elevation. Make sure and hydrate constantly. Avoid alcohol if possible as it can dehydrate you. 

• VEGETARIAN/VEGAN FOOD: 
• Carb heaven! If you love traditional Mexican staples such as tortas, chilaquiles or tacos, this is your city to come to. The vegan/vegetarian options are plentiful and delicious. The vegetarian protein options are amazing and include seitan, soy, tofu, etc.
• If you're vegetarian/vegan, try to dine at vegan-only places. Most non-vegetarian places will use lard in their beans, rice, and baked goods. 
• If want to order food to your hotel, Uber Eats is inexpensive and fast! 
• Some of the smaller vegan restaurants will only take cash so make sure and have some Mexican Pesos
• La Pitaya Vegana was our favorite - went twice: once for dinner and once for breakfast. It is more expensive than other vegan places in Mexico City (think American prices), but definitely worth it)
• Por Siempre Vegana (food truck one only) &  Churreria El Moro (churros) are very good! 
• We didn't have time, but for restaurants that need reservations- Azul & Masala y Maiz were recommended. For a bakery,  Panaderia Rosetta was recommended!

Vegan Brownie with Sesame Ice Cream

Restaurant: Vikos Tacos 

Restaurant: La Pitaya Vegana 

Churreria El Moro 

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS: 

• 1) Teotihuacan Pyramids - Take a tour with transportation - this is an hour outside of Mexico city. Go as early as possible when the temperature is cooler. There is minimal shade and the day gets progressively warmer as it goes on so the earlier the better. A must do on any trip to Mexico City. For convenience, we recommend doing an Airbnb Express Tour ($61) or organized shared tour ($50). Mixed reviews, but can also take a hot air balloon above the Pyramids ($200/pp).

Teotihuacan Pyramids

• 2) Chapultepec Park - Tons of street vendors and performers - a good place to spend an afternoon
• Anthropology Museum - Mayur's favorite part of Mexico City (besides the food)! If you love history, this is for you. There's a deep look into Central American history along with preserved artifacts from the ancient indigenous people. Buy tickets from the kiosk using credit card 
• Chapultepec Castle: buy tickets from the kiosk using credit card at the bottom of the hill. 20 min uphill walk. Amazing views of CDMX downtown. We recommend doing the castle first (outdoors) and then the Anthropology Museum (indoors)

Chapultepec Castle 

Anthropology Museum 

• 3) Lucha Libre Mexican Wrestling - Uber directly to Arena Mexico (Sundays @ 5, Fridays @ 8:30pm). Go to ticket counter (avoid anyone trying to sell you tickets). Pick how much you are willing to spend. Pesos only at box office. Recommend sitting in the rings. No water bottles or souvenirs allowed - they will check this in. Then, they will guide you to your seat (but will ask for a small tip like 5 pesos). If unsure about the process, it may be better to go with a tour group on Airbnb OR buy tickets via TicketMaster beforehand. These are a bit more $$ than buying at box office, but can be more convenient.

Lucha Libre

• 4) Frida Kahlo museum & Coyocan - Must reserve tickets a week in advance!! They do not sell tickets at the door. This is located in Coyoacan -- absolutely beautiful area. Be sure to walk to Coyocan main square and streets. If not a big Frida Kahlo fan - we'd probably skip this.

  

  Frida Kahlo House 

• 5) Templo Mayor - the former main temple of the Mexica (Aztecs) people.

• 6) Take a walking tour through Downtown - don't miss Palacio de Bellas Artes, Post Office, Blue Tile house etc. 

Palacio de Bellas Artes 

• 7) Xochomilco Canals - only recommend if in Mexico city with a group of 4+. Take a tour instead of doing solo. 

 Xochimilco Canals