The capital of Mexico belongs to the group of vibrant cities that can fill up a week-itinerary with ease. While living in Mexico City for almost two years, we didn’t even come close to knowing the city inside and out. This comprehensive itinerary maps out a full day in five emblematic neighborhoods, with two (half-) day trips as a bonus.

Day 1: La Condesa & Roma

La Condesa and Roma promise a great start to any CDMX – short for Ciudad de México – itinerary, capturing the enchanting part of the capital like no other. Without major tourist attractions, the green avenues dotted with parks, bars and restaurants are the star of the day.

10 a.m. – Breakfast along Avenida Amsterdam

Avenida Amsterdam is a tree-lined avenue that loops around Condesa’s Parque Mexico. The pedestrian median is made for morning strolls, past elegant mansions and trendy cafés. On weekends, the shaded terraces fill up with locals and expats enjoying breakfast, lunch or drinks.

11 a.m. – Parque Mexico

Continue the morning stroll in Parque Mexico, no doubt the most enchanting park in Mexico City. The imposing trees tower out above fountains and benches in Art Deco style, making it an oasis in the middle of the city. There is always plenty of action going on, with street vendors, improvised shows and a heartwarming (or heartbreaking) dog adoption station.

1 p.m. – Lunch at La Embajada Jarocha

For lunch, cross over to the neighboring Roma Norte. Contrary to the strictly upscale restaurants of Polanco, Roma Norte is a mix of low-key eateries and trendy hot spots. La Embajada Jarocha falls into the former category. Their delicious cóctel de mariscos competes with Polanco’s classy seafood restaurants, at just a fraction of the cost. Complement with a michelada, one of Mexico’s signature drinks made up of beer with spices and salsas.

3 p.m. – Roma Norte

Mexico City’s hippest neighborhood is all about the ambience. The best way to revel in the boho-chic atmosphere is strolling the tree-lined avenues, taking a refreshing stop now and then. You’ll have your pick of inviting terraces at Fuente de Cibeles, a roundabout scattered with colorful restaurants and bars. Stop at La Zaranda for cocktails, Supra Roma for rooftop views or Galanga for beautifully presented Thai food.

6 p.m. – Dinner at Mercado Roma

Food is one of Mexico City’s major attractions, to the extent that seven days are not nearly enough to try all local staples. Luckily Mercado Roma comes to the rescue, serving a variety of Mexican dishes in smaller portions. The multi-level gourmet food hall is an upgraded version of the street food stalls found everywhere in Mexico. The top level of Mercado Roma houses a rooftop beer garden.

8 p.m. – Lucha Libre at Arena México

Lucha Libre is a wrestling style that originated in Mexico. Competitors dress up in spandex and colorful masks to put up a show that borrows more from a telenovela than from a professional wrestling game. Arena México is the classic venue to witness this Mexican spectacle. Shows usually run in the evenings and tickets are sold at the door starting at $15 USD.

Day 2: Polanco

Today, the bohemian vibes of La Condesa and Roma are exchanged for Polanco’s posh and pretension. Whether you fancy it or not, Polanco is an essential part of Mexico City and therefore worth exploring.

10 a.m. – Brunch in Polanquito

The three triangles between Avenida Masaryk and Parque Lincoln make up Polanquito. At just two blocks wide and one block long, the streets of Polanquito are packed with international and Mexican restaurants. Menu prices may seem imported from the US, but Polanquito deserves a visit for its vibrant outdoor atmosphere. On weekends, the streets come to life at breakfast and stay bustling until well past midnight.

12 p.m – Bosque de Chapultepec

Bosque de Chapultepec is Mexico City’s Central Park, a giant green lung in the middle of the city. The park houses museums, monuments, lakes and gardens, enough to dedicate an entire week to it and still not see everything. With limited time, focus on the eastern part of the park around Lago de Chapultepec. The Castillo de Chapultepec towers out above the trees, offering views of Reforma and beyond. Inside the castle, you’ll find the National Museum of History.

2 p.m. – Polanco & Avenida Masaryk

If Polanco is Mexico City’s upscale heart, Avenida Masaryk is Polanco’s luxury vein. The avenue houses designer stores, fancy restaurants and a constant coming and going of luxury cars. Restaurant La Rosa Negra captures the Polanco vibe like no other, with delicious Latin American cuisine and cocktails served as a work of art. Quintonil and Pujol are often considered the best restaurants in Mexico City. But Polanco offers more than excellent dining. Museo Jumex and Museo Soumaya are striking both inside and out. Polanco’s shaded avenues named after famous writers are perfect for an afternoon stroll.

7 p.m – Seafood Dinner in Polanco

For a city in the mountains at 300 miles from the nearest ocean, CDMX has exceptionally good seafood. This curiosity stems from the past, when trading routes were established with the capital at the center. Products from the entire country were traded and distributed through Mexico City. This system is still largely in place, with markets selling everything from the freshest seafood to exotic produce. Agua y Sal, Entremar and Pacifica are three excellent seafood restaurants in Polanco.

9 p.m. – Cocktails at Limantour

End the day where it started, in Polanquito. Cocktail bar Limantour is consistently voted onto The World’s 50 Best Bars list. Opt for a table in the classy interior, or for outdoor seating in the middle of Polanquito’s buzz. You can’t go wrong with any of the innovative cocktails on the menu, which is divided by spirits and includes the glass you can expect.

Day 3 – Reforma

Sundays are reserved for the Reforma neighborhood, when its central vein turns car-free. Paseo de la Reforma connects Bosque de Chapultepec with the historic city center, but offers plenty of distraction in between.

10 a.m. – Brunch at Amici Ristorante

Start with brunch at Amici Ristorante, which serves an impressive buffet of Mexican breakfast classics every day until 12 PM. Weekend breakfast and brunch is sacred in Mexico City, especially in upscale neighborhoods. Amici is part of the Sheraton Maria Isabel Reforma Hotel and has a sunny patio right on La Reforma, with the iconic Ángel de la Independencia peeking through the trees.

12 p.m. – Paseo de la Reforma

Every Sunday morning, bikers and pedestrians take over the bustling Avenida Paseo de la Reforma. The avenue closes down completely to car traffic, a welcome change from the daily traffic jams. Protestors often block Paseo de la Reforma on weekdays, earning it the title of most congested area in Mexico City. Just don’t expect a quiet stroll on Sundays, as the car honking makes way for loudspeakers from exercise groups.

2 p.m. – Monumento a la Revolución

From the Angel of Independence, a 30-minute walk on La Reforma leads to another iconic monument. The Monument to the Revolution was dedicated to the Mexican Revolution, which started in 1910 with the resignation of the longest reigning president in Mexicó, Porfirio Díaz. Ironically, it was Díaz himself that ordered the construction of the monument and laid the first stone, albeit with a different objective. For lunch or drinks with top notch views of the monument and beyond, head to rooftop oasis Terraza Cha Cha Cha.

4 p.m. – Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela

One of the best places to stock up on souvenirs in Mexico City is handicraft market La Ciudadela. The stalls sell typical handicrafts from across the country at reasonable prices. Compared to the crowded markets with pushy vendors in the historic center, La Ciudadela offers a relaxed shopping experience.

7 p.m. – Dinner on Rio Lerma

Calle Rio Lerma runs parallel with Avenida Reforma and is lined with bars and restaurants. On weekend evenings, it turns into a vibrant strip. You can pick between a variety of restaurants, from steak houses to sushi places and classic Mexican restaurants. A good option for affordable meat cuts and wine is Don Asado Rio Lerma, an Uruguayan steakhouse.

Day 4: Coyoacán

Exploring Coyoacán is as close as you’ll get to spending a relaxed day in hectic Mexico City, strolling the cobblestone streets while traveling back in time. The neighborhood became an artist enclave in Frida Kahlo’s time and preserves its bohemian vibe to this day.

9 a.m. – Tamales from a street cart

Food carts are inseparable from the streets of Mexico. They come in all shapes and sizes, yet each type of cart announces a different kind of food or drink. You can recognize tamales by a large steel pot and the soundtrack “Hay tamales oaxacenos, tamales calientitos!”. Other emblematic sounds – or noises – are the loud whistle announcing the sweet potato cart and the never-ending siren of scrap metal. Mexican tamales are made of a corn-based dough, filled with meat, chicken, cheese or vegetables, and wrapped in corn husk or banana leaves. They are typically eaten as breakfast, so the sound of tamales might just wake you up in the morning.

10 a.m. – Coyoacán Walking Tour

As Coyoacán is steeped in history going back to colonial times, the neighborhood is the perfect choice for a guided tour. There are several pay-as-you-wish tours where guides are usually students from local universities. You can also book a tour that includes the Frida Kahlo Museum, if you did not manage to get a ticket (more on that below).

1 p.m. – Lunch at Mercado Coyoacán

The Coyoacán Market is a popular choice with tourists thanks to the ample handicraft and souvenir stands. Restaurant La Cocina de mi Mamá is tucked away inside the market and serves delicious Mexican cuisine. One of their specialties is Chile en Nogada, a stuffed pepper that is typically served between August and September. Because of its colors and season, the dish became an official representation of the Mexican Independence Day. You can try this emblematic dish year-round at La Cocina de mi Mamá, albeit with raisins outside of the pomegranate season.

3 p.m. – Museo Frida Kahlo & Museo Anahuacalli

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s childhood home was converted into a museum, dedicated to her life and work. The blue corner house is no doubt one of Mexico City’s most iconic sights. Tickets sell out on weekends and can only be purchased online, through this website. Much less visited is Museo Anahuacalli, a temple for pre-hispanic art designed by Kahlo’s famous husband and painter Diego Rivera. The museum is located just a ten-minute drive from Museo Frida Kahlo.

7 p.m. – Dinner at Corazón de Maguey

Mexico is well known to put insects on the menu, like grasshoppers (chapulines), maguey worms (gusanos de maguey) and ant larvae (escamoles). Street vendors in Oaxaca or Puebla sell chapulines by the pound, but edible insects are hard to come by in the capital. If you do want to try these local delicacies while in Mexico City, head to Corazón de Maguey. Besides insects on the menu, the restaurant offers Mezcal tastings and a beautiful outdoor patio on Jardín Centenario.

Day 5: Centro Histórico

It takes a couple of days getting used to Mexico City before you can appreciate the colorful chaos of the Centro Histórico. Built by the Spanish on the ruins of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, it’s both the historic center and the center of activity in the capital.

10 a.m. – Breakfast at Finca Don Porfirio

Start the day with a birds-eye view of the activity below, at coffee shop Finca Don Porfirio. Tucked away on the top level of a Sears department store in front of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, it serves coffee with exceptional views. The secret seems to be out, so weekends come with long lines to enter. Once you make it back down, wander through Mexico’s oldest public park, the Alameda Central.

11 a.m. – Zócalo

The Plaza de la Constitución is commonly referred to as the Zócalo, the main square of Mexico City. The area of the Zócalo used to be a ceremonial center in Aztec times, before the Spanish converted the space into a central square. Nowadays, the western side is lined with restaurants that are housed on the top floors of historic buildings, offering great views of the Zocaló.

1 p.m. – Lunch at Miralto Restaurant

Views are the central theme of this morning in the historic center, with the best yet to come. Miralto Restaurant is located on the 40th floor of the Torre Latinoamericana, an emblematic skyscraper built in the 1950s. The 360-degree views reveal the sheer size of the metropolis. That is, if Mexico City’s notoriously high air pollution does not get in the way.

3 p.m. – Plaza Garibaldi

Plaza Garibaldi is the unofficial home of mariachi bands, who roam the square from late afternoon to well into the night. The bands go from table to table, offering diners to buy a song. If you don’t like to be at the center of attention, you can just as well observe other tables being serenaded and leave a small contribution.

6 p.m. – Dinner at La Opera

Mexico City’s historic center houses several cantinas that have been operating since the 19th century. These elegant establishments offer a mix of Mexican classics and international staples at very affordable prices. Many patrons enjoy an early dinner or drink in La Opera before heading to a performance at the nearby Palacio de Bellas Artes.

8 p.m. – Ballet Folklórico de México

If you catch just one performance at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, let it be Mexico’s folkloric ballet. This performance of traditional Mexican dance and music was founded in 1952, and has been playing for more than six decades since. The show runs several times a week when in season, usually at night. Ticket prices start just below $20 and the calendar can be found here. In addition to the unique performance, you get to experience the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes from the inside.

Day 6: Pirámides de Teotihuacán

The pyramids of Teotihuacán are located just an hour northeast of Mexico City, making it an easy half-day trip. If you don’t intend to brave the Mexican traffic with a rental car, there are many organized tours to Teotihuacán. Due to its proximity to the capital, the site can get very busy. It is recommended to visit in the morning right when the gates open at 8:00 AM, to avoid hordes of tourists as well as the blazing sun.

The Teotihuacán complex was one of the largest cities in the Americas for eight centuries, housing more than 125,000 inhabitants over 22 square kilometers. The city pre-dated the Aztec empire by a 1000 years, but received its name “the city where gods were made” by the Aztec people centuries after its downfall.

Two pyramids make up the heart of the city: the pyramid of the sun and the pyramid of the moon. Up until 2020 it was possible to climb the pyramids, but that is no longer the case. There are still many good vantage points to take in the majesty of the complex, and a visit shouldn’t be missed while in Mexico City.

Day 7: Xochimilco

The Xochimilco neighborhood lies just 20 minutes south of Coyoacán by car. If you are up for a busy travel day, a visit to the pyramids of Teotihuacán in the morning could be combined with a trip to Xochimilco in the afternoon. Since you only need about three to four hours to visit Xochimilco, it is also suited as a morning activity before an afternoon flight.

Xochimilco houses a network of ancient canals, built by the Aztecs to favor farmland. Nowadays, colorful trajinera boats navigate the canals. You can rent a boat at one of several Xochimilco Embarcaderos for around $20-$30 per hour, with an unlimited number of people. Alternatively, boats can be shared with different groups to bring down the cost. A two-hour float is usually sufficient to soak in the full Xochimilco experience.

It wouldn’t be Mexico if there wasn’t food involved. Besides the trajineras carrying passengers, there are different boats selling everything from beers to elotes and tamales. The canals fill up on weekend afternoons, when boats house floating celebrations of all types, complete with live Mariachi bands.

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