Ultimate Mexico City Itinerary For 5 Days + Culture & Food!

Hello and welcome to my Mexico City itinerary! This in-depth guide will help you have an unforgettable trip to Mexico’s capital, also known as CDMX, introducing you to the main attractions, coolest neighbourhoods, tantalising Mexican cuisine and more.

At the time of writing, I’ve been in living in Mexico for six months. No doubt over the coming months and years (who knows long how I’ll stay?), I will enrich this Mexico City blog with even more tidbits and quirky corners of the capital as I discover them.

After your early start at the pyramids, you’ll likely be starving. Head to Freims in Condesa or Lalo in Roma Norte. Lalo is a hipster cafe with quirky murals on the walls and the best French toast ever. It’s always busy with shared tables so, if you’d rather a more upmarket brunch, try Lardo. The pancakes are unreal!

Alternatively, eat chilaquiles (crispy tortilla chips topped with salsa, cheese, cream and a fried egg) at pretty Ojo de Aqua or relaxed Chilpa with build-your-own bowls.

Things to do in Roma & Condesa

Roma markets

Galleries in Roma & Condesa

Stroll Roma Norte (Roma North) which is one of the coolest parts of Mexico City. As well as leafy Plaza Río de Janeiro with its replica of Michelangelo’s David, you can explore the art galleries and museums.

These include the Object Museum which is an exploration of ourselves through everyday items (entrance is 60 pesos) and Galleria OMR, a contemporary gallery displaying work by Mexican and international artists.

Other spots to check out include Mooni Gallery, the Salon of Mexican Fine Art, Casa Lamm and MAIA gallery inside Casa Basalta (all within walking distance in Roma Norte).

Evening options in Roma and Condesa

Dinner: Roma Norte is an atmospheric area for dinner. Check out Paramo and Tacobar for a wide range of tacos for all dietary requirements washed down with fab cocktails. Other popular spots include Contramar for seafood and famous fig tarts, Fonda Finca for upscale Mexican food, Butcher & Sons for amazing burgers and, of course, the famous Rosetta Restaurant.

Street food: tuck into tacos at Tacos Frontera (treat your sweet tooth after across the road at El Moro, everyone’s favourite churreria). Keep reading for more taco places…

Chilled drinks: Head for evening drinks at Jardín Chapultepec, a beer garden with excellent burgers and beers on tap.

Cinema: I love Cine de Tonala, an arty cinema in Roma Sur which doubles up as a hipster cafe, bar and restaurant. Cinema tickets are only 70 pesos and excellent margaritas aren’t much more. Check if the night’s movies are showing in English.

Nice bars: Consistently ranking in lists of top bars around the world, 1920s-themed Licorería Limantour serves classic cocktails with international flair. Another bar that will suit gin lovers is Gin Gin, a lively drinking spot known for mixing gin with coconut-infused tonic, rosemary, lime and more.

Insider tip – head to nearby Juarez for all the coolest speakeasy bars like Handshake, Hanky Panky, Xaman, Parker & Lennox (with a secret room for jazz concerts) and Brooklyn Rippers.

Clubs: An upbeat option for salsa dancing is Mama Rumba. If you’re keen for an official class, visit on a Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday and pay 100 pesos. Iconic club, Patrick Miller, is the place to watch locals show off in organised dance circles before it turns into a regular club after 10pm.

Tacos in Roma & Condesa

You’ll find countless places to eat world-class tacos. Some great options for your Mexico City itinerary include…

• Tacos Orinoco on Avenue Insurgentes are known for their generous meaty tacos served with crispy potatoes. The hype is huge so prepare to queue!
• Tacos Alvaro Obregon also serve tasty tacos, volcanos, gringos and more in no-frills surroundings
• El Tizoncito are famed as the birthplace of tacos al pastor. Be sure to try the famous bean dip with tortilla chips
• Taqueria El Califa is a good place to ease in gently with classy tacos on ceramic plates
• Tacos Hola can’t be beaten for 20 peso lunchtime tacos with loads of veggie options
• El Compita Birria de Res for lunchtime birria.
• Tacos El Gato Volador and Tacos Los Juanes for authentic late-night joints.
• (VEGAN) Por Siempre Vegana serve faux-meat tacos including Seitan. These are a bargain at five for 65 pesos. Other vegan taco spots include Gracias Madre, Paxil and Taco Santo.
• (VEGAN) La Pitahaya Vegana serve pretty pink tacos with gourmet vegan ingredients including almond, coconut, pumpkin, braised cauliflower and grilled pineapple. Pay 180 pesos for three.

More Roma & Condesa food for your Mexico City itinerary

Coffee and cafes: Book lovers shouldn’t miss Cafebre El Pendulo, a cosy bookstore cafe. For a laptop cafe with great coffee and the best avocado toast of all time, visit Blend Station. Head to Cardinal (either the Roma or Condesa branch) for the best cortado in town. Quentin is another good spot.

Chocolate: Those with a sweet tooth will love the award-winning chocolates in endless flavours from Tout Chocolat. Then, there’s Tierra Garat, a chain of chocolate cafes where you should order the chocolate con chile (hot chocolate flavoured with chilli). Finally, El Moro is the chocolate and churro cafe I mentioned earlier, the prettiest one overlooking Parque Mexico.

World cuisine: Whatever you want to eat, you’ll find it in Roma or Condesa. I love the wood-fired pizza with burrata (plus the desserts and margaritas) at Pizza Felix. For ramen and sushi, it’s all about Gin Chan or Kura.

Day 2 Mexico City Itinerary – explore Centro

Morning in Centro itinerary – mini walking tour

1pm: For 360-degree panoramic views, pay 70 pesos to head up the Torre Latinoamericana tower. Another option is to buy a drink at Cafe Don Porfirio directly opposite Palacio del Bellas Artes. This viewpoint isn’t half as high but it’s a lovely place to sit outside and soak up city views.

Next, stop by Casa de los Azulejos. This gorgeous blue-and-white tiled building translates as House of Tiles. Head inside for evidence that Mexico City (built inside an ancient lakebed) is sinking. The wonky corridors and beams add character to the decadent interior.

Afternoon

5pm, Explore the markets:

Day 3 Mexico City itinerary – Coyoacan & San Angel

These two charming neighbourhoods sit close together in the south of Mexico City which is why I’d recommend visiting both during 1 day.

San Angel Market holds a Saturday Market so visit then if possible.

Getting to San Angel/Coyoacan: An Uber from Roma/Condesa will cost 150 pesos to either San Angel or Coyoacan. Instead, you can arrive into Coyoacan metro station for just 5 pesos but note it’s a 20-minute walk from Coyoacan historic centre.

San Angel

Frida Kahlo Museum, Coyoacan

This is what puts Coyoacan on the map. Frida Kahlo was Mexico’s most famous artist and she lived out her days with her husband Diego Rivera here in the Blue House where you can see plenty of her original artwork.

My best tip for visiting the Frida Kahlo Museum is to book Frida Kahlo museum tickets online in advance. It’s extremely popular and you could queue for hours and not get in, especially at weekends. Once you’re inside, you’ll want to spend 1-2 hours admiring exhibits and relaxing in the sunny courtyard.

Afternoon activities in Coyoacan

• Mercado Artesanal Mexicano – shop at this market known for its handcrafted goods and souvenirs
• Parroquia San Juan Bautista Church – one of the oldest churches in the Americas built eight years after the conquest of Mexico
• Plaza de la Conchita – a crumbling, pale yellow church beside a pretty square
• Chapel of Santa Catarina – a final church with a vibrant yellow exterior.
• Casa de Cultura Jesus Reyes Heroles – a free-to-visit cultural centre with Aztec relics, artwork and statues of Frida and Diego. Find it beside the Chapel of Santa Catarina and grab coffee afterwards at Meson Antigua, a brightly coloured restaurant with indoor murals.

Day 4 Mexico City itinerary – Chapultepec & Polanco

Morning

A corner of Mexico City I haven’t yet introduced is Chapultepec Park, bigger than Central Park in New York. This is one of my favourite places to take a walk in the sunshine and escape the noise and traffic.

It’s also home to the oldest castle in the Americas where Romeo and Juliet was filmed, plus museums, art galleries, a zoo and food market.

10am: Start your day by grabbing coffee at Libreria Porrua Bosque de Chapultepec, a quirky bookshop cafe with trees growing inside and views over the lake. The coffee is only ok but it’s worth a visit for the surroundings.

If you have the time and energy, hire a pedalo and explore the lake.

10.30am, Museum of Anthropology: Just a moment’s walk from Libreria Porrua is Museo Nacional de Antropología, in my opinion the best museum in CDMX. You’ll learn about the Mayas, Aztecs and other pre-Hispanic civilisations. Entrance is 70 pesos.

Other things to do in Chapultepec

Add to your Mexico City itinerary…

12pm, Food Market: You could easily spend hours at the Anthropology Museum so you’ll probably be hungry by the time you leave. Wander through the large food market in the centre of the park and try quesadillas, tortas, huaraches, mole and various other Mexican foods. It’s not gourmet but nothing will cost you more than 100 pesos!

1pm, Chapultepec Castle: Exploring this impressive castle, museum and art gallery is a must for five days in Mexico City. Built upon a sacred Aztec hilltop in 1775, the Spanish are of course responsible for this European-style castle. In fact, it’s the only castle in the Americas to have ever been inhabited by royals.

This iconic spot is the filming location of Baz Luhrmann‎’s Romeo and Juliet. Other tidbits of history include the fact it was abandoned during the War of Independence, then defended by six children who lost their lives during the Mexican-American War. Pay your respects at the Niños Héroes (Hero Children) statue.

Entrance to the castle and Museum of National History is 70 pesos. Closed Mondays.

2pm, Museo de Arte Moderno: If you’re not all cultured-out, swing by this modern art gallery before leaving Chapultepec Park. Here you can see the famous Two Fridas painting, a self-portrait following her divorce from Diego. Entrance is 70 pesos or free on Sundays (closed Mondays).

Afternoon – Polanco

Polanco is Mexico City’s most upmarket neighbourhood. I wouldn’t recommend staying there unless you want to hemorrhage money but it’s somewhere you can spend a couple of hours exploring just to see how the other half live.

It’s not the most culturally interesting or exciting area of the city, in my opinion, so if you run out of time for anything in this itinerary, I’d suggest this being the place you skip!

Where to eat and drink in Polanco

While you might not expect authentic street food in such a fancy neighbourhood, there are plenty of stands outside Soumaya Museum. Since there’s a thriving Jewish community in Polanco, you can also sample authentic fare at Klein’s Polanco.

For lunch, dinner and coffee, visit Cafebrería El Pendulo, the Polanco branch of Mexico City’s library cafe.

In my opinion, the best speciality coffee in Polanco can be found at Cucurucho, Blend Station, Niddo and Bakers (don’t miss the baked goods at the last two!).

However, the most famous restaurant in Polanco (and possibly the whole city) is Pujol. Voted one of Latin America’s best restaurants, chef Enrique Olver uses traditional Mexican ingredients in his imaginative modern dishes. You’ll need to shell out $200 USD per head and book three months in advance but fans of fine dining will tell you it’s worth it!

Day 5 Mexico City itinerary – Xochimilco

Xochimilco is sometimes referred to as the ‘Venice of Mexico City’ although I can’t say I particularly see the resemblance.

The boats that roam Xochimilco’s waterways are not delicate gondolas but enormous trajineras, brightly painted with images from Mexican culture.

Trajinera tour

Getting around Mexico City

SIM cards when visiting Mexico City

For a short Mexico City itinerary, you might not bother with a SIM card. But if you’re out and about calling Ubers at night, I find they can make life easier and more secure.

I use a Telcel SIM card which I top up monthly in any OXXO store. For 150 pesos, you’ll get calls, texts, 4gb of mobile data, plus unlimited social media and WhatsApp for a month (which can be used all over Mexico if you’re travelling after). Ask or show the cashier ‘Tarjeta SIM Telcel con paquete 150, por favor’.

Additional day trips from Mexico City

If you have days to spare in Mexico, the capital is an excellent place to use them. Tag these days on to your Mexico City itinerary.

Puebla

Tepoztlán

Mexico City packing list

Travelling further around Mexico?

• Head south to Oaxaca state. I had a blast in Oaxaca city eating mole, visiting Hierve el Agua, spotting street art and experiencing Dia de Muertos. While in Oaxaca, take a trip to Puerto Escondido where you can see dolphins, turtles and luminous plankton
• Guadalajara is the other ‘big city’ in Mexico. I spent 4 days in Guadalajara exploring the Zocalo, Tlaqueupaque art district, Chapultepec, and visiting Tequila and Lake Chapala as day trips
• Queretaro city (and state) is four hours from Mexico City. I spent a blissful weekend here, hopping between the Queretaro wineries and visiting Pueblo Magicos (magic towns voted by the tourist board), Bernal and Tequisquiapan
• Guanajuato state has a few cities of interest to travellers. I visited San Miguel from Mexico City which I enjoyed (despite its rep as an American retirement hub) but I preferred colourful Guanajuato city where I spent Christmas 2019.