There are three areas that are the best places to stay in Mexico City. Centro Histórico is best if it is your first time in the city. Roma and Condesa are trendier areas where you will find parks, restaurants lining the street, galleries and a thriving night life. Polanco is also a nice neighborhood to consider for more high-end accommodation.

Yes. Visa-free for tourism up to 180 days with an FMM tourist permit issued on entry. No vaccination or testing.

Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, is located in the Valley of Mexico (Valle de México), a large valley nestled into the high plateaus in the center of the country, at an altitude of 7,350 ft (2,240 m). The city has 16 subdivisions colloquially known as alcaldías, or boroughs.

Mexico City is the country’s economic and cultural hub, with more than 100 museums and a great deal of art, including massive concerts, the opera and the National Folk Ballet. It has beautiful parks, like Chapultepec, which is twice as big as New York City’s Central Park. The markets are full of life and great food. You may also want to navigate the floating gardens of Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mexico City has a subtropical highland climate due to its tropical location but high elevation.It is generally warm and pleasant during the day, and cools down at night. In fact, the daily temperature range is remarkable, especially in the dry season. In May, the warmest month, this is between 80 and 55 F, and in January, the coolest, the range is 72 to 47 F.

Tacos are king in the Mexico City street food scene, and pastor and suadero are the most popular varieties. Then there are antojitos or snacks/bites, that can be enjoyed at different hours of the day. Look for atole and tamales, gorditas, tlacoyos, pambazos, tortas and quesadillas.

The best time to visit Mexico City is between March and May, even though the streets are pretty crowded this time of year. Your trade-off is beautiful weather, especially considering the city’s winters can be chilly and the summers can be rainy.

Tourism to Mexico City is common and frequent, and it is safe in well-traversed areas, though petty crime can occur – as in most cities around the world. Use additional caution, particularly at night, outside of the frequented tourist areas where police and security patrol more routinely.

Mexico City is inland at 2,240 meters altitude. Closest beaches are Acapulco (4 hours by car), Veracruz (5 hours), and Puerto Vallarta or the Oaxaca coast (1-hour flight). Many travelers pair CDMX with a Oaxaca or Yucatán trip

Crowds can make navigating the city a bit tricky in busy areas, but in general Mexico City is a great destination for those traveling with kids. The many parks, museums, play areas and tasty treats give children much to experience.

Five to seven days. CDMX is the world's most exciting food city right now and one week barely covers it. Plan: two days for street food and mercados (San Juan, Mercado Medellín, Merced), two for the modern Mexican revolution (Roma, Condesa, Polanco), one for cantina-and-pulquería tradition, one for a Xochimilco boat trip or Coyoacán day.

Roma and Condesa for modern Mexican and international. Centro Histórico for cantinas, mercados, and old-school torterías. San Rafael for immigrant food (Lebanese, Spanish). Coyoacán for tostadas and traditional. Mercado San Juan for exotic ingredients and quick lunches.

You can fly directly to Mexico City from many locations worldwide. Benito Juárez International Airport is Mexico’s main airport hub, and is about 3 miles from Mexico City’s center. Felipe Ángeles International Airport is a second, newer airport serving Mexico City, with only domestic flights at the moment. It is about 30 miles from the center of Mexico City, in Zumpango.

Some of our favorite restaurants in Mexico City include: Quintonil for traditional fare, anything at Azul Histórico, and Barbacoa Renatos for barbacoa. Then there are institutions like Nicos and El Cardenal, which are always a sure bet.

Culinary Backstreets runs five tours in Mexico City. The Great Flavor Migration: How Mexico City Was Made traces the immigrant traditions (Lebanese, Chinese, Spanish, Basque) that shaped chilango cooking. Culinary Secrets of the Centro Histórico is the downtown market-and-cantina classic. Xochimilco Farm Feast heads to the chinampa canals for a farm-and-boat lunch. The City Green: Exploring the Urban Eco-Reserve of Xochimilco is a sister tour focused on the ecological side of the same district. Azcapotzalco: Mexico City's Culinary Kaleidoscope goes into a working-class north-side neighborhood most food tours never touch.

All three, and one of the best in the world for solo travelers. The taco stand and torta counter culture is built for single diners eating standing up. Families are welcome everywhere and kids adjust well to Mexican meal timing. Groups of six or more can book a proper cantina spread, a Xochimilco trajinera lunch, or a chinampa farm dinner.

Different, not comparable. CDMX is where every regional Mexican cuisine converges plus a global modern scene. Oaxaca is the deepest single-region cuisine in the country: moles, mezcal, tlayudas, and pre-Hispanic ingredients. Do both, CDMX first for breadth, Oaxaca after for depth.

Al pastor tacos from a trompo, tacos de guisado from a stand, a proper mole (Puebla-style or the CDMX version), tlacoyos, chilaquiles for breakfast, esquites, tamales oaxaqueños at Mercado Medellín, and pan de muerto in season (October to November).