Mexico City, also known as “CDMX” and “DF” to locals is the capitol of Mexico. A city of almost 9 million people, it feels a little like London, New York City, and Rome all rolled into one spot. It is in my top 5 favorite cities and I tell everyone I talk to that it is a must-add to their bucket lists. You could easily spend anywhere from a week to a year exploring. However, this guide is for the visitors making a quick stop. Keep reading for how to spend 2 days in Mexico City.
2 days in Mexico City
WHERE TO STAY
With so many neighborhoods, it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to stay. I would recommend staying in 1 of the 4 neighborhoods below. Each one provides a unique perspective of CDMX.
La Condesa & Colonia Roma – Hipster & Trendy
La Condesa and Colonia Roma are two separate neighborhoods that I’ve grouped together because they both have a similar feel. You’ll spot lots of young 20-somethings and 30-somethings walking around. It’s trendy and hipsters are a common occurrence. I stayed at this Airbnb on my first visit to CDMX. Both these neighborhoods are safe, and ideal if you want a more local feel. You’ll notice lots of trendy coffee shops and unique buildings.
Centro Histórico
This area is ideal if you’re only in town for a short time. It is centrally located, and houses 10+ tourist locations. I stayed at Chaya Bed & Breakfast on my most recent visit and you can read about it here. With only two days, you want to limit how much time you spend sitting in Mexico City traffic!
Polanco – the Beverly Hills
Polanco is arguably the safest neighborhood of the batch as well as the most luxurious. You’ll walk around and feel like you’re in Beverly Hills with big sparkling high rises. While I love hanging out here, I feel that it lacks the charm of the other 3 neighborhoods. However, if your English is perhaps rusty or you love high-end shopping (oh hello Gucci & Prada) this spot is for you.
DAY 1 ITINERARY
Teotihuacan Pyramids
This is the number one tourist attraction in CDMX and for a good reason. Teotihuacan, which translates to ‘the place where the gods were created’ is considered a holy city created between 1st-7th centuries A.D. Visiting will likely take about 1/2 of your day. Our tour started at 8 AM leaving from Mexico City, and we were back at about 2PM.
- Travel Time: CDMX ⇒ Teotihuacan ~1 hour drive
- Getting There: You can go with a tour, by public transportation, or by Uber/ taxi
- With a tour: The first time I visited the pyramids I went with a big and expensive traditional tour. I felt like a sheep being shuttled around. This last time, I booked a tour via Airbnb Experiences and it was a game changer! (Here was the tour which I highly recommend.) Note: ours was only offered in Spanish, but I recommend booking through Airbnb experiences regardless. It’s my new international travel experience go-to.
- By public transportation: This option is by far the cheapest, but also the most complicated. This blog post gives specific details on how to achieve this. If you are traveling alone, don’t speak Spanish, or have very limited time, I would opt for the tour.
- Uber/ Taxi: While this might appear to be the easiest option, it can get expensive. Quite a few people on Trip Advisor pointed out that costs vary. With this option, you’d also want to hire a guide once you get to the pyramids. Consequently, you’ll likely spending just as much with this option as you would have on a tour (or more!)
Lunch at La Caverna
What we loved about our Airbnb Experience (and no, this isn’t sponsored) was that the guide asked us what we wanted to eat and then provided some ideas. We ended up at the “La Caverna” restaurant, which was a restaurant in a cave serving local foods.
Pro Tip: We initially wanted to visit “La Gruta” (the other cave restaurant) as it has become quite popular on travel blogs and Pinterest. We discovered that not only was it significantly more expensive, but had mediocre reviews. La Caverna is the way to go if you still want the cave experience but without that hefty price tag.
Centro Histórico
For the other half of you day, head to the Centro Histórico of Mexico City. This article has a list of the top 10 things to do in the center. With ~3 hours you can cover a lot of ground, but will need to pick and choose since you may not be able to see everything!
A few of the Must Sees
- Metropolitan Cathedral
- Zócalo Plaza
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- National Palace
If you have time
- Walk through Alameda Central Park
- Go up to the Torre Latinoamericana & check out the city view.
Snack at el Moro Churros
After working up a bit of an appetite, stop by El Moro Churros. The company has been around since 1935 and the historic center location is the original. These are a must-try! Note: If you’re looking for an Instagrammable moment, check out their Condesa or Roma location. The original is no frills and only for if you want a quick bite.
Dinner at El Mayor Restaurant
I discovered El Mayor when looking for a dinner location in the historic center. Because it’s such a touristy area, it can be hard to find somewhere good to eat. What attracted me to this spot was the views, but when we sat down for a late lunch, we noticed it was all locals (always a good sign!)
Pro tip: It is a little difficult to find, but is actually located on the roof of Librería Porrúa. Also, if you’re in a rush or only looking for light bites, consider going next door to El Mayor and grab a snack at the coffee shop La Frapp.
DAY 2 ITINERARY
Xochimilco & Frida Kahlo Tour
Similar to Teotihuacan, a visit to Xochimilco and the Frida Kahlo museum is also near the top of the CDMX travel list. I highly recommend doing this with a tour as they take care of everything (transportation, tickets, etc.) This is especially important when visiting the Frida Kahlo Museum as the line can get quite long. When we went, we were able to skip the line with our tour guide!
I took this tour and you really can’t beat the price. However, it was a pretty big group so it may be worth researching on Airbnb Experiences to see if you can find something that is organized through a local. A potential positive about working with a local would be if you wanted to spend more time in the neighborhood of Coyoacán where the museum is located.
The neighborhood of Coyoacán is quite cute and you could easily spend all day here. This blog post has some good ideas for what to do if you have some extra time.
ALTERNATIVE DAY 2 ITINERARY
Want to stay local instead of embarking on another day trip? This alternative itinerary is for you. This is also ideal for someone that might want to get a better feel for the city or wants to take it easy.
Chapultepec Park
Chapultepec Park is so much more than just a park. It features a zoo, a few museums, a castle, a large lake, and more. As locals told us, we could easily spend all day just immersed in the park. This blog post has an extensive list of all the things you can do.
We decided to spend ~3 hours in the park visiting the Chapultepec Castle, and take a walk by the lake. The castle is quite impressive and worth the entrance fee of 75 pesos (~$4.50 USD).
Check out La Condesa & Colonia Roma
Spend the other half of your day in La Condesa and Colonia Roma neighborhoods. Have lunch at Tacos don Juan in Condesa (if you’re looking for no frills and amazing tacos). OR opt for something more upscale at the Mercado Roma.
- Check out this guide for things to do in La Condesa – I love that author of Bridges & Balloons really gives you a feel for the neighborhood, as well as what to see & do.
- This article by the Guardian talks about the neighborhood of Roma in reference to the Award winning movie, but shares some fun ideas for how to spend your time.
https://www.palmtreesandpellegrino.com/mexico-city-city-guide/
https://www.palmtreesandpellegrino.com/chaya-bnb/
