10 activities in Mexico City

One of the world’s largest capitals, with an astounding population of 9 million people, Mexico City is an enriching visit for whoever has the means and possibility to go there.

Built on the grounds of the Mexica’s town ‘Tenochtitlan’, the city is a fascinating mix between pre-Hispanic cultures and modern ones.

The metropolis offers a wide range of activities, museums, adventures, things to do and see, so here’s 10 of them. Not enough to say you really know the city, but just enough to make you fall in love with it and make you want to explore it more.

1. National Museum of Anthropology

In school, at least in Europe, we’re only taught about two of the main pre-Hispanic cultures that populated Mexico: the Mayas and the Aztecs, also known as Mexicas. In this 45 thousand m² building, you’ll get to know many more cultures, which inhabited various areas around the country, and which gave life to an incredible variety of languages and artifacts, displayed here.

From statues to pieces of temples, to objects of devotion, to recreations of real buildings, you can find anything in the 22 halls of this astonishing museum built inside the Chapultepec Forest, which brings us to the next number on the list.

2. Chapultepec castle and forest

A gigantic sculpture of a bat (this year’s animal) welcomes you to the ‘Chapultepec Forest’, a huge park that also contains an important monument dedicated to a few child soldiers who died for the country. After a few minutes of walking around, you find yourself in front of an impressive building, the Chapultepec castle, which used to host Mexico’s royalty and is now home to the National History Museum. It’s usually crowded and you have to climb a small road to get there, but it’s definitely worth a visit.

3. Frida Kahlo museum (Casa azul)

I may be biased, being a huge fan of Frida Kahlo’s art, but you cannot miss this beautiful, blue-walled house in the colorful neighborhood of Coyoacan.

Kahlo spent most of her life in this building, which is surrounded by a very nice garden. Inside you’ll find some of the things that belonged to the artist, some of her paintings, her clothes, her work tools and more stuff, besides seeing her actual house.

Finally, her tomb is situated in the garden.

4. Cathedral

These might be the last few years to visit this important church. Not to get you too alarmed, but the building might literally fall between the next 10-40 years.

The church is situated in the Zócalo, one of the city’s most important squares, in the historical center. It was built during a period of more than 200 years, and it displays a mixture of various architectural styles, such as Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical.

5. Angel of Independence

Located in one of the city’s most modern areas, specifically in the Paseo de la Reforma (one of the largest and longest streets), it’s a 52 meters high honorary column which commemorates the heroes that fought during Mexico’s Independence war. A bronze, covered in gold angel is at the top of the monument.

You can pass by this monumental construction while visiting one of the city’s most modern areas, full of skyscrapers, restaurants and shops.

6. Xochimilco

Whilst not technically in the city, you can get to this nice little town with a 30–40-minute bus and you’ll discover the beauty and the magic of this place. One of the most touristic activities you can find here is renting one or more boats, with designated drivers, to spend an hour or more with your family or your friends on the water that surrounds a huge area of this place. You can listen to music, drink and eat something while enjoying a nice afternoon or evening and a beautiful sunset.

7. UNAM’s Museums

UNAM stands for Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, that is, National Autonomous University of Mexico. Besides its huge academic offer, the University area hosts a wide range of public or almost public museums, such as the botanical garden or the contemporary art museum. They’re worth a visit, not only to get a glimpse of the Mexican university life, but also to learn more about the culture.

8. Hop on a touristic bus

Maybe it’s too cliché, too “touristic” as its name recalls, but these buses can truly make you enjoy the city more. Mexico City is so big that you need several days or more to discover the most important things to see, but with these appointed routes you can experience some specific relevant spots in a relatively short time. You can get a 1-day or a 2-day ticket and choose between almost all the routes available.

9. Try some street food

You absolutely can’t leave Mexico without having tried tacos al pastor or quesadillas. You’ll probably be surprised by how much street food you can find around the city, and the lines are usually short. Nowadays, many places are also introducing English menus, so you’ll find no difficulties in understanding what you’re going to eat. Prepare to be amazed by so many flavors and textures mixed. (Careful with spicy!)

10. Listen to authentic Mexican music in the Garibaldi square

Possibly one of the most important parts of Mexico’s culture, besides the food, is the traditional music, which you can hear in many places around the capital. Specifically, in the Garibaldi square, you’ll find lots of mariachis, traditional music players, wearing traditional outfits, that’ll ask you if you want to pay for them to play you songs from their repertoires. It’s truly a big part of Mexico’s authentic culture.

With all this being said, enjoy your time in this beautiful country!