Mexico city was not really on my top places to visit and for obvious reasons. Friends and family are naturally concerned for your safety when you tell them about your plans to visit Mexico city. Dangerous and crowded is the popular perception – Mexico city gets a bad rap and many tourists skip this city altogether.
I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw in Mexico city. The city is vibrant with history and character, grand palaces and museums, breathtaking architecture, plenty of entertainment and some of the best street food. Unlike any other large city Mexico city casts a spell which will enchant you.
Before it was called Mexico city by the Spanish who conquered the region, the former Aztec city was known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan and had grown to become the most powerful city in Mesoamerica. Built upon an ancient lake bed, the city is a modern economic hub and home to a diverse community of people from around the world.
If you are interested in travelling to this city some facts will interest you.
Mexico city is a large city and is officially known as Ciudad de Mexico ( or CDMX). Greater Mexico city has a population of over 20 Million, making it the largest city in the western hemisphere. It was the political, financial and administrative centre of the Spanish colonial empire.
Mexico city was a Lake. Yes Most of Mexico city was a lake called lake Texcoco. It is located on the site of the former Aztec capital city Tenochtitlan, which was an island city in the middle of the lake. As the city used to often get flooded by the rising levels of the lake, the lake was eventually drained out over several hundred years and the modern city rose on the lake bed. Soft sediments underlie most of Mexico city and that’s the reason the city has sunk almost 10 feet in the last decade and why earthquakes can be so devastating.
If you have only a few days to spend in Mexcio city, some of the attractions to consider are:
Xochimilco
Xochimilco, a UNESCO world heritage site is one of the last remnants of Lake Texcoco. A trajinera (flat bottomed boat) excursion here is a rexommended activity in Mexico city. Local families hire trajineras for special occasions and parties with friends, passing through the famous canals perhaps to the tune of a mariachi band.
Chapultepec Park
From their island capital, the Aztecs constructed four causeways to the mainland. One of these causeways contained an aqueduct that brought fresh water from a lakeside spring to the city. The site of that lakeside spring is today part of Chapultepec park , the Central Park of Mexico city.
Today, this park is also one of Mexico City’s top attractions with its Zoo, lake recreation, vendor stalls, Chapultepec castle and the famous National Anthropology museum.
National History Museum
The National Museum of History is located in Chapultepec Castle, a historic building of great symbolic value to the Mexicans. The castle is on a hill in the centre of the Chapultepec Park, overlooking Mexico’s huge green space. Some important events took place here, including the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War
Today this contains exhibits tracking the tragic and sometimes bloody history of Mexico over the last 500 years from the time of the Aztecs through the 20th century.
National Anthropology Museum
The National Museum of Anthropology contains the worlds largest collection of ancient Mexican art and has ethnographic exhibits about Mexico’s present day indigenous groups. There are Mayan treasures and other artifacts of Mayan and other rulers. You could easily spend a whole day here, but you should at least spend a few hours to explore this popular museum.
Zocalo
The heart of Mexico city is the Plaza de la Constitucion. Residents began calling it the Zocalo, meaning “base” in the 19thcentury, when plans for a major monument for independence went unrealized, leaving only the pedestral.
Prior to the colonial period, it was the main ceremonial centre in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The plaza used to be known as the “Main square” and today its formal name is Plaza de la Constitucion (Constitution square).
Palacio de las Belles Artes
Often referred to as the Cathedral of Art, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico city is unique in its design and contents. Designed by Italian architect Adamo Boeri, the building houses art gallery, museum of architecture, a magnificent theatre and impressive and colorful murals by famous painters.
Mexico city is a foodie paradise. You will be spoilt for choice sampling the myriad Mexican delicacies. One of the top places I visited was Cafe Tacuba which was established in 1912 and its decor is like a museum and famed for its traditional food.
Don’t leave Mexico without tasting these popular dishes.
Chilaquiles-This popular traditional breakfast dish features lightly fried corn tortillas cut into quarters and topped with green or red salsa. Scrambled or fried eggs and pulled chicken are usually added on top, as well as cheese and cream.
Pozole – Made from hominy corn with plenty of herbs and spices, the dish is traditionally stewed for hours, often overnight. Once it’s ready to serve, lettuce, radish, onion, lime and chilli are sprinkled on top.
Tacos al Pastor -This historic dish is one of the most popular varieties of tacos, with origins dating back to the 1920s and 30s. To create tacos al pastor (meaning ‘in the style of the shepherd’), thin strips of pork are sliced off a spit, placed on a corn tortilla and served with onions, coriander leaves and pineapple.
Tostadas – Literally meaning toasted, tostadas are a simple but delicious dish involving corn tortillas fried in boiling oil until they become crunchy and golden. These are then served alone or piled high with any number of garnishes.
Elote– You’ll find someone selling elote, the Mexican name for corn on the cob, on nearly every city street corner in Mexico. The corn is traditionally boiled and served either on a stick (to be eaten like an ice cream) or in cups, the kernels having been cut off the cob. Salt, chilli powder, lime, butter, cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream are added.
Enchiladas date back to Mayan times, when people in the Valley of Mexico would eat corn tortillas wrapped around small fish. The stuffed tortillas are then covered in a chilli sauce, making for a perfect Mexican breakfast.
Mole – There are myriad types of mole but all contain around 20 or so ingredients, including one or more varieties of chilli peppers, and all require constant stirring over a long period of time. Perhaps the best-known mole is mole poblano, a rusty red sauce typically served over turkey or chicken.
Tamales were first developed for the Aztec, Mayan and Inca tribes who needed nourishing food on the go to take into battle. Pockets of corn dough are stuffed with either a sweet or savoury filling, wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks, then steamed.
The food is great but skip the water.
One of the fears that American tourists visiting Mexico have is probably of drinking water. Fear not. Drink bottled water, soda or beer and not tap water. Perhaps you can skip salads and cut fruits or anything which could have been washed with tap water. Bottled water is available in every street corner and even at traffic stops and are reasonably priced.
General Safety
If you are visiting Mexico city as a family, prepare to address the concerns of anybody who knows you, neighbours included. Mexico city is as safe or unsafe as any large American city. Safety becomes less of an issue, when you stay on the beaten path. I have never felt unsafe at any point during Mexico City travel. Take private tours organized by your hotel concierge and use hotel drivers (more on this below). Stay in the touristy neighborhoods like La Condesa or Polanco or Roma etc. It is good practice to check the State Department’s website for travel warnings before you go.
In addition, leave your valuables in the hotel safe. The less you look like a tourist in Mexico City and many other places around the world, the better. Carry only copies of your ID.
Museums close on Mondays
If planning a long weekend in Mexico City make sure that any museum or attraction you’d like to visit is open on Mondays. The good news is that Teotihuacan is open on Mondays so you can always go there.
Air Pollution is improved – but not good enough
In 1992, the United Nations apparently named Mexico City “the most polluted city on the planet,” and it’s one of the issues people ask about.
That being said, pollution is still an issue, and the city has had news-worthy smog in recent years. From Chapultepec Castle, located on Chapultepec Hill, I could see smog hovering over the city. So, while air pollution has improved, you might still see it.
Traffic in Bad
Mexico City has some of the worst traffic congestion in the world. For this reason, try to walk whenever possible while in Mexico City. Mexico City is enormous, and the attractions are spread out. Go knowing you’ll experience traffic. Pack snacks and carry bottles of water.
Getting around is easy
Traffic aside, transportation in Mexico City was notably easier during my trip.
If you need to take a car in Mexico City, Uber works very well, including to and from the airport. Note that Uber Black cars run the gamut from older Ford Explorers to new Suburbans. The cost, given the exchange rate, is very low by US standards.
Metro – The Mexico city Metro of STC is widely regarded as an excellent way to get around a large a high traffic city like Mexico.
It can be both cheaper and quicker than a cab, Many of the rides costing only a few pesos. This is the second largest subway in North America ) after New York city. If you choose to take the Metro, the general suggestion is to avoid rush hour and to be very mindful of your belongings. I’ve been told to avoid taking from the airport into the city as your luggage may be a target. I did not use the Metro though as Uber was super easy to get and cheap and reliable.
Taxis– Exercise caution when taking a taxi. Make sure they are authorized taxis, especially from the airport. I have not used a taxi in Mexico City because for years they (except for authorized taxis) were not regarded as safe. Truthfully, with Uber, we don’t find a need for taxis though many people do. Another safer tourist practice is to avoid hailing them from the street.
Do Tip
Tipping is common in Mexico City, in the same general situations as it would be common and expected in the United States. In Mexico, a 10-15% tip is the going rate. Be aware that servers may ask for a tip amount at the same time you pass them a credit card.
Carry small bills
Credit cards are standard, but paper currency is used very frequently in Mexico City. Have Mexican Pesos with you at all times as many restaurants and vendors accept only cash. It’s helpful to carry several notes that are no bigger than 100 pesos. I found that bills higher than that (including the 200 peso note) can be hard for vendors to change when purchasing small things. From my experience ATMs in Mexico City prefer to dispense 500 Peso notes. Remember to change them at the hotel’s front desk before going out.
Spanish language skills are helpful (or use an app)
English is common but not universally spoken in Mexico City, even at tourist sites and restaurants that cater to tourists.
In that same vein, English language menus are not always available at restaurants there either, even touristy ones. People are very willing to help out. If someone in your party speaks at least a little bit of Spanish, that will make your visit smoother. Or, be sure to download a translation app. You can also pop simple phrases into Google for translation, as I did.
Dont let the media noise scare you. Put Mexico city in your travel bucket list. For more travel stories visit Planning a trip to Costa Rica?