A First-timer’s Guide to Vibrant Mexico City

I was this years old when I learned that the best avocados are from Michoacán. The state, situated on the Pacific coast of Mexico south of tequila-famous Jalisco, is reputed to be the world’s largest producer of the green stone fruit (yes, avocados are fruit).

My cooking class instructor, Diego Niño, the wiry and intense head chef at the St. Regis Mexico City, instructs me to slide the paring knife through the avocado’s puckered skin, revealing two halves of perfect pale green flesh. I scoop the halves into the heavy stone molcajete (mortar) and grab the pestle to start transforming the pile of avocados into a fresh, delicious, and lime-spiked guacamole that, to my relief, meets with Niño’s approval.

Before coming to Mexico City, officially known as Cuidad de México and by its acronym CDMX, everyone told me to expect to eat well. “The food!” they’d exclaim, before proceeding to list their favourite taco stands and churro shops and recommending museums, art galleries and neighbourhoods I had to explore. My trip’s “to-do” list quickly resembled a 3-year-old’s long itemized letter to Santa.

Whether you plan to eat your way through every streetside taco stand or check off a laundry list of museums and art gallery showings, this guide to CDMX for first-time Canadian visitors should help outline how best to start your own love affair with Mexico City.

Mexico City for First-timers

Suffice to say, CDMX is a city of superlatives. It’s one of a kind; a megacity of nine million inhabitants — 22 million including its surrounding municipalities. It has more museums than Paris, and more traffic too. And it’s one of the greatest food cities in the world.

Like other world cities worthy of that moniker — New York City, London, Tokyo — Mexico City is confounding, huge and maddening. It’s also green, cultured and calm. When so many people live and work closely together in very warm weather, that calm is vital.

The words of former Mexican President Benito Juárez sum up the achievement of a megacity like CDMX: “Respect for the rights of others is peace.”  Mutual respect breeds peace and harmony in society, and we certainly felt that in Mexico City during our brief stay.

5 Things to Do in CDMX for Canadians

Mexico City is huge. You will not be able to do everything during a one-week visit. Think of this guide as an amuse-bouche tasting menu, offering small tastes and bites of CDMX, creating a hunger for future visits.

Visit the Centro Historico

The busy central historical district to CDMX is home to the Zocalo (Main Square), Templo Mayor and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The ruins of the Templo Mayor are the main temple of the Mexica people in their ancient capital city of Tenōchtitlan.

A visit to Templo Mayor early in your stay grounds you with an excellent understanding of the history of the Mexica people, pre-Spanish conquest. Walk through this open-air museum to see the stone ruins of the temple, which was dedicated to the Aztec gods of water and war. Then continue to view artifacts and history in the adjacent museum.

The Main Square (Zocalo) is home to a massive Mexican flag and sits in front of the 17^th-century Cathedral, which in turn sits on top of the former sacred Aztec site next to the Templo Mayor.

Vacay.ca Tip: Not far from the Centro Historico is the Dulceria de Catelya, a 19^th-century Mexican sweet shop specializing in handmade candy and sweets. Be sure to stop in for some sugary souvenirs.

Take a Bike and Food Tour

With dedicated bike route infrastructure and calm neighbourhood streets, Mexico City is surprisingly cycle-friendly. Combine the best of biking with food and you’ve got yourself a fabulous way to explore and eat your way through CDMX.

Book a Bikes and Munchies Tour of Roma Norte and La Condesa to enjoy peddle-powered visits to two of Mexico City’s most popular neighbourhoods. The 5-to-6-hour cycling tours include bikes, helmets, lessons in local history, and lots and lots of food.

We cycled along quiet tree-lined streets, stopped at multiple street taco stands, grabbed fresh warm churros at iconic El Moro, strolled through beautiful parks and even tasted some smoky mezcal.

The cycling tour is good for kids as young as 7 and adults as old as 85 (or older). It’s a great way to begin your CDMX vacation. You’ll get a good lay of the land in some of the city’s favourite neighbourhoods before returning to explore them again later in your trip.

Vacay.ca Tip: Be sure to arrive hungry! (Vegetarian and gluten-free diets can be accommodated with notice when booking.)

Immerse in CDMX Culture

Along with Templo Mayor (described above), the National Museum of Anthropology is a must-visit landmark.

Located in Chapultepec Park, the Anthropology Museum is the largest and most visited museum in Mexico, and for good reason. Its extensive collection covers thousands of years of history of the region from the Mesoamerican era to present day. And it will only cost you $100 pesos ($10 CAD) to enter.

Each exhibition hall features a different period and region, so by the end of your visit you will have an excellent sense of history and a much deeper appreciation of Mexican culture.

Vacay.ca Tip: The Anthropology Museum has an excellent restaurant with large outdoor patio. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a post-visit margarita, horchata or shared bowl of chips and guacamole.

The Museo Soumaya is a world-class art museum with an intriguing architectural exoskeleton. Owned by Carolos Slim and named in honour of his late wife, the private museum is home to 66,000 artworks, including those by masters such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dalí and Tintoretto.

Near the Centro Historico, the Palacio de Belles Artes is a performing arts center and a beautiful representation of art nouveau and neoclassical architecture. The rectangular Alameda Central, Mexico’s oldest municipal park, sits just to its west and is another excellent place to sit and watch rap battles, political speeches or enjoy a sweet churro or cool paleta.

Visit Mexico City’s Parks

Mexico City’s parks come in all shapes and sizes and are scattered throughout the metropolitan area. The Chapultepec Forest and Park is the middle of downtown and is larger than New York City’s Central Park. It includes its own Castillo (castle), at one time the official residence of the Mexican president.

This immense green space (686 hectares) exists as the heart and lungs of the city. Despite the mass of residents and tourists visiting Chapultepec, it’s possible to find quiet spaces, picnic sites and a beautiful forest of willow, eucalyptus and ahuehuete, a type of local conifer.

You can bike or walk through Chapultepec Forest and Park or paddlewheel small boats on the lake. Do visit the Audiorama, a quiet space tucked behind the Memorial Squadron 201 monument. This treed enclosure is designed as a silent space to enjoy a respite from the heat or the world, where soft music is played and talking discouraged.

Other excellent parks we discovered on our cycling adventures include Mexico Park in La Condesa, shaped like an elliptical horse-racing hippodrome (which it once was); the Rio de Janeiro Plaza in Roma, a square-shaped park centered on a fountain crowned with a replica statue of Michelangelo’s David; and in bougie Polanco, Parque Lincoln, a linear green space of shady trees and a statue of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

Take in a Local Market

Visiting a local market is always a must in a new city. The Mercado Medellin in Roma Sur was once a Jewish market but after the 1985 earthquake, the market site was purchased by South American families.

Today, crowded hallways give way to vendors selling all kinds of different produce, meats, bouquets of flowers and every kind of household product imaginable. This is where locals shop and it’s a great place to enjoy a lunch of tacos or tamales too.

For locally made arts, textiles and crafts, head to El Mercado de Artesanías de La Ciudadela, where vendors and craftspeople sell everything from luchador masks to leather belts, colourful woven tablecloths and silver jewellery. Prices are negotiable.

Day-trip Option — Teotihuacan

A popular day trip from Mexico City is to the ancient city of Teotihuacan. The pre-Aztec archeological site located 50 kilometres (31 miles) northwest of CDMX is home to an impressive complex of pyramids and temples, including those dedicated to the sun and the moon.

If you go, leave early in the morning to avoid the worst of the crowds and the heat. You can arrange for a guided tour or hire a car and driver for the day trip via your hotel.

Mexico City 101

The best way to get around is by walking or via Uber or DiDi. Walking is often faster than vehicular traffic, especially at rush hour. Ride hailing is cheap, safe and easy.

Leave your bling at home. We never felt unsafe in CDMX, but like anywhere, be aware of your surroundings and don’t advertise conspicuous consumption.

Sidewalks can be uneven and have random holes. Watch your step when walking and wear comfortable shoes. During our four-day visit, we averaged about 14-plus kilometres (8.7 miles) per day.

CDMX is located at 2,240 metres, or 7,350 feet. If you’re prone to altitude sickness, take it easy, stay hydrated and medicate if necessary.

If you’re sensitive to air pollution, wear a mask outdoors. The air quality can be poor in Mexico City.

Best Time to Visit Mexico City

The city of culture and the arts is an all-season destination that you can venture to at any time of year.

High season is during winter, from November to March. It’s cool and dry, but still warm during the day. And note that the significant holiday of Dia de los Muertos is on November 2. March to May is also a good time. The weather will be warm, even hot (30 Celsius degrees, 86 Fahrenheit) well into May.

The rainy season is June to September. Rain usually falls during the late afternoon and there can be heavy showers at times. In low season, accommodation tends to be cheaper.

Disclosure: Vacay.ca Writer Claudia Laroye was hosted by Marriott International and the St. Regis Mexico City during her stay in Mexico City. No business or organization reviewed her article before it was published.