Mexico City was the first place I visited outside of the U.S. and it still remains one of my favorites.
Back in 2012 lots of people told me Mexico City was dangerous and we were crazy for traveling there. While I might have felt differently going alone since I don’t speak any Spanish, Ivan and I had an INCREDIBLE time.
Mexico City has only gotten safer in recent years, and the NYTime’s recently named it one of the top destinations to visit in the world!
If you’re in the U.S. looking for a cool budget-friendly place to travel for a long weekend, this it it.
Volaris often runs flight specials too, and we found direct flights for about $400.
DAY ONE (FRIDAY)
Ivan and I were fortune enough to stay with an expat friend in Condesa – an upscale neighborhood in West-Central Mexico City that’s home to the hip, young, and (often) rich.
While Condesa is a hot spot in Mexico City, pretty much everywhere you go is really cheap, so you’re able to travel well on a limited budget.
During the day we visited the Museum of Anthropology, which is one of the world's best archaelogical and anthropoligcal musems specializing in Mesoamerican art. After we had lunch at the Vaca Verde Cantina then went out for a rowdy night of clubbing back in Condesa.
DAY TWO (SATURDAY):
On day two we made our way to Tianguis Cultural del Chopo – a funky punk rock/metal market downtown.
Checking out this market was a highlight for me and felt like an authentic “local” experience. There were virtually no tourists around.
Afterward we went to the Mercado San Juan for tapas before heading to Zocalo – the historical main square.
Feeling ambitious, we trained over to Foro Sol for a music festival where I fell in love with the Mexican band Café Tacvba.
That night we went to Lilit in la Roma to try Mezcal. Then, we went to a Pulqueria to try Pulque (an alcoholic drink made be fermenting the fresh sap of maguey that’s been enjoyed since Aztec times).
And to top off a crazy busy day, we danced Salsa!
DAY THREE (SUNDAY):
On day three we lunched at the Mercado Medellin in la Roma. Afterward we headed over to Coyoacán – home of the famous Casa Azul where Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera once lived.
This is a must-see museum and one of the best tourist attractions I’ve been to! You can’t miss it, and Coyoacán is really cute with its vibrant square and food trucks too.
That night we cooked at home and laid low since our first two days in Mexico were so packed.
DAY FOUR (MONDAY):
On our final day in Mexico Ivan and I bussed to Tenochtitlan to check out the Aztec ruins. Tenochtitlan was one of the most complex societies in Mesoamerica and the capital of Mexican civilization.
Nothing I can write here will do Tenochtitlan justice, but it was a mind-blowing experience to walk among and climb the ruins knowing this place has such a rich history. You should spend a couple hours and opt for a tour (though some guides do not speak English, so I was kicking myself for not knowing Spanish there!).
That night we flew out on a red eye. While Mexico City definitely warrants more time than we had, it was unforgettable and a good reminder of what can go down in a single ambitious long weekend.
