Mexico City: The glorious capital of Mexico often gets a bad rap for being “unsafe” or “dangerous.” However, during my three days in Mexico City, I did not once feel unsafe or uncomfortable. I honestly feel more unsafe in downtown Los Angeles. Mexico City was a fabulous place for a weekend escape, especially when you can score $100 airfare from Tijuana. You will not want to miss all the amazing restaurants to eat at in Mexico City as well.
Want a guided tour to start out your trip and get acclimated to the city? Then check out Guru Walks for a free guided tour. You can book online to reserve your spot and pay what you wish when you get there. Check out the tours in Mexico City here.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
Table of Contents
History of Mexico City
Mexico City has a long history that dates back thousands of years. Many indigenous civilizations inhabited the area prior to the arrival of the Spanish. The Aztecs, the most prominent of indigenous people, founded Tenochtitlan in Lake Texcoco in 1325.
In 1521, Hernan Cortes and the Spanish conquistadors conquered the area and destroyed much of the city in their wake. The conquistadors built Mexico City on top of the ruins and destruction.
Despite its violent start, Mexico City became a thriving center for the Spanish. Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821 and Mexico City became the capital of the new nation. Throughout the 1800s, Mexico City became more modernized with the development of the railroad and telegraph.
In the 1900s, Mexico City went through a period of political and social changes as the Mexican Revolution began. During this time the city also experienced massive growth and urbanization. Present-day, Mexico City is a vibrant and culturally diverse city known for its history, museums, and food.
Currency in Mexico City
Mexico uses the Mexican Peso as its currency. Currently, the exchange rate is about 18 pesos to $1 USD. This is awesome as it makes Mexico a very affordable destination for US travelers.
When to Spend Three Days in Mexico City
March to May and September to November are great times to spend three days in Mexico City. These months are somewhat the shoulder season where you will be able to find the best deals on hotels plus the weather will be nice. The weather in Mexico City during this time may be sunny or get a little chilly once the sun goes down.
We visited in May and got caught in a couple of rain storms which we were not expecting, so be prepared for rapidly changing weather. Overall, I thought May was a great time to visit because it was not too hot, even when visiting Teotihuacan.
Teacher Tip: Note that when planning your three days in Mexico City, many of the major attractions across the city are closed on Mondays. You will want to take that into account when planning.
How to Get to Mexico City
Mexico City has two major airports: Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and Felipe Angeles International Airport (NLU). I’ve traveled to both and I much prefer MEX over NLU as it is way closer to the city center and easier to get to and from the airport. From California and Tijuana, flights are typically around the same price to fly into both.
From MEX, the best and easiest way to get to and from the airport is by Uber. Uber is widely available around Mexico City and very easy to use. With no traffic, it will take about 15 minutes to get from the airport to the historic center. This should cost around $15.
From NLU, the drive takes at least an hour to get you downtown to the city center. Prior to visiting, everything I read said you can catch an Uber from NLU, but we found this to not be the case. Therefore, we opted to book a prepaid taxi at the airport. You can find counters for them as soon as you come out of baggage claim. This cost about $50.
Transportation in Mexico City
Mexico City is a very walkable city if you stay in the Centro Historico. The Centro Historico contains the majority of the sights on this itinerary. Uber is very popular to use in Mexico City and is very affordable. We opted to walk or use Uber everywhere during our three days in Mexico City.
Mexico City also has a metro and metro bus system, but we opted to use Uber out of convenience. Uber is one of the easiest ways to get around Mexico City. Each ride costs 5 pesos and you can buy a reloadable card for 15 pesos.
Where to Stay in Mexico City
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Mexico City hotels here!
When spending three days in Mexico City, opt to stay in the Centro Historico or Roma Norte neighborhoods. Both of these are safe and have lots to do within walking distance. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Mexico City Centro Historico. You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price or try to price match a hotel.
Other hotel options include
- Andaz Mexico City Condesa
- Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel
- St. Regis Mexico City
- Hyatt Regency Mexico City
- Umbral Hotel
- NH Collection Mexico City Reforma
- Best Western Hotel Majestic
- Four Points Sheraton Mexico City Colonia Roma
- Stanza Hotel
What to do During Three Days in Mexico City
While you can easily spend a week exploring the area, three days in Mexico City is enough to give you a perfect sampling of the city and the perfect way to spend a long weekend.
Day 1
Breakfast at El Cardenal
Cost: $$
Hours: 8am-6:30pm
El Cardenal is one of the best breakfast places in Mexico City. It has a lot of traditional Mexican dishes. We were able to walk right in, but it does get busy on the weekends. Make sure to order something with fresh tortillas! It opened in 1984 and has been thriving ever since making you feel at home as their motto is “mi casa es su casa” (my house is your house).
Templo Mayor*
Cost: $5
Hours: Tues-Sun: 9am-5pm
One of the major sites actually in Mexico City is Templo Mayor, what is left of the capital city of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan. The main part was a temple dedicated to their god of war Huitzilipochtli and their god of rain, Tlaloc. It was rebuilt several times until its final destruction in 1521 when the Aztecs were conquered (aka killed) by the Spanish.
Present-day you can visit what is left of the ruins. There is also a pretty extensive museum what is included in the admission too. You will want 1-2 hours here to explore all the areas.
If you don’t want to enter, you can view some of the ruins from above at Plaza Mayor (Zocalo). I recommend entering though, especially if you are a history lover. You can prebook your ticket ahead of time here or you can opt to participate in a Templo Mayor guided tour.
National Palace
Cost: Free
Hours: Tues-Sun: 9am-5pm
The National Palace is located in the main square of Mexico City and is the official residence of the president of Mexico. Inside the palace are gardens, massive rooms, and several murals by Diego Rivera.
If you are lucky, you can get tickets to tour the inside. You are supposed to book tickets online ahead of time, but the website does not work. I did find you need to make sure to bring your passport to get inside. We obviously did not go inside, mostly because I could not figure exactly how to get in and much of it was fenced off.
Catedral Metropolitana
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-5:30pm
The Catedral Metropolitana is the main Catholic Cathedral in Mexico City. It took over 250 years to build and has lots of ornate carvings. Note that it does sit on the ruins of what was once Tenochtitlan, which was destroyed to build the cathedral.
Dinner at Martinez
Cost: $$$
Hours: Wed-Mon: 2pm-11pm
Martinez is the best restaurant we ate at in Mexico City! This small plates restaurant (our fav) has a ton of delicious options and we left super full! It is a smaller restaurant, so you will want to make reservations if you can. They only have reservations available through Tock, so you will need to make them there.
686 Bar
Cost: $
Hours: 7pm-2am
The 686 Bar is a speakeasy-style bar that is on the list of the world’s 50 best bars (Not sure I agree but it was worth a visit). To get in, you will want to make a reservation here. Then you will have to check in downstairs at the restaurant below the bar by the door that is marked 686.
You won’t be able to find too many menus online, but they have a lot of your regular cocktails and a few house cocktails. A lot of them were very sweet or very tart so keep that in mind when ordering.
Cafe de Nadie
Cost: $
Hours: Sun: 12pm-11pm, Mon: 4pm-11pm, Wed-Thurs: 6pm-2am, Fri: 2pm-2am, Sat: 12pm-12am
Also on the list of best bars to visit during three days in Mexico City is Cafe de Nadie. I also definitely recommend making a reservation here. We did not have one and waited about 30 minutes. They do have some seasonal cocktails that may change but their regular menu is inside of a CD case!
Day 2
Teotihuacan*
Cost: $5
Hours: 9am-5pm
Start off your second of three days in Mexico with a visit to Teotihuacan, a huge archaeological complex just north of the city. It was once one of the largest cities in the world and the largest in the Americas.
To get here, you can opt to take a guided tour, ride the bus, or catch an Uber. We opted to grab an Uber for ease of travel. This cost varies but on average it is $40/person for a tour or $40ish round trip for an Uber. Once there, it costs $5 to get into the site.
You can spend as much time as you want and can reenter on the same day. Make sure not to miss the huge pyramid of the sun and the pyramid of the moon.
The following are some tour options.
- Teotihuacan Tour
- Guadalupe Shine and Teotichucan
- Teotichucan -early access
- Teotichucan and Guadalupe Basilica Tour
La Gruta
Cost: $$
Hours: 8am-7pm
After Teotihuacan or once you get hungry, plan to head to La Gruta for lunch. La Gruta is a pretty popular restaurant right outside of Teotihuacan. It’s located inside of a cave and they have all sorts of traditional Mexican dishes. I recommend getting guacamole for sure. We opted to share a sample plate and the carne asada was amazing.
At the end of the meal, they give you a lit candle to leave in a part of the cave. Legend has it that if you light a candle and place it on the cave wall, you will be reborn a new person and leave all of your troubles behind once you exit the cave.
After lunch, you can opt to return to explore more of Teotihuacan or head back to into Mexico City and visit the following places.
Leon Trotsky’s House Museum
Cost: $2.50 (approx)
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-5pm
One of the lesser-known museums in Mexico City is the Leon Trotsky House. This was once the home to [the scandalous] Leon Trotsky a Russian Revolutionist/Theorist. The museum details his life in Mexico and a little bit of his previous life. He was a big thing in Russia until he got too revolutionary and was exiled to Siberia.
He later bounced back and forth between Europe and Russia getting exiled… again… Eventually, he made his way to Mexico City where he lived at Diego Rivera’s house for a while until he had an affair with his wife Frida.
Then he got his own house, wrote a lot, and avoided a failed assassination attempt. About a year later, he was attacked with an ice ax in his own office and died of the injuries. He is buried on the property. Who says history isn’t fun!?
Frida Kahlo Museum
Cost: $14.50
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-6pm
Entrance for foreigners is steep compared to many other sites in Mexico City, but the Frida Kahlo Museum is well worth the visit (so I’ve been told). This museum is located in Coyoacan neighborhood. We made the mistake of not booking tickets ahead of time and they were all sold out for our three days in Mexico City. Alternatively, you can book tickets here.
The Frida Kahlo Museum was once home to the Latin artist Frida Kahlo. She was born and grew up in this house known as La Casa Azul. She later lived with her husband Diego Rivera and died in the upstairs room. In 1957, Rivera donated the building to become a museum dedicated to her life.
Present-day, visitors can view her artwork, along with other Hispanic art. Much of the house is still as it was in the 1950s.
Dinner at Bella Aurora
Cost: $$
Hours: Sun: 8am-10pm, Mon-Sat: 8am-11pm
After a long and fun filled second of three days in Mexico City, head to dinner at Bella Aurora. This delicious restaurant is perfect for those wanting an Italian meal. All of their dishes looked amazing, even if I opted for a pizza.
Oropel Vermuteria/vino
Cost: $
Hours: Tues-Sat: 5pm-12am
After dinner, grab a drink at Oropel, a wine and vermouth bar. We are now always on the lookout for places that serve vermouth after our visit to Madrid. They have a pretty extensive menu and it is just a small little place, so be prepared!
Tlecan
Cost: $
Hours: 6pm-2am
Tlecan was one of my favorite bars we visited during our three days in Mexico City. They have a variety of mezcals and mezcal cocktails. They give you some snacks to munch on, but watch out for the grasshoppers included in them! Grasshoppers are a common food in Mexico City.
Day 3
Castillo de Chapultepec*
Cost: $5
Hours: Tues-Sun: 9am-5pm
Located in Chapultepec Park, Castillo de Chapultepec was once the home of royalty. Emperor Maximilian I lived here as did several Presidents of Mexico. This makes it the ONLY palace in North America that was actually inhabited by a monarch.
It was originally built in 1785 but wasn’t completed until 1864. It also served as a military academy. One half of the castle goes over the history of the castle. The other half reviews the history of Mexico. Make sure to take in the amazing views. Looking for a guided tour of Castillo de Chapultepec? Check out this tour.
Chapultepec Park
Cost: Free
After visiting the castle, opt to walk around Chapultepec Park. There are a ton of other attractions in the park aside from the Castillo de Chapultepec, but for this three day Mexico City itinerary, opt to skip them and wander around the shopping stalls for a bit.
Diego Rivera Mural Museum
Cost: $2.50
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-6pm
Free on Sundays
For the next stop during your three days in Mexico City, opt to visit the Diego Rivera Mural Museum. This museum only has one huge mural by Diego Rivera and then some other artwork by Latino artists. While the admission price may be “steep” for viewing one mural, it is totally worth it OR you can opt to go on Sunday when it is free (like we did).
I really liked that they had information signs that explained all the important people in the mural as it can be very overwhelming at first glance. There are also seats so you can take your time to enjoy this iconic mural.
Churrería el Moro
Cost: $
Hours: Sun: 8am-11pm, Mon-Thurs: 7am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 7am-12am
Churreria el Moro is one of the best stops from churros (it is hard to beat Disney churros) and should be a part of any three days in Mexico City. You can opt to order just an individual churro or a variety or sets to-go or you can opt to eat in. We ended up getting a set of three churros that came with a drink.
Finca Don Porfirio
Cost: $
Hours: 11am-8pm
Finca Don Porfirio is a coffee shop located on the seventh floor of the Sears Building across the street from the Museo de Bellas Artes. It has become insta-famous for its views, but I actually really enjoyed their beverages.
At peak times, there may be a bit of a wait, but I would say it is worth waiting 15ish minutes. Tables seem to open up pretty quickly. I opted for their red hot chocolate!
The House of Tiles
Cost: Free
Hours: 7am-1am
The House of Tiles is known for its blue tiles that make up the outside of the house. It is another Insta-famous spot. I thought it was worth at least walking by to the next stop even if it was a bit underwhelming.
Palacio Postal
Cost: Free
Hours: Sun: 10am-2pm, Mon-Fri: 8am-7:30pm, Sat: 10am-4pm
The Palacio Postal is the major post office in Mexico City. What makes it unique is how ornate the interior is! It is a beautiful photo spot. They also have a small exhibit about the history of the post office in Mexico City that visitors can enjoy for free. During the week, you can also main things from the post office.
Mezcal Tasting at La Botica Mezcaleria
Cost: $
Hours: 3:30pm-11pm
One thing you will not want to miss during your three days in Mexico City is trying out different mezcals at La Botica Mezcaleria. This cute bar is tucked inside La Botica Centro which has a ton of different shops and other restaurants. You will need to head up to the second floor and look for all the mezcal bottles.
Once there, they have at least 20 different mezcals to choose from. We went a couple of times and tried several different ones. We always like asking for the bartender’s recommendation. Our favorites were the cueshi from Oaxaca.
Teacher Tip: Use the oranges they bring to get a different, cleaner taste of the mezcal (it cleanses the pallette).
Dinner at El Buen Taco
Cost: $
Hours: 9:30am-9:30pm
Tonight, for your last of three days in Mexico City, opt to keep it chill and grab some street tacos. We ended up at El Buen Taco which did not disappoint. For under $5 you can get three delicious tacos with a variety of meat choices (or veggies for my vegetarians).
Teacher Tip: Many of the sites are free for locals on Sundays, so keep that in mind when planning to visit popular places (I denoted these with a *).
More Than Three Days in Mexico City
Three days in Mexico City is the perfect amount of time to enjoy the city and get a good sampling of what it has to offer. If you have more time, make sure to visit the Museo National de Arte (MUNAL), the Torre Latino Observation Deck, and Plaza Garibaldi.
I have also heard that Handshake Speakeasy and Cafe Ocampo are fun bars to visit. You can venture out on more day trips from Mexico City. No matter what, Mexico City is a thriving paradise for foodies and history lovers.
Final Tips for Three Days in Mexico City
Overall, I feel that three days in Mexico City allows visitors to see many of the main sites the city has to offer. It gives you a good taste of the city and a nice sampling of Mexican culture and food. If you have more time, you can also add on visits to other cities in Mexico such as Puebla, Oaxaca, and Cancun.
