Home

10%

Mexico City

Mexico

By Yes Mom I'm Alive

CDMX

I bought a plane ticket on Monday, landed in Mexico City on Wednesday, and had a new favorite city by Thursday.

ROMA NORTE

BELLA ARTES

TEMPLO MAYOR

Palacio Nacional

ZÓCALO

COYOACÁN

TAXCO

After 3 days in the city, I took a 3-hour bus ride from the Central del Sur station to Taxco, a former silver mining town in the state of Guerrero.

TEPOZTLÁN

After 24 hours in Taxco, I was on a bus to Cuernavaca, where I haggled in very rudimentary Spanish with a taxi driver to take me to Tepoztlán, one of Mexico's many "pueblos mágicos."

ITINERARY

Here is my 6-day itinerary, including where I stayed, what I ate, and where I visited:

Day ONE

Arrive at Mexico City airport in the late afternoon

Take an Uber to your Airbnb in Hipódromo

Stroll through Parque Mexico

Eat a trio of tacos al pastor from a nearby taqueria

Stop by Neveria Roxy for old-school helado

DAY TWO

Grab an Uber to Bella Artes

Go across the street to Sears to the cafe on the 9th floor

Have an espresso and pastry while enjoying the view from the balcony

Walk to Centro Histórico

Spend a long afternoon walking through the ruins of Templo Mayor and marveling at the Diego mural at Palacio Nacional

Find some late night elotes in the zócalo

Day THREE

Arrive at Casa Azul by opening to avoid crowds

After, take a walk over to Cafe El Jarocho for a mocha

Sit at any counter in the mercado for a delicious lunch

Take a long metro ride back north to Chapultepec

Roam the expansive Chapultepec, including the castle atop the hill

Day FOUR

Arrive at the Taxquena bus station to catch the 7 a.m. Costa Bus to Taxco

Get breakfast (chilaquiles y atole recommended) from the food stalls across from the station while waiting for the bus

Enjoy a scenic but twisty 3-hour bus ride to Taxco

Arrive in Taxco and check into Hotel Los Arcos

Hike up to the Cristo Monumental statue overlooking the city

Enjoy a bowl of verde y rojo pozole at Pozoleria Tia Calla

Grab some ice cream and enjoy a breezy evening in the zocalo under Santa Prisca de Taxco

DAY FIVE

Take the early morning bus from Taxco to Cuernavaca

Hire a taxi outside the bus terminal for the 40-minute ride to Tepoztlán

Arrive in Tepoztlán mid-afternoon

Seek out tlacoyos from one of the comal food stalls along El Tepozteco

Hike up to the Tepozteco pyramid

Get a massage or Temazcal bath at one of the many spas along the main street

Visit the hotel Posada Del Tepozteco for a cocktail and view of the city

Get a churro at the market

Stop by El Telon for live music

DAY SIX

Catch a Pullman de Morelos to the airport

Hasta luego, Mexico City!

ADVICE

Language

I speak very little Spanish - so little I had my boyfriend Jeff transcribe some key phrases (like sin cebollas) on index cards before I left. I met very few people who spoke English, even in touristy areas. If you don't speak Spanish confidently, bring a phrasebook or use Google Translate.

Transportation

I am a fan of public transportation – so I'm a little embarrassed to say I relied on Uber a lot to get around Mexico City. Uber made it easy to get places without knowing much Spanish and it was a safe choice after dark. The metro and bus system are great for daylight travel, especially when traveling across the city.

Food

I made a list of dishes and street snacks I wanted to eat using Eater's Guide to Street Food in Mexico City. Rather than make a list of where to eat, I went to Mexico City with a list of what to eat - tortas, atole, pulque, chilaquiles, huaraches... For each meal, I would try to find one of the dishes on my list. I ate very, very well that week.

Accommodations

There are plenty of hotel, hostel and Airbnb options in Mexico City. I stayed in an Airbnb apartment in the quiet but hip Hipódromo neighborhood. The lovely place I stayed no longer appears for rent, but there are plenty of other stylish rentals nearby.

Short on Time?

If I could re-do my itinerary, I would stay in the city all six days. Don't get me wrong - I liked Taxco and Tepotzlan quite a bit, but I could have easily spent my whole trip in the city. I am surprised to say that, as I would not consider myself a city person!

Questions?

Get in touch at yesmomimalive@gmail.com. I love to help!

Button Label

Mount Rainier National Park

Mexico City

Mexico

Washington

Patagonia

The Dolomites

Alaska

Washington

Italy