You are here because either you are planning 4 Nights in Mexico City and looking for helpful advice on planning your trip there… or you are just curious as to what it’s like visiting Mexico City. Either way, welcome! I’m going to be sharing some tips and advice for tackling Mexico City a feast for all senses. When most people think of Mexico, they picture Mayan Ruins and beaches but there’s so much more to see than just the Yucatan Peninsula (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the likes).
I visited Mexico City specifically for the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities as it’s something I’ve been wanting to participate in for quite some time. I will preface this by saying that 4 Nights in Mexico City is simply not enough, but when you’re pressed for time and have to get back to the office because busy season is ramping up what is one to do? So let’s go through the Day by Day itinerary so you can get a feel for if this city is right for you (and most likely it is!). The Day of the Dead celebration was something I can’t exactly put into words but will certainly try. To pre-book your Mexico City tours and excursions, click here.
Day 1: Day of the Dead Part 1/2
12:30 PM: I arrived at the MEX Airport early afternoon on UNITED Airlines. Although I was aware that the Uber service is widely used in this city before arriving, it always stresses me out to have to locate an Uber driver in a busy/congested area and have to explain WHERE EXACTLY I am. So I decided to pay $50 USD and avoid that by booking a private car with SunTransfers.com. They were on time, friendly, I highly recommend. After being dropped off at my hotel (El Ejecutivo by Reforma), I had a little time to freshen up and change out of my cozy sweat pants I don for the flight.
Dinnertime!
4:00 PM: Group members and I called an Uber to head towards the Palace of Fine Arts building as that is where our 6:00 PM tour would depart from. We found a restaurant nearby that I had found on TripAdvisor prior to visiting Mexico City. That restaurant is called El Cardenal and it seems to be one of the “staple” restaurants within the city. Because we came at a weird time (after lunch but before dinner) we were able to snag a table without a reservation. So we feasted like kings on chile relleno and enchilada mole. The mole was a bit more sweet / bitter than what I’m used to in the states. Very good nonetheless. Also, can we talk about the fact that they have a huge container of mouthwash available for patrons to use after eating? Genius!
Xochimilco Canal Ride
6:00 PM: After stuffing our face with really good Mexican food, we headed over to the Palace of Fine Arts building. That’s where we caught our bus. We booked this Viator tour. It’s called “Day of the Dead Tour in Mexico City with Xochimilco Canal ride.” It’s only available one day of the year, November 1st so the next available tour will be November 1, 2019. Since it’s a newer tour on Viator there are no reviews available. I was a little apprehensive about booking it, but it was an incredible experience. It had to be a one-of-a-kind experience for me to stay up past 2:00 AM. Can you believe this tour is 8 hours in duration beginning at 6:00 PM?
Buses were PACKED so my recommendation would be to book this tour early. The moment you’re flight + hotel are booked for Dia de los Muertos lock in this tour. We drove an hour and a half out of the city in pure darkness to a town called Xochimilco. Upon arrival we were greeted by stalls set up. This area is very tourist-focused so you expect that you’re going to over spend… like for a sombrero that you didn’t really need that set you back 300 Mexican Pesos….
Floating Waterways
After some impulse buys, we followed our tour guide Kevin (pictured below in the sombrero) to a dock. At the dock we were got in our trajinera, a brightly colored gondola. We floated down a network of waterways to see chinampas, aka “floating gardens“, and riverbanks decorated with colorful images of skeletons and skulls. As you float, we listened to folklore about figures such as La Llorona, ‘the crying mother,’ whose guilt-ridden spirit haunts the waters.
Kevin shared with us the meaning of Day of the Dead as we floated throughout the canals. We enjoyed sipping on beer and trying different treats like Elote. Elote is corn with mixed with mayo, chili powder, garlic clove, cilantro, and lime/citrus. We also sampled these fuzzy potatoes I’d never seen before. They were similarly treated like Elote with the same mixture. There were so many canals in the water lighting up the path, it was beautiful. We also had the chance to feast on a traditional baked item, Pan de Muertos. It’s a sweet bread that’s only baked during this time of year.
Xilotepec Cemetery
After time at the canal we drove to the Xilotepec Cemetery. This cemetery was much larger than what I had imagined in my head. It was about a 50/50 mix of locals and tourists. TONS of people with painted faces, colorful clothing, and participating in graveside celebration/festivities. We learned about “ofrendas” which included homemade altars, sugar skulls, and more. The ofrendas are believed to welcome the dearly departed with open arms. We saw lots of food and drinks that the deceased once enjoyed. Saw lots of Coca-Cola!
One thing to note when visiting the cemetery is to not act sad. While of course there are people mourning, locals also have their loved ones home. Even if for a few days, they get to celebrate with their missed loves. Many of the locals will spend the entire night at the cemetery. Remember… Day of the Dead actually takes place TWO days out of the year, November 1 and November 2. I saw family and friends laughing, smiling, playing music (no doubt music that the dearly departed once enjoyed). It was a beautiful thing to witness and very hard to put into words.
I feel like this is what the United States’ Memorial Day should be about. But let’s be honest it’s more about furniture discounts and a 3-day weekend from work.
The locals were very welcoming to us tourists. One family even offered us a taste of an alcoholic drink that was often consumed by their family member. So friendly and genuine.
Street Vendors
After our time at the cemetery we had time to check the street stalls. The street stalls were selling all types of food from fresh fruit to tea to tacos al pastor. It was a good opportunity to get last minute snacks. When I tell you Mexico City is a food haven… BELIEVE ME. There were also vendors selling fresh flowers.
FUN FACT: The unofficial official flower of the Day of the Dead celebration is the cempasuchil. Also known as “flower of the dead.” They’re also considered “Mexican marigolds.”
This evening ended around 2:00 AM when I knocked out at the hotel.
Day 2: Day of the Dead Part 2/2
Breakfast
8:00 AM: After getting in the hotel late (2:00 AM), we let ourselves “sleep in.” In adult terms that means we were up at 8:00 AM. After showering and all of that good stuff we caught our Uber. I really can’t stress how much of a lifesaver Uber is in this city. When it comes to safety, I really rely on Uber as a female traveler. It’s also a very affordable way to get around. I looked at my bank statement and all of my rides were like $3 USD – $5 USD. SO cheap and fast. We had a running joke that our Uber driver mostly likely would be in a Nissan Versa. For some reason… that was the most popular car make/model.
9:00 AM: We had a quick breakfast at Sanborns (another staple). There are a few different restaurants throughout the city, but we went to the “original” one. It’s called the Casa de los Azulejos. You can’t miss the building with beautiful blue tile work on the side. There’s two sides to the restaurant: cafe and restaurant side. The restaurant side seemed very busy so we went to the cafe side. Note they won’t serve you food on that side until 10:00 AM. Just coffee, drinks, and pastries. Which honestly was all we wanted.
11:00 AM: We decided to grab yet another coffee at this adorable cafe overlooking the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes). The cafe that people have been messaging me on Instagram about is called Finca don Porfirio and it’s located at the top of the Sears building right past a Pier 1 Imports. Super random I know. My recommendation is to get there right at 11:00 AM when they open so you can snag a good seat front row and center to the museum.
It’s a great place for people watching below. Because I came here during Day of the Dead, I was able to see lots of unique experiences below and people setting up for the festivities later on that evening (which I’d be taking part in!).
City time!
1:00 PM: After a little more caffeine in our system, we were ready to take on the busy streets of Mexico City! Lots of hustle and bustle as you would imagine from any large international city. I was pleasantly surprised to find as many bookstores as I did. Of course the books are in Spanish so I didn’t purchase any as I wouldn’t be able to read everything.
With the hustle and bustle atmosphere it means being able to say “no gracias” a ton. For some odd reason, the number 1 thing people are selling on the Mexico City streets … anyone want to take a guess?
Optometry?
I can’t make this stuff up. I looked down at the stack of cards in my hands and they were pretty much all for optometrists. Not sure if there’s a big glasses epidemic in Mexico City or what. Very random. I was a little less interested in optometry and a little more interested in TACOmetry.
The tacos are plentiful and you can find all the locals in small cantinas spread out throughout the city. One of the cantinas we at at is a tiny place called Taqueria Tlaquepaque. We were the only tourists there at the time which was a nice experience. I of course had to order one of the most famous dishes: tacos al pastor, pork tacos. They did not disappoint.
Castle Chapultepec
4:00 PM: Anyone who’s traveled with me before should know that all of my itineraries are this jam packed. At 4:00 pm, my small group was able to squeeze an hour of the day at the Castle Chapultepec before it closed. Chapultepec Castle is located on top of Chapultepec Hill. The name Chapultepec stems from the Nahuatl word chapoltepēc which means “at the grasshopper’s hill”.
I’m not a history buff or art buff so I will say I was not impressed here. For someone who can appreciate what’s here, I think you’ll enjoy it. It also didn’t help that it was pouring down so that put me in a groggy mood.
Zocalo Day of the Dead Festivities
6:30 PM: After a quick change at the hotel, we were on our way to the famous Zocalo square. You can’t miss the Zocalo square when you’re in the city. It’s one of the largest squares in the world and when you get there you’ll see why…
The first order of business was getting make up done in true Calavera Catrina fashion. The Calavera Catrina has become an icon for the Day of the Dead holiday.
FUN FACT: Catrina was created as a satirical image which aimed to mock the indigenous Mexicans who imitated Europeans with the pale faces and dressing luxuriously. She represents a reminder that even the wealthy will die one day. “Death brings this neutralizing force; everyone is equal in the end. Sometimes people need to be reminded of that.” – David de la Torre
Makeup Time!
You can find many local make up artists out in the Zocalo square. Since it was drizzling a bit we popped into a nearby makeup store. It was cheap (only 130 Mexican pesos) but it took 1.5 hours! Probably the longest time I’ve been made over. A nice reminder as to why I don’t wear makeup on a regular basis. Shout out to the ladies that put that energy and effort in daily. When I lived in NYC I remember being made up all the time. Glad those days are over…
After the makeup was applied, we hit the Zocalo Square for the festivities.
Pro tip: You should make sure the make up is not “scary” (ex: with blood etc…). Remember this is a celebration of the dead not a time to make this about Halloween (even though it coincidentally falls around the same time).
Dinnertime!
9:00 PM: After all of the festivities, it was time to eat! Thanks to Yelp, we found this little jewel of a restaurant, Punta Arena Restaurant. Delicious food all around… I tried some rosotto, tacos (duh) and pieces of grilled tuna. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something a bit more upscale with a nice ambiance.
After dinner, we called it a night.
Day 3: Teotihuacan Pyramids
Churros for Breakfast!
9:00 AM: Another exciting day in Mexico City! Bright and early we were up and ready to chow down on some churros and chocolate for breakfast. Vacation calories don’t count, right??
We took an Uber to the Roma Norte neighborhood. The original cafe we wanted to visit wasn’t open yet so we went next door to El Moro Churreria. Very cute place inside with bright colors of white and blue. Two words to describe this neighborhood: HIPSTER PARADISE. With that said, it’s not my ideal scene but I can respect the craft they put into the coffee etc.
Ironically, I’m wearing a shirt that reads “FIT HAPPENS.” Yeah… fit does not happen here.
After breakfast, we walked around a bit. Had to take our obligatory CDMX (Ciudad de Mexico) pic. No I did not purposefully match my outfit. Admittedly, sometimes I will but this was not one of those times.
Teotihuacan Pyramids Tour
12:45 PM: After walking around the Roma Norte neighborhood for a bit, we took another Uber and headed to the Zocalo square where we’d catch our bus for the Teotihuacan Pyramids tour. The exact tour I booked was with Viator included dinner with a local family. Here is the link. The cost is only $46 USD which includes round-trip transportation, local dinner with a family, and admission to the pyramids. Great value.
After leaving Mexico City behind, we headed to the town of San Martin de las Piramides. We began our journey into Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We entered the ancient city and strolled through the Calzada de los Muertos to reach the Sun Pyramid. The Sun Pyramid is the area’s tallest temple.
Dinner at Local Family’s Home
We left to meet a local family producer of pulque, the alcoholic beverage sacred to the Aztecs. We also sampled some mezcal (not for me!) and some other drinks. Then we went to a different family’s home for a nice home cooked meal of chicken, rice, and green beans. They also made this delicious tortilla soup appetizer. Nomz…
We got back late in the evening. I went home to sleep, the rest of the group went out to some local bars.
Day 4: Coyoacan Neighborhood
Frida Kahlo Museum
9:00 AM: After sleeping in a bit (until 8:00 AM) we were ready to Uber to the famed Coyoacan neighborhood where we knew we’d likely spend the whole day. Yeah. We spent the whole day here. We started with breakfast.
11:00 AM: The Frida Kahlo Museum is by far the most popular attraction in the Coyoacan Neighborhood. The museum is the house where she and Diego River lived a good part of their life. There’s so much history behind those walls. Art lovers or not, everyone can appreciate this museum. And judging by the lines wrapped around the building (picture below!), everyone DOES appreciate this museum. So be sure to book your tickets early. For only ~$13 USD, may as well!
Pro tip: You can ONLY book legitimate Frida Kahlo Museum tickets on their organization’s website. Here is the link: https://www.boletosfridakahlo.org/. Don’t worry, you can easily translate the page to English. Don’t freak out when you’re ready to check out, the funds are in Mexican Pesos. You’re not being charged hundreds of US dollars for your tickets. Do NOT book anywhere else (Viator etc…). This museum will absolutely not accept tickets purchased elsewhere. I saw one girl had to re-purchase because she bought from another site.
I will admit I had to Google a lot of her artwork to get a better understanding of the meaning. Frida’s Cesarean painting about her traumatic C Section that resulted in a life threatening miscarriage. She lived a very traumatic life with a cheating spouse (Diego!) who cheated with her sister. The ultimate betrayal. You see the hurt in a lot of her paintings. It really is a unique thing to witness… especially know these are the originals. Here’s a more joyful painting of hers…
Mercado de Coyoacan
After spending time at the Frida Kahlo Museum, we checked out the Mercado de Coyoacan. So bright, colorful, smelly, yummy, loud, and exciting. You could get lost in here for hours… and we did.
Outside of the mercado there’s even more markets and stalls set up. It’s a good place to stalk up on souvenirs. I had to get some chocolates and mini skulls. So much to see and do. There was a concert in the park with live music. We walked through this mini carnival with rides galore and all types of your typical carnival games. Kids were having a blast and it was nice to see happy families there just enjoying their Sunday.
I also had a chance to try crickets. In my opinion…. crickets are NOT flavor town.
Coffee Please!
Coffee break… need … more… energy
There was the cutest coffee shop right in the Coyoacan neighborhood called Hermann – Thomas. Beautiful #CoffeeArt.
In the evening, we enjoyed Spanish tapas in the Zona Rosa area. Mexico City is a beautiful city with wonderful people. It exceeded my expectations in every way. Early in the morning, we jet setted back to the states. Can’t wait for my next trip to Mexico. Where should I go next? Oaxaca? Puerto Vallarta? Cabo? Let me know your favorite spot in Mexico below!
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Thanks for reading!
