4 days in Mexico City

Day by day

1. Day 1: Zócalo and Metropolitan Cathedral

   Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral and Templo Mayor, then Plaza Garibaldi in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Zócalo

      Allow 30 minutes (free). For the best view, have a drink on one of the hotel rooftop terraces overlooking the square around sunset.

   2. Late morning

      Metropolitan Cathedral

      The building has sunk unevenly into the soft former lakebed, and a plumb line hanging inside shows how far it leans.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tacos al pastor

      Taquerías across the city, from long-established El Huequito in the Centro to late-night stands in Roma and Condesa; look for a busy trompo.

   4. Afternoon

      Templo Mayor

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Visit the museum after the ruins; its scale models help make sense of the layers you have just walked over.

   5. Evening

      Plaza Garibaldi

      Agree the price per song before the band starts, and use an app-based ride to get there and back at night.

2. Day 2: National Palace murals and Palacio de Bellas Artes

   National Palace murals, Palacio de Bellas Artes and Torre Latinoamericana, then Lucha libre at Arena México in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Palace murals

      The seat of the federal government on the east side of the Zócalo holds Diego Rivera's epic murals of Mexican history, painted between 1929 and 1951 around the main staircase and first-floor corridors, from the Aztec city through the conquest to the Revolution.

   2. Late morning

      Palacio de Bellas Artes

      Allow 1.5 hours (low cost). Combine it with the Torre Latinoamericana's observation deck across the street for a view down onto the palace's domes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chilaquiles

      Cafés, fondas and market stalls across the city; Roma and Condesa cafés serve elaborate versions.

   4. Afternoon

      Torre Latinoamericana

      The observation deck at the top looks over Bellas Artes, the Alameda and the seemingly endless city, and on clear days to the volcanoes.

   5. Evening

      Lucha libre at Arena México

      Buy a mask from the stalls outside, and use an app-based ride to and from the arena, which is in a rough neighbourhood at night.

3. Day 3: Mercado de San Juan and National Museum of Anthropology

   Mercado de San Juan, National Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle, then Roma Norte in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Mercado de San Juan

      Allow 1 hour (free). Go late morning on a weekday and ask a stallholder to put together a tasting plate.

   2. Late morning

      National Museum of Anthropology

      Highlights include the Aztec Sun Stone, colossal Olmec heads, a recreation of the Maya king Pakal's tomb and the Teotihuacan hall; the upper floor covers living Indigenous cultures.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tamales and atole

      Street stands outside Metro stations and on corners in the early morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Chapultepec Castle

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Arrive early at weekends, when the park fills with families; the walk up the hill from the park entrance takes about 15 minutes.

   5. Evening

      Roma Norte

      Cocktail bars, mezcalerías and small clubs around Álvaro Obregón and Colima streets.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Teotihuacan

   About 1 hour by bus each way. Getting there: Bus from Terminal Autobuses del Norte, or an organised tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Teotihuacan

      About 1 hour by bus (Bus from Terminal Autobuses del Norte, or an organised tour); about 50 km.

   2. Day

      Teotihuacan

      The vast ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is laid out along the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest pyramids in the world, and the Pyramid of the Moon. Arrive at opening to avoid the midday sun, or see it at dawn from a hot-air balloon.

   3. Evening

      Back in Mexico City

      Dinner: try Tlacoyos.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Palacio de Bellas Artes and Lucha libre at Arena México before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Centro Histórico keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Roma Norte ($$$) suits food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and couples. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–19 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11 hours in December to 13.3 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Mexico City
• 2 days in Mexico City
• 3 days in Mexico City
• 5 days in Mexico City
• 7 days in Mexico City

Questions travellers ask