History · Mexico City · Mexico
8 historic sites to see in Mexico City
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Nachtwächter assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral and Templo Mayor. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–13 hours across 3 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 12–13 hours
- Areas
- Centro Histórico, Chapultepec and Coyoacán
Historic sites in Mexico City
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Landmark · Centro Histórico
1.Zócalo
It is framed by the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace, a giant national flag flies in the middle, and it hosts concerts, protests and national celebrations.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Centro Histórico
2.Metropolitan Cathedral
The building has sunk unevenly into the soft former lakebed, and a plumb line hanging inside shows how far it leans.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Iconic
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Historic site · Centro Histórico
3.Templo Mayor
A walkway crosses the layered temple foundations, and the site museum holds the Tlaltecuhtli monolith, the largest Aztec sculpture yet found.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Palace · Centro Histórico
4.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.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- History
- Free
- Iconic
Museum · Chapultepec
5.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.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Coyoacán
6.Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul)
Its rooms keep her studio, easel and wheelchair, the couple's folk-art collection and a shaded garden, and a separate exhibition shows her Tehuana dresses and medical corsets.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Iconic
- Couples
Viewpoint · Centro Histórico
7.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.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- History
- After dark
Castle · Chapultepec
8.Chapultepec Castle
It now holds the National History Museum, with restored royal rooms, murals and terraces looking down Paseo de la Reforma.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Architecture
- Kids
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Centro Histórico | Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, Templo Mayor, National Palace murals and Torre Latinoamericana | 30 minutes + 45 minutes + 2 hours + 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Chapultepec | National Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle | Half a day + 2 hours |
| Coyoacán | Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul) | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 3 low cost, 2 mid-priced. Book ahead for Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul). The longest visit is National Museum of Anthropology; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul): Tickets are sold online for timed slots and often sell out days ahead; book as soon as your dates are fixed.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Centro Histórico): Zócalo → Metropolitan Cathedral → Templo Mayor → National Palace murals, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Centro Histórico and Chapultepec): Torre Latinoamericana → National Museum of Anthropology, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Chapultepec and Coyoacán): Chapultepec Castle → Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul), at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- June: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 17 rainy days, quiet crowds. The rainy season begins: sunny mornings and heavy afternoon downpours that can flood streets briefly.
- January: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 2 rainy days, moderate crowds. Dry and sunny with cold mornings and evenings; bring a warm layer.
- February: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 2 rainy days, moderate crowds. Dry, sunny and pleasant; jacaranda trees begin to flower late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Centro Histórico — The Zócalo, Aztec ruins, baroque churches and colonial palaces
- Polanco — Designer stores on Masaryk, fine dining and big museums by Chapultepec
- Coyoacán — Colonial plazas, Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul and weekend crowds
More of Mexico City
All things to do in Mexico City · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Mexico City?
Zócalo. The Plaza de la Constitución, universally called the Zócalo, is one of the largest public squares in the world, laid out over the ceremonial centre of Tenochtitlan.
+Which of these are free in Mexico City?
Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral and National Palace murals.