"Mexico City, one of the great ones" Mexico City by melosh

Mexico City Travel Guide: 2,111 reviews and 4,387 photos

The great cities like Mexico City require 4-7 days to get comfortable and oriented. A single day or two is likely to leave you tired and maybe even disgusted. You can experience all of Mexico in Mexico City except the countryside and the more relaxed approach to life, but you might have a hard time understanding what you experience.

First time visit, limited or no Spanish?

If you are interested in culture, history, archeology and museums you are in for a real treat visiting Mexico. Quick, buy a book. I would first suggest "MEXICO: FROM THE OLMECS TO THE AZTECS" by Michael D. Coe. (200 pages with pictures --authoritative but not excessively academic. (This does not cover the Maya to any depth, nor does it cover colonial and post-colonial history, but otherwise is would help the most for an archeologic Mexico City visit. Mexico city is far from the Maya.) If you have time for a great insightful book on modern Mexico read MEXICO:BIOGRAPHY OF POWER a history of modern Mexico 1810 to 1996 by Enrique Krauze translated by Hank Heifetz. (800 pages, but you do not have to read it in one sitting.)
As with any gigantic historic city, there are multiple layers and levels for a visit. There is too much to see in a single visit. Going through the tip section of VT on Mexico City will give you lots of ideas, but since this is your first visit let me pass on some advice from my father that I did not appreciate when I was younger. He said the best thing to do was to immediately take a city tour after arrival. He appreciated the convenience and efficiency of seeing lots of things quickly and getting a stress free orientation. There is a kind of tourist trolly that you can get on and off for one ticket that might be an alternative but this does not extend to visiting the floating gardens or the pyramids as a package tour might. Tours in and around Mexico City are reasonably priced, but they do have their limits. So, I would recommend that you go on your own to the national museum of anthropology so you would not be restricted by a group time limit. You can have a guided visit and still wander around on your own. (The Museum is free Sundays but since I last heard that it only costs about 4$ it would be best visited during the week except for Monday when it is closed as are many national museums. (Tip: before heading off to a museum in Mexico including Chapultepec Castle on a Monday be sure it will be open.)
If you speak English but little Spanish, do not worry. You will do just fine. Mexicans are friendly, helpful and many speak at least some English.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:The complexity of Mexico is all here.
  • Cons:So are 19 million people, cars and smog.
  • In a nutshell:Much to love, but it is not easy to understand.
  • Last visit to Mexico City: Aug 2002
  • Intro Updated Feb 19, 2006
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Reviews (12)

View from rooftop patio of the Majestic - Mexico City Best First Place to Stay in Mexico City Hotels (2)

If you are willing to pay $100 and this is the first time to Mexico City, you should really consider the Majestic for... more travel advice

Is it safe to visit a "local" pub in DF? Nightlife (5)

The definition of "local" might be difficult to apply in this large city. There areas like around Condesa, Roma, Plaza... more travel advice

Some modern, some hip and a little real... Nightlife (5)

The Zona Rosa is a famous area for nightlife in Mexico City. It is not really a bad place to stay, but there is... more travel advice

Going to Teotihuacan early Things to Do (1)

There are two reasons to try to visit Teotihuacan early in the morning; 1) You can avoid the heat of the mid-day sun,... more travel advice

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