The 10 Most Essential Things To Do In Mexico City

Mexico City is one of the world’s great travel destinations. It offers so much fascinating history, so much amazing architecture, so many remarkable museums, and some really great food. I first visited Mexico City 49 years ago! I was 11 years old at the time. It was my first international trip, and it definitely made a big impression on this eventual travel blogger. That trip to Mexico City unquestionabley infected me with the travel bug. I’ve been itching to get back ever since.

And I finally did! We spent most of January 2026 exploring Mexico’s capital. And just like the city did 49 years ago, it charmed me once again. We found so many great things to do in Mexico City. So many in fact, that it’s impossible to fit them all into a reasonably-sized blog post.

So instead, let me share with you my very favorite sites and activities from our time in the city. After all, most visitors to Mexico City will have less time to explore than we did, and will require a more selective itinerary. To help in that regard, here are my personal favorite things to do in Mexico City – the 10 experiences you absolutely cannot miss!

Explore The Zocalo

The Zocalo is Mexico City’s huge main public square. It’s located in the middle of the city’s Centro Historico district. And this is where you’ll find several of the city’s most historically important sites.

When the Spanish first arrived to this valley in 1519, they discovered the remarkable Aztec capital city called Tenochtitlan. This city – the largest ever in Mesoamerica – was built on a large island in the middle of a giant lake. It was populated with homes, palaces, and pyramid-shaped temples. And it was surrounded by an impressive network of canals and causeways. At the time, Tenochtitlan’s ruler was the famed Aztec leader Moctezuma.

After the Spanish overthrew the Aztecs, they constructed the central plaza of their new city in the exact same spot as Tenochtitlan’s ceremonial center. And today this is the Zocalo. Mexico City’s Zocalo is surrounded by important buildings and sites, and it’s an important gathering place for various festivals throughout the year.

The first important site you’ll undoubtedly see when you enter the Zocalo is the massive Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral. The Spanish started building this Cathedral in 1572, and it absolutely dominates the square. You can enter the Cathedral for free, and it’s definitely worth a look around inside.

But the most impressive site at the Zocalo is located just off the square, adjacent to the back of the Cathedral. This is the Templo Mayor.

These are the ruins of the main ceremonial temple of the Aztecs. Templo Mayor was mostly destroyed and buried by the Spanish. They constructed other buildings on top (including part of the Cathedral). It was rediscovered in 1978 – one year after my first trip to Mexico City.

A good portion has now been excavated, and walking through the Temple’s ruins is one of the most remarkable things to do in Mexico City. You can walk along various pathways through the ruins themselves while reading descriptive plaques. And a multi-storied museum has been constructed towards the back of the site that displays many artifacts found during the Temple’s excavation. This is a can’t-miss site!

Additionally, Mexico’s National Palace – the country’s main federal government building – is located at the Zocalo. In fact, it makes up the entire eastern side of the square. Mexico’s President lives in this building as well.

And this National Palace is also home to one of Diego Rivera’s most famous murals – The History of Mexico. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of work and planning to enter the Palace and see it. Tours of the Palace and the mural are offered. But getting a spot on a Palace tour is not straightforward, and we elected not to do it.

You have to book the tour in person, on the same day, by standing in line, beginning up to an hour before the building opens, and then sign up for a tour scheduled for various later times throughout the day.

There are easier ways to see Diego Rivera murals. In fact, this brings me to the next of my essential things to do in Mexico City.

Discover Mexican Muralism

Diego Rivera is one of the world’s most famous muralists. He was also Frida Kahlo’s husband – another of his claims to fame. Rivera was one of the pioneers of Mexican Muralism. This was a government-sponsored program in the early 1900s designed to tell Mexico’s history via murals in public spaces.

No matter where you go in Mexico City nowadays, you will see murals. Both inside buildings and out. These include those by Rivera and his contemporaries. In addition to telling Mexico’s history, many of these classic murals propagandize early 20th century socialist themes (Rivera was a member of the Communist party off and on). But you will also inevitably discover modern street murals with more contemporary social messages too. Discovering these murals and learning about muralism was one of my favorite things to do in Mexico City.

One of easiest places to see Rivera’s work is the Diego Rivera Mural Museum. This museum is dedicated solely to one mural – Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central. It was rescued from a hotel that had been severely damaged by Mexico City’s massive 1985 earthquake. It only costs a few USD to enter the museum and it was not at all crowded when we visited.

You can also see murals by Rivera and other key Mexican muralists inside the famous Palacio de Bellas Artes – one of the city’s architectural gems and its most important performance center. Here famous murals occupy several floors of its exhibition space. And again, the entrance fee is only a few USD.

And finally, one of the most impressive places to see murals by Rivera is at the Museo Vivo del Muralismo. This is a former 17th century convent which is now Mexico’s Public Education headquarters. In the early 1900s, Rivera and his muralist contemporaries were commissioned to decorate the many exterior courtyard walls.

It’s definitely the easiest way to see lots of Rivera’s work. And it’s free to enter!

Visit the Archeological Museum

Mexico City has almost 200 museums. As we explored the city, we were told multiple times that it has the second most museums in the world (London reportedly has the most). I just told you about three of them. And visiting the city’s museums certainly ranks among the best things to do in Mexico City.

One of the city’s can’t-miss museums is the National Anthropology Museum. This important museum is located within the city’s massive Chapultapec Park and displays a vast collection of the country’s anthropologic treasures.

The museum’s various exhibition salons contain artifacts from all of Mexico’s important pre-Columbian cultures including the Toltecs, the Mayans, and the Aztecs. As you wander from room to room, you’ll have the chance to learn a little about each of these cultures.

Because it is a big museum, it can take hours to see it all. If you are short on time, do not miss the large room at the back of the museum’s courtyard. I thought this was the most impressive exhibit in the museum – a collection of artifacts from the great Aztec city Tenochtitlan. These include the famous Aztec Sun Stone, which depicts the face of their Sun God and was used as an alter for ritual sacrifices.

If you have time in your Mexico City itinerary for another museum, then consider checking out my other favorite – the Museum of Popular Art. This museum is located in the Centro Historico and displays many types of really cool Mexican Folk Art. This Day of the Dead display is a perfect example…

Tour Chapultepec Castle

Like the Archeological Museum, another of my essential things to do in Mexico City is also located in Chapultepec Park. This is the hilltop Chapultepec Castle – the only royal castle in the Americas.

Chapultepec Castle was originally built in the late 1700s as a summer house for the Viceroy of New Spain (essentially the Spanish Governor). It became a Royal Palace in 1864, during a strange time in Mexico’s history, when a member of Europe’s Habsburg Royalty was made Emperor of Mexico. (This Empire only last three years, and Emperor Maximillian was executed by Mexican Republican forces.)

The Castle was used as the Presidential Palace for several decades afterwards, but is now the National History Museum. When you visit the castle, you can learn quite a lot about Mexico’s convoluted political history. And you can get some interesting insight into opulent royal life of Emperor Maximillian and his wife Empress Carlota.

Plus another great reason to visit Chapultepec Castle is for some of the best views of Mexico City from its various patios and balconies.

Watch Ballet Folklorico

During our own time in Mexico City, we returned to Chapultepec Castle a second time to watch an evening outdoor performance by Ballet Folklorico De Mexico. What an amazing venue to watch this iconic performing group! A stage was set up directly in front of the castle’s main entrance, and we were lucky enough to be seated on the second row.

Ballet Folklorico De Mexico is the country’s most famous dance troupe. They travel the world performing traditional folk dances from across Mexico. The mariachi musicians are also outstanding. Ballet Folklorico was formed almost 70 years ago. In fact, I remember seeing them during our 1977 trip.

While they usually perform at the Palacio de Belle Artes in Centro Historico, they sometimes perform at Chapultepec Castle instead – as we discovered. But no matter where Ballet Foklorico is performing, make it a point to see them. Either venue would be amazing and it is certainly one of the more unforgettable things to do in Mexico City. (I initiated my ticket purchase via their website which ultimately directed me to Ticketmaster.)

Eat, Eat, and Then Eat Some More

Mexico City is considered one of the world’s great food cities. And if you love Mexican food as much as I do, then you’ll certainly find yourself in Foodie Heaven. Eating local food is unquestionably one of the essential things to do in Mexico City.

Here are just a few examples of the great food I ate…

I won’t go into much more food detail in this post. I have several upcoming posts on eating in Mexico City – including my experience eating at the world’s only taco shop with a Michelin Star.

Let me say this though. Because I spent a lot of time in Mexico City, and because I love searching out great food on my own, I had a chance to eat lots of different things. If you are short on time, you may want to consider taking a food tour like this one on Viator.

Take a Day Trip To The Pyramids

Of all the things to do in Mexico City, our very most favorite was visiting Teotihuacan – an ancient Mesoamerican city located 25 miles to the north. I really don’t think you can visit Mexico City without going to Teotihuacan. Both me and Mrs. TT agree that it’s one of the most impressive sites we’ve visited in all our travels! And we far preferred it to our day trip to Chichen Itza in the Yucatan.

Teotihuacan was founded over 2000 years ago. It is famous for its 3 major pyramids, and for its long connecting thoroughfare (lined with smaller temples and residential complexes) called the Avenue of the Dead. Teotihuacan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the complex itself is massive. You’ll also find a museum on the site. It takes several hours to see it all.

The largest Pyramid, called the Pyramid of the Sun, is the third largest pyramid in the world. And even though I don’t take a lot of personal photos at sites, I did this time…

Because 49 years ago, I climbed the Pyramid of the Sun with my two younger brothers. It is one of the things to do in Mexico City that I still remember fairly well from that trip. And so a comparison photo was absolutely necessary.

As you can see, we are sitting on top of the Pyramid of the Sun (with the Pyramid of the Moon in the background). Nowadays visitors are no longer allowed to climb it. So an exact comparison photo wasn’t possible.

Mrs. TT and I visited Teotihuacan on a DIY day trip. We took the bus from Mexico City and explored the site without a guide. The ride itself takes about 70 minutes and the bus is quite comfortable. Ultimately, I will be writing a blog post all about how to DIY Teotihuacan.

Organized tours to Teotihuacan are another option and quite popular. Many of these include early morning hot air balloon rides over the site. But frequent readers know that with my fear of extreme heights, such an experience was never a consideration for me. But if it is for you, then here’s link to a highly rated tour.

Ride a Trajinera in Xolchimilco

Xolchimilco is a borough located about an hour south of Mexico City. It’s also another of Mexico City’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. And spending time in Xolchimilco is yet another of the most essential things to do in Mexico City. Uber is the best way to get there, and it cost us about 25 USD for a one way trip from Centro Historico.

Xolchimilco is famous for its canals and manmade islands. This is the only place in Mexico City where you will find what remains of the lakes and waterways that existed in this valley when the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. The islands are called Chinampas. The Spanish described them as floating gardens. They were designed by the Aztecs for growing food. And chinampas are still used in Xochimilco for farming!

Visitors can explore this 110 mile canal network in a gondola-like boat called a Trajinera. Each trajinera is colorfully decorated. And each has a driver who expertly uses a long pole to navigate through the waterways (these boats are somewhat reminiscent of the Pletna boats we rode in Lake Bled Slovenia).

Trajineras are most typically used as party boats. Both visitors and locals alike can pile in (especially on the weekends) to drink, listen to music, and generally have a good time. As a tourist, it’s easiest to arrange for this type of trajinera experience through a tour company, and you’ll find plenty of choices on Viator like this one.

However, If a party boat isn’t your vibe, you can also find other types of canal experiences in Xolchimilco. For example, we took an amazing cooking class on a Trajinera.

Our boat was set up with everything needed to prepare a traditional type of tamale. In fact, our group went shopping in Xolchimilco’s traditional market beforehand. Then while we floated the canals, we learned all about local history & customs, prepared our food, and ate our lunch. In my opinion, this was the perfect way to experience Xolchimilco and was one my favorite things to do in Mexico City.

Here’s a link to this great tour. I will eventually be writing a blog post all about our experience in Xolchimilco.

Spend a Day in Coyoacan

Most tourists consider visiting the Museo Frida Kahlo as one of the very most essential things to do in Mexico City. She has certainly become Mexico’s most famous artist and is an iconic cultural figure. The museum – also know as The Blue House – is located in a suburb of Mexico City named Coyoacan. Frida was born, raised, and died in this house. She and her husband Diego Rivera also lived in the house together.

Spending time exploring Coyoacan with its colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, and bustling market is undoubtedly one the essential things to do in Mexico City. We spent a day in Coyoacan. Uber is the easiest way to get there. It takes about 30-45 minutes from Centro Historico depending on traffic, and cost us 15 USD for one way.

But we didn’t visit Museo Frida Kahlo. It’s the most popular tourist attraction in Mexico City. This means it’s very crowded, it’s expensive, and you need to book tickets on its website weeks ahead. Plus I read lots of reviews saying that it’s overrated. I personally talked to other travelers who backed up this opinion.

I still think that visitors to Mexico City need to learn about Frida Kahlo. And fortunately another museum has recently opened in Coyoacan called Museo Casa Kahlo. Unlike the Blue House, this museum is operated by the Kahlo family and offers a more personal glimpse into her life. This was one of the Kalho family homes and Frida did spend significant time here. The guided tour takes about an hour and we finished with a much better understanding of her difficult life and why she’s become so iconic.

Museo Casa Kahlo is much easier to visit than the Blue House. But it is still best to book your tickets ahead of time on their website. I booked mine the night before. (Also note that neither museum displays any famous paintings.)

You’ll also find another great museum in Coyoacan. It’s the Leon Trotsky House Museum. Leon Trotsky was an anti-Stalinist Russian revolutionary. He lived in exile in Coyoacan and was friends with Frida and Diego Rivera.

The museum is his former home and it’s built like a fortress. Multiple assassination attempts were carried out against him here by agents of Stalin. Ultimately one of them succeeded and stabbed him with an icepick while he sat at his desk. Trotsky’s grave is on the site, and you’ll learn a lot about this fascinating part of early 20th century history while at the museum.

Clearly, Coyoacan is an essential visit. I will ultimately be writing an entire blog post with more details about all we did in Coyoacan.

See Iztapalapa From a Cable Car

My final recommendation of essential things to do in Mexico City requires that you go a bit off the beaten track to Iztapalapa – the city’s largest borough. Iztapalapa is not a typical tourist destination. But visiting Iztapalapa will give you insight into more typical local life. And I personally enjoy exploring lesser visited areas like this.

However, I don’t recommend that you go to Iztapalapa on your own. I went on a tour with a guide. Iztapalapa is safer than it used to be, but it’s not necessarily easy to navigate the borough on your own. Tourists don’t typically visit Iztapalapa.

The main reason I went to Iztapalapa was to ride the borough’s cable cars. This a method of public transportation that Mexico City uses for some of the city’s outer reaches. It’s more economical and practical than extending the city’s Metro system. And for visitors, it’s an absolutely amazing way to see Iztapalapa. In fact, the cable car line in Iztapalapa is the longest urban line in the world.

And as you can see in the photos above, the scenery is stunning. The colorful homes of Iztapalapa extend across several hills. And as you ride along, you will also see several of the extinct volcanoes that surround Mexico City.

Plus a community beautification project encourages (and pays for) home owners to paint murals on their roofs – underneath the cable car line. It’s truly an amazing site!

Here’s a link to the tour on Viator. It’s well worth your time and was definitely one of my favorite things to do in Mexico City.

Final Thoughts

I really could keep going with even more great things to do in Mexico City, but I think this post is long enough. These are the very most essential! The can’t-miss! And regardless of whether you choose a few of these or have time to experience them all, I’m confident that you will love Mexico City as much as we did!

I do plan on writing a blog post with practical advice about navigating Mexico City as a tourist. It’s a big city and it does present a few manageable challenges – like traffic, crowds, earthquakes (yes, there was a small one during our visit). So watch for that sometime in the next couple months

I also used our time in Mexico City to improve my Spanish language skills. If you are interesting in learning Spanish, then be sure to check out this post:

I Used Dreaming Spanish For A Year – Did It Work For Me in Mexico?