Upon arrival at Mexico City airport you should take a taxi autorizado to your lodging. There are multiple stands outside of the arrivals areas in both terminals. You simply tell the person at the counter what neighborhood (colonia) you are going to and they will charge you a flat rate which you pay at the counter. They accept credit cards and Mexican pesos. You will receive a ticket and proceed outside to the corresponding taxi line for the company you purchased your ticket from. While some taxi drivers speak English, it is advisable to have your lodging address printed out to hand to them if you do not speak Spanish.

We've tried to compile a list of personal recommendations for sightseeing, dining, shopping, and day trips in and around amazing Mexico City. Honestly though, this city has SO much to offer it is impossible to capture everything worth doing here. Don't just take out word for it, check out Vogue's Guide to the Coolest Megalopolis in the World: Mexico City. The New York Times also has an excellent guide and collection of articles about the city here.

Don't let the cheesy reputation of hop-on/hop-off double-decker tour buses prevent you from taking the Turibus to discover this enormous city. Their website here is in Spanish (the English link doesn't seem to work) but a description in English is available here. You don't need to plan ahead, and can buy tickets at any of the stops. They also offer day trips out of the city to the pyramids at Teotihuacan, Taxco, Puebla and Cholula, and the Cheese and Wine region in neighboring state Querétaro.

If you're interested in a tour guide, Leo Rivera, an English speaking driver and tour guide, offers executive and tourist trans-portation throughout Mexico City and beyond. He comes recommended by an Embassy colleague and is available by appointment. Please contact him at +52 55 3455 5079 or riveraleonel1981@gmail.com.

One important note - unlike many resort/beach areas in Mexico, U.S. dollars are generally NOT accepted for payment anywhere in Mexico City. Plan to exchange money at the airport upon arrival, or simply withdraw cash from an ATM - most U.S. debit cards work at most Mexican ATMs - HSBC and Banamex (Citibank in Mexico) are everywhere.

Restaurant Recommendations (by neighborhood)

Polanco                                                                                                

  • Dulcinea $$ (semi-upscale Mexican with a casual neighborhood feel)

  • Tori Tori $$ (excellent Japanese)

  • Anatol $$$ (international upscale comfort food)

  • La Surtidora $ (casual Mexican, lively, secret "speakeasy" downstairs called Jules Basement)

  • Dulce Patria $$$ (upscale Mexican, more formal atmosphere)

  • Pujol $$$$ (top restaurant in CDMX, one of "World's 50 Best")

  • Quintonil $$$$ (another top restaurant in the city)

  • El Turix $ (famous cochinita pibil, very casual stand-up kind of place)

  • Entremar $$$ (the more low-key sister restaurant of Contramar with same menu)

Condesa/Roma

  • Lampuga $$ (seafood, also in Polanco)

  • El Pescadito de Sonora $ (delicious fish tacos, very casual neighborhood place)

  • Fonda Garufa $$ (great brunch, pleasant terrace)

  • Contramar $$$ (excellent seafood - tuna tostadas and pescado a la talla)

  • Maximo Bistrot $$$ (see and be seen kind of place!)

  • Rosetta $$$$ (delicious Italian, also has a bakery)

  • Cabrera 7 $$ (make your own ceviche/seafood cocktail!)

  • Campobaja

  • Merotoro $$$$

  • Mercado Roma $$ (Gourmet food hall with Mexican, Spanish, and other international cuisine. Trendy beer garden on the roof.)

Centro Historico

  • Azul Historico $$$

  • Sanborns (de los Azulejos)

  • Hostería la Bota $ (quirky Spanish "cultubar")

  • Cafe Tacuba $

Sightseeing

Mexico City is known for having more museums than any other city in the world. Most museums are free on Sundays and closed on Mondays. The rest of the week there is a nominal entrance fee at most. Some of our favorites include:

  • National Museum of Anthropology - Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, this is probably Mexico City's premier museum. Located on the famous Paseo de la Reforma in Chapultepec Park, the museum focuses on the various pre-Columbian civilizations in Mexico.

  • Chapultepec Castle (National History Museum) - Also located in Chapultepec Park, this is Emma's favorite. Formerly the residence of Emperor Maximilian and many Mexican presidents including the infamous Porfirio Diaz, it now houses the National History Museum which presents an excellent, manageable summary of the major events in Mexico's modern history, including several famous murals. It is located up on a hill and offers an amazing 360 degree view of the city.

  • Casa Azul (The home of Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo) - Located in Coyoacan, a charming neighborhood in the south of the city, Casa Azul is both a peek into the lives of two of Mexico's most famous artists as well as a home for many of their works. A visit can be followed by lunch at one of the restaurants in the main square of the neighborhood - Emma recommends Corazon de Maguey and Miguel likes Los Danzantes. Both are actually owned by the same mezcal maker and are an excellent place to try this unique Mexican aguardiente.

  • Museo Tamayo - Holds the private collection of late Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo as well as prominent exhibitions of international contemporary art.

  • Museo Soumaya - Built by one of the world's richest men, Carlos Slim, this Polanco museum bears the name of his late wife. The permanent collection is a bit quirky and all over the place, but the building itself is breathtaking from the outside and it is worth a trip up the Guggenheim-style corkscrew ramp to the top floor which houses Slim's collection of dozens of Rodin and Dalí sculptures. Mexico City's newest musem, Museo Jumex, is right next door and hosts a contemporary collection - think Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons.

Other Sightseeing

  • Zocalo - This is the main square of the downtown Centro Historico. Home to the Palacio Nacional, Metropolitan Cathedral, as well as the Templo Mayor, it's pretty much a required stop for any visitor to DF. Also closeby are the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Torre Latinoamericana (once the tallest building in Latin America - a visit to the top provides another breathtaking view of DF's enormity), and countless historic buildings.

  • Pyramids at Teotihuacan - This famous archaeological site approximately one hour outside the city can be visited either on your own with a taxi or via the Turibus (described above). Believed to have been built in about 100 BC, it is  UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited archaeological site in Mexico. The cave restaurant, Las Grutas, though very touristy, is the typical lunch stop on a day trip out to the pyramids.

  • Chapultepec Park - Home to several of the museums listed above, it is one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere and provides a much needed pair of "lungs" to Mexico City. Located immediately south of Polanco, the park also contains a zoo, many running paths, and ponds where you can rent paddle boats.

  • Lucha Libre - The famous Mexican wrestling can be seen on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons at Arena Mexico. Large cups of beer and corn dogs add to the rowdy (but totally safe and actually quite family-oriented) atmosphere. Tickets can be purchased at the box office on site or ahead of time on ticketmaster.com.mx.

  • Ballet Folklórico - Traditional dance with colorful costumes that varies among the regions of Mexico - the premier company nationwide is the Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández based in Mexico City. They perform regularly at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in the Centro Historico and occasionally at the Castle in Chapultepec Park. Their schedule is usually only released about a month in advance so check back at the website in March. Tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster online.

  • Plaza Garibaldi - The go-to spot for Mariachis! Dozens if not hundreds of mariachis, norteños, jarochos and trios fill this square in the evenings. The Musem of Tequila and Mezcal fronts the square and also has a terrace and cantina. Our favorite place on the square for drinking, eating, and listening to mariachis and jarochos is Salon Tenampa halfway down the square on the left. You can also just hang out outside in the square but general wisdom says you're safer inside a restaurant - that said we've never had any problems there.

Shopping

  • For typical Mexican crafts, you can't beat the variety and prices at the Ciudadela. Located near the Centro, this labyrinth of a market is the best place for one-stop shopping. You'll find much of what is available at other markets, hotels, and touristy shops but for cheaper. Not every shop offers the absolute highest quality in textiles and pottery, but most items when taken out of the somewhat shabby market environment look like little masterpieces once they are in your home! The Museo de Arte Popular is also close by and worth a visit if you are really into Mexican crafts. The museum also has a satellite gift shop in Polanco where some higher quality (but also more expensive) crafts can be found.

  • Talavera, elaborately painted Mexican pottery and tiles, is originally from Puebla but can be found all over DF. Uriarte Talavera is the premier company (but also quite expensive) and has a store in Polanco on Galileo. You can find some good quality less expensive pieces in the Artesanias store of Pasaje Polanco, which is also a great small upscale shopping plaza in the heart of "Polanquito" (little Polanco - the section of the neighborhood with cobblestone streets packed to the brim with hip restaurants and small clothing boutiques.) 

  • Pineda Covalin is a great, if pricey, store that specializes in accessories like silk scarves, bags and wallets with beautiful traditional patterns and figures from the Mayan and Aztec cultures, among others. Their stores are all over the city, including the airport.