A long weekend in Mexico City
Roma Norte/La Condesa Neighborhoods
I spent my first day getting a lay of the land and wandering the streets of Roma Norte, where I stayed in a colonial boutique hotel, Casa Goliana. Starting my day with a slow breakfast at Maque Cafe in La Condesa with one of the best Chai teas I've ever had! I spent the rest of the day exploring the tree lined streets, and parks in the area. Visited some of the local shops along Avenida Alvaro Obregon. These two neighborhoods are super trendy with tons of great restaurants and cafes. It's very walkable and safe. More of a hipsters paradise with shops to match. Must visits are all of the beautiful parks in Mexico City! Nearby are Parque Mexico and Parque Espana. I found my self strolling the dog-filled parks. Parque Mexico even has a silent (no talking) sound garden where they play music and you can rest in chairs. I ended the day with a fantastic dinner at Rosetta, a Michelin star restaurant in the heart of Roma Norte. Another fantastic restaurant nearby was Gran Cantina Filomeno, an excellent high-end Mexican restaurant.
Centro Historico
This is the cultural core of the city. I spent a leisurely day strolling around Centro Historico. There's so much to see and lots of good shops in the area as well. I Ubered from Roma Norte to Zocalo - Ubers were never more than $5 which is a very affordable way to get around the city. I started my morning with delicious chilaquiles for breakfast - they were not disappointing! I wandered Zocalo, unfortunately the Metropolitan Cathedral was closed for the day but still beautiful to see from the outside. I made my way over to Temple Mayor to see the ancient Aztec ruins right in the middle of the city. Truly remarkable! I walked a little furth to the Alameda Central Park - another beautiful park located next to the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Chapultepec Park & Castle
I spent about 3-4 hours wandering Chapultepec Park. It's larger than Central Park so I didn't cover it all! There are monuments, playgrounds, fountains, botanical gardens, it's truly a beautiful place. I made my way to the top of the hill to visit Chapultepec Castle, a grand 18th century palace. There was a line for the tickets but it moves quickly; followed by a short hike up to the top of the hill. The vantage point is beautiful over Mexico City. Inside had a lot of colonial history and spoke to the Spanish invasion.
Taco & Mezcal Tour
Who doesn't love tacos! This 3-hour tour was fantastic! We had 9 tacos over 6 taquerias. Needless to say, come hungry! They teach you about the tacos from different regions in Mexico. We even stopped at El Califa De Leon, the only Michelin star taqueria in the world. My opinion: overrated. The tacos was simple and delicious but my expectations were more intricate. It was a juicy piece of filet on a corn tortilla. Nothing else. But at least I can say I ate there! I highly recommend this tour and ask for Johnny! Another stop included Tacos La Chula, more traditional tacos that were great but the scene was what it's all about. We stopped at Taqueria Selene which was the best al Pastor taco I've ever had! The meat alone was so flavorful. Hint: if you see a trompo (the slab of meat on a vertical stick) you're in for some tacos al pastor! But my all time favorite taco on the tour was from Tizne Tacomotra. It was an Asian infusion taco with pickled ginger. Highly recommend!
Polanco and National Museum of Anthropology
One of the days, I spent about 2 hours exploring the National Museum of Anthropology which takes you from cavemen through the ancient Aztecs. This is the largest and most visited museum in Mexico and a must-visit in Mexico City, offering a powerful look into the country’s ancient civilizations and living cultures. Set in Chapultepec Park, it features remarkable artifacts—from massive stone sculptures to intricate Mayan relics—bringing Mexico’s history to life through thoughtfully designed, immersive exhibits. I did not buy tickets in advance but the line here also moved quickly. I would recommend a guide here unless you speak Spanish, as most exhibit signs were in Spanish only. On display was the Stone of the Sun, incorrectly identified as the Aztec calendar. After visiting the museum, I took a quick Uber to Avenida Presidente Masaryk where I strolled the luxury shops. On the weekends, the city closes the street to traffic so you could stroll with the crowds. Many people stopped at Instagram-worthy photo spots so bring your camera. Polanco is certainly known for the luxury, high-end shopping and it didn't disappoint.
Other Activities
Mexico City is a very walkable city, but also a very spread out city. When planning your trip, look at the logistics of the popular neighborhoods. It's too large to cover in just a few days, let alone a single day. My focus this trip was freedom without a plan. I knew the neighborhoods I wanted to visit and left the rest up to where the day would take me. The city is filled with tree-lined streets and so many beautiful parks! Some of the main areas in La Condesa and Roma Norte had a central pedestrian park between the street lanes, like the one pictured to the right. Other sites to see are the Frida Kahlo Casa Azul and museum through this fantastic tour. But one reason I want to visit again is to see the Teotihuacan Pyramids and take a balloon ride like this tour. Overall, I highly recommend Mexico City and will definitely be returning.