Here is my list of the top ten things to do whilst visiting Mexico City, along with some tips for staying safe!

Teotihuacan

You can’t go to Mexico City without visiting the incredible Teotihuacan, seeing the pyramids of the Sun and Moon and walking the Avenue of the Dead. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site,  and the ancient city of Teotihuacan was once one of the largest cities in the world. The prevailing wisdom is that the city was once painted in dark red colours, which is amazing to try and imagine whilst you’re there. The guide was actually able to show us detailed mock ups of how it would’ve looked, which were great to see!

 It’s only about an hour outside of Mexico City and there are several ways you can get there – click here for more info. The easiest however is to book a tour. These are usually really reasonably priced, costing £25-£40 for a full day tour.  

If ruins are your thing, you should also check out Templo Mayor, in Mexico City’s Centro Historico.

Lucha Libre

Growing up watching WWE (or WWF back in the day) I had to go and see the legendary Lucha Libre. These guys are proper athletes, performing non-stop high-flying and high-energy wrestling moves all night. The atmosphere and the passion of the crowd is electric. A lot of tours involve free shots of Tequila and a Lucha mask as well, so what’s not to love. Great night out.

Watch a football match at Estadio Azteca

Club America and the Mexico National Team call the Estadio Azteca home, but the iconic stadium is known for much, much more. It is where Pele lifted the 1970 World Cup for Brazil and where Maradona lifted the 1986 World Cup for Argentina (also where he scored the Hand of God goal, but the less said about that the better). Watching a match here is a must for any football fan.

I booked through Home Fans, finding a guide who organised tickets, food, drinks and transport. I was picked up in Centro Historico and we drove about 40 minutes before stopping for tacos and then onwards another half hour to the stadium. On the drive from the city center to the stadium you really get a sense of just how massive Mexico City is!… it really drives it home.

We had an American-style tailgate party in the huge car park at the stadium, with music, beers on the go, and some slightly dubious Club America shirts being handed out, before heading into the ground.

The stadium just has a feel to it and although it wasn’t 100% full, the fans were in full voice and the atmosphere was great, for a while anyway. Club America went on to get beaten by Pachuca 3-0 in their own backyard. I don’t speak much Spanish, but I’m pretty sure the fans around us weren’t complimenting the player’s… or their madres.

An amazing experience though and a must for any football fan.

Get out and into the mountains

See my post here about climbing Pico de Orizaba, Mexico’s highest mountain.

There’s no shortage of amazing hikes and climbs to do from Mexico City!

Get stuck into the local food

Mexican food is loved all around world. From street food to internationally acclaimed restaurants and everything in between, Mexico City has it all. Quesadillas, Mole, Tamale, Tacos, Churros. Oh, and fried crickets. The list is endless. Mouth-wateringly endless. I ate my bodyweight twice over whilst I was in Mexico City.

Museo Nacional de Antropologia

Charting the journey of Mesoamerican cultures through pre-Columbian times to modern day, the museum showcases amazing artifacts and tells a fascinating story. I’m not a big museum guy but I easily spent 4 hours here. Good English translations make it very accessible and the entrance fee is only around £5.

Plaza Garibaldi

Top little spot and the place to go to see live Mariachi bands in Mexico City. Surrounded by bars and clubs, grab a drink, kick back and enjoy the music and performances going on in the plaza.

Torre LatinoAmericana

A 44-storey skyscraper in Centro Historico which offers incredible views over the city. I went during the day and was pretty much straight up it, but if you’re going for sunset, it’s definitely worth booking tickets beforehand to avoid big queues. Tickets are around £10.

There’s a restaurant and small kiosks selling drinks and snacks at the top so it’s a great place to chill out during the day when it’s quiet.

Palacio des Bellas Artes

Sitting at the foot of the Torre LatinoAmericana is the beautiful Palacio des Bella Artes. Stunning from the outside, unfortunately it was closed when I visited so I didn’t get to see the inside. A quick google will show you how amazing and worthwhile the inside is though. Marble floors, vaulted glass windows and incredible murals. A must-see by all accounts.

And if beautiful architecture is your cup of tea, check out the Catedral Metropolitana as well, Mexico’s national Cathedral.

Basilica de Santa Maria de Guadalope

Basilica de Santa Maria de Guadalope is the second most visited religious site in the world. Both the old basilica and the new one are impressive buildings in different ways and well worth a visit whether you’re catholic or not. The new basilica houses the famous cloak of Our Lady Guadeloupe, hung on the back wall and protected by bulletproof glass, you can catch a glimpse of it from a travelator that slowly moves crowds across the front it of it.   

Is Mexico City Safe?

I visited Mexico City on a solo trip which raised many eyebrows, due to the city having a reputation for being not so safe.

However the reality is that, although there is a risk of crime happening, it’s not too different to most major cities around the world and following some simple rules can help keep you safe whilst enjoying this incredible city.

Top 10 Tips for staying Safe in Mexico City

• Every city has safe areas and not so safe areas. Always research the area you are planning to stay in before booking any hotels. In Mexico City Centro Historico, Coyoacan, Roma Norte and La Condensa are all tourist friendly places.
• Always know where you are heading and have a plan for how to get back. Wandering into a part of town you really shouldn’t be in and looking lost is asking for trouble.
• Avoid going out at night on your own, especially if you are going outside of touristy areas.
• If you do go out at night, use taxis to go to and from wherever it is you’re headed. If you don’t have access to any taxi apps, such as Uber, ask at the hotel or the restaurant, or wherever you are, for someone to order you one, rather than flagging one down from the street.
• Get an eSIM, this will make accessing the internet much easier when you’re out.
• Download an earthquake app, such as SkyAlert, to get alerts on any earthquake activity that might affect you.
• Remember the emergency number – 911
• Be wary of pickpockets, keep your head on a swivel when out and about and avoid putting valuables in easy-to-get places, like your back pocket for instance. Public transport is a hotspot for pickpockets.
• Avoid showing wealth. Don’t wear expensive jewellery or watches, you’re just painting a big target on yourself.
• Don’t get too drunk. Know your limits, one too many tequilas and you’ll be easy pickings