There is no place like Mexico City. It is vibrant and chaotic, yet can feel incredibly still—it is a magical place. From its expansive, green parks to sprawling markets, thriving art scene to historic landmarks, and no-frills street food to upscale dining experiences, Mexico City is a place you'll want to revisit time and time again.
In March 2023, my best friend and I visited Mexico City for the first time. Our experience is one that we'll remember for a long time, and one that we revisit often in conversations. The city is so full of life with bustling urban parks, music playing on every corner, tree-lined neighborhoods, and more. But what stood out to us the most was the people—not only their warmth and friendliness, but also how they evidently value the things in life that really matter. There were a countless number of people outside with their loved ones or by themselves, being present in and enjoying the outdoors.
To help plan (or inspire) your trip to Mexico City, keep reading for our 4-day itinerary and watch my YouTube video! If you're interested in exploring more of Mexico, check out my blog post for a Puerto Vallarta itinerary.
Table of Contents
Skip ahead to specific places on our itinerary!
• Plaza RÃo de Janeiro • Parque México
• Contramar • Airbnb in Condesa
• Maque
• Baltra Bar
• Museo Frida Kahlo • Coyoacán
• Parque México (again)
Our 4-Day Itinerary in Mexico City
Day 1:
PanaderÃa Rosetta: After our red-eye flight to Mexico City International Airport, we headed straight to PanaderÃa Rosetta for breakfast. This popular bakery offers an extensive pastry menu, in addition to breakfast and lunch options—I recommend trying their guava cheese roll. We enjoyed the outdoor seating, especially after a long flight!
Plaza RÃo de Janeiro: As we walked over to Plaza RÃo de Janeiro, we quickly noticed how green the city was with trees lining what seemed like every street. We sat at the park for a while, people-watching and dog-watching. On a weekday morning, there were several people outdoors by themselves, with others, and with their dogs (a lot of them)—it was so refreshing to see this slower pace of life.
Parque México: Mexico City has no shortage of urban parks that are densely draped in greenery. Parque México is one of the city's more popular parks—there are ample benches and walking paths, making it the perfect place to get outside. We enjoyed our visit here so much that we returned to the park a second time on our last day!
Contramar: For lunch, we went to Contramar—a popular restaurant among both locals and tourists, that specializes in seafood. The dishes we had here were so good... I recommend trying their seafood tostadas.
Make a reservation here in advance.
Check into Airbnb:Â After lunch, we checked in and settled into our Airbnb located in the Condesa neighborhood.
Restaurante Rosetta: Restaurante Rosetta is an intimate restaurant that features Mexican-Italian cuisine, and is located inside of a mansion. I recommend trying their tagliatelle with sausage and chile de árbol.
Make a reservation here in advance.
ChurrerÃa El Moro: We ended our day at ChurrerÃa El Moro which specializes in churros—they have multiple stores located throughout the city. Their churros were perfectly warm, sweet, and crispy. Don't forget their chocolate dipping sauce!
Day 2:
Maque: After starting the morning with coffee at Blend Station, we walked to Maque for breakfast where we had one of the most memorable meals from our trip. Aside from the delicious chilaquiles that we shared, our outdoor dining experience could not have been more perfect—there was greenery surrounding us as well as musicians performing live, right by our table!
Bosque de Chapultepec y Castillo de Chapultepec: Bosque de Chapultepec is one of the largest urban parks in all of Latin America, and it is stunning. You can easily spend an entire day exploring the park's expansive green space and its attractions. For views of the city, I recommend visiting Castillo de Chapultepec—an 18th-century, hilltop castle housing the National Museum of History.
Mercado de ArtesanÃas La Ciudadela: There are a number of artisanal markets in Mexico City that sell locally and regionally crafted goods. We visited Mercado de ArtesanÃas La Ciudadela—a colorful market with over 350 vendors. This is the perfect place to purchase souvenirs to bring home, as well as to support local artists.
TaquerÃa Los Cocuyos: After checking out Palacio de Bellas Artes and Palacio Postal, we headed over to TaquerÃa Los Cocuyos for lunch—I recommend trying their tacos al pastor (marinated pork tacos).
Baltra Bar: Baltra Bar was ranked as one of the world's 50 best bars in 2023 and for good reason. This cozy bar offers an extensive drink menu with unique cocktails which were so good—the best we'd ever tried.
Make a reservation here in advance.
Restaurante Máximo: Restaurante Máximo offers an upscale dining experience in an airy, yet intimate setting. The highlights from our dinner were the raw oysters and octopus ceviche.
Make a reservation here in advance.
Day 3:
Hot Air Balloon Ride (Over the Teotihuacán Pyramids): We began our morning with a hot air balloon ride operated by Volare, which was an experience that I won't forget for a long time. From the hot air balloon, we saw the sun rise over the Teotihuacán Pyramids... it felt like a dream. The experience was well-organized from beginning to end—it took a collective effort to get all of the balloons up and back down safely. After the ride, we enjoyed a breakfast buffet (included as part of the booked experience) with live music and headed over to Zona Arqueológica de Teotihuacán where we briefly explored the pyramids.
Make a reservation here in advance.
Mendl Delicatessen: For an afternoon pick-me-up, grab coffee at Mendl Delicatessen—an open-air restaurant filled with plants.
Museo Frida Kahlo: Museo Frida Kahlo (nicknamed "Casa Azul" or "Blue House" for its cobalt blue exterior) was the birthplace and home of artist Frida Kahlo, and is now a museum dedicated to her work and life. This museum felt incredibly intimate as we got a glimpse into her life through each room. The outdoor courtyard and garden was one of the highlights—with its open space and all of the plants, it felt like a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Make a reservation here in advance.
Coyoacán: One of my favorite places that we visited was the Coyoacán neighborhood. After having lunch at El JardÃn del Pulpo right outside Mercado de Coyoacán and then browsing through the busy market, we walked over to JardÃn Allende where there were local vendors selling food and art. We met a sweet couple here selling homemade ice cream (their passionfruit ice cream was so refreshing).
Coyoacán has maintained its traditional charm with tree-lined, cobblestone streets and colorful, colonial architecture. We immediately noticed all of the people that were out in this lively neighborhood—it seemed like no one was on their phones (a rare sight where we live). Everyone was simply out enjoying the day.
Day 4:
Paisa & Maisa TortillerÃa:Â We began our last day in the city with breakfast burritos at Paisa & Maisa TortillerÃa, which makes their own tortillas in-house.
Parque México: We revisited Parque México on our last day and were so glad that we did. Just like our experience in the Coyoacán neighborhood, there were so many people out enjoying the day—spending time with their loved ones (including their adorable pups), sitting by themselves and reading a book, playing sports, and more.
Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México: Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México is one of the oldest and largest cathedrals in all of Latin America. Located in the city's main square Zócalo, this cathedral features an intricately carved exterior, an ornate altar, and towering ceilings.
Caldos de Gallina Luis: Before our flight back home, we had a late lunch at Caldos de Gallina Luis—a local favorite specializing in chicken soup. Their chicken broth with rice and chickpeas is incredibly flavorful, and comes with cilantro and onion to garnish (which we used a lot of).
