Why Visit Mexico City? 13 Reasons For First-Timers!
Why visit Mexico City? Because it is one of the most diverse and interesting capital cities on the planet. We have spent many months in Mexico City and it is one of our favorite cities that we have ever visited.
There are over 20 million people living in Mexico City so it can be a very chaotic noisy place. This may put some people off visiting, as they may imagine a noisy soulless city.
But Mexico City has so much to offer that there really is something for everyone. If you want chaotic streets full of amazing street food there is plenty of that. But if you want quiet green parks and fancy restaurants you can also find that there.
In this blog post, we will take you through all our top reasons why to visit Mexico City!
1. Food (Our favorite reason why to visit Mexico City)
Mexican food is famous worldwide and there is no better place to try out authentic Mexican food than Mexico City.
If you ask locals why visit Mexico City? there is a high chance they will say to visit because of the food. Mexicans are very proud of their local cuisine and will usually be happy to tell you the best spots.
Because Mexico is such a large country there is actually a large diversity of different cuisines in different regions and not ‘one real Mexican food’. But because Mexico City attracts migrants from all over Mexico you can easily find regional specialties from all over the country.
So you can find some Oaxacan Mole, Cochinita Pibil from the Yucatan, or Birria from Michoacan in Mexico’s capital. The food is also generally very affordable and convenient with carts selling street food everywhere.
What food is Mexico City known for? The first thing most people will say is tacos. Read here: 🌮 12 best taco places in Mexico City to try them all!
But if you have had enough of Mexican food you can also find Korean, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Japanese food. Mexico City is a diverse city so no matter what type of food you want you should be able to find it.
There are also a huge number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Mexico City. Read here: 🥑 14 best vegan & vegetarian food in Mexico City
2. Fascinating history
Mexico City has a super interesting history going back thousands of years. Modern Mexico City is built on top of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan which was conquered and unfortunately destroyed by the Spanish.
But this happened way back in the 1500s so over 500 years passed since the Spanish colonization of the area. The intermingling of the two cultures has created a fascinating history that is interesting to learn about.
You can still see remains of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan next to the Zocalo which is the main square of Mexico City. The ruins were buried underneath the city and forgotten about for hundreds of years. They were uncovered in the 20th century and today there is a very good museum at the site.
If you are interested in the history of the region I highly recommend visiting the Anthropology Museum. It is one of the best museums in Mexico and one of the better museums we have visited anywhere in the world.
Also, the amazing ruins of Teotihuacan are only 1 hour from Mexico City and are some of the best ruins in Mexico City. The history of the indigenous cultures and the arrival of the Spanish is fascinating to me. It is in my opinion another great reason why to visit Mexico City.
3. Beautiful colonial architecture
Mexico City is full of old Spanish colonial buildings, especially in the historical center. Mexico City’s old town is actually not the prettiest in comparison to other ones in Mexico as it does not have the colorful buildings most others do. But it still has a lot of impressive historic buildings.
I actually quite like it because the buildings are a bit rough around the edges compared to other towns. I think this gives it a bit more of an authentic feel because there haven’t been massive restoration works to make everything perfect. Plus, it’s nice to see the old mixing with the new.
To see the best colonial architecture of Mexico City I recommend checking out the Zocalo and from there walking to the Palacio de Bellas Artes. This area contains most of Mexico City’s impressive colonial buildings and is a great free thing to do in Mexico.
4. Green relaxing parks
One thing that really surprised me about Mexico City was how nice all the parks are. That comes in handy as they are a great way to escape the crowds, experience local life, and get some fresh air between sightseeing.
Many people assume that most areas in Mexico are dry and almost desert-like. But Mexico City actually gets more rain per year than London! 🤯 This means there is plenty of rain for lush parks and some are so big they even house a castle, museums, or art galleries.
If you are looking for some parks to visit I recommend:
Most of the parks also have free outdoor gyms and great areas to run which we absolutely love. Read here: 🏋️ Working Out On The Road
5. Amazing weather (Our second favorite reason why to visit Mexico City)
Mexico City has fairly pleasant weather year-round due to its elevation above sea level. It is located in the tropics but is about 2,200 m (7,300 ft) above sea level.
The average high daytime temperature throughout the year ranges from 21°C (71 F) in the coldest month to 27°C (80 F) in the warmest month.
The temperature usually drops a lot at night time due to the elevation. The average low in the coldest month is around 8°C (46 F) and 13°C (55 F) in the warmest months.
The coolest months are also the driest months with the dry season going from November to April when there is almost no rain. While the wet season is from May to October which is also the warmest time of the year.
So no matter what time of year you visit Mexico City the weather will always be fairly pleasant and never super hot or super cold.
6. It’s an affordable city
Mexico City in general has become a lot more expensive in recent years which is partly because the economy has improved so much. But it is still a very affordable place compared to other major cities around the world.
Especially if you live like the locals and buy your food at markets and eat street food you can really cut your costs.
But if you want to make your visit to Mexico City a lot cheaper you need to find accommodation away from the popular areas of Roma, Condesa, and Polanco.
These are really nice areas in Mexico City and expat-friendly but they can also be very pricey. If you stay in a nice apartment or hotel in these areas and eat at fancy restaurants you will find prices very similar to Europe or North America.
But just try to expand your comfort zone to other areas too, such as the neighboring areas or around the historic center and you can have a very affordable trip to Mexico City.
This leads us nicely to the next two reasons why to visit Mexico City on this list: Markets and Public Transport.
Read also:
💰 29 easy & proven ways to travel cheap
🏠 How to find free accommodation for travel
🍉 How to eat healthily & cheap while traveling
7. Wide range of markets
Mexico City has a huge selection of markets selling everything you need: fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, baked goods, street food, electronics, clothes, crafts, and souvenirs.
Due to Mexico City’s location in the center of the country, there is always a great supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from the surrounding regions, In all our travels around Mexico, we found the best deals in Mexico City for fruits and vegetables at the markets here. So dig in!
There are also some local organic markets and second-hand flea markets. So no matter what you are looking for you can find it at a market in Mexico City.
Read here: 🛒 10 Best Food & Craft Markets in Mexico City
8. Cheap public transport system
Mexico City is great for people that like to take public transport. The Mexico City metro is the second largest subway system in North America after New York and serves around 1.5 billion people a year.
The metro system is extensive and covers all regions of the city you would want to visit. It is also only 5 pesos (25 cents) per ride! So it is an absolute bargain.
Another great thing about the metro system is that it is kept very clean. This is not something people usually expect in Mexico City but it is much cleaner than metros in other parts of the world.
Just be careful catching the metro around rush hour as it gets incredibly crowded! And if you travel as a female you can take advantage of riding in the last carriage of the trains as they are female-only.
When it comes to safety the opinions about catching public transport in Mexico City are divided. But we took it uncountable times during the day and never had the slightest problems or felt unsafe.
Also if you do not feel like catching public transport Uber and other ride-sharing apps are very affordable and widely available.
9. Great free things to do (Another top reason why to visit Mexico City)
As we are always trying to travel on a budget we are always looking for fun free things to do. Luckily Mexico City is a place where there are plenty of super cool free activities to enjoy.
There is history in Mexico’s capital around every corner and just going for a walk in different parts of the city is a great free activity.
Do you want to know all our favorites? Read here: ✌ 18 Awesome free things to Do in Mexico City
10. Mexico City is a safe city to visit
Is Mexico City safe? Whenever we talk about visiting Mexico people always ask about safety. And mostly the answer is yes!
It is true that there are security concerns in some parts of Mexico. But in Mexico City, you do not need to worry about your safety more than you would in other major cities around the world.
As long as you follow common sense and stay away from dodgy areas it is a very safe city. Especially if you are anywhere near the city center there will usually be a lot of police visible.
One thing to always be on the lookout for however is pickpockets. Especially in crowded metros, it is well known that there are pickpockets around.
Avoid wandering around by yourself at night and if in doubt ask locals where the spots of the city you should not go to are. Mexican people are incredibly friendly and like to help.
A good tip is to pick up some basic Spanish before you visit Mexico City, as only people working in tourism or in international environments will most likely be able to help you in English.
Generally speaking, you do not have to be worried about your safety which is another reason why you should visit Mexico City.
11. Diverse neighborhoods
One thing I love about Mexico City is the massive contrasts you can see in different neighborhoods within the city. If you travel from one part of the city to another it feels like you are in a different country.
Walking down the main street in Polanco feels like you are in Beverley Hills. There are designer-branded shops everywhere and people dressed in designer clothes.
Then you can visit Tepito which is an enormous outdoor market, known as the most dangerous area in the city. Walking through Tepito there are swarms of people and it is super chaotic and loud like a market in Asia.
After Tepito you could explore the nearby Centro Historico which is full of Spanish colonial architecture right next to the ruins of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan which is an awesome contrast.
While wandering through the neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa you will find quiet tree-lined streets and fancy cafes and restaurants making you feel like you are in Europe or Tel Aviv.
There is so much to explore in all the different neighborhoods and it is a great reason why to visit Mexico City.
Read here: ⛲ 10 top things to do in Condesa, Mexico City
12. It is a great city for dog lovers
One thing that was really surprising about Mexico City to us was that there were a lot of dog owners. Particularly in Roma and Condesa, we saw dog groomers and people walking their dogs everywhere.
You can see that people really take care of their dogs too which is really nice. Too often while traveling the world we have seen areas where people mistreat their dogs. So it was so nice to see them taking such great care in Mexico City.
If you love dogs you should definitely check out the dog walkers in Parque Mexico in Condesa. It’s an attraction! The local dog walkers take about 20 dogs at a time and line them up in the park. It is amazing how obedient the dogs are.
We also recommend checking out Trusted House Sitters to see if there are any pet sits available in the city. We have done many amazing pet sits around the world, most of them in Mexico.
Trusted House Sitters is an amazing platform to get to look after cool pets while traveling in exchange for a place to stay. A truly local experience!
If you would like to join Trusted House Sitters sign up for free using this link + enter HAPPYHEALTHYNOMADS at checkout for a 25% discount on your yearly membership.
Read here: 🐶 How to find awesome pet sits in Mexico with Trusted House Sitters
13. Great base for day or weekend trips
Mexico City’s location right in the middle of Mexico makes it a great base to do day or weekend trips. There are many beautiful cities, towns, and nature to visit within a 4-hour drive that are great for a getaway and absolutely worth visiting.
Check out all our favorite places to visit from Mexico City:
Now you know why to visit Mexico City
That’s it! Our 12 reasons why to visit Mexico City. Hopefully, it gave you an answer to why Mexico City is becoming such a popular destination for travelers, ex-pats, and digital nomads.
We have spent many months in Mexico City and we are still finding new places to explore every time we visit. It is an awesome city that we will definitely return to in the future. Or who knows, live in.
I am curious. What are your reasons why to visit Mexico City? Let me know in the comments below!
Read also:
- 12 best taquerias in Mexico City
- 13 best cities in Mexico for digital nomads
- 10 top things to do in Condesa, Mexico City
- 18 awesome free things to do in Mexico City
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Hi, I am Allan, a travel, health and fitness fanatic from New Zealand. I'm a former lawyer who turned into a full-time nomad in 2020. For the last 4+ years I've been traveling the world. I'm always on a hunt for good food, activities on a budget and workouts on the go. I hope you find my tips helpful and get inspired to travel more!
