THE SUNSET TABLE
Mexico City — 7 Day Itinerary
Mexico City has officially made it into my top 10 cities.
This guide is for anyone who wants a fast-paced, extremely efficient itinerary that hits most of the city’s must-sees. Whether you’re just starting to plan or putting the finishing touches on your trip, it’ll give you a realistic idea of how much you can fit into your time here.
Pick and choose what works for you, make it your own, and enjoy your time in the taco capital of the world.
At a Glance
Best Time
February – May
Trip Length
7 Days / 5 Full Days
Getting Around
Ubers and + Private Tours
Trip Cost
~$2000
5 FULL DAYS · ONE VERY FULL ITINERARY · LET’S GO ↓
Copy my itinerary
Some links in this guide are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no additional cost to you. I only link experiences I personally booked or recommend.
I don’t usually recommend rushing through a city, but this itinerary was worth every step.
DAY 1
9:00–11:30 PM
Arrival, Uber & Check-in
~11:30 PM
Late-night bite (walkable)
Taqueria Orinoco Roma Norte
DAY 2
7:00–7:30 AM
Breakfast
Rosetta Panadería (The guava roll was my favorite pastry)
8:00 AM–6:30 PM
Frida Kahlo Museum + Coyoacán + Xochimilco Tour
This is an all-day activity—very tiring, but oh so worth it!
~8:00 PM
Dinner
I ended up having street-vendor quesadillas because it was so late, but my original plan was Mi Compa Chava. Do that!
DAY 3
5:00 AM–9:00 PM
This tour is more than 15 hours long because the Grutas are in a completely different state, but DO NOT SKIP if you have the time for it. If you’re into gorgeous pictures and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I think it’s worth the long day.
Food is included during the tour: breakfast buffet, then your guide will order lunch (you’ll pay them), and finally, on the way back, they take you to a traditional empanada place for dinner. You won’t be hungry, but if you have a big appetite, bring snacks or buy some during the two convenience-store stops.
DAY 4
8:30–9:30 AM
Breakfast
San Matcha
10:00 AM–1:00 PM
Walking Tour of the Historic Center of Mexico City
My tour guide suggested we try a quesadilla from a nearby establishment. It wasn’t my favorite.
1:30–2:30 PM
Lunch
El Califa de León — this used to be the only Michelin-starred taco stand in the world.
3:00–5:00 PM
Alameda Central → The Angel
Walked around the area after the Historic Center tour.
7:00 PM
Dinner
Jenni’s Quesadillas again for an early night. If you have more time, try Contramar (book early!), Entremar, or Blanco Colima (my friend’s favorite).
DAY 5
4:30 AM–3:00 PM
JEarly start, but surprisingly not an all-day tour. Coffee is provided before the balloon flight, followed by lunch before visiting the pyramids. La Gruta: ambiance 10/10, food 7/10 in my opinion.
3:00–6:30 PM
National Museum of Anthropology + Chapultepec Castle
JI went straight there after the tour to save time. I was very efficient at both—if you like taking your time in museums, give yourself longer.
7:00–9:00 PM
Dinner
JPizza Félix — quick, filling, highly rated, and very vibey.
9:00 PM
Cocktails at Handshake Speakeasy
Considered Top Bar in North America and very high-end. My opinion? If you’re from the U.S., it probably won’t impress you. Skip it if you want. FO+MA was another option on my list.
DAY 6
9:00 AM–10:30 AM
Breakfast
China
10:30 AM–1:00 PM
ZINU Perfume + Palacio de Bellas Artes + Sears Rooftop + Biblioteca Vasconcelos
I walked to ZINU, then Ubered to Bellas Artes and later to Biblioteca Vasconcelos. If you’re copying my itinerary, I’d actually do Bellas Artes on your Historic Center day—it makes more sense geographically.
1:30 PM–3:00 PM
Lunch
Casa de Toño — a Mexico City classic. Flautas and pozole are my go-tos.
3:00 PM–6:00 PM
Shopping + Exploring Polanco
CGreat for high-end shopping. If that’s not your thing, spend this time exploring La Condesa and/or Zona Rosa instead.
7:00 PM–9:00 PM
Dinner
Tacos El Valle — the line can be long, but it was worth the wait for me.
DAY 7
7:30 AM–8:30 AM
Breakfast
Rosetta Panadería — I needed to get one more guava roll. 🙂
10:00 AM
Departure
Say goodbye to my favorite city.
Highlights
Teotihuacán
Seeing Teotihuacán from a hot-air balloon was unforgettable, but standing among the pyramids made it feel real.
Grutas de Tolantongo
The turquoise pools, mountain views, and entire experience made this side quest one of the easiest yeses of the trip.
Xochimilco
Colorful boats, loud music, endless food and drinks. This culture has just enough chaos to make the whole afternoon ridiculously fun.
Frida Kahlo Museum
Seeing the home where Frida lived, worked, loved, and created made an already fascinating story even more compelling.
Restaurants & Cafés
What I ate, what I loved, and what I’d order again.
Tacos El Valle
Every taco was a winner, but the one with Takis Fuego was my favorite.
Rosetta Panadería
Excellent savory and sweet pastries, great lattes, and oh, so busy.
Casa de Toño
Flautas and pozole are my go-tos. A Mexico City classic where locals eat, and a place worth trying at least once.
Pizza Félix
Great pizza, excellent drinks, and a dark, vibey atmosphere with several rooms, each with its own feel.
El Califa de León
Michelin-rated, but these tacos come in their purest form. No extravagant toppings, no fancy salsas, just a true classic.
Where I Stayed
ROMA NORTE
Airbnb · Roma Norte
Why Roma Norte worked for me — One of the best neighborhoods to stay in if you want to be close to restaurants and bars. It’s also incredibly convenient for tours. Roma Norte is so central that nearly every tour I booked picked me up right outside my Airbnb.
Another neighborhood to consider — Condesa was another neighborhood locals recommended and would be high on my list if I wanted an alternative to Roma Norte.
Would I stay here again? — Absolutely. For a first trip, I loved having such a central and convenient home base.
Budget
What I Actually Spent
STAY
$700
FOOD
$400
TRANSPORTATION
$75
TOURS + ACTIVITIES
$516
FLIGHTS
$300
TOTAL TRIP COST · ~$2,000
Based on what I actually spent. Flights will vary depending on where you’re coming from.
Tips Before You Go
UBER
Uber works just like it does in the U.S. and was my go-to for getting around. I’d skip private drivers who approach you offering transportation on the spot.
BOOK AHEAD
Mexico City is huge and incredibly popular, the good sit-down places book up fast. Reserve ahead and, whenever possible, book directly through the establishment’s official site.
PLAN FOR DISTANCE
Mexico City is massive, and some of the best experiences are well outside the city. Check travel times before you plan your day and don’t overbook yourself.
CASH + ATM
You can withdraw pesos directly from ATMs, but you may be charged a fee each time. Withdraw once instead of making multiple small withdrawals. Around 1,000 pesos was enough cash for me.
PICKUP
Many tours offer hotel or Airbnb pickup, especially if you’re staying somewhere central. Check before booking because it can save you an early-morning trip to a separate meeting point.
HAVE A BACKUP
Popular restaurants can have long waits or be fully booked. Keep a backup nearby. Some of my favorite meals ended up being the unplanned ones. Below I have some solid recommendations.
Next Time
I DIDN’T GET TO → Things that were planned but didn’t happen.
- Inside Palacio de Bellas Artes — Closed when I went
- Lucha libre match
- Centro Histórico at Night
ON MY LIST → Things recommended or saved for next time.
- Contramar / Caracol
- Entremar
- Quintonil
- Expendio de Maiz
I’D DO DIFFERENTLY → Things I’d change with the benefit of hindsight.
- Move Bellas Artes to the Historic Center day
- Give Anthropology + Chapultepec more time
- Do the Historic Center tour on a weekday, not Sunday.
Map
Here’s a map of everywhere I went, organized by area. The brown pins are farther from the city center, so plan ahead and build those into your itinerary.