If you are planning to visit Mexico, I want to tell you a little secret many Americans might not know. Mexico has a lot more to offer than just nice beaches.
Mexico also has huge, amazing, colonial cities where the combination between the old way of living, and the cosmopolitan, modern life are intertwined.
The mother of these cities is Mexico City. If you are thinking about Mexico for your vacation, then you really should consider visiting Mexico City.
I am going to be completely honest here. This is not going to be an objective opinion about Mexico City because I was born there. I lived my entire life walking through its streets, and enjoying the awesome food, views, and local culture.
I miss my hometown and I think it has a lot to offer. So I am going to list a few reasons why every American who is thinking about going to Mexico, should consider Mexico City too.
1. Mexico City Is One Of The Oldest Inhabited Cities On The Continent
Established in 1325 as Tenochtitlan, it was the capital of the Aztec Empire. When Hernán Cortés conquered the City 200 years after that, he was amazed by it and made it the capital city of the new colony.
According to The World Counts, Mexico City is the Largest City in North America at 9 million people, even besting New York City by about 400,000 people.
2. Mexico City Has More Museums Than Almost Any Other City
I say almost because London still wins in that respect. Yes, it has more museums than New York, and you can find a museum for every topic, from the famous Anthropology Museum, with exhibitions on pre-Columbian cultures, to the Soumaya Museum, with more than 6,000 pieces of art in the exhibition.
Mexico City offers many different types of museums including Natural History, murals, toys, a kid’s museum, technology, and even an amazing chocolate museum.
3. Mexico City Is Rich In Colonial History
History can be cruel when we are talking about colonialism in the Americas, but in the case of Mexico City, the Spanish rule translated also into a mixture of cultural features that you can look at.
In the downtown area of Mexico City, you will see 400-year-old palaces converted into modern stores and trendy restaurants.
And then there’s the Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana)… I am not exaggerating, sometimes you will wonder whether you are in Mexico or Europe when looking at these places. You really will miss out if you don’t explore these sites when you visit Mexico City.
4. Aztec Ruins Near Mexico City
Legend says that when the Spanish city was established, they used stone from the old Aztec temples to build churches, but during an excavation to build the Mexico City subway system, what was left of these ruins was found underground.
Today you can see some of the old Aztec City downtown in Templo Mayor (or Mayor Temple). There are only a few places in the world where you can see a beautiful European-style cathedral right next to the ruins of an old Aztec temple.
Extra: If you want to get full into pre-Colombian ruins, just an hour away from the city and pretty accessible for tourists. you will find the old ruins of Teotihuacán.
5. Mexico City Food
Although I am obviously biased, but there is something amazing about authentic Mexican food. If you like Taco Bell or Chipotle and you are expecting to eat something like that in Mexico City, you will be truly disappointed. This city is the capital of the street taco.
With choices pretty much everywhere you go, don’t be afraid to try a true authentic taco al pastor in the place where it was invented. But culinary adventures won’t end up there, with Mexico City being one of the food destinations of the world.
You will find fusion-style restaurants, authentic higher-end Mexican cuisine, and the traditional small Mexican restaurant. Yes, if you like food and trendy-style restaurants, Mexico City is your destination.
One of our favorite travel YouTubers, Mark Weins, has an incredible Mexico City street food video from a few years ago you should check out.
6. Mexico City Is Safer Than You Might Think
With over 22 million people living in the metropolitan area, Mexico City’s safety levels are not so black and white.
I was born in Mexico City and raised in an upper-middle-class suburb 30 minutes from downtown.
Yes, I grew up with the normal precautions most residents of any big city would recommend, but for the most part, I have always been able to move around freely.
In the early 2000s, the local government rescued areas around Centro Histórico. Since then, the city has been relatively safe for tourists. One thing that makes Mexico City special, is that tourists are always welcome, and mostly left alone to enjoy.
Overall, Mexico City is a safe place for tourists. Be mindful and take all the normal precautions you would when visiting a large city such as New York or Barcelona.
My 3 recommendations are:
- Be attentive to your surroundings
- Stay in tourist areas
- Always take an Uber over a street taxi
7. Mexico City Is Affordable
Flying from major airports anywhere in the continental U.S. is almost as cheap as any domestic flight. There are good budget airlines, like Interjet, that fly from most U.S. airports at very good rates.
Your stay there can be as expensive or as cheap as you want. From high luxury five-star hotels to a $60 a night centric Airbnb, there is room for every budget.
While inflation has hit Mexico just like the rest of the world, it is still significantly cheaper to eat than other larger U.S. Cities (LA and NYC, we’re looking at you)
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or email me directly at itraveltomuseums{@}gmail.com.
Thanks for reading,
Helena Hazleton