Downtown Mexico City: The Ultimate Guide By Local Expats

Downtown Mexico City is always bustling. The oldest of the Mexico City neighbourhoods, it continues to play a huge part in local life. We often head down to the Zocalo in the Centro Historico to enjoy the free events that are regularly staged in the main square, but it’s also where people go to exercise their right to public protest.

For visitors, there’s an incredible concentration of beautiful buildings, from the 16th-century Metropolitan Cathedral to the 20th-century Palacio de Bellas Artes. Just as attractive are the stalls vending traditional food. Tacos El Puma is a particular fav of ours, selling some of the best tacos al pastor we’ve eaten in CDMX.

In this post, we’re going to cover the highlights of Mexico City downtown, from the must-see sights for first-time tourists to deeper dives into where we like to eat and drink. So, prepare to pick up the pulque and go mad over murals because there’s plenty of both to enjoy in Mexico’s biggest metropolis!

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Historic Center Of Mexico City: Introduction 

As its name suggests, the Mexico City Centro Historico is the most historical part of the capital. It’s here that many of the oldest colonial-era buildings are located, as well as a handful of Mesoamerican ruins.

By the time the conquistadors turned up in 1519, there had already been an Aztec city on the site for about 200 years. Tenochtitlan wasn’t a small place either! Historians estimate there were more than 200,000 living in it at its peak, making it larger than almost all the European capitals of the time excluding perhaps Paris.

Originally, the habitation was on an island in Lake Texcoco. The Spanish drained the lake to try and reduce the flooding that afflicted their city. Although this solved one issue, it created another. We recently learned that parts of CDMX are falling into the mud. The Palacio de Bellas Artes, for example, has sunk 4 metres since it was completed in 1934.

Despite these architectural woes, the downtown area is buzzing with life. There’s never a dull (or a quiet) moment around Mexico City’s main square. 

Things To Do In Downtown Mexico City 

#1 Remember The Aztecs At The Templo Mayor

Right in the heart of the historic center of Mexico City, the Templo Mayor is where archaeologists believe the main temple of Tenochtitlan existed before the arrival of Cortes.

Desecrated during the colonial era, there’s not much to see today beyond the bases of a few pyramids, ruined walls, and a smattering of sculptures, but we still found our visit interesting and atmospheric.

There’s also a museum on site where they’ve collected some of the best pieces recovered from the site, painting a picture of life in the Mesoamerican metropolis before the arrival of the Spanish.

#2 Dazzle Your Eyes At The Metropolitan Cathedral

One of the best free things to do in Mexico City, the Metropolitan Cathedral is among the oldest and largest cathedrals in Latin America. Begun in 1573, it wasn’t completed until 1813 – talk about project overrun!

Just gazing at the outside of the cathedral with its gorgeously carved stone portals and impressive bell towers is impressive enough, but make sure you go inside as well to see the glittering, golden altars and ornate chapels that stuff the large interior.

#3 Examine The Murals At The Palacio De Bellas Artes

A fabulous blend of art nouveau and art deco, the Palacio de Bellas Artes’ distinctive orange roof and sinuous, curving façade is iconic.

Located on the western side of the Mexico City historic center, it contains several performance venues that stage a busy repertoire of classical music, ballet, and opera.

It also has one of the best museums in Mexico City, showcasing murals by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

Try and time your visit to coincide with one of the free tours, which take place several times a day from Tuesday to Sunday. We particularly recommend the mural tour, which offers some fascinating insight into the pieces on display, but the architecture tour of the building is also filled with interesting titbits.

#4 Take A Walking Tour Of The Major Sights

A good way to see all the most famous Centro Historico Mexico City attractions in one go is to take a walking tour. 

There are a lot to choose from, but to be honest we’d just go with this free one from Estacion Mexico. It only took about two hours and covers the Templo Mayor, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Alameda Central, and the Torre Latinoamericana, as well as several other spots.

We didn’t get to spend a lot of time at each site, but it was just what we needed to get an overview of the centre on our first visit to CDMX. You can always come back to the places that most pique your interest later.

#5 See Mexico City Downtown From The Torre Latinoamericana 

At 166m (545ft), the Torre Latinoamericana is the tallest building in the downtown area. Built to withstand the earthquakes that occasionally shake the nation, it offers some of the best views over the capital.

There’s an observation deck right at the top that you can enter for a fee, but we would instead put the money towards dinner and/or drinks at Miralto. This stylish restaurant offers a quality meal and spectacular views from every table through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Annoyingly, they don’t allow professional cameras, so you’ll have to rely on your smartphone to capture the scene.

#6 Have A Rooftop Drink At Terraza Catedral

With views of the Zocalo and bargain-price cocktails, the Terraza Catedral is easily one of the best rooftop bars in Mexico City.

One of our fav things to do in downtown Mexico City is to come here during the day and cool down with a mojito or a margarita while gazing out at the Metropolitan Cathedral.

If you’re more of a party person, the evenings come alive with live bands and DJs, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

WHERE: Google Location

#7 Pick Up A Souvenir At Ciudadela Handcraft Market

There are quite a few souvenir shops in downtown Mexico City, but our top tip is to head to La Ciudadela.

Although it is undeniably touristy, it has one of the best selections of artisan items of all the markets in Mexico City. You can pick up everything from handwoven pieces of traditional clothing like sarapes and rezbosos to lucha libre masks and papier-mâché alebrijes sculptures.

The stallholders are friendly and helpful, so it’s also one of the most relaxing market experiences we’ve had in CDMX.

#8 Breakfast In The Casa De Los Azulejos 

Downtown in Mexico City, there are a lot of historic, colonial-era buildings, but few are as striking as the Casa de los Azulejos. 

Known in English as the House of Tiles, this 18th-century palace’s façade is covered in blue-and-white Talavera tiles imported from the city of Puebla. 

We like to come here for breakfast in the pretty interior courtyard, which is served accompanied by the tinkling of piano music. It’s a space that is full of surprises, none quirkier than the fact that an early work by Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco hangs obscurely above the entrance to the toilet!

#9 Eat Street Food In The Historic Center Of Mexico City

Despite being a tourist hotspot, Mexico City downtown is always abuzz with local life. That’s why there are still so many authentic, cheap, delicious street food stalls scattered about the Centro Historico.

We’re big taco eaters, and there are a couple of places that we can recommend from our extensive tastings! El Puma does the best pastor, made using meat cut from a vertical spit, while Los Cocuyos is our go-to spot for suadero: a traditional Mexican beef cut that’s slow-cooked in lard, then fried.

For old-school tortas, head to Torteria La Texcocana, where they’ve been making their signature chunky sandwich rolls since 1936!

WHERE: Google Location

#10 Go On A Mural Tour

Mexico has produced a surprising number of brilliant, creative muralists, including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros. Each of their pieces is a rich tapestry of symbolism and cultural motifs – some of which would be lost on casual art lovers like us without the benefit of a professional guide!

Given the dense web of references each work contains, we definitely found it helpful to go on a mural tour. The one we chose covered the museum inside the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which was the highlight, as well as the Museo Mural Diego Rivera and the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso.

We happened to be the only people on our tour, but while we can’t guarantee you’ll be as lucky, the guide was super professional and informative.

#11 Adventure Into La Merced

On the other end of the spectrum from La Ciudadela, the Mercado de la Merced is a chaotic market filled with fresh produce, sacks of spices, and household essentials. This is where locals come to shop for their everyday necessities, although there’s also a shady prostitution trade.

It’s not the safest place to visit on your own, but if you’re up for an adventure, it’s an eye-opening look at the grittier side of the capital.

We visited as part of a tour that included the Mercado de Sonora, CDMX’s one-stop shop for occult objects and herbal remedies. The market also does a robust trade in animals, including (allegedly) tigers, though we can’t say we saw any prowling around.

WHERE: Google Location

#12 Pop Into The Post Office (Palacio Postal)

While a visit to the Palacio Postal isn’t one of the essential things to do in Centro Historico Mexico City, it’s a gorgeous piece of early 20th-century architecture that’s worth a brief look if you’re in the area around the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

In years gone by, it used to be the headquarters for the governmental department in charge of post. Today, it still functions as a post office, so you can wander in free of charge to gaze at the decorative metalwork and elaborate plasterwork.

#13 Relax On Santo Domingo Square

Named for the Dominican monks that originally settled here in the 16th century, Plaza de Santo Domingo strongly reminds us of the squares we’ve visited in Spain. 

Lined by the former Palace of the Inquisition and the Church of Santo Domingo, it’s an attractive place to snap some photos before enjoying some of the very good street food that’s available from the nearby stalls.

We’ve already mentioned El Puma, which is on the southeast corner of the square, but right next to it you can get yummy quesadillas and gorditas from El Huarache Loco. A little further along the street, La Blanca does a tasty, no-frills version of tlacoyos, a thick, black tortilla made from corn masa.

WHERE: Google Location

#14 Try A Glass Of Pulque 

Pulque has been drunk in Mexico for thousands of years. According to legend, it was a gift from the gods, forming an important part of Mesoamerican religious rituals.

Made from fermented agave sap, it’s a milky, mildly fizzy drink with a slightly sour taste that isn’t for everyone. Personally, we rather like it! Regardless, its heritage and importance to local culture make trying it one of the essential things to do in downtown Mexico City.

The Centro Historico has some of the best pulquerias in the city, including Pulqueria La Risa (location below) and Las Duelistas, a brightly decorated cantina where they sell different flavours in cups, jugs, and even casks! 

WHERE: Google Location

#15 Devour El Pescadito’s Fish Tacos

El Pescadito is one of the most popular taqueria chains in the capital. It’s a bit like Mexican fast food, except much tastier than a McDonald’s burger or a bucket of KFC popcorn chicken!

If you’re on a mission to try the best tacos in Mexico City, you have to visit El Pescadito to snaffle their battered seafood morsels. The menu is short, so you could feasibly try everything, but our favs are the shrimp (camaron) and the classic pescado (white fish).

Once you’ve got your tacos, head over to the DIY salsa and toppings stand to customise your tortilla. 

A little tip: they don’t take payment right away; you pay at the cashier once you’ve finished.

WHERE: Google Location

#16 People Watch In Alameda Central

Alameda Central is the oldest public park in Mexico City. It’s also one of our favourite places to just sit and take in the local vibe, particularly on weekends, when it fills up with families and friends enjoying a day off. 

Nearby, the Café Casa Barista has a large menu of coffees and teas, so you can grab a beverage and perhaps a sandwich before finding a bench to relax in the sun.

WHERE: Google Location

#17 Travel Through El Barrio Chino

Just to the southeast of Alameda Central, the Barrio Chino is Mexico City’s answer to Chinatown. Although today it’s filled with speciality food stores and some of the best Chinese food in town, it also has an interesting history.

During the boomtime of the late 1800s, as Mexico was racing to industrialise, many Chinese immigrants came to the country to help build the railroads and work in the mines. The Barrio Chino was where these workers congregated, forming their own little community.

WHERE: Google Location

#18 Pore Over The Art At Diego Riviera Mural Museum

We’ve already mentioned that we really enjoyed taking a mural tour of Mexico City, but if you would rather explore the work of one of Mexico’s greatest muralists on your own, this is a must-see stop.

It’s a relatively small museum, but it contains the iconic 15.6-metre-long Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon at Alameda Central Park). A bit like a Where’s Waldo of famous faces, the mural gathers important figures from Mexico’s history into one big street fiesta, from Hernan Cortes to Benito Juarez.

#19 Peruse The National Art Museum

If you want to journey through the history of post-Mesoamerican Mexican painting and sculpture, the National Art Museum has it all. The earliest pieces come from right after the arrival of the conquistadors and continue into the era of Diego Rivera. 

Even if that doesn’t float your boat, the building itself is a stunner, the enormous rooms crowned with frescoed ceilings. It used to be the Palace of Communications, which sounds like a fairly uninteresting governmental department, but trust us when we say they had a very grand building made for them! 

#20 Try Creepy Crawlies At The Mercado de San Juan Pugibet

What we like most about the Mercado de San Juan is that you can sample all sorts of weird and wonderful things, from chocolate-covered scorpions to tostadas stuffed with grasshoppers.

Once you’ve tested your taste buds (and your nerves), the market contains some great little stalls where you can dine on charcuterie and cheese paired with affordable glasses of wine, mezcal, or tequila.

On your way out, you can also pick up fresh fruit and veg, as well as essential Mexican spices. 

There are some markets we wouldn’t advise tourists to visit alone, but the Mercado de San Juan always feels very safe – if a little bizarre!

WHERE: Google Location

#21 Snap A Photo Of The Palacio Nacional

We’re returning to the heart of the historic centre of Mexico City for our final item: the Palacio Nacional (National Palace). The home of the Mexican president, it has a striking red façade that’s sculpted from tezontle, a kind of porous volcanic rock native to the region.

The building itself is impressive, but if you can manage to wangle your way onto a guided tour of the interior, we highly recommend it. It only takes in a portion of the building, but you get a feel for the grandeur as well as an opportunity to see the History of Mexico mural by Rivera.

Tours are free but not the easiest to organise – and we’ve heard that they’re actually more difficult to plan now than when we went. Head to the Museo de la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público to find out about availability.

#22 Do NOT Go To Plaza Garibaldi

We‘ve read so many blogs recommending people go to the Plaza Garibaldi to see mariachi bands play, but we felt super unsafe there.

Even though it’s only a few blocks from the Historic Centre, Plaza Garibaldi is in the Tepito neighbourhood, one of the most dangerous parts of CDMX. The area is notorious for drug peddlers and addicts, and the area around Plaza Garibaldi seems to be particularly bad for homelessness. 

A tour guide we spoke to said he doesn’t take people to the Plaza Garibaldi anymore as part of his tour because he’s had so many safety issues. Take our advice and stay away!

Is Downtown Mexico City Safe?

Downtown is one of the safer parts of Mexico City, with a couple of caveats. First, bear in mind that the Centro Historico is bordered by sketchy neighbourhoods like Tepito, which you definitely want to avoid. Second, while it’s fine during the daytime, it takes a turn for the worse after sundown.

Best Places To Eat In Downtown Mexico City

Near the top of any list of what to do in downtown Mexico City has to be eating out! We’ve picked out a few places to try based on our personal experience, from atmospheric eateries to no-frills taco stands. 

Best Dinner Spots In Centro Historico Mexico City

Tradition and history are cornerstones of the best restaurants in downtown Mexico City, which has several excellent places to eat out in style. 

🍴 El Cardenal – Starting out as a simple fonda serving neighbourhood workers, El Cardenal’s down-home dishes have turned it into one of the most famous Mexico City restaurants. We always go to the branch on Calle de la Palma, which has a charming old-school vibe.

🍴 Limosneros – We love the décor at Limosneros, which boasts rustic stone walls accessorised with flashy mirrors and light fixtures. Its appearance reflects the menu, which does upscale takes on classic dishes, like tacos with escamoles (ant ‘caviar’) and mole with wagyu beef.

🍴 Café De Tacuba – Café de Tacuba has been around for over a century, preserving its classic interiors and the traditional mariachi band to this day. We always order at least one tamale, which is a generously sized bit of corn dough mixed with chicken and mole.

Best Places For Breakfast & Brunch

From moist pan dulce (sweet breads) to excitingly spiced huevos (eggs), there’s a lot of contenders for best breakfast in Mexico City. 

🥪 Finca Don Porfirio – Boasting one of the best views in Mexico City downtown, Finca Don Porfirio’s terrace looks out onto the Palacio de Bellas Artes. They do a good line in molletes (open-faced sandwiches), but we usually go for the cheese and ham croissant.

🥪 House Of Tiles – Food is kind of secondary at the House of Tiles (Casa de los Azulejos), an 18th-century palace that’s instantly recognisable thanks to the blue-and-white Talavera tiles that decorate the façade. Inside is a cute, mudejar-inspired courtyard serving your standard Mexican breakfast stuff.

🥪 Café Regina – Unassuming and laidback, Café Regina is one of the best restaurants in downtown Mexico City for neighbourhood vibes. We usually keep it simple and order granola with fruit and yoghurt plus a coffee, but they also do a bunch of egg dishes. 

Best Coffee Shops 

We’re big coffee connoisseurs, to the point where we’ve actually written a whole post on the best coffee shops in Mexico City. Our favs are mostly around Condesa and Roma Norte, but there are a couple of good ones in downtown.

☕ Balam Coffee Roasters – A block over from the Zocalo, Balam Coffee Roasters is a solid, reasonably priced option for an espresso or a chai latte. Come here to buck up your energy levels after exploring the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Templo Mayor.

☕ Casa Barista – They do a good range of coffees at this quirky spot, from your everyday Americano to the more exotic turmeric latte. It’s never that busy when we’ve been, which makes it a pleasant place to catch up on work.

☕ Café Villarías – In business for 80 years, Café Villarías serves some of the best coffee in downtown Mexico City that we’ve tried so far. Best of all, you can buy a bag or two to take home!

Where To Find The Best Tacos In Downtown Mexico City?

What is a trip to Mexico City without tacos? Eat like the chilangos do at these super local spots.

🌮 Tacos El Puma – We stumbled on this place while exploring the Plaza de Santo Domingo and have been coming back ever since! Serving some of the best tacos in down town Mexico City, they do delicious pastor, as well as local standards like suadero and tripe.

🌮 Los Especiales – Specialising in tacos de canasta (basket tacos), Los Especiales does an excellent deal of 5 tacos and a soft drink for 55 pesos ($3.10). Choose from chicharron in adobo sauce, chicharron in salsa verde, refried beans, and potato.

🌮 Taqueria Los Cocuyos – We usually order either the suadero or the pastor when we come to this unfussy diner, but you can also push the boat out a bit with choices like tongue, ear, gizzard, brain, and snout.

Mexico City Downtown Nightlife 

The best bars in downtown Mexico City are mostly funky local cantinas like Las Duelistas, where you can enjoy a glass of pulque.

We’re also big fans of Terraza Catedral, where they do some of the cheapest cocktails in town! Located at the top of a hostel, it has a youthful, fun vibe, with great views of the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Other than that, we don’t tend to spend much time around the Centro Historico at night, partly for safety and partly because the best Mexico City Nightlife is in the trendy neighbourhoods of Roma Norte and Condesa.

Best Places To Stay In Downtown Mexico City

Here are our top recommendations for the best hotels in downtown CDMX:

Downtown Mexico City: Wrap-Up

From a tourist’s point of view, there’s a lot to see and do in downtown Mexico City. It doesn’t have the edgy trendiness of Rome Norte or the laidback cool of Condesa, but it does have the highest concentration of attractions in the whole capital, from memorable architecture to buzzy markets.