Mexico City Travel Guide: Art, Architecture, Tacos & the Neighbourhoods You Need to Visit

Mexico City (CDMX) has firmly established itself as one of the world’s great urban destinations — a city of 21 million that somehow manages to feel human-scale in its best neighbourhoods, with world-class food, art, and a culture of extraordinary depth.

Tacos: The Foundation

Mexico City’s taco culture is extraordinary. Tacos al pastor (marinated pork carved from a vertical spit) are the signature. The best are at dedicated al pastor spots — find a busy one near a market and watch the taquero work the trompo. Tacos de canasta (basket tacos, typically eaten in the morning) are cheap, filling, and sold from bike stands and baskets throughout the city. Taquería El Califa de León in Colonia Centro became famous as the first taco stand to receive a Michelin star.

Art & Museums

The Museo Nacional de Antropología is one of the world’s greatest museums — the collection of pre-Columbian artefacts is staggering. The Frida Kahlo Museum (La Casa Azul) in Coyoacán requires booking in advance. Museo Jumex and the Soumaya Museum (free) are excellent for contemporary and global art.

Murals

Mexico City is the home of the muralist tradition. The Palácio Nacional has extraordinary Diego Rivera murals in the main staircase (free entry). The SEP building nearby has more. Polyforum Siqueiros has the world’s largest mural on the outside.

Neighbourhoods

Roma Norte and Condesa are the most visitor-friendly — tree-lined streets, excellent restaurants, and cafes. Coyoacán is colonial, leafy, and home to Frida Kahlo’s house. Centro Histórico is vast, overwhelming, and brilliant. Xochimilco (the floating gardens and canals) is a UNESCO site and one of the most uniquely Mexican experiences in the city.

Community Tips

The Mexico City community on Parada has foodies, long-term residents, and regular visitors sharing the taco spots that just opened, the safest ways to get around, and which museums need advance booking.