Want the most adventurous and romantic trip to Mexico imaginable? Save hours planning by stealing our 5-day itinerary to and around beautiful Mexico City. From the jaw dropping beauty of its many neighborhoods and parks to the historical sights and unforgettable food, there’s so much to explore during this scenic and unforgettable trip.
5-Day Itinerary Overview:
- Day 1: Fly to Mexico City
- Day 2: Central neighborhoods and Lucha Libre
- Day 3: Everything near Chapultepec & Xochimilco boat tour
- Day 4: Hot air balloon tour & Polanco neighborhood
- Day 5: Fly home
DAY ONE: FLY TO MEXICO CITY
Pack your bags and prepare for an awesome getaway! Time to fly to Mexico’s capital, Mexico City – often referred to as CDMX. ( Because Mexico city is Ciudad de México in Spanish!)
- Fly from your home airport to Mexico City
- If you’re coming from the U.S, it shouldn’t be a very long flight!
- Arrive in Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México
- Quickly sail through customs and collect any luggage you might have checked.
- Take an inexpensive rideshare through either Uber or Didi to your hotel
- Check into your hotel and drop off your luggage
- If you’re looking for great hotel options in the city, here are 10 of the best midrange luxury hotels in Mexico City!
- Enjoy your first dinner at a scenic hotspot in Mexico City
- Make reservations for Terraza Cha Cha Cha well in advance! The food, vibe, and views make this a popular destination.
DAY TWO: NEIGHBORHOOD VIBES & LUCHO LIBRE NIGHTS
Spend the day strolling and shopping through the beautiful central neighborhoods of CDMX then get ready for a fun and wild night of great food and even better entertainment.
- Book an early morning photoshoot around the Roma Norte & Condessa neighborhoods
- We booked a two hour photoshoot with @capturingmemoriescdmx and were blown away! Not only is she an excellent photographer, she’s Mexico’s best tour guide! Click the link about and send her a DM about booking a photo tour with her. She’s truly a amazing!
- Continue to eat around and explore Roma, Roma Norte, & Condessa
- Food Recommendation: Coffee and breakfast at Cafe Nin, lunch at Carajillo, and dinner at Fonda Fina
- Shopping Recommendation: Goodbye Folk, Vintage Hoe, and Vintrend Shop
- Uber to Zócalo then explore the Centro Histórico
- Zócalo is the main square at the center of the historical district.
- See the beautiful Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, Palacio Postal, Mercado de ArtesanÃas La Ciudadela, and Bellas Artes.
- For the best picture of the Bellas Artes, go into the Sears building across the street and up to the 8th floor to the cafe, Finca Don Porfirio. Order a coffee and enjoy the view!Â
- Spend an unforgettable evening with the Lucha Libre Airbnb Experience
- The tour is properly titled “Lucha+Tacos+Cerveza=BEST NIGHT EVER.” Drinks, food, and the Lucha Libre show is included in the price. Whether you’re a big fan of professional Mexican wrestling or know nothing about it but are curious to learn, this experience feeds you well, has plenty of good drinks, fun people, and amazing hosts which explain everything you need to know before the wrestling match so that you’re both not overwhelmed and ready to watch and be part of the action! It’s one of our favorite travel experiences to this day. (And we aren’t even extraverts and typically shy away from group activities – it’s that good!)
DAY THREE: CHAPULTEPEC & XOCHIMILCO
Park day and boat day? That’s what we call a vacation! Put on your walking shoes and get ready for a day full of beautiful nature, history, and culture.
- Explore Chapultepec Park & Castle
- Twice the size of Central Park in New York City, Chapultepec Park is an absolute haven in the middle of this massive city. In the park you can enjoy food options, workout classes, paddle boats, and so many walking trails.
- Located inside Chapultepec Park you’ll find the stunning Chapultepec Castle. While the park requires no entry fee, you do need tickets to see the castle (which you can buy at the park), but it’s worth it! It’s full of amazing architecture, history, and views of the city.
- Visit Museo Nacional de AntropologÃa & JardÃn Botánico del Bosque de Chapultepec
- Just a short walk from the park you’ll find beautiful gardens and an impressive anthropology museum. You don’t need a ticket to see the botanical garden, but you should buy tickets in advance for the world’s largest collection of ancient Mexican artifacts at the Museo Nacional de AntropologÃa.
- Take a rideshare out to Xochimilco
- In order to do the next activity, you’ll need to take an Uber or Didi right outside of the city to the Xochimilco canals. The map will say it’s a 30 minute drive, but you need to schedule in for at least an hour for traffic and finding your boat tour group.
- Take a Xochimilco boat experience in the late afternoon or evening
- This Airbnb experience is so much fun and makes for a great tour of the famous canals. You’ll play games, enjoy drinks and food, and learn so much about many different aspects of Mexican culture.
DAY FOUR: HOT AIR BALLOON, HISTORY, AND SHOPPING
Make the most of your last day exploring this beautiful region of Mexico with a scenic tour and a little bit of shopping.
- Early morning pick up for your balloon ride and tour
- Book this Airbnb Experience and they’ll pick you up straight from your hotel!
- Hot air balloon ride with guided tour in Teotihuacan
- Once picked up, the guide will take everything from there! They’ll drive you out to a little central point around Teotihuacan where your group and others will anxiously munch on light snacks and enjoy a quick coffee as the professionals get the balloons ready to go. Once you get the all clear, you’ll take to the skies and soak up the breathtaking sights during sunrise.
- After the balloon ride, you’ll enjoy a proper breakfast then a guided tour of Teotihuacan pyramids and caves.
- This is a 9 hour experience and will take most of your day – but it’s so worth it!
- Head back to Mexico City center
- The Airbnb experience will drop you back at your hotel. Once you’re there, freshen up for your last evening out!
- Explore the Polanco Neighborhood
- Visit Parque Lincoln, shop at Antara Polanco or one of the many boutique and designer stores in the neighborhood, and stop by CafebrerÃa El Péndulo, a very vibey cool, picturesque bookstore.
- For dinner, make reservations for Huset. For desert, enjoy as many churros as you can eat at the iconic El Moro.
DAY FIVE: FLY HOME
Pack those bags then get ready for the flight home. Make sure to head to the airport three hours early! It’s a beautiful airport, but it’s very busy and doesn’t move very quickly.
- Wake up, clean up, and pack up
- Take an Uber or Didi Rideshare to the airport
- Check-in at the airport and kiss Mexico adios (for now!)
