Mexico City
At 2,240 metres, Mexico City's rooftops start with an altitude advantage — as will your mezcal, so pace the first round.
- Best forNightlife · Culture seekers · Foodies
- In January21°C · 6 rainy days
- Ideal stay4-5 nights
- Approx. flying time~3h 35m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyMXNMexican peso
- LanguageSpanish
- Local time06:097h behind the UK
- PlugsType A / BBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+52
Why go
Mexico City operates at genuine scale, a high-altitude capital of colonial squares, world-class museums and neighbourhoods that each feel like their own small city. Roma Norte and Condesa pair jacaranda-lined streets with some of the most talked-about bars and restaurants in the Americas, while the historic centre around the Zócalo holds centuries of layered history, Aztec ruins included, within a few blocks. Altitude means the mezcal and the sun both hit harder than you expect.
Three or four days covers the main museums, markets and neighbourhoods, with day trips to Teotihuacán's pyramids or the canals of Xochimilco easily added on. Book well-known bars and restaurants ahead, since several now sit on world's-best lists and fill up accordingly. The rainy season, roughly June to September, brings short, reliable afternoon downpours rather than washed-out days, so it rarely disrupts a trip.
- Ideal stay
- 4-5 nights
- The vibe
- Sprawling, high-altitude, culturally dense
From our guides
The world's-best lists have developed a habit of putting Mexico City at the very top. Handshake Speakeasy took the number-one spot with crystal-clear cocktails that taste like quiet sorcery, and the bars of Roma Norte and Juárez — Licorería Limantour chief among them — built the scene it now crowns. The house material is agave: order a mezcal negroni and accept the orange slice with sal de gusano. Book Handshake weeks ahead; walk-ins join a philosophical queue.
Featured in Ten rooftop-bar cities for golden-hour drinks and Ten cocktail cities for a very grown-up bar crawl
Things to do
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Zócalo and the historic centre
The vast main square is ringed by the cathedral, the National Palace and Aztec ruins uncovered beneath colonial buildings.
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Roma Norte and Condesa
Adjoining neighbourhoods of Art Deco buildings, leafy streets and the city's densest concentration of notable bars and restaurants.
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Teotihuacán pyramids
An ancient city an hour outside Mexico City, with the Pyramid of the Sun climbable and views across the whole complex from the top.
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Frida Kahlo Museum
The artist's former home in Coyoacán, kept largely as she left it, with her studio and personal belongings on display.
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Xochimilco canals
Colourful flat-bottomed boats punt through a network of canals, a lively weekend outing with food and mariachi bands on the water.
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Chapultepec Park and Castle
One of the largest city parks in the world, home to a hilltop castle, several museums and shaded walking paths.
Getting there
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Fly to
Mexico City (MEX)
Nearest airport to Mexico City, about 15km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Mexico City
Benito Juarez (MEX) is close to the centre but the traffic is not: allow 30 to 60 minutes by authorised airport taxi or ride-hail to Roma Norte or the Centro Historico.
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On the ground
Getting around
The metro is cheap and extensive, Roma Norte and Condesa are made for walking, and ride-hail is inexpensive for evenings out; remember the altitude and take the first day gently.
Public transport: Excellent value: a huge metro network plus Metrobus lines, though both are crushed at rush hour.
Flights
Los Angeles Mexico City, Mexico
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Roughly 3h 35m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 20°C in December to 26°C in May. Driest in February; wettest in July, with rain on about 29 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
January21° · rain 6 daysMild with the odd shower.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — January and February. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Design hotels in converted Roma and Condesa mansions, big international brands in Polanco and Reforma, and a very large apartment rental market.
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Best base overall
Roma Norte
The best-placed neighbourhood for bars, restaurants and walking, with tree-lined streets and metro links to the centre. It has become expensive and busy, and weekend nights carry.
Find stays in Roma Norte -
Best for couples
Condesa
Quieter than Roma and built around two parks, with art deco buildings and a slower morning pace. Fewer bars within staggering distance, which some will count as a plus.
Find stays in Condesa -
Closest to the sights
Centro Historico
The Zocalo, the cathedral, Bellas Artes and the rooftop terraces are all here. Streets are chaotic by day and largely shut by night, so it suits sightseers over drinkers.
Find stays in Centro Historico -
Best with children
Coyoacan
Cobbled colonial village in the south with markets, plazas and the Frida Kahlo house. It is a long trip back from the centre, and traffic makes that unpredictable.
Find stays in Coyoacan
Worth knowing before you book: The best bars and restaurants take reservations weeks ahead, and rooms tighten around Day of the Dead and the Formula One weekend in autumn.
Search everything else in Mexico City by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Altitude
- At over 2,200 metres, alcohol and exertion both hit harder than usual; pace your first day and drink water alongside the mezcal.
- Book ahead
- Several bars and restaurants now feature on international best-of lists and book out weeks ahead; reserve early or expect a wait as a walk-in.
- Getting around
- The metro is extensive and cheap but very crowded at peak times; ride-hailing apps are widely used and generally reliable.
- Timing
- The rainy season runs roughly June to September, but storms tend to be short, predictable afternoon downpours rather than all-day washouts.
- Safety
- Stick to well-known, well-lit neighbourhoods at night and use booked taxis or ride-hailing apps rather than hailing cars on the street.
Similar places
Further afield
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Mexico City?
For warm, mostly dry days, January and February. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 20°C in December to 26°C in May. Driest in February; wettest in July, with rain on about 29 days.
How long should I spend in Mexico City?
Our suggestion: 4-5 nights.
How do I get to Mexico City?
Benito Juarez (MEX) is close to the centre but the traffic is not: allow 30 to 60 minutes by authorised airport taxi or ride-hail to Roma Norte or the Centro Historico.
Do I need a car in Mexico City?
No. Excellent value: a huge metro network plus Metrobus lines, though both are crushed at rush hour.
What currency and language are used in Mexico City?
Currency: Mexican peso (MXN). Language: Spanish. Plugs: type A and B.
Who is Mexico City best for?
Best for nightlife, culture seekers and foodies. In a phrase: sprawling, high-altitude, culturally dense.