UltimateCity Guide Mexico City
Our favourites
The Palacio de Bellas Artes lit at dusk, its dome glowing against a deep blue sky The Palacio de Bellas Artes lit at dusk, its dome glowing against a deep blue sky The Catedral Metropolitana and the Sagrario on the Zócalo The marble façade and golden dome of the Palacio de Bellas Artes at dusk The golden Ángel de la Independencia on its column on Paseo de la Reforma The Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan under a clear sky

The city guide to Mexico City, Mexico

Best of Mexico City

A city built on a lake: the Templo Mayor under the Zócalo, Bellas Artes and the murals, Pujol and Quintonil’s two stars, a taco al pastor at midnight and the pyramids of Teotihuacan beyond. Mexico City, checked place by place.

Launch edition · Autumn 2026

Where to eatWhat to see
The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakSister guideULTIMATE Rail JourneysThe story of the train, the great journeys and where to book themA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyPolanco, Lomas, the SRE waiver and the notary

Mexico City, from the lake up

Mexico City spreads across the bed of the lake where Tenochtitlan stood: the Centro Histórico around the Zócalo, Paseo de la Reforma and Chapultepec, Polanco, Roma and Condesa, and Coyoacán and San Ángel to the south. Here are its grand hotels and the 2026 MICHELIN stars, the taquerías with a Bib Gourmand, the murals, the museums and the markets, and day trips to Teotihuacan, Puebla and Cholula, Xochimilco, Taxco and Valle de Bravo. Every listing is checked against the venue’s own website or an official source, and anything we can’t confirm is left out.

A city on a lake: Mexico City’s great sights

In depth

A city on a lake

Mexico City·In depth

The Templo Mayor under the Zócalo, the Sun Stone, Bellas Artes and the Blue House: how to read a city built on the lake of Tenochtitlan.

Read the story

Arts + Culture

The murals of San Ildefonso, Rodin at the Soumaya, Rivera’s Anahuacalli and an evening of the Ballet Folklórico at Bellas Artes.

The Art Deco skylight and amber stone of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, seen from belowArts + CultureArts & Culture in Mexico CityMurals, museums, dance and Día de Muertos

Mexico City, neighbourhood by neighbourhood

Eight neighbourhoods, each with its own guide: the Zócalo and the murals of the Centro, Roma’s mansions and Condesa’s Art Deco, Polanco’s Masaryk and museums, Reforma and Juárez, Coyoacán’s Blue House, San Ángel’s Saturday bazaar and the towers of Santa Fe.

The Catedral Metropolitana and the Sagrario on the ZócaloNeighbourhood guideThe Centro HistóricoThe Zócalo, murals and cantinasCafé terraces under the trees by the Fuente de Cibeles in Roma NorteNeighbourhood guideRomaMansions, mezcal and great tablesThe clipped hedges and tall trees of the gardens of Parque México, CondesaNeighbourhood guideCondesaArt Deco and Parque MéxicoThe silver, hexagon-tiled Museo Soumaya against a blue skyNeighbourhood guidePolancoMasaryk and the museumsThe golden Ángel de la Independencia on its column on Paseo de la ReformaNeighbourhood guideJuárez & ReformaThe Ángel and the speakeasiesThe cobalt-blue walls, green windows and garden of the Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo’s house in CoyoacánNeighbourhood guideCoyoacánThe Blue House and the squares

On foot

Mexico City is too big to cross twice a day: choose one or two neighbourhoods each day, and walk them.

Painters showing their work around the fountain of Plaza San Jacinto, San ÁngelNeighbourhood guideSan ÁngelThe Saturday bazaarThe towers of Santa Fe reflected in a lakeNeighbourhood guideSanta FeThe towers of the west

Before you go

Arriving at the AICM, taxis you can trust, the altitude on your first day, and three days that work for a first visit.

The Catedral Metropolitana and the Sagrario on the ZócaloBefore you goMexico City essentialsEntry, money, 911 and the altitudeThe modernised platforms of Tacubaya station on Metro Line 1Getting aroundGetting aroundThe airports, Metro, Metrobús and cable carsThe Catedral Metropolitana and the Sagrario on the ZócaloItineraryMexico City in three daysThe Centro, Chapultepec and CoyoacánThe towers of Reforma rising beyond the trees of Bosque de Chapultepec under a blue skyLuxury guideLUX LivingThe finest addressesThe towers of Reforma rising beyond the trees of Bosque de Chapultepec under a blue skyItineraryThe Gold weekendThe Four Seasons, Pujol and RosettaA pink-walled roof terrace with trailing vines at the Casa Luis BarragánItineraryThe Platinum weekendLas Alcobas, Barragán and Quintonil

Our advice

Take the first day slowly

The city lies high in the Valley of Mexico: walk slowly on your first day, drink plenty of water, and remember that most museums close on Mondays. Mexico City essentials

Beyond Mexico City

The pyramids of Teotihuacan lie an hour to the north-east, Puebla and Cholula to the east, the canals of Xochimilco to the south, and silver Taxco and the lake at Valle de Bravo further out.

The Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan under a clear skyBeyond Mexico CityTeotihuacanThe city of the godsThe twin-towered cathedral of Puebla under a blue skyBeyond Mexico CityPuebla & CholulaTalavera, mole and a pyramidA painted trajinera moored on a canal at XochimilcoBeyond Mexico CityXochimilcoThe last canals of the lakeThe pink stone towers of Santa Prisca above a carpet of poinsettias in TaxcoBeyond Mexico CityTaxcoThe silver townA paraglider over the lake at Valle de Bravo, with boats at the shore and wooded hills beyondBeyond Mexico CityValle de BravoThe lake in the hills

Our advice

Be at Teotihuacan when the gates open

The site is wide open and busiest between noon and four. Leave early from the Terminal del Norte, bring a hat and water, and walk the Avenue of the Dead before the heat. Teotihuacan

Mexico City in depth

The great sights on the old lake, the city’s table, the murals and the stage, the hotels, the transport and where to buy: the stories behind Mexico City.

The excavated stairways and a carved serpent head at the Templo MayorThe back storyA city on a lakeThe Templo Mayor to the Blue HouseTacos al pastor with salsas, onion, coriander and limeThe back storyMexico City at the tableMasa, mole and the starsThe Art Deco skylight and amber stone of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, seen from belowThe back storyMurals and modernismMexico City’s artsThe Tiffany-style stained-glass ceiling and gilded galleries of the Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de MéxicoThe back storyWhere Mexico City sleepsReforma, Polanco and RomaThe modernised platforms of Tacubaya station on Metro Line 1The back storyGetting aroundMetro, Metrobús and cable carsThe silver, hexagon-tiled Museo Soumaya against a blue skyThe back storyBuying in Mexico CityNeighbourhoods and the notary

At the table

Eat your main meal at lunch, as the city does, from about two in the afternoon; a starred dinner can wait for another night.

The Torre Latinoamericana rising at the end of MaderoFun factsMexico City fun factsThings you might not know

North America with the ULTIMATE guides

Mexico City is the great capital of the south of North America: north to Los Angeles, Miami and New York, out to sea along Mexico’s coasts, and the great train journeys beyond.

The towers of Paseo de la Reforma with the mountains of the Valley of Mexico beyondULTIMATE Los AngelesLos AngelesCalifornia’s great cityThe towers of Reforma rising beyond the trees of Bosque de Chapultepec under a blue skyULTIMATE MiamiMiamiFlorida’s capital of the AmericasA paraglider over the lake at Valle de Bravo, with boats at the shore and wooded hills beyondULTIMATE CruisesCruisesMexico’s coasts by seaThe modernised platforms of Tacubaya station on Metro Line 1ULTIMATE Rail JourneysRail JourneysThe great train journeys

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

Europe

See all Europe
Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdamthe NetherlandsULTIMATE AmsterdamThe canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, canal-house hotels, twenty MICHELIN-starred tables, brown cafés, and day trips to Haarlem and Keukenhof.Visit the guide The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.Visit the guide The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.Visit the guide The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Visit the guide Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin against a blue skyGermanyULTIMATE BerlinThe Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, the Philharmonie and three opera houses, the story of the Wall, and day trips to Potsdam and Dresden.Visit the guide The Royal Pavilion in Brighton under a blue skyEnglandULTIMATE BrightonThe Royal Pavilion and the piers, the Lanes and the North Laine, Kemptown and Pride, and the South Downs on the doorstep.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide Nyhavn, CopenhagenDenmarkULTIMATE CopenhagenNyhavn and Tivoli, Rosenborg and Amalienborg, smørrebrød at lunch, Geranium and Kadeau’s three stars, Danish design and the harbour baths.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide The Ha’penny Bridge on the Liffey, DublinIrelandULTIMATE DublinTrinity and the Book of Kells, the Georgian squares, The Shelbourne, the pubs and their music, and the coast from Howth to Dalkey.Visit the guide Edinburgh Castle on its rock above the trees of West Princes Street GardensScotlandULTIMATE EdinburghThe castle and the Royal Mile, the Georgian New Town, seven MICHELIN stars from Leith to Stockbridge and the August festivals.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening lightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide Varenna on Lake ComoItalyULTIMATE Lake ComoVilla d’Este and the Villa del Balbianello, Bellagio and Varenna, the gardens of the villas, Riva boats and the four MICHELIN stars of the lake.Visit the guide Lisbon’s rooftops falling to the Tagus under a clear blue skyPortugalULTIMATE LisbonBelém’s monastery and tower, the castle above Alfama, palace hotels, Belcanto’s two stars, and day trips to Sintra, Cascais and Comporta.Visit the guide Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behindSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the ThamesUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran VíaSpainULTIMATE MadridThe Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Valletta’s honey-coloured skyline, with the dome of the Carmelite church and the spire of St Paul’s, above the harbour at sunsetGozo & CominoULTIMATE MaltaValletta’s knights’ city, temples older than the pyramids, Caravaggio, seven MICHELIN-starred kitchens and the Blue Lagoon.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide The Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del DuomoItalyULTIMATE MilanThe Duomo and the Last Supper, La Scala and Brera, the Quadrilatero della Moda, Bartolini’s three stars, and day trips to Lake Como.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Oslo Opera HouseNorwayULTIMATE OsloThe Opera House you can walk on, MUNCH and Vigeland, the polar ships of Bygdøy, Holmenkollen and Maaemo’s three MICHELIN stars.Visit the guide The Eiffel Tower seen from the Trocadéro in ParisFranceULTIMATE ParisThe Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, Notre-Dame reopened, the palace hotels, nine three-star tables, the bouillons, and day trips to Versailles and Giverny.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide Prague Castle and Charles BridgeCzechiaULTIMATE PraguePrague Castle and Charles Bridge, the Old Town and Malá Strana, Mozart, Dvořák and the opera, the Christmas markets and the five MICHELIN stars of 2026.Visit the guide The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratOur sister guideULTIMATE Property (prime markets worldwide)Prime neighbourhoods, estate agents, new developments and how buying works, market by market across the ULTIMATE network.Visit the guide The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakOur sister guideULTIMATE Rail Journeys (great train journeys worldwide)The story of the train, the great rail journeys of the world and where to book them, from the Orient Express to the Glacier Express.Visit the guide The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North MacedoniaOur sister guideULTIMATE Regions (editor’s letters & regional guides)Editor’s letters and the food, markets, nature and seasons each region shares, starting with the Balkans.Visit the guide Reykjavík and Mount Esja from HallgrímskirkjaIcelandULTIMATE ReykjavíkHallgrímskirkja and Harpa, the geothermal pools and Sky Lagoon, whales and the northern lights, and the Golden Circle a morning away.Visit the guide St Peter’s Basilica in Rome under a clear blue skyItalyULTIMATE RomeThe Colosseum and the Vatican, the grand hotels above the Spanish Steps, La Pergola’s three stars, the trattorias, and day trips to Tivoli and Pompeii.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening skyBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide Gamla Stan, StockholmSwedenULTIMATE StockholmGamla Stan and the Royal Palace, the Vasa and Skansen, Frantzén’s three stars, fika and the archipelago of 30,000 islands.Visit the guide The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue skyAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its poolSpainULTIMATE ValenciaCalatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences, the Gothic Lonja, paella by the sea, Las Fallas and the nine-kilometre Turia Garden.Visit the guide The Grand Canal and Santa Maria della Salute, VeniceItalyULTIMATE VeniceThe Grand Canal and St Mark’s, palace hotels, Two MICHELIN Stars at Glam, the bacari, the Biennale, and Murano, Burano and Torcello.Visit the guide The tiled roof of St Stephen’s Cathedral and the rooftops of central ViennaAustriaULTIMATE ViennaThe State Opera and the Musikverein, Schönbrunn and Klimt, the coffee houses and Heurigen, and Railjets to Budapest every hour.Visit the guide St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Zurich and the LimmatSwitzerlandULTIMATE ZurichThe Limmat and its two minsters, Chagall’s windows, the Bahnhofstrasse and Sprüngli, the lake, Baur au Lac and The Dolder Grand, and the city’s MICHELIN stars.Visit the guide

North America

See all North America
Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key WestUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide

Caribbean

See all Caribbean
The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide

South America

See all South America
Christ the Redeemer on the Corcovado and Sugarloaf in silhouette at sunrise, above the bay and the cityBrazilULTIMATE Rio de JaneiroChrist on the Corcovado, the cable car to Sugarloaf, the Copacabana Palace, Lasai’s two stars, the Carnival, and day trips to Paraty and Ilha Grande.Visit the guide

Asia & Indian Ocean

See all Asia & Indian Ocean
The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakOur sister guideULTIMATE Hong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina BayOur sister guideULTIMATE SingaporeMarina Bay and Raffles, three restaurants with three MICHELIN Stars, the hawker centres, and the Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffsOur sister guideULTIMATE Thai IslandsWinter sun on two seas: Phuket, Krabi and Railay, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta on the Andaman, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the Gulf.Visit the guide

Middle East & North Africa

See all Middle East & North Africa
The pyramids of Giza across the desertEgyptULTIMATE CairoThe Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, the minarets of Islamic Cairo, feluccas on the Nile and journeys to Luxor and Aswan.Visit the guide Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

Africa

See all Africa
Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles above Cape TownSouth AfricaULTIMATE Cape TownTable Mountain and Robben Island, The Silo and the Mount Nelson, the great tables of Constantia and Camps Bay, and day trips to the Winelands and Cape Point.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

From our readers: Mexico City’s visitors and locals on its taquerías and starred tables, murals, markets, mezcal bars and the road to the pyramids.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Día de Muertos in Mexico City

    This week's pick

    Día de Muertos in Mexico City

    Mexico City·Festival

    Día de Muertos: the Ofrenda Monumental fills the Zócalo from 29 October to 2 November, and the Gran Desfile runs from Reforma to the Zócalo on Saturday 31 October from 2pm (mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx).

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    The Catedral Metropolitana and the Sagrario on the ZócaloItineraryMexico City in three daysThree daysThe Art Deco skylight and amber stone of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, seen from belowItineraryThe murals in a dayOne dayThe Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan under a clear skyItineraryA day trip to TeotihuacanOne dayThe silver, hexagon-tiled Museo Soumaya against a blue skyItineraryA property viewing day: Polanco, Lomas and CondesaOne dayThe Ofrenda Monumental in the Zócalo: giant figures above a bed of marigoldsItineraryDía de Muertos weekend, 31 October–2 November 2026Three daysThe towers of Reforma rising beyond the trees of Bosque de Chapultepec under a blue skyItineraryThe Gold weekend: a luxury weekend in Mexico CityTwo daysA pink-walled roof terrace with trailing vines at the Casa Luis BarragánItineraryThe Platinum weekend: Mexico City at its most exclusiveTwo days

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Mexico City at the table: masa, mole and the MICHELIN starsMexico City · In depth
    2. 2PujolPolanco · Fine dining
    3. 3QuintonilPolanco · Fine dining
    See all 29

    Cafés

    1. 1El MoroCentro Histórico · Churrería
    2. 2Pastelería IdealCentro Histórico · Bakery
    3. 3Dulcería de CelayaCentro Histórico · Sweet shop
    See all 5

    Bars

    1. 1Licorería LimantourRoma · Cocktail bar
    2. 2Handshake SpeakeasyJuárez · Cocktail bar
    3. 3Hanky PankyJuárez · Cocktail bar
    See all 9

    Hotels

    1. 1Where Mexico City sleeps: Reforma, Polanco and the courtyards of RomaPaseo de la Reforma · In depth
    2. 2Four Seasons Hotel Mexico CityJuárez · Grand hotel
    3. 3The St. Regis Mexico CityCuauhtémoc · Grand hotel
    See all 23

    Sights

    1. 1A city on a lake: Mexico City’s great sightsMexico City · In depth
    2. 2The Zócalo and the Catedral MetropolitanaCentro Histórico · Square and cathedral
    3. 3The Templo MayorCentro Histórico · Archaeological site and museum
    See all 16

    Arts & Culture

    1. 1Murals, modernism and the Ballet Folklórico: Mexico City’s artsMexico City · In depth
    2. 2Museo SoumayaPolanco · Museum
    3. 3Museo JumexPolanco · Contemporary art museum
    See all 38

    Parks

    1. 1Bosque de ChapultepecChapultepec · City park
    2. 2Jardín Botánico de ChapultepecChapultepec · Botanic garden
    3. 3Parque MéxicoCondesa · Park
    See all 9

    Walks

    1. 1The Zócalo to Bellas ArtesCentro Histórico · Walk
    2. 2Paseo de la Reforma on a SundayReforma · Walk
    3. 3Condesa’s Art Deco ringCondesa · Walk
    See all 6

    Shopping

    1. 1Avenida Presidente MasarykPolanco · Shopping street
    2. 2Pasaje PolancoPolanco · Shopping arcade
    3. 3El Palacio de Hierro PolancoPolanco · Department store
    See all 16

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 911Mexico City · Emergency number
    2. 2Centro Médico ABC, ObservatorioLas Américas · Private hospital
    3. 3Centro Médico ABC, Santa FeSanta Fe · Private hospital
    See all 10

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Mexico City: Polanco, Lomas and the notaryMexico City · In depth
    2. 2The Article 27 waiver (SRE)Mexico City · Official step
    3. 3The notario públicoMexico City · Official step
    See all 6

    Developments

    1. 1Tren Interurbano El InsurgenteObservatorio · Rail
    2. 2Metro Line 1, modernisedPantitlán–Observatorio · Metro
    3. 3CablebúsChapultepec and beyond · Cable car
    See all 6

    Cars & drivers

    1. 1Authorised airport taxisAICM · Taxi
    2. 2Taxis and app cars in the cityMexico City · Taxi
    3. 3Hoy No CirculaMexico City · Driving rules
    See all 5

    Getting Around

    1. 1Getting around Mexico City: Metro, Metrobús and the cable carsMexico City · In depth
    2. 2Mexico City International Airport (AICM)Venustiano Carranza · Airport
    3. 3Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA)Estado de México · Airport
    See all 11

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