Is Mexico City worth visiting? The consensus among travelers is a resounding “yes!” The exceptional food, great museums, mild climate, and excellent day trips are some of the top reasons to go.
But… travel is always subjective.
Mexico City won’t click with literally everyone. I’ve seen criticisms of its gentrified and hipster neighborhoods, for instance — though this is really just a phenomenon in several specific areas, which you may or may not mind. After seeing a couple of negative comments on blogs that didn’t match my own experience, I felt motivated to share mine.
Let me try to give you some idea of what Mexico City is like so you can make up your own mind. Later, I will share some essential tips and links to my deeper guides to the city.
In my opinion, definitely yes! When I first visited, I had no idea that Mexico City is so compelling. It quickly became one of my favorite cities in Latin America for several reasons:
- Despite its enormous size (22+ million people in the greater area), Mexico City is surprisingly manageable and welcoming. Many neighborhoods (like Roma and Condesa) have beautiful, walkable areas with leafy streets and trendy cafes that make for a perfect introduction.
- The city is a cultural powerhouse, boasting an incredible number of world-class museums and cultural attractions—arguably the best in all of Latin America.
- Tourist areas have good security, and most visitors find Mexico City feels similar to major US cities in terms of safety.
Read on for my in-depth impressions and tips, or jump over to my top things to do in Mexico City or my 3-day itinerary and 1-week itinerary.
Mexico City… the beating heart of an amazing country
What’s Mexico City really like?
To tell you the truth, when I first visited Mexico City some years ago, I approached it with a little trepidation. Not knowing anything about the local safety situation, I wondered if the capital might be all that welcoming — and just knowing about its enormous size felt intimidating.
The greater Mexico City area (also known as CDMX) is home to over 22 million people, making it a megacity. In fact, it is one of the ten biggest metropolitan areas in the world.
This made me worried it’d be overwhelming, but rest assured, it’s a surprisingly manageable city, especially when visiting as a tourist.
This is in part because most of the points of interest are clustered in roughly two or three areas, all of which are highly walkable and have a good level of safety.
The areas you’re most likely to end up in as a first-time tourist are El Centro (the central area around the main square) and the charming neighbourhoods of La Condesa and Roma.
The heart of Mexico City, as seen from above the Alameda Central park 
A closer look at Mexico City, framed by the lush greenery of Chapultepec Forest 
Get your bearings with a panoramic view from Torre Latinoamericana. 
A street preview seen from Roma neighborhood…
I found the Mexican capital to be utterly inviting, bursting with culture, and mostly stress-free. If you focus on exploring some of these more specific areas, you might even forget you’re inside a megacity. Many of the neighborhoods felt to me like a ‘town within the city’.
Of course, like any big city, there’s some traffic and crowds to contend with. But that surely will not be your main takeaway when you actually explore the neighborhoods and get to know the city known as CDMX.
Mexico City’s sheer size only becomes truly obvious when taking the crowded metro, when viewing the city from above (such as at the excellent viewing deck in the Torre Latinoamericana), or perhaps in outer neighborhoods that are not usually visited by tourists.
There is definitely a lot of traffic in CDMX and the air quality is not always so great, but when exploring hidden gems and neighborhoods away from the big avenues, you likely won’t notice it much.
El Centro and the tourist-friendly neighborhoods of Roma or Condesa, in particular, feel like smaller bubbles inside a metropolis. I love exploring these charming areas.
Art pulses through every corner of Mexico City
What I found the only overwhelming aspect is simply the sheer number of things to do in Mexico City. You can spend days on end and not even scratch the surface, so it’s worth doing your research to make the best use of your available time.
Beyond the sights and activities within the city itself, there are numerous day trips and side trips that make Mexico City a perfect launching pad into central Mexico.
My biggest surprise about Mexico City
While I had expected great cuisine and looked forward to seeing the temples of Teotihuacán, my biggest surprise was the sheer number of incredible museums in CDMX.
I just had no idea!
For some reason, I think Mexico City may not be as closely associated with world-class museums as other capitals around the world. I’m not sure if every visitor is prepared for how many great museums and cultural sights it truly has. At least, I have to confess this was the case with me.
A must-see in Mexico City: The Frida Kahlo Museum 
Museum of Popular Arts 
Anthropological Museum
Mexico City is truly a cultural powerhouse. I’d even say it’s the very best Latin American capital when it comes to museums and cultural attractions. If it’s your first time in the Mexican capital, definitely dedicate at least a couple of days to the museums.
The stunning Anthropology Museum is simply unmissable, letting you learn all about Mexico’s pre-Columbian civilizations. Among the other highlights are the Templo Mayor, Frida Kahlo Museum, and the Museum of Popular Art. In my guide to the best things to do in Mexico City, you can find out more.
What to expect of Roma and Condesa
Perhaps a more controversial aspect of Mexico City are the two popular neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa, which is where many tourists stay.
They can admittedly be love-it-or-hate-it. They’re very hipstery and internationalized and mainly the domain of well-off Mexicans, tourists, as well as remote workers — as Mexico is quickly becoming one of the top-picked countries for digital nomads.
Still, I think most visitors will love Roma and Condesa. Much of the recent hype for Mexico City actually stems from these beautiful areas, which are filled with upscale restaurants and trendy cafes, beautiful parks, and artisan shops.
Are they representative of the rest of Mexico City? Not really.
However, I think it’s no surprise that so many first-time visitors choose to stay in these leafy, residential, and inviting areas. While you may hear English spoken a lot and gentrification is a hot-button issue, they do make for a perfect introduction to CDMX.
Coffee and a cookie with a view Finding a slice of green in the heart of Roma 
A burst of blooms on a Roma Norte stroll 
The Lago del Parque México, with its prominent water displays
These areas may be heavy on craft beers, specialty coffee, and poke/sushi/salad bowl restaurants — but don’t worry, genuine street tacos can be had here too. If you have any doubts about Mexico City, you may wish to book a hostel or hotel in Roma or Condesa. I keep a list of the best hostels in Mexico City here.
What these areas may lack in a certain ‘authenticity’, they make up for in terms of simply being a perfect landing zone for a first-time visitor to Mexico City. Most travelers I’ve spoken to absolutely loved Roma and Condesa. However, more experienced travelers who prefer going off the beaten track may prefer other neighborhoods.
This private walking tour of Roma and Condesa takes you deep into the leafy boulevards, Art Deco buildings, hidden cafes, and corners you’d never find in a guidebook.
What makes this experience truly special?
It’s 100% customizable, which means your guide will tailor the day for you depending on your preferences and what you vibe with.
How many days in Mexico City are enough?
1 week in Mexico City is epic—perfect if you’re not on a tight schedule and want the full experience. You can check out my tips for spending a week in CDMX.
That said, 4 days is a solid minimum. You’ll still get a great feel for the city and have time to hit some of the major highlights.
Keep in mind that besides exploring the city, you’ll probably want to do some day trips. At a relaxed pace, the epic pyramids of Teotihuacan can take close to a full day.
There are a lot of museums, markets, and cultural sights in CDMX. If this is your thing, you’ll definitely have your work cut out for you! Count on at least 2 or 3 days to see the top museums in Mexico City at a relaxed pace.
If you’re not into very large cities, then that can be an argument for spending fewer days in the capital. Although I consider Mexico City very approachable for its size, it does have its share of traffic, air pollution, and crowds.
Guanajuato’s charming historic center
Luckily, there are many smaller or mid-size Mexican cities that are beautiful and have lots to see and do. Among my personal favorites are Puebla, Guanajuato, Morelia, and Oaxaca.
Puebla is just a 2-hour bus ride away, so if you’re looking for a change of scenery at any point, it’s a great place to go next from Mexico City. Book your shuttle easily on 12go and start your adventure.
Safety in Mexico City
While Mexico City is a big city with its share of typical big-city problems, it is still absolutely fine for the most part, especially for a tourist who won’t ever stay in some of the troublesome outer suburbs.
I think most visitors are surprised that Mexico City doesn’t really match any imaginations about cartels and whatnot. For what it’s worth, many American visitors describe it as feeling on par with various US cities.
The center around the main square does usually have a major police presence, which is mostly due to the many government buildings there, so don’t let this give you the wrong impression.
You may occasionally see homelessness or poverty, which are not uncommon big-city problems. But overall, Mexico City is quite a safe city to explore if you don’t do anything too crazy.
Roma neighborhood on a regular day – quiet streets, lots of green, and an easy sense of safety
Some of the best neighborhoods in Mexico City that are generally safe to explore are Roma, Condesa, Centro Historico, Zona Rosa, Polanco, Coyoacán, and Juarez. These are also where almost all of the tourist attractions are.
Areas with a worse reputation include Tepito, Doctores, and some outer suburbs where you’re unlikely to set foot as a tourist.
As for safety precautions, it’s recommended not to wander the streets alone at night and to use official taxis or ride-share apps like Uber. General awareness against pickpocketing or theft is advised.
I’ve personally always felt safe in Mexico City while adhering to the basic safety precautions.