What to do in Mexico City if it’s your first time and you only have five days or so

We’ve already given you our guide to the best boutique hotels in Mexico City, but what’s a good itinerary if you only have a short time to explore? After falling in love with this colourful and creative capital, here are some suggestions on what to do in Mexico City if you’re visiting for the first time.

What to do in Mexico City if you’re visiting for the first time

Day One

There’s a rumbling around the 16,500-seat arena as feet repeatedly hit the ground in syncopated anticipation. “Señoras y señores, les presento a… Místico!” hollers the announcer at Lucha Libre. As the full house stands, screaming and chanting his name, Mexico’s god-like luchador emerges on the stage. We all go wild for Místico’s antics as he struts down the catwalk in his signature white mask, cape, and leggings covered in gold and crystal decorations that catch the light with every twist and turn.

It’s our first night in Mexico City, and we’ve got seats three rows back from the action at Arena México. With micheladas (huge, spicy beers) and nachos in hand, it’s the last wrestling match of the two-hour spectacle, and seeing Místico thrash his opponent with a choreography of rolls, drops, and moonsaults kicks our jetlag to the curb.

Outside on the streets, we join the crowds trawling through the vendors’ wares, each selling the iconic souvenir masks in a rainbow of colour combinations. After trying on multiple variations, one of the sellers pulls something from a trunk under his desk. It’s a luchadora mask in silver, complete with magenta pink pigtails and heart-shaped eyes. I’m sold.

Our day began at Teotihuacan (we took an Uber), the vast archaeological site anchored by the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon. Wandering between these ancient giants on the Avenue of the Dead, we’re overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the structures. A local guide points out the Mural del Puma, with vivid greens and reds depicting the feline once worshipped by Mesoamerican cultures as a god of thunder.

Day Two

Across the five days we have in the city, we discover unrivalled pockets of joy around every turn. Coyoacan Market fed our souls and our hunger with traditional dishes and colourful souvenirs. Across the road in Jardin del Arte Allende, we bought art directly from artists who shared their inspiration for their pieces.

Not too far away, in Xochimilco, we floated through flower-fringed canals aboard Maria Esther Yazmin, our trajinera boat, serenaded by a live Mariachi band.

Day Three

On a different day, at Mercado de La Merced, we sample edible cactus products and perfectly spiced bistec tacos.

We discovered murals inside local markets that had been executed by the students of Diego Rivera and ate street tacos to our heart’s content, washing them down with chia seed-filled lemonade.

Day Four

We stayed at the convergence of Condessa and Roma and enjoyed exploring the neighbourhoods, stopping off at coffee and churro shops – you must try Churreria El Moro where the churros are hot and sweet, and the Café de Olla is perfectly spiced.

Being avid eaters, of course, we hit up the famed Taqueria Orinoco, which was adored by the meat eaters but not so much by the veggies. A visit to Panaderia Rosetta was a revelation, with every single bread roll, pastry, and coffee a sensation (and yes, the guava bun is that good).  Dinner at Maizajo, where corn is the star of the show, was a heavenly experience, but be sure to book as the restaurant isn’t huge and the locals love it.

Day Five

In Centro Historico, we booked in for brunch at Balcon del Zocalo. While the food was good, it was the views that took our breath away as we ate with a backdrop of Plaza de la Constitución and Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de Mexico.

Afterwards, a stroll into the Cathedral was filled with colour, music, art, and contemplation. Here, the importance of Catholicism in Mexican culture reveals itself through soaring sculptures and luminous spiritual paintings. Outside the doors of the religious meeting place, Conchero Dances recall ancient Aztec tradition, offering cleansings to passersby – another merging of the religious world with the spiritual.

Final thoughts

Mexico City is a place where magic is found in the ring, on the water, at bustling markets, and among ancient pyramids. Here, even the mundane becomes exciting, and as we headed to our flight for our next stop in Oaxaca, I couldn’t help but smile as Místico’s mask-covered face bid me farewell from inside the toilet stall.

But wait, there’s more…

• We had a magical stay at Hotel Alexander in Mexico City
• Discover the trendiest hotels across Oaxaca
• And here’s our guide on what to do in Buenos Aires, Argentina