48 Hours in Mexico City
 

Hello all. The partner and I are considering two days in Mexico City: arriving at noon on July 3, and leaving at noon on July 5. This means the only full day we'll have there is a Sunday.

Anyone have any recommendations on where to stay and what to do?

The downtown/city center area is nice to walk around in, especially if you're not used to Spanish colonial architechture. At the main square or 'zocalo' you can see the National Palace, with the very very worthwile murals of Diego Rivera (as in Frida Kahlo's husband). Also, the cathedral is nice, as are the remains of the grand Aztec temples and the associated museum. The National Anthropology museum in the Chapultepec district is also worthwile; it will give you a great overview into the people of Mexico, and it contains the famous Aztec calendar. In the south of the city, San Angel and Coyoacan are lively artsy districts, and in Coyoacan you can see Kahlo's and Rivera's houses, as well as the museum dedicated to Trotzki. If you want to do something very very Mexican, but very touristy also, is to go to Xochimilco on a Sunday, and rent one of the "boats"/rafts (there are tons and tons for hire w/ 'driver' and all), and have a nice float around the 'gardens'.

I second ichtiet's recommendations. Mexico City is very interesting.
I like to add "Zona Rosa", where you find some nice restaurants.
For hotels, try the area near, at Zona Rosa or Polanco .. Zona Rosa, Av. Libertade is a little more central.
I liked this restaurant a lot:

Skippy: am mulling over doing the same thing on the way back from South America, though I may end up having as little as 24 hours there.

I'm told that the ruins of Teotihuacan (30 miles NW of the city centre) are worth heading for:

http://www.mexperience.com/guide/arc...eotihuacan.htm

If you find out any more about things to do when time is short, would appreciate if you post them.

HI,

I am actually from Mexico. Mexico City is a great place to visit for a few days. I agree with the recommendations from chtiet. I would strongly recommend the Zocalo and the Anthropology Museum.

Teotihuacan is certainly worth it but if you are going to be there just for the weekend, you will miss out on a lot of things if you leave the city as it takes a long time to move from one place to another, even on a weekend.

My favorite hotel in Mexico City is the Four Seasons in Polanco. It is very nice with the usual amazing FS service. The strongest points though are the fact that the staff speaks English and there are plenty of security people around.

I have also stayed at the W which apparently has the most trendy bar in town. It is definitely a great hotel if you like hip and modern. It is also much taller than the FS so if a city view is important, this would be a better place. (I think it has 24 floors. I recently stayed on the 19th floor and had a great view.) It is also in Polanco, right next door to the JW Marriott and the Intercontinental.

Remember that Mexico City can be very dangerous. Car jackings and assaults are not uncommon. DO NOT TAKE RANDOM TAXIS. Even Mexicans who live in Mexico City avoid most taxis, especially the green and white ones. Use hotel transportation, even if you have to pay more.

Anyone been recently, have any additional advice/information?

Yup :) Just got back
 

MGR's earlier warning about the dangers of Mexico City should be heeded as should the recent British Foreign Office's decision to push the city up the world trouble spot rankings [Mexico City is now second only to Bolivia for kidnappings in South America]. That said, if you've got your wits about you, don't do anything stupid and have enough Spanish to get by, you'll have a terrific time.

Some specific hints and suggestions based on my short time there:

Transport
Although the airport is centrally-located, seriously bad traffic in the city means it can take you up to 1.5 hours to get from there to most of the major hotels in downtown. Common sense dictates that you should avoid anyone touting for taxi business (as tends to be the case in any city). Head for the booth which has a logo of a plane on it just outside the arrivals customs hall. I was charged USD 23 for my transfer from the airport to hotel [downtown], no idea if this is the going rate or a special price for gringos :(

As for getting around the city while you're there, well that depends on your knowledge of Spanish, how much time you've got and your sense of adventure.

Most of the hotels advise you to take only the taxis they supply, although this supposedly means guaranteed safety it does come at a cost: a prix fixe at roughly double what any other taxi would charge you.

If you intend hailing a cab on the street [and you do so AYOR], avoid the green and white VW Beetles. I found the red cabs more reliable both in terms of honesty and drivers knowing where they were going. Before getting in, first check that the licence plate matches a number displayed on both the roof and the window of the car. Next ask your driver if he knows where your destination is. Also write down the number of the car in case of any subsequent complaint.

I rode both the subway and the little minibuses that tear down city streets, making sure to first conceal anything which might prove tempting to hoods, such as my watch and camera. Both modes of transport aren't recommended for the feint-hearted and I gather that muggings are particularly common on the subway.

Where to stay
I can wholeheartedly recommend the Camino Real (http://www.caminoreal.com/english/index.html) - the smartest joint in town and a member of Leading Hotels of the World, but this will depend on your budget. The place was built in 1968 for to house Olympic athletes and you feel like you've walked in to a Pierre Cardin catwalk show, circa late 1960s. Ask for a pool view room - these should be bookable via http://www.lhw.com/ for around USD 215 per night.

What to see
Again this will depend on how much time you've got and your spirit of adventure but my recommendations are:

National Anthropological Museum - like walking in the the UN Building in NYC with the added bonus of a stunning collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts
Correo Central - possibly the smartest post office anywhere in the world
Mercado de Sonora - bursting with colour, not to mention black market goods and witchcraft paraphenalia. AYOR!!!
The Cathedral - dominating the main square of the Zocala, across the way from the National Place and bang in the middle of the historical centre
The Palace of Fine Arts - whether what's inside floats your boat or not, the art nouveau building which houses the collection is a gem, as is the 1930s interior
The Latin American Tower - you'll feel like you've just stepped onto the streets of Midtown Manhattan circa 1955
Chapultepec Park - comes alive on a Sunday when families gather to do the passagiata. Also the place to see the volodores flying ritual
The barrios of Tianguis, Zona Rosa [many dining options here], Condesa, Romoa and Coyocan [if you want to visit the Frida Kahlo house]. And no visit would be complete without exploring a section of the Paseo de La Reforma - one of the grandest boulevards you'll ever see.

All of the above not an exhaustive list but based on favourites from my short time there.

Where to eat
Again budget will prevail and you're never far from some tasty tacos or chorizos sold by street vendors - and heartily recommended. A word of warning re what you drink though: fresh fruit juices might seem like a great idea at the time, but many of them are mixed with tap water, so your constitution may subsequently suffer.

For dinner my winner was the San Angel Inn, in the south of the city. From downtown it's a good 45-minute cab ride but well worth the effort. Set in a colonial hacienda you'll be treated to exceptional Mexican cuisine and serenaded [if that's your bag]. Cliched, I know, but ask for a Margherita here - mixed and served to perfection.

Well that's my three pennies-worth. Have a good [and safe] trip.

that is much more than three pennies worth!, thanks, ^ ^ ^

Unfortunately I must also echo the concerns about crime in Mexico City. My mother-in-law was jacked in a cab last month, mid-day on a busy street in the city of Tlalnepantla (a suburb of Mexico City), by a couple of gun-wielding thugs. Fortunately she was not physically hurt.

Now for some more pleasant thoughts!

A nice outing is a visit to the town of Tepotzotlan just north of Mexico City on federal toll highway 57D. Tepotzotlan is a town which has as a highlight the church of Saint Francisco Javier, known for its stunning gold plated altars and religious art. The facade is decorated with a couple hundred sculptures of saints, angels, etc. The site is one of the most important locations of religious art in Mexico. The church and adjoining monestary are a museum. In front of the church is a zocalo (town square) around which you'll find plenty of family-run restaurants where you can enjoy a good meal and watch town life go by. Tepotzotlan is a favorite weekend destination for many people from Mexico City who go just to browse the shops and enjoy lunch on the zocalo.

For a slice of middle class Mexican life you might consider a visit a modern shopping mall. Well, La Cochinita always does when she goes home to Mexico City. One of the biggest and best is Centro Comercial Santa Fe, located west of Mexico City along the Mexico-Toluca highway.

One of my favorite restaurants in Mexico City is "El Cardenal" www.elcardenal.com.mx They have a couple of locations, both in the Centro Historico district (in and around the Zona Rosa). I'm partial to the one at the Hotel Sheraton on Avenida Juarez because of the convenient valet parking, but I've also eaten in the one at Palma #23 (between the streets of Madero and 5 de Mayo). Everything is made from scratch at the restaurants and they have their own bakery and chocolate factory. Go for the traditional Mexican breakfasts!

I'm drooling, looked great ^

Excellent! Cannot recommend enough. Both locations serve fantastic food; the restaurant on Palma is in a more traditional setting, while the one in the Sheraton is contemporary/modern (don't let that put you off, though).

Looking for restaurants in the Polanco area if anyone can be of help
 

visiting in mid November and would love to find a few.
I understand El Refugio is closed at the moment. Others? I have 4 days.
also interested in other things to do.