Descend into the subterranean world of Mexico’s largest aquarium at Inbursa Aquarium (Acuario Inbursa), which opened in 2014. Throughout 48 themed exhibits, visitors can marvel over close to 15,000 marine animals, including penguins, axolotls, sharks, and stingrays; snap selfies with manta rays; watch jellyfish "dance"; and more during a fun and family-friendly day out.
Named in honor of philanthropist and collector Dolores Olmedo, this museum in Mexico City’s Xochimilco suburb houses a collection of more than 130 original works by Mexican painter and muralist Diego Rivera. Paintings by Frida Kahlo and Rivera’s first wife, Angelina Beloff, also line the halls of the 16th-century building.
At the heart of one of Mexico City’s most chaotic thoroughfares, the glass-roofed Reforma 222 shopping mall offers air-conditioned respite from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city. Across four floors, visitors can browse stores, grab lunch, catch a film, or workout at the on-site gym.
One of the most important contemporary art museums in Mexico City, much of the Tamayo Museum’s permanent collection was personally collected and curated by Oaxacan artist Rufino Tamayo. A must-visit for art fans in Mexico City, Tamayo Museum is now home to a continent-spanning collection of artworks, from artists such as Picasso and Miró, as well as several temporary exhibits.
Mexico City’s Memory and Tolerance Museum (Museo Memoria y Tolerancia) examines the impact of indifference, discrimination, and global violence through eye-opening exhibits. This groundbreaking museum is divided into two major sections—aptly named Memory and Tolerance—that illustrate the international struggle between harm and hope.
Head up to the 45th floor of Mexico City’s World Trade Center for near-exclusive panoramic views from Mirador Giratorio, the only revolving lookout in the country. Then round out a romantic, relaxing vacation by dining in style at Bellini, the lookout’s eclectic restaurant.
Opened in 2006 to popularize and preserve Mexico’s artisan heritage, the Popular Art Museum is a principal attraction for both casual travelers and avid art fans alike. Inside the striking art deco building, visitors seealebrijes (fantastical wooden figurines), piñatas, pottery from across the country, handblown glassware, and more.
One of the oldest churches in Mexico City, the 16th-century San Juan Bautista Church (Parroquia de San Juan Bautista) is a marvellous example of New Spanish baroque. Beyond the unassuming whitewashed facade, visitors can attend weekly services, relax in the courtyard, or simply marvel over the lavishly reconstructed interior, dominated by intricate frescoes and gilded detailing.
One of the oldest buildings in Mexico City, the 17th-century Museum of El Carmen is home to dozens of religious artworks, including paintings by Miguel Cabrera, as well as a permanent exhibit about the Carmelite order. However, this former monastery is perhaps most notable for the dozen-strong collection of mummified corpses in the crypt.
Once the largest stadium in Mexico, Estadio Olímpico Universitario was built for the Pan American games in 1955. While it’s now the second-biggest stadium in the country, the sporting venue is one of the world’s only UNESCO World Heritage-listed stadiums, thanks to being part of the Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).
A small network of canals south of sprawling Mexico City, the UNESCO-listed Floating Gardens of Xochimilco offer a glimpse into the area’s pre-Hispanic past. Brightly colored, gondola-style boats (trajineras) navigate these waterways and artificial islands constructed by the Aztecs, while mariachi bands play live music on board many of the vessels.
Design and function come together at the futuristic Vasconcelos Library (Biblioteca Vasconcelos) in Mexico City’s Buenavista neighborhood. In this vast building with glass panels, geometric balconies, and suspended sculptures such as Gabriel Orozco’s Ballena, the stark and industrial design is as interesting as the books within.
Spread over at least half a dozen blocks, the streetside La Lagunilla Market is a Sunday-only tianguis (flea market), where curious visitors can browse for vintage household wares, camp knick-knacks, and antique furniture. A favorite among locals and travelers alike, La Lagunilla Market is a quirky spot to pick up a one-of-a-kind Mexico City souvenir.
In the bohemian neighborhood of Coyoacán, this market is a feast for the senses. Stalls are piled high with fragrant street food and artisan crafts that represent the best of Mexico City’s cultural scene. Feast on loaded tostadas (huge deep-fried tortillas) or shop for colorful souvenirs such as hand-woven textiles and Frida Kahlo prints.
Mexico City's House of Tiles (Casa de los Azulejos) is an 18th-century city palace built in the Baroque style. Today, it houses a branch of Sanborn's department store, but most people visit the beautifully decorated cafe in its interior courtyard.
Formerly known as Estadio Azul due to being the home of the Cruz Azul soccer team, Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes is a 36,000-seater stadium in Mexico City. Now home to Atlante Football Club, the sporting venue hosts high-octane matches throughout the soccer season.
Leafy streets, bustling bars, and international cuisine—not to mention some of the city’s top museums and art galleries—make the Roma neighborhood an essential Mexico City stop. One of the top places to explore both street art and street food, Roma is a must for cool and curious travelers in the Mexican capital.
Situated in the expansive Chapultepec Park, Papalote Children’s Museum is a place where playing and learning overlap. As you make your way through six zones of interactive exhibits and a vast outdoor garden, you can explore the human body, watch as Mexican history comes alive, power up a robot, and much more.
In the heart of downtown Mexico City, the Barrio Chino is the Mexican capital's Chinatown. It's spread out over two blocks and features all sorts of Chinese shops and restaurants, along with Chinese-inspired architectural features such as paifangs (traditional gateways).
As Mexico City’s first gourmet food market, classic Mexican dishes—think tacos and tamales—are given a modern twist at Mercado Roma. In the sophisticated Roma neighborhood, the market features communal tables where you can feast on everything from artisanal Mexican cheese to Spanish tapas and high-end ice creams. It’s the ultimate place to sample stylish street food in CDMX.
Situated in a jagged David Chipperfield–designed building, the Jumex Museum (Museo Jumex) is both architecturally and artistically noteworthy. Comprising numerous exhibition galleries, a library, and terrace, this museum houses the private contemporary collection of Eugenio López Alonso—one of the largest of its kind in Latin America—including works by Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, and more.
A famed site of Mexican counterculture, the art deco Chopo University Museum (Museo Universitario del Chopo) is now dedicated to preserving the memory of underground cultures and movements. Known for its German–designed, iron-and-glass facade, 154-foot-high (47-meter-high) towers, and pine wood roof, El Chopo—as it’s known locally—is a must for fans of off-the-beaten-path attractions and experiences.
This bohemian and LGBTQ+-friendly enclave is one of Mexico City’s top places to party. But singing karaoke and dancing until the early hours aren’t the only activities in this colorful barrio. It’s also home to Little Korea, full of restaurants and shops, fashionable boutiques, and some of CDMX’s best dining opportunities.
One of just three of its kind in Mexico, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Mexico City is a family-friendly attraction located in a conveniently central neighborhood. Over nine exhibition rooms in a building designed to look like a medieval castle, marvel over the vast selection of oddities and intrigues—such as shrunken heads—before exploring the swivel tunnel and more.
Santa María la Ribera is a so-called barrio mágico (magic neighborhood) home to verdant parks, mansion houses, multiple museums, and the impressive and elaborate Kiosko Morisco bandstand. A more off-the-beaten-path alternative to the city’s other hotspots, Santa María is an ideal place to escape the crowds in the Mexican capital.
Located in a restored turn-of-the-century mansion in the Juárez neighborhood, the Mexico City Wax Museum is a family-friendly highlight of the area and one of just a few official wax museums in the country. Explore the diverse collection of more than 230 figures, and take photos with your favorite national and international celebrities, politicians, artists, and others.
Take a safari, stop by the bird show, feed giraffes, and watch out for lions, before boarding a pirate ship at the Bioparque Estrella, one of Mexico’s largest theme parks and wildlife experiences. This day-trip destination in the State of Mexico also offers adventure in the form of pedal boats, swinging bridges, and mini ziplines.
One of just four KidZania’s in the country, KidZania Cuicuilco effortlessly combines fun and education through a range of immersive, hands-on exhibits and activities that will delight children ages four to 16. In this miniature city, kids make their own entertainment—or "edutainment"—as they play at being race car drivers, firefighters, reporters and more.
The 17th-century La Profesa—a striking example of turn-of-the-century baroque architecture—served as the backdrop for several key moments in Mexican history. Nowadays, visitors to La Profesa can admire a reliquary allegedly containing splinters from Jesus’ cross, before exploring La Pinacoteca de la Profesa, the church’s impressive colonial-era art gallery.
Fun and learning combine at KidZania Santa Fe, one of just four immersive "edutainment" centers in Mexico. With options for kids ages 1 to 16, your little ones can roleplay over 80 different professions—including vet, archaeologist, and beautician—in a secure child-sized city while learning about independence, teamwork, and responsibility.
