A 6-day itinerary to Mexico City

Mexico City is a brilliant fusion of past and present. There is its ancestral Aztec heritage, which blends with a more contemporary vitality… a place where ultramodern skyscrapers blend with colonial architecture with disconcerting ease. Indigenous and European influences also give the city a rich, multi-faceted character that can only be fully appreciated through experiences of its architectural panorama, gastronomy, traditions and culture.

Discover our itinerary to visit Mexico City in 6 days!

Day 1 in Mexico City

In the heart of Chapultepec Park, and overlooking Mexico City, Chapultepec Castle is an architectural marvel surrounded by sublime gardens. It offers a breathtaking impression of grandeur, once the summer residence of the royal family, and later transformed into a National Museum to honour the history of Mexico. Its large, ornate halls house murals, weapons, paintings and other historical artefacts that trace the country’s past.

The Angel of Independence

Just a 30-minute walk away, on Reforma Avenue, travellers can find the Angel of Independence, designed by Mexican architect Antonio Rivas Mercado and for which he drew inspiration from the great European columns. This is probably why the 35-metre column is reminiscent of the one on Place Vendôme in Paris. The dominating angel, made of gold-coated bronze, holds a laurel wreath in one hand and a broken chain in the other, symbolizing the end of Spanish rule over Mexico.

Lunch at Lorea

From the Angel of Independence, it’s a 15-minute walk to Lorea, a restaurant by chef Oswaldo Oliva. Behind a discreet entrance, discover a contemporary black and wood dining room with an open kitchen. After apprenticing in Michelin-starred restaurants all over the world, chef Oswaldo Oliva returned to his Mexican roots and launched Lorea, which he describes as his project of a lifetime. Through an 8-course tasting menu, he invites diners to discover the richness of Mexican cuisine, offering classic food and wine pairings, encompassing distillates and ferments.

The Ciudadela Market

After lunch, head for La Ciudadela, Mexico City’s, and Mexico’s, biggest market. Artisans from all over the country come here to sell their textiles, creations and handicrafts. La Ciudadela was originally opened during the 1968 Olympic Games to showcase the crafts of Mexico. It’s the perfect place to buy souvenirs of traditional crafts and immerse yourself in the local atmosphere as you stroll along the crowded, colourful aisles.

Plaza de las Tres Culturas

In the centre of Mexico City, in the Tlatelolco district, the Plaza de las Tres Culturas offers a unique display of the country’s architectural history. Alongside the remains of pyramids from the pre-Hispanic period, you’ll find the convent and church of Santiago, built on the ruins of an Aztec temple and today symbols of Mexico’s colonial era. The historic esplanade is also surrounded by buildings that speak to the country’s modernity.

Dining at Rosetta

For your first dinner in Mexico City, we invite you to discover Restaurante Rosetta. Nestled in an old mansion in the Roma district, the restaurant unfolds across several rooms decorated with murals, plants, flowers and candles, with wooden tables on which plates are adorned with floral motifs. It’s in this bucolic setting that Elena Reygadas, one of the most influential figures of Mexican gastronomy, presents her creations.

In collaboration with Elena Reygadas, Lartisien also offers an Immersion on Tuesday and Friday mornings. It begins with breakfast in the restaurant or patisserie, in the company of chef Elena Reygadas herself. She then takes travellers on a tour of Mexico City, sampling delicacies at Pasteleria Ideal and Café Tacuba. To round off the tour, the chef offers guests the chance to enjoy her own creations at the Rosetta patisserie.

Day 2 in Mexico City

Teotihuacan

50 kilometres northeast of Mexico City is the sacred city of Teotihuacan, home to the remains of a pre-Aztec civilization dating back to more than 200 B.C. It’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spanning 25 km² and representing one of the major enigmas of archaeology. The length of time you need to visit depends on your interest in history, but the site is well worth a half or even a full day’s visit. The distance between Teotihuacan’s various sites is significant, and walking is an integral part of the visit. You’ll discover the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, but also temples, palaces and museums that attempt to retrace the history of the mysterious city.

Aperitivo at Toledo Rooftop

After a day of sightseeing, it’s time to slow down and nothing beats an aperitivo amid the lively, boho-chic ambience of Toledo Rooftop. On the top floor of a building in the Juárez district, the place boasts a decor of neutral colours and a palette of materials such as rusted steel, pine wood, brick, talavera and polished concrete. Handcrafted furniture with Mexican influences is arranged under wooden pergolas and surrounded by plants. Catch a sunset cocktail here, and you’ll almost forget you’re overlooking the hustle of Mexico City.

Dining at Carmela y Sal

Less than a 10-minute drive from the rooftop bar is the Carmela y Sal restaurant, where you can enjoy the imaginative cuisine of Gabriela Ruiz, inspired by the Tabasco region of Mexico where she grew up. In a glamorous room, atmospheric lighting fixtures, dark floors and plants hanging from the ceiling create a hushed ambience, perfect for a menu of meat dishes, and original vegan options. The star dish? Tierra de Luna, an empanada made with plantain, stuffed with black beans and topped with a wonderful reduced tomato sauce.

Day 3 in Mexico City

Museo Soumaya

In the Polanco district, Museo Soumaya impresses with its bold, unusual façade of the Plaza Carso building in which it sits. Its architecture is a masterpiece by Fernando Romero, a non-conformist architect renowned for his designs inspired by hyperbolic geometry and tectonics. Businessman Carlos Slim created the museum to offer Mexicans free access to a prestigious collection of international art. He named it in honour of his late wife, and the museum houses over 60,000 works of art, including Impressionist paintings by Monet, Renoir and Degas; Surrealist works by Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró; sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel; and works by Mexican artists such as David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera.

Lunch at Bakéa

For lunch on the 3rd day in Mexico City, we recommend Bakéa, a 10-minute drive away from Museo Soumaya and recognized as one of Mexico’s finest gastronomic addresses. It’s helmed by chef Vicente Etcehgaray, who offers a cuisine of character, influenced by his Basque-French and Mexican origins. Expect richly flavoured dishes – such as roast quail in port wine jus, accompanied by herb risotto and foie gras escalopes – in a simply decorated dining room or on a charming covered terrace.

Chapultepec Golf Club

After lunch, golf enthusiasts can head to the Chapultepec Golf Club, less than 5 kilometres from the restaurant. Built during the Mexican Revolution, it opened in 1921 and is one of Mexico City’s oldest and most popular courses.

Dinner at SAMOS Sabores Míos at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City

On the 38th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City, SAMOS Sabores Míos is a restaurant with sumptuous decor and exceptional service, in keeping with the image of The Ritz-Carlton group. The experience is further enhanced by a spectacular view of Chapultepec Castle through its immense glass walls. In this dazzling setting, chef Jonathan Felix proposes a menu that highlights Mexican culture and gastronomy through dishes inspired by the four corners of the country.

Day 4 in Mexico City

Visit Casa Orgánica and Quetzalcoatl Park

On Wednesdays and Fridays, between 9 am and 3 pm, Lartisien offers an exclusive tour of Parque Quetzalcóatl, dedicated to ecological preservation and natural regeneration, under construction and still closed to the public. Accompanied by its architect, Javier Senosiain, discover this enchanting place before anyone else. The tour encompasses his Casa Orgànica, a labyrinthine house with organic forms that he designed and even lived in. Overlooking the city, it’s considered Mexico City’s most Instagrammable house.

Lunch at Los Danzantes

In the historic heart of Coyoacán, opposite the Centennial Garden and the Coyote Fountain, Los Danzantes is one of Mexico City’s most legendary restaurants. It distinguishes itself from the other restaurants in the neighbourhood not only by its menu but also by its façade and the warm atmosphere of its terrace with authentic Mexican accents. The menu here is a fusion of traditional and contemporary creations, with dishes like its hoja santa stuffed with melted Oaxacan and goat cheeses, and topped with a tomatillo and meco pepper sauce, to be enjoyed with a delicious mescal.

Casa Azul and the studio home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

Just a 10-minute walk from Los Danzantes, you will find Casa Azul: the blue house where Latin American icon Frida Kahlo was born and lived with her partner, artist Diego Rivera. It was here that she created her famous portraits.

From here, head to the artists’ studio home, a 10-minute drive away. Designed by Mexican architect Juan O’Gorman at Diego Rivera’s request, this space is an early example of functionalist architecture in Latin America. The couple lived here between 1934 and 1941 before Frida moved back to Casa Azul. At the museum, expect Mexican papier-mâché sculptures – known as “cartonería popular” – and other works and personal objects of Rivera, who lived here until his death.

Caza Azul

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s home and studio

Dining at Quintonil

In the heart of Polanco, Quintonil is a restaurant with an elegant, minimalist setting. Its clean lines blend with light wood tones and subdued lighting, creating a warm ambience in which gourmets enjoy dishes by chef Jorge Vallejo. Our recommendation? Opt for the ten-step seasonal tasting menu… It’s an invitation to explore the creativity and diversity of traditional Mexican dishes revisited by the chef!

Day 5 in Mexico City

National Museum of Anthropology

Inaugurated in 1964, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City was designed to capture the country’s cultural and ethnic diversity. It houses a vast collection of artefacts and exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico’s indigenous populations. Visit to admire the famous “Stone of the Sun”, also known as the Aztec calendar.

A tour of this landmark museum can also be made through Lartisien with an Immersion in collaboration with Carlota Perez-Jofre, an art expert who has long collaborated with artists and institutions in Paris, Madrid and Mexico. Lartisien offers two immersion options for travellers wishing to deepen their knowledge of the Mexican art scene: either a tour of three art galleries, with a stop at Panaderia Rosetta or Lardo Café; or a visit to two of Luis Barragan’s houses, as well as discovering the National Museum of Anthropology or the Jumex Museum, which houses one of the most important private collections of contemporary art in Latin America.

Lunch at Dulce Patria

Less than a 30-minute walk from the National Museum of Anthropology stands the Dulce Patria restaurant. Its pink façade, floral accents and gallery-like atmosphere set the stage for chef Martha Ortiz’s haute Mexican cuisine. Here, each dish is crafted like a work of art, bringing together amazing flavours and colours, whether it’s the pink mole, the soft-shell crab or the seafood stew. The fusion of chef Martha Ortiz’s culinary creativity and the restaurant’s distinctive atmosphere make it an unmissable stop on any visit to Mexico City.

Casa Luis Barragan

Casa Luis Barragán, about a 10-minute drive away from the restaurant, is the former residence of architect Luis Barragán where he lived until his death in 1988. It is a major icon of contemporary architecture, being the only detached property in Latin America to have received the honour of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The residence is also preserved in pristine condition and attracts architects and art enthusiasts the world over. It is one of Mexico City’s most visited sites.

Dinner at Máximo Bistrot

Máximo Bistrot’s approach to its menu is focused on locality and sustainability, for ingredients but also furniture and tableware. Everything in the restaurant is fair trade and locally sourced. So, in a vast space imagined in a simple industrial style with plants, candles and soft lighting, diners can enjoy the cuisine of Chef Eduardo García. His menu changes with the availability of ingredients, and highlights include his signature organic roast chicken or pan-fried tuna with artichoke purée.

Day 6 in Mexico City

The canals of Xochimilco

South of Mexico City is a modest neighbourhood with the famous Xochimilco canals – the last remnants of a vast network of waterways built by the Aztecs, on which multicoloured boats now offer cruises to travellers.

Together with historian Angeles Gonzales Gamio, Lartisien offers an immersive tour of this mythical area, starting with the canals of Xochimilco and its chinampas, an ancient agricultural method used by the Aztecs. The tour continues on to the Dolores Olmedo Museum to see one of the most important collections of artworks by Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo, before visiting the university and finishing with lunch in the magnificent colonial district of Coyoacán.

Lunch at Sud 777

After a tour of Xochimilco’s canals, Sud 777 is another wonderful restaurant for lunch, in the Pedregal district, less than 30 minutes away by car. The restaurant offers a warm interior with lots of woods and a pleasant outdoor terrace where one can enjoy an excellent 16-course menu by chef Edgar Núñez.

Museo Anahuacalli

In Coyoacán, south of Mexico City, Museo Anahuacalli was designed by Diego Rivera and now houses an impressive collection of ancient Mexican artefacts. It was completed in 1964, and conceived by Rivera as a sort of artistic city. Visit it for its architecture blending pre-Hispanic and contemporary aesthetics, with simple forms, clean lines and stone surfaces. The museum has a permanent exhibition and then regularly organizes temporary exhibits by contemporary Mexican artists.

Dining at Contramar

In the heart of Mexico City, Contramar stands out as one of Mexico City’s culinary gems with its friendly atmosphere. Chef Gabriela Cámara – culinary advisor to the Mexican president – is renowned for serving the best seafood in Mexico City. Seafood lovers can choose from a selection of specialities, including the iconic ceviche or the famous “pescado a la talla”, a whole grilled fish topped with two sauces, green and red.

Stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City

Located on Paseo de la Reforma, the city’s most prestigious avenue, The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City is also at the intersection of the city’s best neighbourhoods (Cuauhtémoc, Roma and Condesa), and in front of the fabulous Chapultepec Park. The hotel is housed in one of the city’s newest and most modern buildings, in a majestic glass tower that offers guests an unrivalled view over the city.

Here, every space inside is a testament to the sophistication of The Ritz-Carlton group, with clean lines, an abundance of marble, velvet and wood and sublime pendant lights, modern fixtures and large mirrors that sit alongside designer furniture and various decorative objects.

The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City’s 153 rooms and suites feature neutral tones and clean lines, with the view as the central element of the décor, behind large glass walls that offer a sublime panorama of the capital. Some rooms even feature a glass balcony-terrace that gives the impression of floating above the city, an experience in itself. All rooms are also spacious and modern, with comfortable designer furnishings set on beautiful carpets, and whose blue accents echo the velvet headboards. In the bathrooms, an elegant black oval bathtub takes pride of place against floor-to-ceiling light-coloured marble.

A highlight of the hotel is the SAMOS Sabores Míos restaurant, which unfolds in a spacious room and where modern and Art Deco styles merge. Tables and chairs are carefully arranged near the windows, around the open kitchen or on the terrace protected by a glass wall. Together, these make for enchanting alcoves, inviting you to settle into royal blue oval armchairs.

Like the restaurant, the Carlotta Reforma bar offers a breathtaking view of the city and Chapultepec Castle. Inside, there is a fusion of art, design and mixology, and guests are invited to discover unique cocktails in a chic, trendy atmosphere enhanced by dramatic lighting and music played by contemporary DJs.

The spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City offers a luxurious and soothing atmosphere with its soft tones of beige, grey, blue and white and beautiful materials (natural wood, marble). The sauna, changing rooms and treatment rooms are among the hotel’s only inward-facing spaces, creating an intimate and relaxing ambience.

Frequently asked questions for travel to Mexico City

What’s the best time of year to visit Mexico City?

The best time to visit Mexico City is from November to February, during the winter season. During this time, the weather is drier, temperatures are more pleasant and days are generally sunny.

What are the coolest months to visit Mexico City?

The coolest months in Mexico City correspond to the winter, from November to February. During these months, temperatures drop but remain relatively mild.

What are the hottest months to visit Mexico City?

The hottest months in Mexico are generally from May to September. During this time, temperatures can rise considerably, especially in the inland regions and in cities like Mexico City.

What’s the best area to stay in Mexico City?

One of the best areas to stay in Mexico City is Condesa. It’s a trendy, lively district, offering an ideal balance between urban dynamism and relaxation, with picturesque cafés, leafy parks and an artistic ambience.

What documents do I need to visit Mexico?

Most travellers don’t need a visa for tourist stays of less than 180 days. However, it is advisable to check the specific requirements for each nationality before leaving for Mexico and staying in Mexico City.

Book a stay with Lartisien

At Lartisien, we tailor your trip to your aspirations and select each hotel in our collection for its excellence, guaranteeing an exceptional trip. Whether you’d like to book a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City, or have us design a Mexico itinerary to suit your interests, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.