Four days in Mexico City covers the Aztec and colonial Centro, the Anthropology Museum and Chapultepec Castle, the pyramids of Teotihuacán, and Frida Kahlo's Coyoacán with a boat ride in Xochimilco. It works for first-timers who are happy to walk a lot, book one timed ticket (Casa Azul) before leaving home, and sleep in Roma Norte, Condesa or Juárez.
The one rule that shapes the plan: nearly every big museum closes on Mondays, while Teotihuacán is open every day. If your four days include a Monday, make that your pyramid day. Prices below are 2026 visitor rates from the official sites, converted at MX$18.40 to the dollar.
The plan, day by day
Mexico City runs on a later clock than home. The main meal, comida, is eaten from about 2 to 4 pm, and dinner (cena) is usually 8 to 10 pm, so the days below put a snack late morning and a long lunch mid-afternoon. Allow 20–30 minutes by Uber between Roma and the Centro or Polanco, and 40–60 minutes to Coyoacán or Xochimilco at busy times. Rush hour runs roughly 7:30–10 am and 5:30–8:30 pm.
- Day 1
The Centro Histórico
Morning. Uber to the Zócalo (20–30 minutes from Roma) for 9 am, when the Templo Mayor opens (Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am–5 pm, MX$210, about $11). Give the ruins and museum two hours: the walkway passes seven building phases of the Aztecs' main temple. Next door, the Metropolitan Cathedral is free outside services and visibly tilting into the old lakebed. If the Palacio Nacional is open, see Diego Rivera's history murals on the staircase, free with your passport. It often closes without notice for official events, so treat it as a bonus.
Afternoon. Walk west along pedestrian Calle Madero, about 15 minutes without stops, past the tiled Casa de los Azulejos and the free exhibitions in the Palacio de Iturbide. Eat a long comida in the Centro: the chalkboard comida corrida menus at small family restaurants (soup, a main, an agua fresca) usually run under MX$200 (about $11). Then the Palacio de Bellas Artes (closed Mondays; check the fee on its site) for the murals by Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros upstairs, and the Alameda park beside it.
Evening. Go up the Torre Latinoamericana for sunset over the Centro, then Uber to Roma Norte for dinner. The Ballet Folklórico de México usually performs at Bellas Artes on Wednesday evenings and on Sundays; book ahead. Mariachis at Garibaldi are fun before about 11 pm, with an app car door to door.
- Day 2
Chapultepec, Polanco and Condesa
Morning. Be at the Museo Nacional de Antropología on Reforma when it opens (Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am–6 pm, MX$210). It is about 15–25 minutes by Uber from Roma. Give it three to four hours: start with the Mexica (Aztec) hall and the Sun Stone, then the Maya hall with the reconstruction of King Pakal's tomb, and the Olmec heads. Eat in the museum restaurant to keep going.
Afternoon. Walk through the park to Chapultepec Castle (Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am–5 pm, MX$210), about 20–25 minutes, the last stretch a 15-minute climb up the hill. Arrive by 3 pm so you have time for the period rooms, the murals and the terraces over Reforma. Then Uber north to Nuevo Polanco for the free Museo Soumaya (open daily 10:30 am–6:30 pm) and its Rodin sculpture floor.
Evening. Dinner in Polanco if you are splurging, or back to Condesa for a walk around Parque México and Avenida Ámsterdam before dinner in the neighborhood.
- Day 3
Teotihuacán and the Basilica (the Monday-proof day)
Morning. Leave by about 7 am. Teotihuacán is about 30 miles (48 km) northeast, 1–1.5 hours each way by Uber, by first-class bus from the Terminal Norte (Metro Line 5, Autobuses del Norte) or on a tour with hotel pickup. The site opens daily at 8 am (last entry 4:30 pm, MX$210, paid at the gate), and the first two hours are the coolest and calmest. Walk the Avenue of the Dead from the Ciudadela and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent to the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. Expect metal detectors at the entrances since April 2026, and assume you will see both pyramids from the ground: climbing the Sun pyramid has been banned since 2020 and access to the Moon pyramid has been restricted since a shooting there in April 2026.
Afternoon. On the way back, stop at the Basilica of Guadalupe (free, daily 6 am–9 pm), the most visited Catholic shrine in the Americas; many tours include it. Dress modestly, and skip it on December 11–12, when millions of pilgrims arrive. Rest at the hotel: you will have walked 3–4 miles (5–6 km) at 7,500 ft.
Evening. If it is a Tuesday (7:30 pm in October 2026) or a Friday, or a Sunday afternoon, see lucha libre at Arena México. Doctores is not a neighborhood to wander at night, so go by Uber or with a tour. Otherwise, tacos al pastor in Roma, at the time locals eat them, after 8 pm.
- Day 4
Coyoacán and Xochimilco
Morning. Uber to Coyoacán (40–60 minutes at busy times) for your timed slot at Casa Azul, the Museo Frida Kahlo (opens 10 am, 11 am on Wednesdays; closed Mondays). Allow 90 minutes for her studio, kitchen, garden and clothes. Then walk the two central plazas, Jardín Centenario and Jardín Hidalgo, and eat tostadas at the Mercado de Coyoacán. The Trotsky house is a few blocks away if you have time.
Afternoon. Your Casa Azul ticket includes Diego Rivera's Anahuacalli (Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am–5:30 pm), 15–20 minutes by Uber. Or go on to Xochimilco for a trajinera boat on the canals. The official rate is MX$500 (about $27) per boat per hour, not per person; pay at the official booth at the landing (Nuevo Nativitas is the liveliest) and take two hours to reach the quieter canals. Agree prices with mariachi boats before they play.
Evening. Back to Roma or Condesa (45–75 minutes by Uber from Xochimilco) for a last dinner and a mezcal. On a Saturday, swap Xochimilco for San Ángel and the Bazar del Sábado art market.
Watch out
Sunday is the worst day for the Anthropology Museum and Teotihuacán. INAH sites are free that day only for Mexican nationals and residents, so you pay the full MX$210 and share the halls with the biggest crowds of the week.
What to book now
| Sight or ticket | How far ahead | Where | Price (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Azul (Museo Frida Kahlo) | As soon as you have dates; weekends often sell out a week or more ahead, longer at Christmas | museofridakahlo.org.mx, online only, no box office | MX$320 (about $17); children 6–12 MX$30; under 6 free |
| Casa Luis Barragán | Weeks ahead; few small-group slots, ages 12 and up | casaluisbarragan.org | See official site |
| Ballet Folklórico at Bellas Artes | A week or more for good seats | The official ticket seller linked from Bellas Artes | Varies by seat |
| Lucha libre, Arena México | A few days; check the calendar, which changes | cmll.com or the box office | Varies by seat |
| Teotihuacán | No booking needed | At the gate | MX$210 (about $11) |
| Anthropology Museum, Templo Mayor, Chapultepec Castle | No booking needed; arrive at opening | At the door | MX$210 (about $11) each |
| Xochimilco trajinera | No booking needed | Official booth at the landing | MX$500 (about $27) per boat per hour |
| Teotihuacán balloon flight | A few days; dawn pickup around 4–5 am | Only an operator authorized by Mexico's aviation agency (AFAC) | Varies; many quote in US dollars |
Full hours and prices for every museum are on Mexico City sights.
What four days cost
Mexico City is cheaper than any big US city for almost everything a visitor buys. The figures below are per person, excluding the hotel. Sight and transit prices are official 2026 rates; food is our rough estimate built from typical prices (street tacos from about MX$25, a comida corrida under MX$200).
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel, per night for two | Under MX$1,500 (under about $80) | MX$1,500–3,500 (about $80–190) | MX$3,500–8,000 (about $190–435), luxury higher |
| Food, per day | About $20–30: markets, taquerías, comida corrida | About $50–80: one sit-down meal and drinks | $150 and up with a tasting menu |
| Getting around, per day | Under $3 on the Metro and Metrobús | About $10–25 in Uber rides | A private driver or guide, quoted per day |
| Sights, whole trip | About MX$1,160 (about $63): Templo Mayor, Anthropology Museum, Chapultepec Castle and Teotihuacán at MX$210 each and Casa Azul at MX$320; your share of a Xochimilco boat is extra | ||
| Rough daily total, excluding hotel | About $35–50 | About $90–140 | $250 and up |
Hotel rates include 16% IVA plus the city lodging tax, but booking sites sometimes add them only at checkout, so compare final totals. Rates jump for Christmas to New Year and big events. Tip 10–15% in restaurants, and carry small pesos for street food, tips and public toilets (often MX$5–10). See money and budget.
Where to stay for this itinerary
Pick Roma Norte, Condesa or Juárez. All three are walkable, full of places to eat, and a short Uber from both the Centro (Day 1) and Chapultepec (Day 2), and they put you on the right side of the city for Coyoacán and Xochimilco (Day 4). Roma is the liveliest and loudest on weekend nights; Condesa is greener and calmer; Juárez is the most central. Choose the Centro to save money and walk to Day 1's sights, but take app rides after about 10 pm, when side streets east and north of the Zócalo empty. Choose Polanco for polish and quiet near the museums.
Neighborhood details and example hotels at every tier are on Mexico City, with hotel types and booking tips on where to stay.
From the airport
Most US flights land at MEX (Benito Juárez), 5 miles (8 km) from the center. Ignore the people offering rides in the arrivals hall.
- Authorized taxi: pay at a company counter inside the terminal, then walk to its stand. In March 2026 a regular sedan to Roma Norte cost about MX$370–440 (about $20–24). The easiest choice at night or with luggage.
- Uber or DiDi: about MX$135–190 (about $7–10) to Roma in March 2026, from the pickup points just outside the terminals; follow the app's pin and expect a short walk.
- Metrobús Line 4: MX$30 (about $1.60) to the Centro and Reforma, card or phone only; buy the MI transit card (MX$15) at machines in the terminal. Good for light packers.
If you fly into AIFA (Felipe Ángeles), about 30 miles (50 km) north, the Tren Felipe Ángeles reaches Buenavista station in under an hour for MX$110 (about $6) on the MI card, the fare since October 10, 2026. Check which airport your ticket uses; nonstops are on flights.
Variations
With kids
Swap the Castle for the Chapultepec playgrounds and the Cablebús Line 3 gondola over the park (MX$7). Do Teotihuacán at 8 am before the heat, with hats and water, since there is almost no shade. Choose the Sunday 5 pm family lucha libre show, and keep children close on the trajinera, where the canals are deep and drinking is common.
On a rainy day
From June to September, expect a heavy afternoon storm after a sunny morning. Do outdoor sights before lunch and save the Anthropology Museum, the Soumaya and Bellas Artes for the afternoon. Traffic gets much slower in the rain, so add time for every Uber.
In winter (November to January)
Days are bright and dry, and clear mornings can show the volcanoes, but nights drop into the 40s°F (5–9°C) and small hotels rarely have heating, so pack a warm layer. US clocks fell back on November 1, 2026, so Mexico City now matches Chicago until March. Dates to plan around:
- Monday, November 16: Revolution Day holiday, a long weekend with busier sights.
- Sunday, November 22: the NFL game at Estadio Banorte (the former Estadio Azteca) fills hotels.
- December 11–12: the Guadalupe pilgrimage; avoid the Basilica area.
- December 8, 25 and January 1: Casa Azul is closed; on December 24 and 31 it opens only 10 am–2 pm. Many other sights close or shorten hours on the holidays, so check each one.
- Christmas week: the city empties out and gets pleasantly quiet, but family-run restaurants and markets close on December 25 and January 1.
More in Mexico in November, December and January.
A fifth day, or a slower version
With a fifth day, spend a slow morning on foot in Roma and Condesa (pan dulce, the Mercado de Medellín, galleries, a long comida) and add the Casa Luis Barragán if you booked, or take the first-class bus to Puebla and Cholula, about 2–2.5 hours each way. For a slower trip, split Day 2 across two days (Anthropology one morning, the Castle and Polanco another) and give Coyoacán a full day with the Anahuacalli. More options on day trips from Mexico City.
Mistakes to avoid
- Planning a museum on a Monday. The Anthropology Museum, Templo Mayor, Chapultepec Castle, Bellas Artes and Casa Azul are all closed. Museo Casa Kahlo, which opened in September 2025, is the Frida stop that opens on Mondays (it closes Tuesdays).
- Leaving Casa Azul to the last minute. There is no box office; if slots are gone, you do not get in.
- Doing too much on Day 1. At 7,350 ft (2,240 m) you get winded on stairs and alcohol hits faster. Drink water and go easy on the first night's mezcal. See health.
- Crossing the city at rush hour. A 20-minute Uber can take an hour between 5:30 and 8:30 pm. Group sights by area, as this plan does.
- Hailing taxis on the street. Use Uber, DiDi, Cabify or a taxi your hotel calls. Keep your phone in a front pocket on the Metro and away from café table edges. See safety.
- Drinking tap water. Use bottled or purified water, including for brushing teeth.
- Leaving your passport behind on Day 1. The Palacio Nacional asks for photo ID; carry a photo copy on other days.
- Eating lunch at noon. Kitchens are just getting going; the best lunches start around 2 pm. See Mexico City food.
Different from home
The State Department rates Mexico City Level 2, Exercise increased caution, with no special restrictions on its own staff (advisory issued May 29, 2026). The realistic risks are phone snatching and pickpocketing, not violent crime. Marches regularly close Reforma and the Zócalo; foreigners are barred from Mexican political activity, so route around them.
Bottom line
Four days is enough to see Mexico City's four great areas without rushing: the Centro, Chapultepec, Teotihuacán and the south. Book Casa Azul now, stay in Roma, Condesa or Juárez, keep the Monday for the pyramids, and eat on Mexican time. Add a fifth day if you can; most people wish they had.
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