Mexico City 3 Days: Know the Bustling Capital with Your Guide (3D)

Day 1: Teotihuacan + Basilica de Guadalupe + Historic Center (9 h)

On the first day, join your guide to visit Teotihuacan, the capital city of the first Mesoamerican empire currently on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987.  After a pick-up from your accommodation, take a 1-h drive (depending on the traffic) to Teotihuacan. For about three hours, leisurely explore the archaeological zone with your tour guide and see the impressive Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the Road of the Dead, and other sights of this ancient city that existed 2000 years ago.

After this, stop at the Basilica de Guadalupe, a highlight religious destination in the world and famous for its cult of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Once there, get acquainted with the history of the miracle that supposedly happened in 1531, when the Virgin Mary appeared to a native man called Juan Diego, whose cloak has become famous throughout the centuries for preserving Her sacred image.

Finally, go to the lively Historic Center of Mexico City and learn about its pre-Hispanic and colonial past, discover its rich traditions and culture, and try the best of local gastronomy. Additionally, see its iconic Zocalo, which is the main square, and visit the vast Metropolitan Cathedral. Also, walk around the area and see multiple colonial-time palaces and the impressive eclectic buildings of the Main Post Office and the Palace of Fine Arts. Moreover, walk through colorful lanes, get useful information about the city, interesting fun facts, and much more! On the way, have the chance to try authentic Mexican food by trying pulque (an ancient Mesoamerican beverage made of fermented sap of maguey) or savoring tacos the way locals do.

• Activities included: Guided visit to Teotihuacan, a walking tour of the Basilica of Guadalupe, and the Historic Center of Mexico City.

Day 2: Xochimilco + Anahuacalli Museum + UNAM + Coyoacan + Frida Kahlo Museum (8 h)

On the second day, get acquainted with Mexico City’s renowned districts of Xochimilco and Coyoacan, including some stops to visit the unique Anahuacalli Museum, the amazing UNAM Campus, and the world-famous Frida Kahlo Museum.

After a pick-up from your accommodation,  go with your guide to the Xochimilco neighborhood which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.  There enjoy a 1 h ride along its picturesque canals on a colorful “trajinera” (a traditional flat-bottom boat decorated with colorful ornaments and controlled by the boatman with a pole), and listen to traditional music performed by mariachi.

Further, head to the historic neighborhood of Coyoacan. On the way stop at the Anahuacalli Museum, which is home to an essential collection of pre-Hispanic art owned by Mexican painter Diego Rivera.

Moreover, have the chance to see the UNAM campus, the largest university in the country to see the outstanding murals that some renowned Mexican artists created during the 1950s.

Once in Coyoacan, enjoy a walking tour of this colonial quarter full of cobblestoned streets, old churches, and squares. Also, visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, dedicated to this prominent Mexican painter. There, learn all about her life and see some of her most famous works in the house where she was born and raised.

• Activities included: ~1 h boat ride in Xochimilco; entrance and guided visit to the Anahuacalli and Frida Kahlo Museums; walking tour of the historic center of Coyoacan and the UNAM campus.

Day 3: Chapultepec Castle + Anthropology Museum (7 h)

On the last day, after a pick-up, head to Chapultepec while driving along Paseo de la Reforma,  one of the most famous avenues in the city. Upon arrival at the park, climb up the hill to visit Chapultepec Castle, one of the foremost symbols of Mexico that carefully preserves its heritage from significant historical periods. A visit to this castle is like going back in time as it served as the official residence of the Viceroys, the emperor Maximilian of Habsburg, and several Mexican presidents.

Moreover, make a stop at the Nation Museum of Anthropology, the largest and most visited museum in Mexico with an astonishing collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts. There, learn all about the origins of the advanced thousand-year-old Mesoamerican cultures and their valuable heritage in the country.

• Activities included: Entrance and guided visits to Chapultepec Castle and the National Museum of Anthropology.