8 Reasons to Visit Mexico City (Travel Guide + Tips)

In a strange, unexpected way, Mexico City reminded me a lot of Tokyo. One huge sprawled out metropolis with too many people and too many places too see.

The first time I visited Mexico City in 2011 I felt confused by this sprawling metropolis. There was just so much to do in such little time. Even stranger, I had never really heard anything good about Mexico City. No one had really ever recommended this amazing city to me. I debated whether I should make 2 entries for this beast of a post, but I think I can fit it in one. That being said, there is just so much to do here. With a population of 23 million people, this city reaches into far corners to bring together an amazing mix of food, culture, architecture and experiences. Is it safe? Everything I have ever heard about Mexico City, or Mexico in general was that it is such a dangerous country. But never had I ever felt in danger here. Of course, the usual precautions should be taken when travelling to any country but by all accounts, Mexico City is a very safe place.

So, here are my favourite things I saw and did in Mexico City these past eight days. This is by no accounts a complete list of things to do here - it really is a big, big city:

Santa Maria Tonantzintla : Inside Mexico's Most Mysterious Church and Cholula

Mexico is spilling with nature, charming villages and bustling cities. But if you travel between cities you will certainly come across something beautiful and unexpected on your way.

After our one night stay in Puebla, we had originally planned to head straight back to Mexico City. But after talking to some locals, we were heavily recommended to do a small day trip to Puebla's neighbouring city, Cholula. In Mexico, Cholula is known as the city of 365 churches (but we learnt from our tour guide there are in fact only 37). The locals of Puebla told us we must must must visit the church on top of the Aztec pyramid and we must must must visit Santa Maria Tonantzintla.

24 Hours in Puebla (Day Trip from Mexico City to Puebla)

With plenty of time to play in the capital, we decided to drive to the old colonial city of Puebla, just an hour away from Mexico City.

After arriving back in Mexico City and realising we had more than a week until we were due to fly home we decided to drive to Puebla and do some sightseeing. Only an hour from the capital, it was the perfect overnight destination.

48 Incredible Hours in Queretaro | Things to do in Queretaro

On our journeys through the cradles of Mexican Independence we visited Queretaro City, the once capital of the nation, considered to be the safest city in Mexico and the most dynamic city in Latin America.

We left behind San Miguel and arrived in Queretaro City (Santiago de Queretaro in Spanish) just over 2 days ago. Like the past 3 cities I have visited, Queretaro is brimming with history and considered to be part of the cradle of Mexican Independence. Not only that, it is apparently the safest city with the highest quality of life in Mexico. Plus, it was voted to be the most dynamic city in Latin America. As a medium sized city, I was recommended to spend 2-3 days here. In a city that ticks of so many boxes, these are the best things to do in Queretaro City when you have only 48 hours.

Visiting Dolores Hidalgo and Atotonilco (Day Trip From San Miguel De Allende)

Historically speaking, Dolores Hidalgo and Atotonilco are among the most important places in Mexico, considered to be the cradles of Mexican Independence.

Today we did a day trip to Atotonilco and Dolores Hidalgo from San Miguel de Allende. We booked a private day tour with our own personal guide from an agency in the main square of San Miguel de Allende. Dolores Hidalgo is a very small town, so if you want to visit it is better to do it in a day trip rather than stay there for a night or two. Our tour guide, Jose was enthusiastic and lively, and really made us revved up and excited from the moment we stepped in his black cruiser. Of course, you could hire your own car and take your own personal trip to these places, but one of the things I really like about personal day tours is the guides always make the tour more fun by telling you anecdotes and bits and pieces of information along the way. Plus its nice to sit back and relax while someone else drives you around for once in a while. Let's get started on the best things to do in Dolores Hidalgo and Atotonilco on a day trip.

Mexico's Secret Fairytale City | San Miguel De Allende Travel Guide

San Miguel is the city that everyone falls in love with. Maybe it has something to do with its fine architectural details mixed with a stunning landscape of valleys and mountains. Or maybe its because you can live in the art that thrives in every street and square of the city. But without a doubt, there is something special about San Miguel de Allende.

We arrived in San Miguel De Allende two days ago, and were warned before arriving that this is where all the English speaking expats in Mexico flock to retire. As such, life here is made very easy for English speakers to find services catered to them (in case you were wondering a day trip to San Miguel De Allende from Mexico City is totally doable if you're an early riser). As we drove through the streets searching for our hotel I noticed all the buildings were painted only in deep earthy colours, such as red, brown, orange and yellow.

The Essential Guanajuato Travel Guide - Discovering Mexico's City of Frogs

Guanajuato derives its name from the indigenous language to "Quanax huato", which means "hilly place of frogs".

MAZE OF TUNNELS

I've had an exciting few days wandering around this charming city, taking tours and sampling the local cuisine. I thought it only natural to commemorate my time here by writing a travel guide on the best things to do in Guanajuato. First things first. To get into the Guanajuato valley you must go through the Guanajuato tunnels. You can truly get lost in this compact city with its hundreds of cobblestone passages and underground tunnels. In fact, one of the most striking features of this city is the network of underground tunnels that connect Guanajuato to the outside world. Since Guanajuato is built into a valley, the only feasible mode of transport is using the tunnels built under the mountains. Everywhere you walk in the city, you will see tunnels just like this one. In fact, this one was right next door to my hotel.

Mexico's Most Beautiful City? Guanajuato Day Trip From Mexico City

As I pulled back my curtains I was immediately met with the sight of brightly coloured houses tightly crammed into the mountains that surround this picturesque city.

Yesterday I arrived in Guanajuato. We arrived just before sunset so we couldn't do much, but I just had to share a few photos of this magical city. Below is the outside of our hotel (beautiful, right?), and driving around all the buildings had this colonial style. This city, which is a mishmash of colours, cobblestone streets and baroque architecture, retains its old charm since it was founded as a mining city in the 1500's.