Mexico City 3 Days: Know the Bustling Capital with Your Guide (Small-Group / 3D)

Overview

Wanna see the highlights of Mexico City? Then book this small-group tour and enjoy 3 days of personalized explorations with a local guide.

Highlights

• Discover the history, culture, and gastronomic traditions of Mexico City with a local guide.
• Take a picturesque boat ride in a traditional "trajinera" in Xochimilco.
• Get to know the renowned Museum of Frida Kahlo, one of the greatest Mexican artists of all time.
• See the imposing ruins of Teotihuacan and learn about life in this great pre-Hispanic city.
• Visit the impressive National Museum of Anthropology, the largest and most visited one in Mexico.

Itinerary

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

On the first day, join your tour 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, one of the most visited religious destinations 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, walking tour in 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 1h 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), listen to traditional music performed by mariachi, and try some of the traditional Mexican snacks.

Further, head to the historic neighborhood of Coyoacan, and on the way stop at the Anacahuacalli Museum, which is home to an important 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 the Chapultepec Castle, one of the foremost symbols of Mexico that carefully preserves its heritage from different significant historical periods. A visit to this castle is like going back in time as it served as the official residence of Viceroys, the emperor Maximilian of Habsburg, and several Mexican presidents.

Moreover, make a stop at the National 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.

Why go with us

• You will spend the time of the tour purely on sightseeing: no visits to souvenir shops/restaurants (unless you ask).
• An ideal choice for small groups: the price of the tour is fixed & varies just slightly depending on the size of the group.
• We are flexible: we can adjust the program & route to your interests while the duration of the tour can be extended for an extra fee.

Logistics

DEPARTURE TIME & LOCATION: Default departure times (which you can see when choosing a tour date) can be adjusted upon your request. Our guide will meet you up at the requested time & location and might need to contact you by phone. Therefore, please kindly provide a valid phone number during your booking.

TRANSPORT: Complimentary pick-up/drop-off is included: please indicate the exact time & location for your pick-up during your booking (e.g. in the “Special Requirements” field). That is to say, we can pick you up from those parts of Mexico City: Polanco, Condesa, Roma, and Centro Historico. Other more remote locations might involve an extra fee.

TOUR DURATION & CUSTOMIZATION: The standard duration of the tour count from the moment of a meetup till the end of the tour. On the other hand, the tour is customizable, so we can adjust the time you spend at each destination. For example, if you want to visit an extra location (attraction/restaurant/market, etc.), you can do it on a complimentary basis if this visit (1) fits the default duration of the tour &  (2) doesn’t involve a major change of the route.

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU: Comfortable clothes and shoes; hat/cap, sunglasses, and sunscreen; personal travel insurance; good mood and curiosity. 

LANGUAGES: All our tours are led by local bilingual (at least Spanish & English) guides. Some of them fluently speak other languages (e.g. French, German, Italian, Mandarin) but those might depend on availability and cannot be fully guaranteed. If you want to have your tour in a language other than Spanish or English, please kindly inquire in advance.

Notes

• The type of vehicle depends on the size of your group and may include a car, 7-seater, or minivan.
• The sequence of days can be adjusted per your request.
  
• Due to their limited availability, tickets to Frida Kahlo Museum (“Casa Azul”) need to be booked by us at least 1 week before the tour. If you book your tour with a shorter anticipation, please inquire about the availability before the booking. Suppose this is not done and we are not able to procure the tickets, a visit to Frida Kahlo Museum will be substituted with Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo without prior notice.