Mexico City is one of the best places to visit because there are tons of things to see and do here in one week.

What To Do In Mexico City For A Week (The Perfect 1 Week Itinerary)

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Aside from a cruise I went on as a kid (that I don’t remember too well), Mexico was my first international experience and the place I’ve visited most that I just can’t seem to get enough of. Mexico City is one of my favorite places to go, and no matter how often I visit, there always seems to be more for me to experience and explore, so I’m sure you’ll have no problem filling up a 1 week itinerary here.

🇲🇽 What To Do In Mexico City For A Week (Day By Day Itinerary)

Depending on the time of year you visit, a week might not be enough time to see and do everything you want to in Mexico City because there are some great events/holidays that are definitely worth experiencing which would require a bit more time in this capital city, but 1 week should give you enough time to experience most of the permanent sites here.

Day 1 In CDMX – Zocalo & Lucha Libre

The Zocalo, or main square, is a must see for anyone visiting this capital city.

Zócalo is the main historic center of Mexico City (pictured above), a must see during any trip here, that is often the center of events like Mexico’s Independence Day and Dia de Muertos. There are also awesome museums and lots of shops and restaurants around this main square.

The famous Lucha Libre events (pictured below) take place just southwest of the main Zócalo square (so combining the two in the same day is easy) and they’re such a great way to experience real Mexican culture (I recommend watching Nacho Libre beforehand to get in the Lucha Libre mood 🤼).

Going to a Lucha Libre match is a great way to experience more of the Mexican culture.

Top Things To See + Do Here:

Safe Places To Stay Here: Gran Hotel & Zócalo Central Hotel
Best Food Here: Ojo de Agua, Azul Historico, Balcón del Zócalo
Best Tours Here: Zocalo Walking Tour & Lucha Libre Tour

Day 2 In CDMX – Chapultepec & Polanco

Chapultepec park is one of my favorite places to go in Mexico City to do some wandering around and people watching, in the middle of a busy week.

Chapultepec is what I call the Central Park of CDMX, but it’s more than double the size of the New York equivalent, and it’s very easy to spend the entire day here.

Polanco (pictured below) is what I call the Beverly Hills of Mexico City, with all of its top tier hotels, restaurants, and shops.

Polanco is the rich, Beverly Hills like area of CDMX.

Top Things To See + Do Here:

Safe Places To Stay Here: InterContinental Presidente Hotel & Hyatt Regency Hotel
Best Food Here: Básico, Ojo de Agua, Orale Arepa
Best Tour Here: Chapultepec Bike Tour

Day 3 In CDMX – Coyoacan & A Futbol Game

The best thing to do in Mexico City during a week vacation to me is attending a professional football/soccer/futbol game.

On my first visit to Mexico City, one of my top must-see events was a professional soccer game (pictured above). I randomly chose a game that fit with my schedule, and I’ve been a diehard fan of that team ever since (going on 12 years now).

Soccer (or futbol) games are typically held in Mexico City on weekend evenings (and sometimes midweek) so they’re the perfect event to add on at the end of a day exploring the Coyoacan neighborhood (one of my favorite areas in CDMX, pictured below, especially during holidays).

Coyoacan is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city because it always seems to be colorful and festive.

Top Things To See + Do Here:

Safe Places To Stay Here: Ágata Hotel & Casa Moctezuma Hotel
Best Food Here: Ecos del Mundo, El Beneficio Bistrot, & Pan Gabriel
Best Tour Here: Coyoacan & Frida Kahlo Bike Tour

Day 4 In CDMX – Estadio Azteca/Coapa & Xochimilco

No week long or even two day trip to Mexico City is complete without doing something related to Club America in my opinion.

After becoming such a huge fan of the Club America soccer team, on my return visits to Mexico City, I had to experience more of my favorite team and I’ve been fortunate enough to attend some of their practices at COAPA (pictured above; if you go, let them know you’re a foreigner visiting and they might let you in).

Even if you’re not into soccer enough to go to the training facilities, touring Club America’s home stadium, Estadio Azteca (now called Estadio Banorte), is definitely worth it as its one of the biggest stadiums in the western hemisphere.

Since these soccer related activities are located further south in the city, they’re perfect for combining with a trip to the colorful lakes of Xochimilco (pictured below).

Xochimilco can be a bit touristy, but it's worth seeing at least once.

Top Things To See + Do Here:

Safe Places To Stay Here: none
Best Food Here: Don Eraki, Antigua Hacienda de Tlalpan
Best Tours Here: Combo Tour 1 & Combo Tour 2

Day 5 In CDMX – Teotihuacan Pyramids

Although it's technically located outside of Mexico City, no week long trip is complete without seeing the Teotihuacan Pyramids.

The Teotihuacán Pyramids (pictured above) are one of the top things to see/do in Mexico City even though they’re technically located about 1.5 hours northeast of the city center. It is possible to Uber or take public transportation to the pyramids, but it’s honestly so much easier to visit them on a tour, which is also typically combined with other sights.

Top Things To See + Do Here:

  • Teotihuacan Pyramids
  • Basílica de Guadalupe – pilgrimage site to see the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe
  • Plaza de las Tres Culturas – pre-Hispanic historical site, and location of the 1968 brutal massacre of more than 300 unarmed student protesters
  • Semana Santa – pilgrimage to the Basilica during Holy Week (Easter Week) with huge celebrations

Best Tour: Combo Teotihuacan Tour

Day 6 In CDMX – Puebla & Cholula

The Cholula Great Pyramid is one of the coolest places to visit because you can actually walk inside of the pyramid.

While there’s plenty to see and do within the metropolitan area of Mexico City, there are also some fantastic day trips like the nearby city of Puebla (pictured below) and the Great Pyramid of Cholula (inside of the pyramid pictured above).

I visited on my own riding the bus and felt that it was a very easy and safe experience, but tours are available and they’re definitely the most convenient way to visit.

Puebla is one of the closest cities to Mexico City and it's definitely worth a visit if you'll be in CDMX for a week or more.

Top Things To See + Do Here:

  • Try Mole – Puebla is famous for its Mole dish (however it’s a little different than Oaxaca Mole)
  • Puebla Center – the historic city center is a nice place to shop or find something to eat
  • Cinco de Mayo – most of Mexico doesn’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but Puebla does because this is where that battle took place against the French (this is not their Independence Day)
  • Cholula Great Pyramid – this pyramid is one of the largest (base-wise) in the world, and it’s super cool because you can walk inside of it

Best Tour Here: Puebla & Cholula Combo Tour

Day 7 In CDMX – Another Day Trip

There are lots of great day trips you can take from CDMX.

One of the best things about visiting Mexico City is that it’s located very centrally, so it’s super easy to explore other parts of the country and find even more wonderful things to see and do.

Best Day Trips From Mexico City:

⛑ How To Stay Safe In Mexico City

Whether you visit for a couple days or an entire week, you do need to be cautious and aware during your time in Mexico City.

Many people act strangely when I tell them how often I visit Mexico City and how much I love it here because they assume it’s a very dangerous place, but I’m always cautious and aware of my surroundings and I’ve never had any issues here. But these are a few ways you can be extra safe here:

  • avoid taxis – too many fake ones out there
  • avoid the subway – too crowded & not very safe
  • use Uber, private transportation, or tours instead
  • stay in safe neighborhoods – Polanco, Coyoacan, La Condesa, Roma, etc.
  • take pictures, but don’t walk around staring at your phone
  • always be aware of your surroundings
  • don’t walk alone at night

🔁 Sum Up: What To Do In Mexico City For A Week

Mexico City is one of my favorite city destinations to visit because I love all the history (Aztec & Teotihuacan), sports (Club America soccer), and the wonderful Mexican culture (tacos, mariachis, & Lucha Libre) that you can experience here in as little as a week, though it’d be easy to spend more time here or use this city as a base to explore other destinations around Mexico.

Haley

Haley is the owner and author of Adventure Evermore, a travel blog that encourages users to explore, adventure, & bucket list around the world, no matter what anxieties or other difficulties they may have. When she's not writing blog posts about her favorite destinations, she's reading, playing soccer, or watching sports, movies, or TV (especially The X Files).