Mexico City Through My Camera Roll: A Week in CDMX (and Everything I’d Tell a Friend)
Okay, let me just say it: CDMX is one of my favorite cities in the world. Like, I love it SO much. I'd go as far as saying it's the best city in North America, and I'm not taking questions on that.
This trip I actually went with my friend Sean. Y'all know I usually travel solo, but what I love about Mexico City is that it works either way. You can do it by yourself, or you can do it with a friend, and it's one of the best cities to spend real time with somebody because there is SO much to do. Food, museums, parks, markets, nightlife... you can literally get lost in CDMX. And that's exactly what Sean and I did.
We were there for a week in mid-April, which turned out to be Semana Santa (Holy Week) AND the tail end of jacaranda season, so the trees were purple (bring the Afrin, lol) and the streets were full of Easter traditions. If you want the play-by-play of our first day, I wrote that up in Day 1 in Mexico City. This post is the whole week, neighborhood by neighborhood, straight from my camera roll, with where to stay in each one. Every section links out to a deeper guide, so bookmark this as your starting point for planning a Mexico City trip.
The Trip at a Glance
- When: Mid-April (Holy Week, jacaranda season)
- Who: Me and my friend Sean
- Where we stayed: A two-bedroom Airbnb in Roma Norte
- Neighborhoods: Roma Norte, Condesa, Reforma, Chapultepec, Coyoacán, Centro Histórico, Juárez/Zona Rosa
In a Rush? My Favorite Hotels in Mexico City
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hotel Brick – Roma Norte mansion – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Condesa DF – Condesa rooftop icon – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hotel Carlota – Juárez pool scene – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Seasons – Reforma luxury – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Casa Moctezuma – Coyoacán mansion – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Círculo Mexicano – Centro rooftop pool – Click here for rates & availability
Roma Norte: Our Home Base
Roma Norte is where we stayed, and if you're asking me where to base yourself on a first trip, this is it. It's leafy, it's walkable, the old mansions are GORGEOUS, and you can walk to Condesa, Juárez and the Zona Rosa without calling an Uber every five minutes. Every corner has a coffee shop, a mezcal bar or somewhere you're going to want to eat. And it's one of the most gay-friendly parts of the city, so you can just exist.
Our Airbnb (and How to Pick a Good One)
We did an Airbnb (you can book it here), a two-bedroom apartment with a big open living room and kitchen, and for two friends traveling together that's the move. You each get your own room and your own bathroom situation, and you still have a place to hang out before you go out. If you're going the Airbnb route in Mexico City, here's what I'd look for:
- Stick to Roma Norte, Condesa or Juárez. You'll be walking distance to most of what's in this post, and these are the neighborhoods where you'll feel most comfortable as a gay traveler.
- Look at the building, not just the apartment. A lot of Roma and Condesa buildings are old walk-ups with no elevator, so if you're on the fourth floor with luggage, you'll feel it.
- Check the reviews for "noise." Places on or near Álvaro Obregón, Insurgentes or a busy bar strip can be loud until late.
- Ask about hot water and water pressure. Many buildings run on rooftop tanks and gas heaters. It's usually fine, but it's worth a question.
- Newer or renovated buildings are worth it. Mexico City has earthquakes, and buildings put up or retrofitted after 2017 were built to a newer code. Many listings mention the building's seismic alarm or safety features.
- Ask for a Wi-Fi speed screenshot if you'll be working at all.
If you'd rather have a front desk and somebody to hold your bags, these are the Roma Norte hotels I'd look at. (And for my full ranking, read The Best Hotels in Mexico City.)
Where to Stay in Roma Norte
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hotel Brick – Speakeasy & spa – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nima Local House – Four-room mansion – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ La Valise – Art Deco suites – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ignacia Guest House – Quiet design stay – Click here for rates & availability
Coffee in Roma Norte: The Greatest Hits
Before we even got into the apartment, I found Café Aro right around the corner and knew I was in the right place. 10/10! The best part? There's WINE, too. Avocado toast, a baked egg, salsa on the side... I said I was coming back, but I never did, because LOL, it's Mexico City and everything is cute AF. If you want a plan, these are the cafés everybody puts on their list:
- Panadería Rosetta (Colima 179): the famous bakery. Get the guava roll.
- Cardinal Casa de Café (Córdoba 132): serious coffee in a pretty little house.
- BUNA (Cerrada de Orizaba 42): coffee from farms around Mexico, great beans to take home.
- Madre Café (Cerrada de Orizaba 131): brunch inside a colonial mansion.
- Lalo! (Zacatecas 173): fun, colorful brunch spot with a patio.
Dinner at Palmares
One of the best meals of the trip was at Palmares, a rooftop restaurant at Durango 216 in Roma Norte. It's on the top floor of an old Porfirian-era building, with a terrace full of plants and a cocktail bar right in the middle, and the menu leans seafood: tuna, aguachiles, octopus, and grilled fish like the one in my photo. Go at night, get a cocktail, and order more tostadas than you think you need.
The building alone is worth the trip. Old staircases, dark wood, big black-framed windows... it's the kind of place that makes you understand why everybody falls for Roma.
More Places to Eat in Roma Norte
- Contramar (Durango 200): the legendary seafood lunch spot, literally down the street from Palmares. Book ahead.
- Rosetta (Colima 166): Elena Reygadas' restaurant in a gorgeous old mansion.
- Máximo (Tonalá 133): Anthony Bourdain ate here with chef Eduardo García, who then took him shopping at the Central de Abasto market.
Condesa: Jacarandas, Parks and Lardo
Condesa is right across Insurgentes from Roma, and in April it's ridiculous. The jacarandas are blooming, the bougainvillea is spilling over every wall, and the streets around Parque México are basically one long photo shoot.
The parks here are fantastic. Parque México especially is great for photo shoots and great for just people watching: dogs everywhere, joggers, couples, people doing workout classes in the middle of the day. Grab a coffee, find a bench, and sit there for a minute. You won't be bored. I've been to CDMX twice now and I ended up here SEVERAL times both trips.
And yes, Condesa has a rainbow crosswalk. Mexico City wears its pride out loud, which I get into below.
Also, can we talk about the vintage VW Beetles? They're EVERYWHERE, parked on these tree-lined streets like somebody staged them, and I have a whole folder of them on my phone.
Lunch at Lardo
Lunch was at Lardo (Agustín Melgar 6), Elena Reygadas' Mediterranean-meets-Mexican spot. It's the kind of place where you order a spritz, some flatbreads and hummus "to share," and next thing you know you're ordering the roast chicken too. It's a brunch favorite as well, so expect a wait on weekends.
More Condesa coffee: Odette (Plaza Popocatépetl 35) for pastries under the trees, Enhorabuena Café (Atlixco 13) if you need to get on the laptop, and Mendl (Citlaltépetl 9) for a New York-style bagel.
Where to Stay in Condesa
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Condesa DF – Rooftop by Parque España – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐ Red Tree House – Cocktail-hour B&B – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hippodrome Hotel – Art Deco, Parque México – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐ Hotel San Fernando – Retro apartment-style – Click here for rates & availability
Paseo de la Reforma: The Ángel and the Big Landmarks
Paseo de la Reforma is Mexico City's grand boulevard, and walking it is a free sightseeing tour. The big one is the Ángel de la Independencia, the gold angel on top of a column where Reforma meets the Zona Rosa. It went up for the 100th anniversary of independence in 1910, and it's where the city goes to celebrate everything, from football wins to Pride.
Keep walking toward Chapultepec and you'll hit the Estela de Luz, the tall quartz-panel tower near the park entrance. Right around there we ran into this giant installation of pink and orange mushrooms, which felt like walking onto a music video set.
Pro tip: On Sunday mornings Reforma closes to cars for Muévete en Bici, and the whole avenue fills up with bikes and skaters. If you're not a "rent a random bike" person, a guided bike tour hits Reforma, Chapultepec and Centro in one go.
👉 Browse Mexico City bike tours on GetYourGuide
Chapultepec Park and the Museo de Arte Moderno
Bosque de Chapultepec is MASSIVE, way bigger than Central Park, and it's the cultural heart of the city: museums, a castle, a zoo, lakes, and vendors selling everything from piñatas to lucha libre masks.
If those masks have you curious, go to a real lucha libre night at Arena México. It's loud, it's campy, it's dramatic, and it's one of the most fun nights you can have in this city.
👉 Lucha libre experiences on GetYourGuide
Sean and I spent the afternoon at the Museo de Arte Moderno (MAM), right on Reforma at the edge of the park. The outdoor sculpture garden alone is worth it, and inside is a serious collection of 20th-century Mexican art.
The piece that stopped me was this huge, colorful fruit-seller painting, Olga Costa's La vendedora de frutas. The colors are unreal in person. And the MAM is way less crowded than the big-name museums, so you can actually take your time.
MAM basics: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:15 AM to 5:30 PM, and general admission is MX$95. Like most museums in CDMX, it's closed on Mondays, so plan around that.
While you're in Chapultepec, the other two must-dos are Chapultepec Castle (the only royal castle in North America, with views straight down Reforma) and the National Museum of Anthropology, which can easily eat half a day.
👉 Chapultepec Castle & Anthropology Museum tours on GetYourGuide
Coyoacán and Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul
Coyoacán is the colonial, cobblestoned neighborhood in the south of the city, and it's home to La Casa Azul, the Frida Kahlo Museum, the house where Frida was born, lived with Diego Rivera, and died. That cobalt blue is just as electric in person as it is on Instagram. Inside you get her studio, her kitchen, the garden, and her clothes and personal things. It's way more intimate than you'd expect.
Frida Kahlo Museum Tips (Read Before You Go)
- Book ahead. Do NOT just show up. Entry is by timed slot, sold online at the official ticket site, and popular slots run low.
- Price: MX$320 general admission (MX$160 for Mexican residents with ID). Phone photos without flash are included in your ticket.
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM (Wednesdays open at 11 AM). Closed Mondays. Thursdays have "Noches Azules" evening hours.
- Time needed: About an hour inside, but don't rush off. Coyoacán is the kind of place you wander after.
- Address: Londres 247, Coyoacán. Uber is the easiest way there from Roma or Condesa.
- Go early or go on a weekday if you want photos at the blue wall without a crowd in them.
- If the official slots are gone, a guided tour with skip-the-line entry is your backup, and a lot of them bundle Coyoacán, Xochimilco or the Diego Rivera sites.
👉 Frida Kahlo Museum tickets & tours on GetYourGuide
After the museum we walked around the center of Coyoacán, past the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista. Since it was Holy Saturday, vendors were selling these red devil and Judas figures. They're for the Quema de Judas, the Holy Week tradition where Judas effigies get burned. If you're in town around Easter, keep an eye out.
Frida is everywhere in Coyoacán, painted on walls up and down the neighborhood. Coffee break: Café Avellaneda (Higuera 40-A) is close to the museum and known for its creative espresso drinks.
Most people do Coyoacán as a day trip, but if you want slow mornings and cobblestones, it's a gorgeous place to stay.
Where to Stay in Coyoacán
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Casa Moctezuma – Porfirian mansion – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐ H21 Hotel Boutique – Private patios – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐ Ágata Hotel Boutique – Spa & terrace – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐ Casa Tamayo – Steps from center – Click here for rates & availability
Centro Histórico: Tacos, Markets and the Zócalo
Monday was Centro day, which is perfect because the museums are closed anyway, and it started with tacos at Taquería Los Cocuyos (Bolívar 56). This is the spot Anthony Bourdain loved. According to Chilango, he and his crew went back at least once a day during one visit. It's a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick now, it's known for suadero, cabeza and longaniza, and it's cheap. Order a few different kinds, squeeze some lime, hit the salsas, and thank Bourdain.
Right next door is El Huequito (Bolívar 58), famous for al pastor, so do a little taco crawl and try both.
From there we walked east toward the Zócalo, past colonial churches and into the market streets, where whole stalls sell dried chiles, dried shrimp, beans and spices by the kilo. It's chaotic, it's loud, and it's the most "real Mexico City" part of the week.
Right by the Zócalo, people were playing on a giant street chessboard with the Palacio Nacional behind them. Centro is full of little moments like that.
For coffee, the classic is Café de Tacuba (Tacuba 28), open since 1912 in an old convent building. And Centro is where a food tour makes the most sense, because you'll eat stuff you'd never find on your own.
👉 Centro Histórico food & taco tours on GetYourGuide
Where to Stay in Centro Histórico
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Círculo Mexicano – Rooftop pool – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Downtown Mexico – Palace + rooftop – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gran Hotel – Tiffany glass ceiling – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Zócalo Central – Zócalo views – Click here for rates & availability
Juárez & the Zona Rosa: Nights Out
Juárez and the Zona Rosa sit right between Roma and Reforma, and this is where Mexico City gets GAY. The Zona Rosa, especially around Calle Amberes, is the heart of the scene, with bars and clubs stacked on top of each other: Kinky Bar, Nicho Bears & Bar, and the Cabaré-Tito bars are all a few blocks apart. Over in Centro, Marrakech Salón on República de Cuba is the campy cantina everybody ends up at eventually. I'm doing a full Gay Mexico City guide next, so consider this the teaser. And if you want the after-dark version (saunas, darkrooms, cruising spots, all of it), that's in my Mexico City Cruising Guide.
My Digital Guide
The Ultimate Mexico City Cruising Guide for Gay Men
Saunas, darkrooms, cruising spots, hookups and the bars where the men actually are once the sun goes down. Everything I didn't put in this post is in here.
Get the Mexico City Cruising Guide →
Our last night we ended up at a bar in Juárez for espresso martinis and oysters, which is a very Juárez way to end a trip. The neighborhood is stacked with good cocktail bars. A few greatest hits:
- Hanky Panky: the hidden speakeasy that keeps landing on the World's 50 Best Bars list. Reserve ahead.
- Parker & Lenox: velvet, jazz nights, classic cocktails.
- Xaman: a basement bar doing drinks with pre-Hispanic herbs and plants.
- Cicatriz: café by day, cocktail bar by night.
And for coffee in Juárez: Café Nin (Havre 73) is moody and gorgeous, and ACRE (Marsella 31) is tiny but excellent.
Where to Stay in Juárez & Zona Rosa
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hotel Carlota – Pool scene – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stara Hamburgo – Walk to Zona Rosa – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Casa Prim – Boutique Juárez – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Seasons – Reforma luxury – Click here for rates & availability
Don't Leave Without Churros From El Moro
Churrería El Moro has been frying churros since 1935. The original is on Eje Central in Centro, and there are branches all over, including Parque México in Condesa and Álvaro Obregón in Roma. Get the churros with hot chocolate. Thank me later.
What About Being Black and Gay in Mexico City?
Mexico City is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly cities in Latin America. Same-sex marriage is legal nationwide, there's a whole gay district in the Zona Rosa, rainbow crosswalks in Condesa, and one of the biggest Pride marches in the hemisphere every June. Roma, Condesa and Juárez in particular are places where you can hold hands and nobody blinks.
On the Black side, CDMX is a huge, international city, so you'll see more diversity here than in a beach town like Puerto Vallarta. Mexico has its own Black population too: Afro-Mexicans were officially recognized in the constitution in 2019, and about 2.5 million people identified as Afro-Mexican or Afro-descendant in the 2020 census. Most of them live on the coasts, though, so you may still get the occasional curious look. I'm doing a full Double Check post on CDMX soon, where I break down both sides in detail. And for the gay side of the city after dark, grab my Mexico City Cruising Guide.
So what do other Black travelers actually say about it? The pattern is pretty consistent. Expect curiosity more than hostility: people staring, asking where you're "really" from (a lot of folks will guess Brazil, Cuba or the Caribbean before they guess the US), and sometimes asking for a photo. One Black American woman who spent six weeks working in Mexico City wrote that the stares surprised her at first, but she came to read them as curiosity and even admiration, not aggression. The honest flip side is that colorism is real in Mexican society, and lighter skin still gets favored, so you might pick up on a little side-eye in some spaces. In the gay neighborhoods, though, Black travelers mostly describe CDMX as open and welcoming, and the scene is overwhelmingly local and Mexican rather than a white-tourist bubble. Bottom line: go in knowing you might stand out, and know that standing out here usually comes with a smile.
Need a fresh fade? I got mine at La Única Barbería, a barbershop for Black men in CDMX. The full review is in my Day 1 in Mexico City post.
Mexico City Travel Tips
When to go: Late February through April is jacaranda season, when the city turns purple. Semana Santa (Holy Week) brings big crowds to some sights and quieter streets elsewhere as locals leave town.
Museums close on Mondays. Most of them do, so plan your Centro or market day for Monday.
Getting around: Uber is cheap and easy. Roma, Condesa, Juárez and Reforma are all walkable from each other. Coyoacán and Centro are short rides.
Safety: As of the US State Department's May 29, 2026 update, Mexico City is at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, the same level as Mexico overall. Use normal big-city sense: watch your phone in crowds, use Uber at night, and be smart with dating apps (meet in public first). Check travel.state.gov before you go.
Data: I use Airalo eSIMs. Use code NICK3920. Get Airalo
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Check SafetyWing Prices →My Top 10 Things to Do in Mexico City
- Tour Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul in Coyoacán, and book ahead. Tickets & tours
- Eat tacos at Los Cocuyos, Bourdain's spot on Calle Bolívar. Taco tours
- Wander Condesa and Parque México during jacaranda season
- Spend an afternoon at the Museo de Arte Moderno and its sculpture garden
- Walk Paseo de la Reforma from the Ángel to the Estela de Luz. Bike tours
- Explore Chapultepec: the castle and the Anthropology Museum. Tours
- Catch a lucha libre match at Arena México. Tickets
- Get lost in Centro Histórico: the Zócalo, colonial churches and the market streets
- Have a rooftop seafood dinner at Palmares in Roma Norte
- End the night in the Zona Rosa, then get churros at El Moro
FAQ
Is Mexico City safe for tourists in 2026? For most visitors sticking to areas like Roma, Condesa, Juárez, Polanco, Coyoacán and Centro, yes. As of the May 29, 2026 US advisory update, Mexico City is Level 2, "Exercise Increased Caution." Use normal big-city precautions.
Is Mexico City gay-friendly? Very. Same-sex marriage is legal across Mexico, and the Zona Rosa (around Calle Amberes) is a full gay district with dozens of bars and clubs. Roma, Condesa and Juárez are also very LGBTQ+-friendly.
What is the best neighborhood to stay in Mexico City? For a first trip, Roma Norte or Condesa. Both are walkable, leafy, packed with restaurants, and close to Juárez, the Zona Rosa and Reforma.
Is an Airbnb or a hotel better in Mexico City? If you're traveling with friends or staying a week or more, an Airbnb in Roma Norte, Condesa or Juárez gives you more space for the money. Solo or for a short trip, a boutique hotel is easier. Either way, check for elevator access, noise and the building's age.
Do I need to book the Frida Kahlo Museum in advance? Yes. Entry is by timed slot through the official website, and slots can run low, especially on weekends. It's closed on Mondays.
Which taco place did Anthony Bourdain love in Mexico City? Taquería Los Cocuyos on Calle Bolívar in the Centro Histórico, known for suadero, cabeza and longaniza tacos.
When is jacaranda season in Mexico City? Roughly late February through April, with peak bloom usually in March.
Are museums in Mexico City closed on Mondays? Most of them, including the Frida Kahlo Museum and the Museo de Arte Moderno.
Final Take
Mexico City is one of those places that ruins other cities for you. You can eat incredibly well for cheap, see world-class art in the morning, sit in a park all afternoon, and be in a gay bar by midnight, all without ever feeling like you've run out of things to do. Go solo and you'll never be bored. Go with a friend and you'll come home with a camera roll like mine. Either way, just go. It's the best city in North America and I'll die on that hill.
Keep planning: The Best Hotels in Mexico City (Ranked by a Local) · Day 1 in Mexico City · Mexico City Cruising Guide