As an American Jew, Mexico City always had a bad reputation in my mind. I've heard that it's not safe and I've heard that there's nothing to do here. However, after 3 weeks of exploring, I completely changed my view on this place and I’m here to change yours. I compiled everything you need to know on how to plan a trip to Mexico City.
One of the reasons why I fell in love with Mexico City is because of the many trees that turned this concrete jungle into an urban forest. They had a pollution problem and so to combat it, they planted millions of trees. Everywhere you go, it's green.
Transportation
Uber here is really affordable. I'm talking NYC subway prices. To get around Polanco it's $2-$3 per ride. To get from the airport to Polanco, which is a 40 minute ride, we paid $17.
There's also an app called Beat, sometimes it's cheaper than Uber and they have Teslas, so you can always price compare. There is obviously public transportation which is cheapest but I can't attest to the safety. They also have several bike systems but we recommend using Dezba, where you can rent a bike from the city for $5/ month for 45 minutes per ride, and then it's $1 peso per minute thereafter. There are designated streets with an entire car-width lane for cyclists. You can easily google the biking map or use Google maps.
Safety
Mexico has a bad rep when it comes to safety, yet alone Mexico City. The truth is majority of the stories you hear are just that, stories. Although taking a wrong turn in some neighborhoods at night can lead to trouble, you can say the same thing about parts of Chicago, NYC, LA, or really any major city in the US. In fact, we found that the Jewish quarters of Mexico City are absolutely gorgeous and it felt really safe. There are patrol cops on every other corner and private security in front of most buildings. Even in Centro Mexico, where the crowds are large, there are cops patrolling every corner and you do feel a sense of security when walking down the avenues. For safety precautions, if you're going out at night, the security tend to not be around as often in some areas, so take an Uber and be aware of your surroundings.
Kosher Food & Restaurants
I'm going to go ahead and say it. Mexico City is a Kosher food paradise! There are four main areas that have Kosher restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores. We explored almost all of it and broke it down by area so you can easily decide where to eat.
Here are the links for Kosher in each area:
Remember: Every restaurant will have good and bad dishes. (I firmly believe this) The trick is knowing WHAT to order where. I give recommendations for each place. Also, make sure to research the hechsher and make sure it up to your standard. The Kosher Near Me app usually states the hechsher.
You can also download the Kosher It’s app. It operates like Uber Eats but it only has kosher food. You can use the app to easily order takeout.
Where to Stay
Mexico City is huge. As stated above, there are four main areas with Jewish communities, three being more suburban. I recommend staying in Polanco. Polanco is the most upscale and expensive neighborhood in Mexico City. It's vibrant with a large Jewish community, posh condo buildings and Kosher eateries. Take a walk on Av. Horacio for peaceful, scenic, and lush green views.
Airbnbs are a great option here. you can also reach out to Unity, they might have rentals that are competitive to Airbnb in price.
Things to do in Mexico City
In the 3 weeks I was here I didn't have time to do all the things on my very long list, but here are some activities and places to see in the city itself.
Explore Mexico City Centro
Start by Palacio de Bellas Artes and then walk down Avenue 5 de Mayo to Palacio Nacional. On the avenue there is a bunch of shops and street entertainers. It's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Palacio de Bellas Artes is a hall & museum featuring murals by Diego Rivera & other notable artists. We were too lazy to wait on line to go in, but rumors say it's beautiful. :) There are also a ton of museums to look into, the Frida Kahlo Museum, Museo Soumaya, Museo Nacional de AntropologÃa to name a few. If you like museums, look into those.
Experience a Lucha Libre Match
Lucha Libre is a Mexican style wrestling match that is comparable to WWE but with way more personality and drama. This was quite an experience. I'd describe it as part wrestling, part gymnastics, and part comedy! We had no idea what was going ob but we had a good time shouting random things and picking champions to root for. You can get tickets on Ticketmaster. We paid for "the best seats" pretty much and it was $15 USD. The seats are socially distanced.
Explore Xochimalco
Famous for it's canals, this neighborhood is the last remnants of a vast water transport system built by the Aztecs. Go for a boat ride, grab a beer and enjoy the view.
Walk Through Ave Presidente Masaryk on a Thursday Night - towards Parque Lincoln
There are street musicians, outdoor seating for bars, fairy lights and a whole lot of charm! It’s a vibe. We got drinks at one of these places and had a nice night. On the map it literally looks like a martini glass. Follow the noise, you can’t miss it. Tables fill up quickly even though there are so many of these bars and restaurant, so go before 8 PM if you want one.
Go to a Horse Racing Event
Unfortunately we didn’t have time to go but you can easily get cheap tickets on Ticketmaster! Bring some snacks and a fun hat.
Go to the Chapultepec Park
It’s the second largest city park in Latin America. It has a castle, a zoo, a botanic garden, museums, a roller coaster, a market, a lake, and more. It receives an estimated 15 million visitors per year.
Go to the Antara Mall
It‘a across the street from the Soumaya Museum (the cover photo of this article). It’s an outdoor mall with any shop you can think of and it’s really beautiful. If you have kids they have a play area for them that looked so fun, I wanted to play!
Shuls of Mexico City
Wow I can write a whole article on this alone. Mexico City is so full of Jewish life! We are in awe of the JCCs and Shuls we’ve visited. A local, Yaakov, offered to take us around because he’s in the know and we took him up on his offer.
Let me show you just a few.
JCC in Teca: It had multiple floors and even a canteen! There were so many rooms and spaces for kids programs and events.
JCC in Bosques:
Sporting a kosher restaurant Pan Y Canela, a hall, artwork and beautiful views.
JCC in Interlomes:
Centro Maguen David
Constituyente C. Echanove 224, Lomas de Vista Hermosa, Cuajimalpa de Morelos, 05100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
This one is the most impressive one yet. It has an indoors skate rink, a fully kosher Starbucks, a beautiful shul, a kosher supermarket, a wedding hall, a soccer field, and artwork everywhere. This place was just so impressive!
I got a contact for you, this lady does tours for Shuls and Jewish communities, so if you want to explore, reach out to Monica:
info@sinagogahistorica.com or sinagogajustosierra@gmail.com
Places to Explore Outside of Mexico City
Tepoztlan
It's a village 1.5 hours away from Mexico City. This mountain town is colorful and culturally rich with beautiful views. We came here for Shabbat and got an Airbnb with a great view, for about $60 per night. We really enjoyed a peaceful stay here. The town square has a market where you can watch them make tortillas from scratch, and there a lot of other cool vendors and shops to look at and experience. Note that they don't take credit card here, so be sure to bring some pesos.
You can easily get here by taking a coach bus from Tazqueno bus terminal. It’s comfortable it costs about $6 pp.
Grutas de Tolantongo
Tolantongo is famous for its many hot pools. These semicircular structures are built to catch the hot waters flowing from the valley walls. So you can relax in these pools while enjoying the view of the green valley. Here you can find sporting activities like hiking, climbing, caving, swimming and there is also a zip-line. It’s 4 hours away from Mexico City. I included this photo from Google so you can see what it looks like.
Acapulco
We didn't have to make it here but it's a beach town 4 hours away and it's very popular. Before Cancun and Los Cabos were on the radar, there was Acapulco. It’s known for its sparkling turquoise water, golden sand, and luxury hotels.
Teotihuacan
Also known as city of the Gods. There are pyramids and ruins and history! You can get there by hot air balloon! How cool?
Huasteca Potosina
On our last night in Mexico City I had a chat with a local who said this place is a must!
From Mexico City it's a 6 – 8 hour drive. Prepare for beautiful water falls
and lots of activities.
One day I will go back and do more! Until then, I reckon this article should keep you busy in or around Mexico City for at least a week.
Happy Travels!
Got questions on Mexico City?
I'm happy to answer them! Feel free to message me right here.