Best place to go in Mexico City & Amazing things to do in Coyoacan

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Narrow streets with beautiful colourful houses, busy squares with gorgeous churches and ubiquitous stalls with mouth-watering street food. All that and more is Coyoacan – the best place to go in Mexico City. Keep reading to find out about the best things to do in Coyoacan, one of the most touristic places in Mexico City.

Why go to Coyoacan?

Pepe, who is originally from Mexico City says that Coyoacan is one of the safest districts of Mexico City or CDMX (Ciudad de Mexico). I actually spent most of my time in Mexico City in Coyoacan and I loved it: so cheerful and crowded, with plenty of restaurants, bars, street food, markets and lovely colorful streets!

Coyoacan used to be a bit far from the city center of Mexico City, so there were plenty of vacation homes of wealthy Mexican entrepreneurs and other citizens, who could afford a home there. Coyoacan looks like a vacation zone even now – its atmosphere of holiday, joy and cheer makes the mood go up.

Coyoacan is full of small and middle sized parks. If you just keep walking around, you will encounter at least 3 or 4 parks. Also, another thing that Coyoacan is famous for is its colorful bright streets. The colorful streets of Coyoacan were the reason we decided to do a small photo session there. Just look at the streets. There are so fabulous!

How to get to Coyoacan?

Interested how to get to Coyoacan? Even though Coyoacan gets really crowded during the weekends – it’s not so easy to get there. If you take the metro, you’ll have to walk quite a lot to the centre of Coyoacan, Jardin Centenario (the one with the statue of coyotes). Alternatively, you could take a bus or even a minibus. 

The easiest way of getting to Coyoacan is by car, but then again, there are not many parking lots there. I was always lucky to be there every day because I actually lived there, but that’s another story. I always take Uber in Mexico – it’s cheap and safe, so I would definitely recommend getting an Uber to Coyoacan.

Best place to go in Mexico City. Things to do in Coyoacan, Mexico City

We also took our wedding photos in Coyoacan (here’s the post about our wedding in Mexico). Our wedding took place in the afternoon, but quite early – at 1:30 pm, so once the makeup and hair were finished, we rushed to the streets of Coyoacan to take few shots with our photographer. He took some really awesome photos during our special day. I will probably tell you about my wedding in one of the next posts.

[vc_message style=”round” message_box_color=”success” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-check”]If you’re interested, what camera do I use to take photos, I have two: Sony A7 III with Samyang 35 mm prime lens (super flat and tiny) and Sony A6000.[/vc_message]

Best place to go in Mexico City. Things to do in Coyoacan, Mexico City

Where to stay in Coyoacan?

If you’re wondering, where to stay in Coyoacan, don’t worry, there are plenty of great hotels, guesthouses and apartments. Staying in Coyoacan is really affordable and as I already mentioned, Coyoacan is one of the safest districts in Mexico city, so you can definitely stay there.

Some great hotels I’d recommend: Suites Los Camilos, Casa Coyoacan, Finca Coyoacan.

Alternatively, you can look for an Airbnb apartment. 

What is there to do in Coyoacan? Well, apart from parks colourful streets, there are plenty of things you could do in Coyoacan, Mexico City.

Safest district in Mexico City

What to see and things to do in Coyoacan:

1. Head to the artisan market near Jardin Centenario

At this market, you can buy goods from around the world. The best thing, however, is the local goods – various exotic Mexican drinks like non-alcoholic Pulque (the one Aztecs used to drink a lot, though something tells me that there preferring the alcoholic version), super foamy cocoa, various home made mezcals and many other things. You can also try various Mexican sweets & candies.

2. Take a tour around Coyoacan in the famous red bus.

Not sure where to go? Just take this tour bus and see all the landmarks and interesting spots of Coyoacan during the excursion. Some other tours to take in the area – guided Coyoacan tour. 
Best place to go in Mexico City. Things to do in Coyoacan, Mexico City

3. Head to the food market & buy some local candies

It’s hard to explain where exactly this market is, but just try to ask a local, they will point you where to go. Once you’ll start getting closer, you won’t miss the market. There you can find anything: from various exotic fruits, you probably haven’t seen before, to a huge variety of Mexican chili and tamarind candies. There are also plenty of cheap places to try Mexican food & and one of the best churros I’ve tried in my life – churros filled with condensed milk.

4. Try an “elote” with mayo and tajin (YUM!)

There are some stalls on the streets of Coyoacan, which sell the typical Mexican corn (elotes) covered by mayo and tajin. If you are risky enough, you can ask to make it spicier, with some chili powder. In case you’re in the mood for some proper snacks, buy a back of chips for 15 pesos. These chips were the best I tried in my entire life: and their secret is very easy – add lime to everything.

5. Visit the cultural house (Casa de Cultura Jesus Reyes)

…and take a photo with the statue of Frida Kahlo and Diego Ribera. This house is a perfect place to chill and relax from walking around Coyoacan.

Best place to go in Mexico City. Things to do in Coyoacan, Mexico City

6. Go to one of the impressive churches in Coyoacan

Just sneak a peek at what’s inside to see how impressive the Mexican churches and cathedrals are!

Best place to go in Mexico City. Things to do in Coyoacan, Mexico City

7. Visit the museum of Frida Kahlo

If you’re a fan or an admirer of Frida’s talent, this museum is a must for you. The museum is called the Blue House and you can check the entrance fee and the opening time on the official website (here).

8. Take a look at the house of Leo Trotsky

He lived here his last years. In case you’re interested in his story or are amused by history, you won’t be disappointed. It’s currently a museum as well and it usually works from 10 am to 5 pm. 

9. Dine in one of the famous restaurants of Coyoacan

There are plenty of international restaurants: Uruguayan, Chinese, Argentinian, Japanese. There’s even a fondue place. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of Mexican food in Mexico (I love it outside Mexico, though) you’ll find something you will like for sure.

10. Have a drink in one of the bars of Coyoacan

Coyoacan is really famous for its bars: people come to drink there from all the parts of Mexico City. From the fancy and proper bars and cervecerias in Jardin Centenario to some small and cheap local bars, Coyoacan has everything. Try a “michelada con clamato” in La Cerveceria del Barrio, it’s a beer with a special clamato juice, you’ll either love it or hate it!

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Best place to go in Mexico City. Things to do in Coyoacan, Mexico City
 

31 thoughts on “Best place to go in Mexico City & Amazing things to do in Coyoacan”

  1. Very vibrant and informative post. Guess have to add this beautiful city ti my bucketlist too. Btw, lovely pictures and congratulations on ur wedding. Would love to read about your Mexican wedding. πŸ™‚

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  2. I will be honest. I’ve always wanted to go to see Mexico but it hasn’t been at the absolute top of my list until quite recently. I made a few Mexican friends at a long layover at an airport. Their stories, photographs and experiences made me long to see their version of paradise. Now all that is left is to figure out finances, leave, visas… The logistics! Sigh! If only we could travel without all the weight of the paper work!

    Really loved your post. I will probably use it to convince my husband!

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    • Thanks for your comment, Penny!
      It’s very easy to visit Mexico, almost nobody requires a visa πŸ™‚ I hope you manage to convince your husband!

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    • Thanks a lot, Inge πŸ™‚ Well, honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of Frida Kahlo, so I haven’t, but I know people who did and they really loved it!

      Reply
  3. Wow its so colourful and I love your skirt! So vibrant and really matches the vibe there. I’d love to visit the Frida Kahlo museum.

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  4. I’m writing up my guide to CoyoacΓ‘n as we speak! How cool that you loved the place too and took photos in your wedding dress in the central square πŸ™‚ Are you based in Mexico?

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    • Haha, really? It’s a great coincidence πŸ™‚ Thanks a lot! I’m based in the UK, but my husband is from Mexico and he used to live on this square πŸ™‚

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  5. I really love how you bring yourself into your post through your pictures. It really tells a fascinating story about your adventure. Great post!

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  6. I LOVE your skirt! My friend lives in Mexico City & I believe this is where she took me for a fancy dinner & nice drinks. I’ll be back there in a few months so I’m definitely going to refer back to this post then!

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    • Thanks a lot! It could totally be this place πŸ™‚ Did you remember a huge church and many colourful buildings? Then it’s Coyoacan, most probably πŸ™‚

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  7. Coyoacan sounds (and looks!) like such a beautiful place, not at all what comes to mind when thinking about one of the largest cities in the World πŸ™‚

    Happy continued travels!
    C

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  8. I love how colorful this city looks, and I love your colorful skirt! That’s so cool that Mexico City has its own navigation app – will have to download that when I get a chance to go. It definitely looks like a vibrant city with lots to do – I hope to visit one day.

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  9. WHATS CHEAPEST WAY TO BOOK A FLIGHT TO GET TO Mexico City ? From there what would be the best transportation to Cancun ? I’m leaving on June I would appreciate any feed back

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    • Hi Jennifer. The cheapest would be flying to Cancun with Condor or TUI. Flight to Mexico City are always quite expensive. Cancun is far away from Mexico City, so taking a flight is necessary, however, internal flights are pretty cheap (less than $100)

      Reply
  10. Hi Lisa. We are going to stay for a few days here. What is the best way to see the =Kahlo house guided or just on our own? Do we need tickets ahead of time? We are just there for about 3 days

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    • SOrry another question. Would a taxi be a smart thing form the Mex airport? haven’t done Ubers, I hear you need a cell phone and just not sure about the whole thing.

      Reply

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