free things to do in Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico. A huge city with lots of things to do! Talk to any tour agent and they will recommend so many different tours and sites to you – from ruins, to boat tours, to museums. And all of those are amazing sites because there is so much history here. Being on a budget though I didn’t want to spend that much money each day so I did mostly only free activities during my time in Mexico. It saves money plus you generally get a better feel for the city if you don’t just ride around in tour busses. So if you’re looking for some free activities, below are my favorites 🙂

Shop around at local markets: this is one of my favorite things to do in Mexico. There are so many markets everywhere and they are all different and unique in their own way. So don’t think you’ve checked markets off of your list just because you’ve been to one. I could probably spend all week going to different markets around the city and not get tired of it. My favorite markets in Mexico City were the Market of Coyoacán and the Jamaica Mercado de Flores. Coyoacán is a nice neighborhood and the market is also very nice! I’ve also found it to be a bit more organized (or less chaotic) than some of the other markets I’ve been to in Mexico. They sell everything from crafts to food and it’s a very colorful place where I could spend hours wandering around. The Jamaican Market is a bit more chaotic but just as fun and worth seeing! This one is known for its flowers. There’s a whole section just for florals – plants, bouquets, arrangements, and anything else you can make out of flowers is being sold here. I always wonder who’s going to buy all these flowers before they go bad (there’s so many flower booths!) but it’s amazing what they put together. There’s also food, crafts, souvenirs sold here – it’s a huge market so be prepared to get lost.

Visit the city’s many parks – talking about parks: one of the most pleasant surprises about visiting Mexico City was, that is was a lot greener than I had expected. It’s a massive city so I was prepared for crowds, noise, and concrete. But the city has so many green spaces, parks, and avenues lined with trees that it is actually very nice to just hang out in the city. The park around the Chapultepec Castle (not sure what the park called to be honest but you’ll find it) is the biggest one and definitely worth a visit. The castle is also super pretty but unfortunately not free to visit. Another nice park is the Parque Mexico. Head out there with a snack of stop at a street food cart and just chill in a green oasis in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world. Plus a visit to the park is always a great opportunity for people watching – and who doesn’t love that 😉

Take a stroll through Chinatown – Okay, this one may seem a bit random but I actually really enjoyed Chinatown in Mexico City. It’s not an all-day activity because it’s really just one street… But it’s fun to look around and try some Chinese food for a change. I also find it very interesting how each country and place kind of has their own take on Chinatowns – many cities have a Chinatown but they’re all unique with their own local touch. In Mexico City for example, you’ll see quite a few taquerias in Chinatown for example (guess Mexicans just can’t go without their tacos 🙂 ).

Take in the view from a rooftop bar – Lastly, you should definitely head on out to a rooftop bar to enjoy a different perspective and full view of the city. Especially in the evening, as the lights start turning on, it’s so impressive to see just how far the city goes, in all directions, up into the surrounding mountains. I was lucky to stay at a hostel right in the historic center that had a rooftop bar at the top with great views of the Cathedral, the Mirador Toore Latino skyscraper and view over the city up towards the mountains (Mundo Joven hostel at the Zocalo). You can also go to the bar even if you don’t stay there, so that might be worth a trip for you. And if not, there’s plenty of other rooftop bars to choose from.

This pretty much sums up my activities in Mexico City. Of course, visiting the tourist spots and museums is always a good idea to learn more about the city. But if you’re like me and just like to explore and get to know a city from a less touristic point of view, give some of these recommendations a try 🙂