Mexico City: Ancient Temples of Teotihuacan, Food Tours and More

There are the vacations you plan for, and then there are the vacations that take you a bit by surprise.

For years, we have expended a lot of energy meticulously planning vacations that have taken us to destinations all over the world. Limited vacation days have proven to be a great motivator for strategically using our time when we’re on the road, and because we typically have several months between purchasing flights and departing on them, we maximize our planning just as much as we do our time on the ground. Our trip to Mexico City was the exact opposite of typical: it came together in days instead of months, but we didn’t compromise on any of the goals we had for a short weekend in one of the world’s most vibrant cities.

Each year, Adam’s employer offers the team a day out of the office to volunteer for an environmentally friendly cause. Adam decided to meet a few colleagues at Virginia’s Natural Bridge on a Saturday morning to pick up trash along the trails and by the riverbeds, and since the event was on a weekend, I decided to join the team. Because Adam’s experience required him to use a weekend day, he was offered a flexible vacation day that had to be used before the end of June. Not one to pass up on a bonus vacation day—especially since I felt I earned one, too! —we immediately started researching long weekend destinations. To our surprise, Mexico City had affordable flights that worked perfectly with our time restrictions. The catch: we needed to leave the following week. That was a challenge we were more than willing to accept.

Despite its relative proximity to our home near Washington, DC, we had never moved Mexico City to the top of our vacation list. After two quick days there, we now realize we should have prioritized it years ago. Mexico City is a world-class food city, an architectural dream, and a connection to some of the planet’s most interesting and important history. If you have just two days to see Mexico City, you have enough time to enjoy some of the city’s best highlights.

Day 1: The Ancient City of Teotihuacan

We arrived at our hotel late in the day on Thursday, which meant Friday was our first full day in Mexico City. With just two days available to us, we prioritized a day trip to our number one destination: Teotihuacan.

Teotihuacan: A Brief History of the Ancient Empire near Mexico City

Just about one hour outside of Mexico City, the UNESCO World Heritage site predates the country’s capital—in fact, it predates almost everything else in the region. The first human settlements date to 600 BCE, when approximately 6,000 people lived in villages. Over the next 1,000 years, that number swelled to 100,000, making Teotihuacan the sixth largest city in the world at that time and one of the most influential cities in Mesoamerica.

Teotihuacan was likely founded to consolidate power, influence regional trade, and provide a central location for religious and political authority. The city’s economy was based on extensive trade networks, stretching across Mesoamerica, with obsidian being one of its most prized exports. It also boasted a diverse population, including ethnic groups from different regions, with a sophisticated class structure of elites, priests, artisans, and laborers who lived in various neighborhoods throughout the city.

Teotihuacan is best known for its architecture, and several key structures were built in quick succession, including the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, the Palacio de Quetzalpapalotl, and the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent. Most structures were built between 100 and 450 CE; however, just 300 years later, the city mysteriously collapsed. While scholars speculate that internal social unrest, drought, resource depletion, or invasions may have been responsible, the only clear fact is that the city’s fall was sudden and swift. As the centuries passed, the site was inhabited by other groups, including the Aztecs. It has also been extensively excavated and studied over the centuries as historians and archaeologists work to uncover the truth behind the city’s origins and demise.

Visiting Teotihuacan from Mexico City

Our morning visit to Teotihuacan was worth the early alarm clock; standing at the entrance, we enjoyed a view of the pyramids that was almost entirely void of other travelers. For the first hour, the sun was strong but the temperatures were cool, and following our guide up stairs and down streets wasn’t nearly as taxing as it would have been with more heat and humidity. Our first stop at Templo de Quetzalcóatl left us in awe of the carvings and steepness of the stone blocks that we climbed to get to the top, where the temple itself looked moody under gray clouds. Not long after we descended and walked down the Calle de los Muertos, or the Avenue of the Dead, we were greeted by bright blue skies—and the heat that accompanied them. While clear skies over such an ominously named road was a bonus, there road was never as macabre as it sounds; Avenue of the Dead earned its name when people thought the ruins that lined it were tombs. It’s more likely that the ruins are from residential homes, not graves.

Our walk took us past the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, both of which were impressive to see as we learned about the excavations taking place within and below them. The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in Mexico and one of the largest in the world. As many as 14,000 people may have helped to build it, and it likely served as a ceremonial spot as well as a monument dedicated to the sun. The Pyramid of the Moon, which is smaller than its counterpart but built on higher ground so they appear to be similarly sized, includes a platform honoring the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan. The Temple of Quetzalpapalotl was a surprise to us as well as a quick favorite; full of paintings and carvings, it gave us our best look at the cultural inspiration left behind after Teotihuacan’s rapid ascent and equally rapid decline.

As our visit progressed, the crowds of people became more noticeable, especially as some of the larger bus tours arrived. We were glad to be finishing our time there as many of the other tourists started to crowd the space. Whether you plan to visit on your own or with a guide, an early arrival should offer more time to explore before the crowds impact your experience.

While the sights above ground are incredible, we were thrilled that our tour also took us to some of the sights below ground as well. Beneath terra firma, a series of tunnels and caves stretches out, just tall enough and wide enough to explore comfortably. We put on hard hats and spent some time walking through the tunnels aided by flashlights, occasionally reaching a patch of sunlight shining down from a hole above. Interestingly, no one knows the origins of the caves and tunnels. While they were very intentionally created, their purpose is yet another of Teotihuacan’s mysteries.

One last fun note: our tour of Teotihuacan and the tunnels was a big highlight for us, and before heading back to Mexico City, we enjoyed a truly great lunch at a little restaurant not far from the pyramids. Not all day tours include lunch, and when they do, they are often at touristy spots with low quality food. Our four-course meal included delicious tortilla soup, an amazing mole enchilada, and an incredible chicken dish—all served with mini margarita pairings. Dessert, a horchata cake with spicy Mexican hot chocolate, was equally delectable. When selecting a tour, it’s always a good idea to understand whether a meal is included, but it can be difficult to discern whether the food will be good. We were incredibly lucky to have not just a meal, but a memorable one.

One Last Stop: Museo Nacional de Antropología

We returned from Teotihuacan with just enough time to squeeze in one more activity, so we took a quick Uber ride to the Museo Nacional de Antropología. We’re both good history students, and we knew the museum was an unmissable stop for us. We really appreciated how the space focused not just on some of the more well-known and studied populations, including the Teotihuacanos, Mexica, and Mayans, but also to some of the smaller and less known people and cultures as well.

A few Museum highlights included:

The Stone of the Sun, which is a nationally beloved relic carved by the Mexica and used to represent their understanding of the creation of the world;
A reconstruction of the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, which connected to the Teotihuacan sites we had visited just hours before;
The San Lorenzo Colossal Head 2, a giant Olmec head that towered over us at more than 8 feet tall, was likely carved between 1200 and 900 BCE. The Olmec heads, which are very different from the Moai we saw on Easter Island, are thought to represent rulers and were part of the Olmec cultural center at San Lorenzo, located in the present-day Mexican state of Veracruz.

We spent a few hours at the museum, and it would be easy to spend half a day or longer exploring each of the exhibits (and appreciating the air conditioning!) for visitors with even more time. Tickets are on the inexpensive side, making the stop feel like a bargain if you extend your visit. We stayed until just before closing time, when we made our way back to our hotel to rest up for the second full day in our Mexico City long weekend adventure.

Day 2: Mexico City by Foot

If our first day in Mexico City was about nourishing our minds through the lens of history, the second day in Mexico City was about nourishing our bodies through food.

We took an Uber from our hotel in Roma Norte to El Centro, Mexico City’s historical center. It was quiet when we arrived just before 10 in the morning, although it wouldn’t stay that way. We met our guide, Ana, in front of a local restaurant, where she gave us our first introduction to authentic Mexican food.

My knowledge of Mexican cuisine runs deeper than the USA’s beloved Tex Mex, but beyond tacos and enchiladas I knew very little of what locals might enjoy eating—especially for breakfast. Before ordering our first meal, we were treated to what could only be described as coffee theater. After receiving cups with a single shot of espresso, our server arrived tableside with a giant pitcher of steaming hot milk, which he ceremoniously poured into each cup. From there, plate after plate of food arrived, and we had the chance to try mollettes, motuleños, and pastries as we sipped our coffee. Breakfast was filling, satisfying, and a perfect introduction to Mexico City’s approach to the most important meal of the day. I would have been more than happy to be done eating—but there was still much more to try.

Our next stop took us to a juice stall that felt far from where the tourists were. There, we each selected a fruit that was freshly juiced in front of us for us to enjoy as we continued our tour. Although many US travelers (and others from around the world) have been conditioned to avoid fresh foods in places like Mexico, our guide assured us everything we tried was made with clean water, and we had no issues with anything we ate or drank—including the juice.

The food continued to flow, progressing to delicious street tacos to an indescribably good molecajete with steak, chicken, and vegetables. The restaurants Ana selected were among her favorites; no stop was filled with tourists, and none offered English menus. Most seemed to be family run establishments that catered to people looking for a specific type of Mexican cuisine. We truly appreciated the differences between what we call Mexican food at home compared to what we ate while in Mexico City. Ingredients tasted fresher, and nothing was layered in the yellow and white cheese blend so many people believe is representative of Mexican cooking. By the time we reached our final stop, a local bar where we sampled a few tequilas and toasted to a great walk, we wished we could replace our Tex Mex options with more of the cuisine we enjoyed on the tour.

One Last Stop: Sears Centro Histórico

That’s right: our last stop of the day was Sears. We weren’t there to shop, though; we were there for coffee and a view.

One of Mexico City’s most famous sites is the Palacio de Bellas Artes, an art museum that is best appreciated from above. We took the elevator to the top of Sears and spent some time at the store’s café, where over coffee and a Chai tea we admired the view. If you’re hoping for a great photo or a quick break from the crowds, you might want to consider a beverage with a view. Although there’s often a line to get into the café, it does move quickly. If you do want to get a picture of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, you’ll need to spend a few pesos on a beverage or snack to gain access to the open-air balcony.

A Few Mexico City Travel Tips

If you’re planning a trip to Mexico City, consider these tips before you pack.

► Be aware of the altitude

Mexico City sits at 7,300 feet, or 2,200 meters, which is high enough that some travelers may experience altitude sickness. I struggle with altitude (our trip to Machu Picchu and Bolivia was tough!), so you may want to take care to hydrate or move at a slower pace. A long weekend won’t afford you enough time to properly acclimate, so be prepared to adjust your plans to care for yourself if the altitude is hard on you, too.

► Avoid climbing the pyramids at Teotihuacan

While many of the pyramids were made available for tourists to climb in the past, climbing is currently prohibited at most sites in Teotihuacan. There are plenty of spots for great panoramic photos if you want them, but don’t climb any pyramid that is off limits to tourists.

► Consider Ubers

We found Ubers to be plentiful and very affordable while in Mexico City, and we relied on them for many of our trips. Most drivers did not speak English, but my almost conversational Spanish was more than adequate for small talk, and most drivers seemed more than happy to chauffer us in silence.

► Take a hat and water

It may go without saying, but the sun and heat can be overwhelming, especially at altitude. Take a hat, a water bottle, and any other items that will keep you comfortable while avoiding a sunburn.

Mexico City Tours to Consider

With the very short duration of our trip in mind, we booked two longer tours to help focus our experience and curate activities we knew would be of high interest for us.

We booked our Teotihuacan tour with TuroTours on Viator. Tania was an amazing guide; she provided clear, easy to understand information about each highlight on the itinerary, and she went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a great experience.

More Information: Viator.com

Our Mexico City food tour was conducted by Ana from Culinary Backstreets. Ana brought a great deal of knowledge and enthusiasm to our tour, adding in stops to showcase Mexico City’s history in between snacks. She was so thorough we decided to skip the free walking tour of the city we planned to take that afternoon- her guidance was more than enough!

More Information: TripAdvisor.com

Where to Stay in Mexico City

We booked a three-night stay at the Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel, which is located in a nice neighborhood and features rooms with a view of the Angel de la Independencia. We have nothing but rave reviews for our time there; our room was comfortable and clean, they provided bottles of water for both drinking and brushing our teeth, and breakfast was very tasty.

More Information: Booking.com/sheraton-maria-isabel-towers

Enjoy your Visit to Mexico City!

On Sunday morning, as the sun was rising on Adam and me curled up in airport chairs preparing for our trip home, a familiar voice called out to me. It was our flight attendant from our flight to Mexico City just three days earlier; he recognized us and was surprised to see us heading home so soon. “Did you even have time to see the city?” he asked.

I thought about the sights we had seen, the food we had eaten, and the people we had chatted with during our whirlwind weekend in Mexico City. We would always love more time when we travel; there is always something left on the table that just doesn’t fit into our itineraries. But as far as maximizing our time and experiencing some of Mexico City’s great highlights? There was no question we made the very most of our time.

“Yeah, we saw a few things,” I told our flight attendant with a smile. “We’re pretty good about packing a lot into just a little time.”

And we know you’ll be able to make the most of two days in Mexico City, too.