1. La Ciudad de México
May 2026
Our horrible time in Mexico in 2012 was mostly our fault. We went to Cancun because we had a free week in a resort thanks to my in-laws’ timeshare fiasco. Then, realizing too late that we hate the concept of a city that was built from scratch in the 1970s based on an algorithm designed to attract drunk American tourists (seriously), we decided to leave the resort strip and its Outback Steakhouse to see the Mayan ruins at Chichén Itzá.
The problem is that, being who we are, instead of joining an official tour group we rented a car. Soon after departing Cancun on the only road that connects it to the rest of the country, we were pulled over by heavily armed Federales and forced to cede all of our cash under threat of having our passports confiscated for “speeding.”
All that to say, we returned home in 2012 with a promise to never again visit Mexico. But then Delta expanded its Companion Certificate program (essentially a BOGO ticket offer) to Mexican and Caribbean destinations. Being habitual non-learners from our mistakes, we pounced on yet another discounted vacation south of the border and a chance at Mexican redemption.
Friends who had recently visited Mexico City insisted that the capital represented a different side of the country, defined by culture rather than resorts. So, wary but optimistic, we gave Mexico a second try.
On our first day we rented bicycles to travel the length of Reforma, one of the main arteries of the city, which closes to motor traffic on Sundays. The maps that we pored over in the planning phase came to life as we pedaled with the locals past monuments, fountains, parks, and museums.
Having gained our bearings, we spent the next several days exploring the parts of the city that we had previously cycled. We soaked in the city's striking architecture, from Art Deco and Art Nouveau façades to Spanish buildings, which, while undeniably impressive, also serve as reminders of the country's colonial history.
With more museums than we could possibly visit in a week, choosing where to spend our time became one of the trip's hardest decisions. We focused on museums dedicated to pre-Spanish history (set #3), and museums dedicated to modern art, Frida Kahlo, and Diego Rivera (set #4).
The Metro reaches all corners of the city and is both remarkably easy to master and absurdly inexpensive. Each trip costs only $5 MXN ($0.30 USD). Headways are less than 4 minutes on every line, though even this is too infrequent to prevent overcrowding no matter the time of day.
One of our favorite finds was the Buna coffeeshop in Laguna, an urban oasis of a courtyard with lush plants, art galleries, and an espresso machine store. Despite its gentrified feel, Laguna provided a sharp contrast and much-needed respite from the bustle of the mercados and heat of the Metro.
Of course the other major draw of Mexico City is the food, which was abundant, varied, and spectacular. From street tacos, to Michelin meals, to Michelin street tacos, we were spoiled for choice (set #2).
Perhaps the most important takeaway is that we never felt unsafe, even when seeking food of questionable hygienic standards far outside the tourist quarters. Civilians and police alike were nothing but kind. For example, when we had trouble buying our Metro cards because of the language barrier (to be fair to us, I suspect the kiosk attendant had adopted a Parisian attitude toward non-native speakers), a stranger stepped in to translate.
Between the food, art, culture, and people, we would not hesitate to visit Mexico again, provided we stay far from the algorithmically-perfect resort towns.
Recipes: Classic Cuban Negative, Reggie’s Portra, Vibrant Arizona.
Artistic Direction: My Wife.
Mexico City Photosets:
La Ciudad
Food
Before Spain
Museums
