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Mexico City Travel Guide

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Mexico City Travel Guide
Table of Contents


I. Viva Mexico City!

Mexico City History .................................................................................. 2
Free Time .............................................................................................. 2
Travel to Mexico .......................................................................................
Air Transportation within Mexico................................................... ......... .....
Departure ..............................................................................................
Where to Stay...........................................................................................
Restaurants ............................................................................................
3
3
3
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3
What to Wear and Weather Considerations..........................................................
Crime and Safety .....................................................................................
4
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Taxis......................................................................................................
Money and Banking ...................................................................................
4
5
Tipping .................................................................................................. 5
Mobile and Public Phones ........................................................................... 5
Local and International Phone Calls .............................................................. 5


II. Health and Emergencies

General Health Tips ................................................................................. 5
In the Event of a Medical Emergency ............................................................ 6
Nearby Hospitals ..................................................................................... 6
Contact Information ................................................................................. 6



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I. Viva Mexico City!

Mexico City History
Mexico City, otherwise known as el Distrito Federal, is the capital of Mexico and the nations economic, cultural and
industrial center. Situated on what was originally a lake in the Valley of Mexico, 2,240 meters (7,349 ft) above sea
level, the city was constructed on the ruins of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitln, conquered by the Spanish Hernn
Cortes in 1521. In the modern city you can still see the remnants of that conquest in the form of the Metropolitan
Cathedral and National Palace, constructed by the Spanish but situated on top of the Aztec Templo Mayor and built
out of volcanic rock taken from Aztec ruins.

Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821 after eleven years of fighting. However, it lost almost half of its
territorial holdings to the United States during the Mexican-American war of 1846-1848. The climactic final battle of
that war took place at Chapultepec Castle in Chapultepec Park. Conflict continued in the 1860s when Mexico was
invaded by the French in retribution for unpaid debts. After the invasion, a group of conservatives within the
country arranged to have an Austrian emperor, Maximilian III, installed as the head of the Mexican government. He
was deposed and executed in 1868 by armies led by Benito Jurez of Oaxaca.

The brief period of peace brought about by Jurez was shattered by a revolt against the government in 1876, led by
Porfirio Diaz, a former general in the war against the French. Diaz would eventually come to power in 1877 as the
first formally elected president in Mexican history. Unfortunately, he would also stay in power for the next thirty
years. Diaz is a controversial figure in Mexican history, a Augustinian style dictator who was in many ways
responsible for the economic development of the nation and especially the Distrito Federal (many of the ornate,
European style buildings you see around the city were constructed during Diazs reign, often called the
Porfiriato), but who also allowed for unfair social stratification and extreme poverty amongst people living in the
countryside. His decision to hold elections in 1910, followed by the subsequent imprisonment of his sole opponent
and massive election fraud sparked the Mexican Revolution of 1910.

The twentieth century was a time of tremendous growth for Mexico City, which benefitted from the Porfiriato and
managed to remain relatively undamaged by the Revolution. As the population grew, the city spread outwards in
what is often called la Mancha Urbana, or the Urban Stain. Many neighborhoods now considered a central part of
the city, such as Condesa and Coyoacan (the artist Frida Khalos hometown), were actually once small suburbs and
even separate pueblos on its outskirts. They were absorbed into the city proper over the course of the early 1900s.

While the 1950s were characterized by what is often called the Mexican Economic Miracle, the 1960s were a time of
upheaval here just as they were around the world. The metro system that you see today was constructed in
preparation for the 1968 Olympics, but that same Olympics led to the infamous massacre of hundreds of student
protesters in the plaza of Tlatelolco on October 2, 1968. Between 1960 and 1980, the citys population doubled,
expanding the borders of the Distrito Federal. As people poured into the city from the countryside, shantytowns
sprung up around the edges of the valley and environmental issues such as air pollution, water and waste disposal
became and continue to be serious concerns.

Today, Mexico City is one of if not the most vibrant urban centers in Latin America. While the city must handle
serious social and environmental issues, it is full of life and buzzing with culture. The city government hosts huge
public art and music events; shuts down the largest avenue in the city every Sunday for use by pedestrians and
bikers; and has installed a Rapid Bus Transit system that is on the global forefront of efficient and environmentally
sound public transportation. The city has something for everyone and we hope that during your brief time here
youll get to experience as much of it as possible.

Sources: 1) Krauze, Enrique. Mexico: Biography of Power. Harper, 1998. 2) Eakin, Marshall C. The History of Latin America.
Macmillan, 2007. 3) Historia de la Ciudad de Mexico, www.df.gob.mx/index.jsp 4)

Free Time
Mexico City is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Latin America. There is a wealth of sites to visit and, even
though on a map the Distrito Federal may look impossibly large, most of it is quite accessible through affordable,
modern and efficient public transportation. However, trains and buses here can be very crowded and you must be
careful with your belongings. The Metro (subway) covers most of the city and there are numerous green and white
buses or micros that run on all major roads. In addition, there are Metrobuses (i.e. the rapid bus transit system),
large buses that run in lanes reserved only for their use on a few of the major avenues in the city. Because they
have their own lane, these buses are often the fastest above ground means of transport.

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If you are interested in site seeing while you are here, we encourage you to visit the sites listed below. Visit
www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/mexico-city for details.

1) Paseo de la Reforma
2) The Zcalo
3) Catedral Nacional
4) Palcio Nacional
5) Templo Mayor
6) Bosque de Chapultepec (Castillo de Chapultepec,
Museo Nacional de la Antropologia)
7) Bellas Artes
8) Alameda Central
9) Xochimilco
10) Basilica de Guadalupe
11) Museo Nacional de Antropologa
12) Plaza Garibaldi
13) Lucha Libre, Arena Mxico

Travel to Mexico
Flights should be purchased to the Benito Jurez International Airport (MEX) in Mexico City. If you allow porters to
carry your bags for you upon exiting customs, negotiate the price beforehand - $10-20 pesos per bag. There is a
window in the airport that sells authorized taxi rides. Sitio 300 is one of the most affordable authorized taxi
companies at the airport. If you are not travelling with a group, make sure they assign you a car instead of a van,
regardless of how much luggage you have. There are two types of taxis at these windows: regular service and
executive service. The regular service will cost about $150 Mexican pesos (MXN) from the airport to Colonia
Cuauhtemoc/Jurez. The executive service is considerably more expensive; up to $350 MXN. Be sure to specify the
service you would like and check the price before purchasing. After paying you will receive a ticket which you will
present to the airport taxis waiting outside. Sitio 300 taxis have a yellow stripe and airplane on the side. You should
never solicit a taxi outside of the airport without paying inside first.

Air Transportation within Mexico
Aeromexico is Mexicos largest airline and is known for reliable service, but it can be expensive. More affordable yet
limited options are available on discount carriers Volaris (www.volaris.com.mx) and Interjet
(www.interjet.com.mx). Additionally, some smaller cities are only accessible through Aeromar
(www.aeromar.com.mx) Youll find these airlines on sites such as www.kayak.com or www.despegar.com Keep in
mind when searching Mexican airline websites that taxes and fees can be up to 40% of the total ticket price and may
not appear immediately in the flight search results; usually you will need to click through a few steps before seeing
the total ticket price.

Departure
Regardless of your departure date, the best method for returning to the airport is by taxi and do consider that,
depending on the day and time that you depart, it could take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour or more to get
to the airport. If you are traveling on a weekday or on Saturday, especially during rush hour (7:00-10:00am, 2:00-
4:00 pm, and 6:00-10:00pm), we encourage you to plan for the full hour to get to the airport. While hotels do have
a taxi service, it is likely more expensive than the local taxi stand (sitio taxi), which the hotel concierge will be
happy to call for you.

Where to Stay
We recommend you stay in or around the most central colonias that give you easy access to all the others. Polanco,
Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec, Cuauhtmoc, Roma Norte, and Condesa have many hotels, easy access to public
transportation, and are safe. Lonely Planet and Kayak, will give you listings of accommodations in Mexico City.
Popular hotels are: Sheraton Maria Isabel Reforma, Mariott Reforma, JW Mariott Polanco, Hotel Presidente
Intercontinental Polanco, The W Hotel Polanco, Hotel Geneve, and Holiday Inn Express (Reforma, Zona Rosa).

Restaurants
In Mexico City, lunch is usually served between 1:00-3:00 and dinner is usually served late, between 8:00-9:00 pm.
Mexican cuisine is one of the most diverse and interesting in the world, so if youd like to be adventurous, you
should explore and search out interesting restaurants. Prices will vary greatly depending on the neighborhood.
Below is a list of some well-known and well-reviewed (if pricey) restaurants.
La Hacienda de Los Morales
(International/Mexican)
Juan Vzquez de Mella 525
Col. Del Bosque
Tel. 5283-3054 / 3055
Thai Gardens
Caldern de la Barca 72
Col. Polanco
Tel. 5281-3850 / 3856

Vegetarian Option:
La Buena Tierra
Anatole France 120
Col. Polanco
Tel. 5281-2324

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Los Almendros
(Mexican/Yucatecan)
Campos Eliseos 164
Col. Polanco
Tel. 5531-6646 / 7307

Les Moustaches
(French)
Ro Sena 88
Col. Cuauhtmoc
Tel. 5533-3390 / 5525-1265

El Yug
Puebla 326-6
Col. Roma
Tel. 5553-3872

Izote
(Contemporary Mexican)
Presidente Masaryk 513
Col. Polanco
Tel. 5280-1671 / 1265

Pujol
(Mexican, highly recommended)
Francisco Petrarca 254
Col. Polanco
Tel. 5545-4111 / 3507

Kosher Option:
El Gaucho
(Argentinean)
37 Temstocles
Col. Polanco


What to Wear and Weather Considerations
In general terms, dress in Mexico is more formal than in the U.S. Casual dress for Mexico may include jeans, but can
commonly mean a skirt for women and a jacket for men. Semi-formal is usually a cocktail dress or suit. Younger
people (teenager to 25 years) will be more relaxed in their dress. Wearing shorts is still not common in Mexico. We
recommend leaving your jewelry at home when exploring new areas.

The weather in Mexico City is relatively consistent throughout the year and can be divided into two seasons: rainy
season (May-October) and dry (November to April) season. With an elevation of 7,349 feet (2,240 meters), Mexico
City is quite cool in the winter months (November to February) and can get very cold at night. However, year round,
morning and evenings can be chilly, so it is advisable to pack layers. The average temperature is around 65 F (18.3
C), with highs into the mid 70s (23 C) and lows into the 50s (10C).

Crime and Safety
Mexico City, as in all major cities in the world, is subject to the frequent occurrence of petty theft. For that
reason, we recommend that you exercise the following precautions appropriate to any large city:

Carry only copies of your passport, visa, etc; losing a copy of a document is less of a problem than losing the
original. Do keep in mind that cashiers often request to see a drivers license or other ID when paying with a
credit card.
Keep your wallet in a front pocket and never leave your purse, camera or backpack unattended, especially in
crowed areas.
Never leave briefcases, purses or personal computers unattended in public areas.
Women should carry only essentials in their purses and grip them securely at all times.
Men and women should exercise caution when riding the buses or subways.
Never flash large amounts of money and only carry the amount you will be spending each day. Try not to carry
credit cards. When using an ATM be sure that it is located in a safe place and, at night, we recommend using
ATMs in malls or supermarkets or other public, indoor spaces.

Taxis
Everyone is strongly advised to avoid taking roving type taxis due to the possibility of taxi robberies and assaults.
Only use taxis operating from established taxi stands, called sitios, or hotels. When traveling to and from your
hotel, you can use either the taxi service available through the concierge desk or you can call a Sitio Taxi located
close to the hotel. The taxi service through the concierge will be more expensive than the sitio service. One
recommended sitio is Taxi Radio Mex: 55 5574-3368. The driver should start the taximetro (taxi meter) when you
pull away or tell you roughly how much your trip should cost if charging per kilometer or zone. When not charged by
a taxi meter, ask a local how much your trip should cost, and then negotiate the price if necessary before leaving
for your destination. General words of wisdom for taking taxis in Mexico City:

Do not flag down taxis on the street.
Walk to the nearest sitio or call to send a taxi to your location.
When entering a taxi, note the taxi number, the drivers name, and a physical description of the driver. Each
licensed driver is required to clearly display a photo identification card.
Pay attention to your surroundings. Indicators that you are being targeted for theft include another vehicle or
taxi following your vehicle, a driver that appears to be taking a roundabout route, your taxi goes into an

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unfamiliar neighborhood, or your taxi driver slows down and appears to be trying to spot someone on the
street.

For information on public transportation, please view the Free Time section of this document.

Money and Banking
Credit cards are used throughout Mexico although not extensively. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), called cajeros
in Spanish, are common in the capital. Prior to arrival, you should obtain a list of corresponding Mexican banks on
your ATM network. Most major ATM cards will allow you to withdraw Mexican pesos from your account; however, it
is recommended that you check if a fee for this service will be charged. Although major credit cards are accepted in
Mexico, the economy is still largely cash only and you should not expect to be able to pay with a credit or debit card
everywhere you go.

The following are major banks currently operating in Mexico:
Banamex: www.banamex.com
HSBC: www.hsbc.com.mx
Banorte: www.banorte.com
Santander: www.santander-serfin.com
Bancomer: www.bancomer.com.mx
Scotiabank: www.scotiabankinverlat.com.mx

Tipping
In regular restaurants, ten percent is the normal tipping amount while 15-20 percent can be expected in more
upscale establishments. Here are a few examples:

Restaurant: 10-20%, depending on the restaurant and the service.
Hotel porter/bell boy: $10 pesos.
Taxi drivers will not expect a tip, but will accept one if you offer it.

Mobile and Public Phones
Many U.S. cell phone providers have networks that function in Mexico, although international roaming charges will
apply. If you would like to use your personal cell phone, call your provider and ask them if their network includes
Mexico and if you can upgrade to an international roaming plan for your stay here.

Public phones will require often phone cards, which can be purchased from most convenience stores in Mexico.
We recommend the blue and yellow Tarjeta Ladatel, which you can find in most convenience stores, including those
in the airport. The cards come in even denominations and, unless you will are making frequent phone calls, a $50
peso card should be enough.

Local and International Calls
When making local calls between landlines in Mexico City, you will dial eight digit numbers. However, if you call
from a landline to a local cell phone, you will have to place a 044 55 before that 8 digit number; when calling
from a landline to a long-distance cell phone, you will have to dial 045 and the citys area code before the number.
When making international calls, dial 00 + country code + area code + number; for example, to call the U.S. dial 001
+ area code + number. For dialing assistance, go to www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/dialing.html.

II. Health and Emergencies

General Health Hints
Unless clearly marked as potable or you see a functioning filter, do not drink water from the tap. When dining
in respectable establishments, ice cubes will almost always come from purified water but, if in doubt, ask for
your drinks without ice and always ask for bottled water.
Avoid salads, raw vegetables and fruit that you cannot peel yourself. Again, in respectable dining
establishments, fruits and vegetables will be washed and disinfected before they are served. Feel free to ask
your waiter before ordering.
Because Mexico City is 2,240 m (7,349 ft) above sea level you may feel dizzy when you first arrive. To help your
body adjust, drink lots of fluids (bottled water, juices, etc.), eat light meals (especially in the evenings), limit
your alcoholic beverages, get lots of sleep, and avoid vigorous exercise.

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In the Event of a Medical Emergency
If you have an emergency, your hotels front desk can help you make arrangements to call a medical specialist or go
to a nearby hospital. Please use the contact information and list of hospitals below. If you have to go to an
emergency room, please bear in mind that you will likely be asked to present payment information before being
attended, so bring a credit card with you.

Nearby Hospitals
The following hospitals are a few that have the capacity to attend English speaking patients. The ABC and Spanish
hospitals are private and the Red Cross is free.

American British Cowdray Hospital (ABC Hospital)
Calle Sur 136, on corner of Avenida Observatorio
Col. Las Americas
(opposite the American School)
Tel. 5230-80-00; 5515-83-59
Emergency: 5230-81-61

Hospital Espaol
Av. Ejrcito Nacional No. 613
Col. Granada
Tel. 5255-96-00
Tel. 5255-96-45
Cruz Roja (Red Cross)
Ejercito Nacional 1032
Col. Polanco
Tel. 5395-11-11
Emergency: 065
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City has extensive lists of
hospitals and doctors on their website:
http://mexico.usembassy.gov


Contact Information


























Emergency Contact Numbers

EducationUSA Mexico City
Emergencies: 066 or 061

IIE/EducationUSA: (55) 5080-2801
Red Cross: 065 or 5395-1111


Fire Department: 068 or 5768-3700


EducationUSA.state.gov
Mexico City Travel Guide