When my friend invited me to her sister’s wedding in Mexico, I knew I couldn’t say no to an opportunity to finally make a visit to Mexico. I grew up only a couple hours from the border after all! Mexico exceeded my expectations. The culture and food was so colorful and full of flavor that I left the country wanting more.
If want to experience Mexican culture, here a quick, budget-friendly trip in central Mexico.
Mexico City
Airbnb is a great way to go as far as accommodations in Mexico. My friend and I found a charming place in the neighborhood of Portales Norte. It’s a safe neighborhood, but you will not find tourists here. If you want to experience a Mexican neighborhood, this is a quiet and authentic option. The Airbnb was located nearby the busier Coyoacan, which is full of parks and outdoor markets. If you’re looking for some fun souvenirs or window shopping, the Mexican Craft Market is a lively place to explore. This is also within the vicinity of the Frida Kahlo Museum, which is one of Mexico City’s highlights. If Frida Kahlo is within your time frame, be prepared for an hour long line. You may book your tickets ahead of time online, but there will still be an extended wait. I wasn’t able to squeeze this into my trip, but I hear it’s worthwhile.
Uber is a safe and very affordable way of travel within the city. There is plenty of public transportation available if you feel comfortable navigating this system on your own. In my opinion, using your own feet as transportation is always the best option when possible. I also noticed bikes to rent in the city, if you wanted a faster way to explore on your own. I suggest sticking close to Chapultepec Park.
There are a number of sites and neighborhoods to visit in the city, which include several museums. My friend and I decided to keep the museums to a minimum and spent more time exploring the city (and the food). If you’re up for spending hours in a museum and want to learn more about Mexican culture and history, the Anthropology Museum is the way to go. This museum, as well as several others, are located within Chapultepec Park.
Many people venture outside the city to visit Teotihuacan, an archeological site consisting of temples and pyramids. It’s easy to visit without a tour. You can show up at the Transportes del Norte bus station directly and hop on a bus, or book a bus ahead of time on checkmybus.com. It’s better to visit in the morning before 10am to avoid the crowds and the heat. The site will be more intriguing if you do your research on the history ahead of time. There’s even a room on Teotihuacan at the Anthropology Museum if want to study up beforehand.
My favorite part about this city – and the country – is the food. Luckily, I was traveling with a foodie. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian like me, don’t fret. There are options out there, especially this day in age. My first taste of Mexico was elote, which grew into my favorite afternoon snack. You can easily find someone on the street selling corn on the cobb, with the option of adding mayo, chili, and lime. Esquite is often an alternative option, which is corn in a cup, with similar mix-ins. If you want to be eco friendly, bring your own cup or jar, rather than accepting a Styrofoam cup (check out my post about plastic-free travel!). No one will care, so don’t be shy. Or go for the elote, corn on the cobb option. Both ways were super tastey. Another budget friendly snack is tlayludas, which is essentially a giant chip with frijoles, nopal, queso, cebolla, and salsa (beans, cactus, cheese, onion, you name it). The best part is you get to choose what toppings you want. I found these being sold at Chapultepec Park, nearby the Anthropology Museum. If you wander out of Chapultepec Park towards the high-end, business neighborhood of Cuauhtemoc, you might discover a tunnel that acts as a pedestrian way to cross under the busy street. Down here, you can find some treasures. A woman sells these amazing mushroom quesadillas called huitlacoche (with an assortment of salsas) for 30 pesos. Next door, there’s a full vegan menu at Vika. I had their street tacos and horchata, which was amazing. Another restaurant with a full vegan menu is Gold Taco. It’s a great opportunity to taste mole enchiladas.
If you really want to indulge, Churreria “El Morro” are the best churros you can find. They have an assortment of churro options, shakes, ice cream, and churros con chocolate, with various hot chocolate flavors. You will not be disappointed. You can find this gem of a place in Cuauhtemoc. If you’re there in the late afternoon, you might catch everyone riding home from work on bikes, suits and all.
Guanajuato
Guanajuato was the perfect place to change it up after busy Mexico City. This charming little town is full of color and culture. The streets are mostly inhabited by families and university students, and is fairly easy to navigate. From Transportes del Norte in Mexico City, you can easily catch a bus for a four-hour ride to Guanajuato. From the bus station, you can take a trolley into town for eight pesos.
This city captured me within the first five minutes on the trolley. Besides the vibrantly colored buildings, the roads disappear into rocky tunnels underneath the city. Guanajuato is the kind of place you want to get lost in. The more you walk, the more you will discover.
A highlight in Guanajuato is a walk up to the monument, Monumento de Pipila Guanajuato, which is located above the city. The view is gorgeous, and will make you love the city even more. For local foods and crafts, visit Mercado Gidalgo. You’ll find an abundance of foods to choose from. This a good place to stock up on snacks and local fruits, or to indulge in Mexican specialties. (For ways tips on how to shop for plastic-free travel snacks, mosey on over here.) There are various stalls selling tamales of all kinds, including dessert tamales. You have to give tamales de guayaba a try, which are bright pink guava tamales.
As you wander through town, you’ll come across several shops and outdoor vendors. The university in Guanajuato is worth visiting for the different gallery showings. You’ll find plenty of shops selling cajeta, which is a kind of caramel made from goat milk. It’s rich and oh so good. This a specialty in Guanajuato that you’ve got to taste. In the evening, venture towards the Jardin de la Union. The garden is bordered by restaurants, the theater, and various mariachi bands. Eat at Bar Tradicional Luna for micheladas and enchiladas mirenas, which are the specialty in Guanajuato.
The best part about this little city is the culture. If you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself in the midst of a parade – which we did – or find shows in front of the theater. Guanajuato is an intimate place to visit, but is also full of life.
San Miguel de Allende
Welcome to the city of weddings. Ok, it’s not really only for weddings, but don’t be surprised if you come across several of them. A popular event here is the Callejoneada, when a bride and groom are accompanied by a mariachi band, their own look-alike puppets, and their wedding guests on the picturesque cobblestoned streets. It’s basically a pre-wedding parade consisting of singing, dancing, and flower wreaths.
San Miguel de Allende is no doubt a beautiful city. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s a trendy vacation spot for Mexicans. Prices will be a little higher here than Guanajuato. Staying at an Airbnb rather than a hotel will be the more economical option, and will likely be just as nice. The architecture is aesthetically pleasing wherever you stay.
If you venture into town, you can soak in the view of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. There are several churches in town, but this is the most magnificent. Nearby, you can wander through the Mercado de Artesanías, which is full of beautiful crafts and souvenirs. Not only will you have the most to venders to choose from, but you can also find the best prices. You’ll be tempted to take everything home.
My favorite spot to visit was Mercado Sano. On Saturday’s there’s an outdoor market with several local vendors, and plenty of food to choose from. The market is eco-minded, offering ceramic plates to customers, which can be taken to any of the shared tables in the center of the market, and then returned to be washed. This market is also friendly for vegans and vegetarians. Mercado Sano isn’t just a place to visit on Saturday’s. The building consists of several venders and cafes, with food-conscious options. If you’re up for trying something new, check out Okey Maguey. Here you can sample aguamiel de maguey juices, which are made from agave water. Talk to the ladies behind the counter and they’ll tell you how they get water from the plant and share its health benefits.
San Miguel de Allende is known for its rooftop bars. If you’re up for treating yourself, there are several nice spots to choose from. My friends and I enjoyed drinks and a kickass sunset silhouetted by dome churches at La Azotea. San Miguel de Allende is definitely more of a vacation spot, but we all deserve a little vacation, right?
So if you’re looking to experience Mexico – not just the beach resort, fun-in-the-sun vacation – I highly recommend visiting these culturally vibrant cities. I can’t wait to come back, and neither will you.
