A photograph of Mexico

Country guide

Places to visit in Mexico — page 2

Mexico took 42.2 million international arrivals in 2022, sixth most of any country in the world, and a large share of them never left the Caribbean coast. That...

Photograph · Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 4.0

7,116 Places
2Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Mexico took 42.2 million international arrivals in 2022, sixth most of any country in the world, and a large share of them never left the Caribbean coast. That coast is a reasonable holiday and a very small fraction of 1,972,550 km2, thirteenth-largest on Earth, holding 32 states and more than 134 million people. Mexico City sits high in a valley in the middle of it, with colonial silver towns a few hours north and the Maya sites of the Yucatan two hours east by air. No country in the Americas has more World Heritage Sites.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Spanish; recognised Indigenous languages are also spoken
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+52
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Mexican peso (MXN)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
911
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and B · 127 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Cancun Hotel Zone Cancun Hotel Zone
    07 2 hours

    Cancun Hotel Zone

    Zona Hotelera de Cancún

    Zona Hotelera de Cancún is the principal tourist district of Cancún, Mexico, situated on a narrow barrier island shaped like the number seven. This 22.5-kilometer strip separates the Nichupté Lagoon from the Caribbean Sea.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Cancún
  2. Punta Nizuc Punta Nizuc
    08 1 hour

    Punta Nizuc

    Punta Nizuc is a beach area at the southern end of Cancun's Hotel Zone, positioned near the Nizuc Bridge that connects to the mainland.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Cancún
  3. Museo Dolores Olmedo Museo Dolores Olmedo
    09 2 hours

    Museo Dolores Olmedo

    Museo Dolores Olmedo occupies a former hacienda in Xochimilco, in southern Mexico City. The museum grew from the collection of Dolores Olmedo, an important patron of Mexican art.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  4. Isla Blanca Isla Blanca
    10 2 hours

    Isla Blanca

    Isla Blanca is a coastal area north of Cancún proper, positioned on a narrow peninsula that separates the Caribbean Sea from Chacmuchuc Lagoon.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Cancún
  5. Puerto Juarez Puerto Juarez
    11 2 hours

    Puerto Juarez

    Puerto Juárez

    Puerto Juárez is a working maritime zone and passenger ferry terminal on the northern edge of Cancún's Hotel Zone. It serves as the mainland departure point for services to Isla Mujeres, a nearby island destination.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Cancún
  6. Frida Kahlo Museum Frida Kahlo Museum
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Frida Kahlo Museum

    Museo "Frida Kahlo"

    The Frida Kahlo Museum, known locally as Museo Frida Kahlo and nicknamed Casa Azul for its distinctive cobalt walls, is the former family home and studio of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  7. Angel of Independence Angel of Independence
    13 45 min

    Angel of Independence

    Monumento a la Independencia

    The Angel of Independence is a victory column monument on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. It was built to commemorate Mexico's independence from Spain.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  8. National Museum of Art National Museum of Art
    14 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Art

    Museo Nacional de Arte

    The Museo Nacional de Arte, usually called MUNAL, is Mexico City's national museum of Mexican art. It occupies a grand historic building in the Centro Histórico, formerly associated with the Secretariat of Communications and Public Works.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  9. Estadio Azteca Estadio Azteca
    15 45 min

    Estadio Azteca

    Estadio Banorte

    Estadio Azteca is a major football stadium in southern Mexico City and the home ground of Club América and the Mexico national football team. It is one of the city’s most recognisable sporting landmarks.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  10. Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
    16 45 min

    Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral

    Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México

    Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is the principal colonial cathedral of the city’s historic centre. It faces the Zócalo, the capital’s main public square, and serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  11. National Museum of Anthropology National Museum of Anthropology
    17 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Anthropology

    Museo Nacional de Antropología

    The Museo Nacional de Antropología is Mexico's principal museum dedicated to archaeology and anthropology. It houses the country's definitive pre-Hispanic collections and stands as one of the most significant institutions of its kind in the Americas.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  12. Monument to the Revolution Monument to the Revolution
    18 45 min

    Monument to the Revolution

    Monumento a la Revolución

    Monument to the Revolution is one of Mexico City’s most recognizable landmarks, rising above Plaza de la República in the Tabacalera area. Its great dome began as part of an unfinished federal legislative palace during the Porfiriato.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  13. National Palace National Palace
    19 45 min

    National Palace

    Palacio Nacional

    The National Palace stands on the eastern side of Mexico City's Zócalo, the capital's main public square. It serves as the federal seat of government and houses the offices of the President of Mexico.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  14. Templo Mayor Templo Mayor
    20 45 min

    Templo Mayor

    Templo Mayor is the excavated sacred precinct of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire. Located in the historic centre of Mexico City, it represents the essential Aztec archaeological site in the area.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  15. Palacio de Correos de Mexico Palacio de Correos de Mexico
    21 45 min

    Palacio de Correos de Mexico

    Palacio Postal

    Palacio Postal, locally Palacio de Correos de México, is an ornate working central post office in Mexico City's historic centre. The building ranks among the most distinctive interiors in the area.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  16. Zócalo Zócalo
    22 45 min

    Zócalo

    Plaza de la Constitución

    The Zócalo, officially Plaza de la Constitución, is the main public square in the historic centre of Mexico City. It ranks among the largest city squares in the world.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  17. Torre Latinoamericana Torre Latinoamericana
    23 45 min

    Torre Latinoamericana

    Torre Latinoamericana is a landmark skyscraper in Mexico City's Centro Histórico, completed in 1956. Its steel structure and seismic engineering made it an important achievement in high-rise construction, especially in an earthquake-prone city.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City
  18. Chapultepec Castle Chapultepec Castle
    24 1 hr 30 min

    Chapultepec Castle

    Museo Nacional de Historia Castillo de Chapultepec

    Chapultepec Castle is the former imperial and presidential residence situated atop Chapultepec Hill in Mexico City. It is Mexico's singular castle visit and functions as a national-history museum.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  19. Complejo Cultural Los Pinos Complejo Cultural Los Pinos
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Complejo Cultural Los Pinos

    Los Pinos Cultural Complex, known locally as Complejo Cultural Los Pinos, is a public cultural institution in Mexico City's Chapultepec area.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  20. Museum of Modern Art Museum of Modern Art
    26 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Modern Art

    Museo de Arte Moderno

    The Museum of Modern Art, or Museo de Arte Moderno, is a major cultural stop inside Chapultepec Park. Its purpose-built modernist building opened in 1964 and was designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Rafael Mijares Alcérreca.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  21. Alameda Central Park Alameda Central Park
    27 1 hour

    Alameda Central Park

    Alameda Central

    Alameda Central is a historic public park in the historic centre of Mexico City. Established in the sixteenth century, it is one of the oldest public parks in the Americas.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Mexico City
  22. Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum
    28 1 hr 30 min

    Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum

    Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli

    The Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum is a volcanic-stone building in Mexico City designed by the renowned Mexican muralist Diego Rivera to house his extensive pre-Hispanic art collection.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  23. Franz Mayer Museum Franz Mayer Museum
    29 1 hr 30 min

    Franz Mayer Museum

    Museo Franz Mayer

    The Franz Mayer Museum is a cultural institution housed in a former hospital building in Mexico City. It bears the name of Franz Mayer, a German-born financier and collector who assembled significant holdings of decorative arts.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Mexico City
  24. Ajusco Ajusco
    30 20 min

    Ajusco

    Ajusco is a volcanic peak situated in the southern reaches of Mexico City, forming part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

    • High
    • Viewpoint
    • Mexico City
  25. Polanco Polanco
    31 45 min

    Polanco

    Polanco Chapultepec

    Polanco is an upscale residential and commercial district in Mexico City, located west of Chapultepec Park in the Miguel Hidalgo borough.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Mexico City

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Mexico be?

Ten to fourteen days should focus on one Mexican region, such as the central highlands, Yucatán or a Pacific corridor. Domestic distances are too large for a first trip that treats Mexico City, Cancún and several coasts as nearby stops.

What entry documents are needed for Mexico?

Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Migración provides the official entry process and forms. Admission conditions depend on passport, purpose and route, so use its current service rather than an airline summary or an old exemption list.

What is the best way to travel around Mexico?

Mexico City and Cancún are major international gateways, with domestic flights and intercity buses linking regional centres. Urban transport is city-specific, and road legs should be planned against current official route guidance.

When is a practical time to visit Mexico?

November to April is a useful broad window for many central and coastal routes. Hurricane exposure, altitude and regional rainy seasons differ sharply, so the selected coast or highland region should control timing.

What money and payment basics apply in Mexico?

The Mexican peso (MXN) is the recorded currency. ATM fees, card acceptance and conversion terms are Not recorded in this guide; read the amount in pesos before approving a transaction.

What practical safety details should I save for Mexico?

Mexico uses 911 for emergencies and Type A or B plugs at 127 V. Tap-water guidance is Not recorded nationally in the cited source and should be checked at the destination.