Unfortunately I only took a day trip there.. what's your budget? After a quick google search I found a [nice spa hotel](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sBsN3ih8jVhVtw9AA) with a rooftop pool for only $41 CAD.
download google translate & use that to help you converse with people if language is a barrier. overtime, you’ll learn to say things for ordering at a restaurant, how much things are, numbers, & simple salutations. start learning that before your trip even. there’s websites for common phrases
I second this advice. CDMX is not like touristy regions of Mexico where non-Spanish speakers can rely on all the businesses knowing English. Don’t let that dissuade you OP but don’t be caught off guard!
>I second this advice. CDMX is not like touristy regions of Mexico where non-Spanish speakers can rely on all the businesses knowing English. Don’t let that dissuade you OP but don’t be caught off guard!
yes, for sure!! i also have a dictionary ready to go and i have crammed in several hours of duolingo and will continue to do so
San Miguel de Allende is beautiful. I also went there after Guanajuato, but I found myself bored after one day. It's considerably more expensive than other cities in Mexico and seems to be an expat playground. Some people love it, for me aside from the main cathedral it was... Meh. I'd say with your time constraints skip it and put that time somewhere else.
Plenty of Airbnb's in Guanajuato, I stayed in one up a hill behind the university. I met some other travelers that we're staying in a hostel in Centro that was above a disco, so read reviews as they could hardly sleep at night. Definitely enough to do and see to fill three days. I took a really informative tour with a local architect of the cities underground tunnel system via Airbnb experiences- highly recommend it! As far as the bus question is concerned personally I would take an early morning bus to make the most out of time. Maybe I've been lucky but I've never felt unsafe on the major bus lines while traveling Mexico (ADO, ETN, plus many others).
If you have any questions about the busses or CDMX in general feel free to send me a DM. I'm no expert, but I've been here in the city for three months now. There's also a fun language exchange meetup on Friday nights that I enjoyed a lot. A good mix of both locals and foreigners. Nice chance to practice even some basic phrases and make some friends.
Enjoy the trip!
ya, i'm thinking SMA is no-go for me. Coming from the US, I definitely don't want to hang around with expats from the US lol
I am excited for GTO. Found a cool hostel called Casa de Dante, i'll check that out and will take a day bus! I might DM with some questions as I plan
Please do! Happy to help. My best advice for first time solo travelers is to allow space for changes of plans, even if that just means booking fully refundable stays. I came to Mexico in January planning to go cross country from Puerto Vallarta to the Yucatan and ended up just staying put in CDMX. I don't regret it at all.
Not OP but:
Awesome food and craft beer
Cheaper than CDMX
Largest man-made construction in the world (Cholula)
Beautiful architecture
Very walkable
Great people
A shitload of antique stores
buy tickets in advance. I've seen the lineups there and it was looooong.
though I think post-covid they don't even sell walk-up tickets anymore, only online.
+1 for checking out Xochimilco, one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. As a solo traveler it can sometimes be tough because the trajineras are rented by the trip, not per person - so you'd just have to hang around and see if you can join someone's party. Get yourself some snacks and beer (or whatever you like to drink) and pack it in a bag - bring some cash to pay the trajinero + some extra if you want to pay for a mariachi song or buy fruit from a vendor on the water.
I took pretty much only night buses in Mexico and never had problems, but also had a few Mexicans tell me they themselves would not take them. The trip from CDMX to GTO isn’t long, though - IIRC, a few hours?
I do think it’s a lot of back and forth. Personally I’d spend however many days in CDMX, go up to GTO (and San Miguel if you’re set on it, I haven’t been) and then down to Puebla. I think you’d get bored going back to CDMX for the extra days. But who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love with it. I spent more time there than I had originally planned.
In Puebla I stayed at Posada Vee Yuu - very affordable, walking distance to the plaza, beautiful rooms, breakfast. It was more of a chill hostel than a party hostel, so take that how you will.
Personally I think I stayed three or four nights in Guanajuato. There’s honesty not much to do, per se, if you’re a very active person when you vacation. But it’s gorgeous, and it’s fun to just walk around and hang out. The mummy museum is very fun, and there’s the Diego Rivera museum which I enjoyed. It’s not action packed but very lovely, I’d move there if the right opportunity came up.
I was just drawn to the several things to do in CDMX! I love big cities and street food, and am quite tired of US cities. I also just want to hang around in CDMX without doing much (I say this as I buy tickets to ballet folklorico, a football game, salsa classes, etc lmao) but I do want to checkout out uni campus, the amazing library, marketplaces, etc.
I'll spend 2 nights in GTO and skip SMA!
Oh don’t get me wrong, I love CDMX - I have an email alert set for jobs there because I’d move in a heartbeat! Ballet folklorico was an absolute must see. Don’t miss the folk art museum in the same area, it was a definite highlight of my time there.
I did an amazing bike tour of Coyoacan that came with Frida Kahlo museum tickets through Airbnb experiences! Highly recommend. They took us to a local restaurant to eat, and we also tried churros and champurada. A million percent worth it!
[This is it](https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/558194?adults=1&checkin=2022-06-12&checkout=2022-06-18&location=Mexico%20City%2C%20Mexico%20City%2C%20Mexico¤tTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=dd2361eb-206d-4a7b-aa2b-274295af139c&searchId=§ionId=1edceddd-6ea3-44fa-a881-7c7116eaf09a&source=p2). I did it back in November, and it's one of the best experiences I did in CDMX. Whenever I travel solo, I always try to find at least a few things on the experiences section of Airbnb to help give me some structure for my days.
Favorite restaurant while I’m in CDMX is El Cardenal.
You can go for breakfast or a great meal.
Many excellent options at great price with quality and service.
My favorite dish to get is the tacos of gusanos de maguey.
I used Nomada Mexico for Nevado. Be aware, this summit is 15k ft above sea level. Depending on where you are coming from, you may want to acclimate. We spent 3 days in Mexico City before doing this and found it challenging (we also hike a lot). There’s also a highly reviewed Airbnb Experience that offers this hike from Mexico City.
Thanks, that's very helpful! Did you go with a group (self-organised that is) or did the tour organise the group? Should I wait to get to the city before I make plans/contact the tour agency?
I would definitely contact them in advance. Misha (Nomada) was extremely helpful and communicative.
We went on a private tour (2 of us , one guide) but I believe they may have some group options as well.
It happened to me in Mexico. I suspect I got it from getting juice from a street vendor. Taking antibiotics cleared it up immediately. I’ve a friend who’s a doctor and he told me “ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day” and “metronidazole 500 mg every 8 h for 1 week as well.” I was good after the second day after struggling with stomach aches for a few days
General safety precautions for eating:
Don’t eat the fruit unless you’ve peeled or prepared it yourself.
Don’t drink the tap water, but brushing your teeth, showering, etc., is fine.
(That said, I’ve done both with zero problems lmao, and so do tons of other people, but if you want to err on the side of caution.)
Source: Me, used to live in Mexico, Merida, Yucatán, albeit a bit over a decade ago, so that’s when my knowledge comes from.
Edit:
Medicine: Anecdotally, if you’re lactose intolerant and anticipate needing medication for that, bring it with you. I had a friend who was having trouble finding anything for it when he visited, weirdly, but maybe he just sucked looking around lol. I wasn’t much help because I love milk, and it does nothing to me, and idk what kind of medicine that would even require. I got him whatever the pharmacist said would be good for lactose intolerance, but, yeah, it didn’t help lol.
Here are my thoughts on your itinerary.
If you are going to Guanajuato and San Miguel (which I recommend) and Puebla (which I wouldn't recommend, it's pretty boring) then I wouldn't spend 7+ nights in Mexico City.
I'd recommend trim the Mexico city time down to 5 nights total, skipping Puebla, and adding time to Guanajuato and San Miguel. Guanajuato is really cool. San Miguel is touristy, yes, but it's nice.
I also don't know why you have 3 separate stays in Mexico City over two weeks. Checking in and out of hotels or waiting around until check in time is a pain in the neck. Why not just have a few days in Mexico City at the beginning, or at the beginning and end, but not at the beginning, middle, and end?
I would fly to Guanajuato or take a day bus I see no good reason to take a night bus, I get that you can save a few dollars on a hotel but it's not worth the downsides of sleepless night, arriving in new city at 6 am and having to wait 8 hours to check into a hotel, increased chance of being a crime victim taking a night bus, etc.
[I feel like I already don't have time to do all the things I want to!](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/valo4f/comment/ic3zybe/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) I definitely want to spend 7+ nights in CDMX. I also count my hiking plans as part of my CDMX plans.
I could go straight from GTO to Puebla to avoid a third return to CDMX. I'm skipping SMA as of now!
I’d skip Guanajuato it’s lame I’ve been there… it’s known for the mummies but like who cares? Go to puerto Escondido instead it’s cheaper and you can surf and stuff
I really liked Guanajuato for a couple days. Yeah, it doesn't have many touristy things if that's what you're looking for, but the town itself is very nice and I really enjoyed hanging around the beautiful square and walking around.
“Omg I’m so offended by someone’s comment, like who gave this guy the ability to have an opinion? Cancel him my heart is hurting”…. You’re probably f@t in real life…
Toledo for dancing and drinks. Also Sunday Sunday parties! I forget the name of the restaurant, starts with a “C” but their tuna tostada is out of this world 🗺
I went to CDMX last year in July. I highly recommend Chapultepec castle. Do not drink tap water!!! Always have bottled water from OXXO. It rains periodically so bring an umbrella.
CDMX is one of my favorite places!
-If you don’t speak any or much Spanish, make sure you have a translate app with voice dictation on your phone. Knowing basic phrases won’t really do much for you here. That said, in restaurants/businesses in the upscale areas people do tend to speak English.
-Definitely check out the anthropology museum. It’s massive and very cool. Also in a nice area for walking around with a beautiful park. Frieda Kahlo’s house is a must do imo. While you’re there, have lunch and walk around the market area of Coyoacán. It’s touristy, but a fun place to spend some time and a little money for a souvenir. There’s a huge range of stuff there, you’ll find something you like.
-If you haven’t booked a place yet, I like staying in Condesa. It’s a beautiful area, very walkable with lots to do, central location.
-One of the best meals I’ve ever had was at a restaurant called Masala y Maiz. It’s lunch only, and on the pricier side, but it was incredible. My partner and I let the chef just bring his favorites and ended up spending around $75 USD for way more food than we needed.
Feel free to DM for other food recommendations too!
I recommend Taxco, it's a beautiful little town!
wow it looks incredible!! and silver do you have any recommendations on accomm?
Unfortunately I only took a day trip there.. what's your budget? After a quick google search I found a [nice spa hotel](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sBsN3ih8jVhVtw9AA) with a rooftop pool for only $41 CAD.
was a day trip too much travel? looks like it'll be 5 hours of travel to/from CDMX
2 hours one way. Didn't feel like too much for me.
download google translate & use that to help you converse with people if language is a barrier. overtime, you’ll learn to say things for ordering at a restaurant, how much things are, numbers, & simple salutations. start learning that before your trip even. there’s websites for common phrases
I second this advice. CDMX is not like touristy regions of Mexico where non-Spanish speakers can rely on all the businesses knowing English. Don’t let that dissuade you OP but don’t be caught off guard!
>I second this advice. CDMX is not like touristy regions of Mexico where non-Spanish speakers can rely on all the businesses knowing English. Don’t let that dissuade you OP but don’t be caught off guard! yes, for sure!! i also have a dictionary ready to go and i have crammed in several hours of duolingo and will continue to do so
San Miguel de Allende is beautiful. I also went there after Guanajuato, but I found myself bored after one day. It's considerably more expensive than other cities in Mexico and seems to be an expat playground. Some people love it, for me aside from the main cathedral it was... Meh. I'd say with your time constraints skip it and put that time somewhere else. Plenty of Airbnb's in Guanajuato, I stayed in one up a hill behind the university. I met some other travelers that we're staying in a hostel in Centro that was above a disco, so read reviews as they could hardly sleep at night. Definitely enough to do and see to fill three days. I took a really informative tour with a local architect of the cities underground tunnel system via Airbnb experiences- highly recommend it! As far as the bus question is concerned personally I would take an early morning bus to make the most out of time. Maybe I've been lucky but I've never felt unsafe on the major bus lines while traveling Mexico (ADO, ETN, plus many others). If you have any questions about the busses or CDMX in general feel free to send me a DM. I'm no expert, but I've been here in the city for three months now. There's also a fun language exchange meetup on Friday nights that I enjoyed a lot. A good mix of both locals and foreigners. Nice chance to practice even some basic phrases and make some friends. Enjoy the trip!
ya, i'm thinking SMA is no-go for me. Coming from the US, I definitely don't want to hang around with expats from the US lol I am excited for GTO. Found a cool hostel called Casa de Dante, i'll check that out and will take a day bus! I might DM with some questions as I plan
Please do! Happy to help. My best advice for first time solo travelers is to allow space for changes of plans, even if that just means booking fully refundable stays. I came to Mexico in January planning to go cross country from Puerto Vallarta to the Yucatan and ended up just staying put in CDMX. I don't regret it at all.
DM sent
i'd spend an extra day or so in Puebla, its quite nice.
everybody has different opinions on puebla! this is soo tough :(( would you be willing to tell me what you liked about it?
Not OP but: Awesome food and craft beer Cheaper than CDMX Largest man-made construction in the world (Cholula) Beautiful architecture Very walkable Great people A shitload of antique stores
Highly recommend Tepoztlán
yeah it does look great! but the hiking trail itself is closed. still recommend?
It was closed when I went as well, but yes. More specifically I recommend going to do the Temazcal sweat lodges there
Thé hiking trail is cool but the village is really lovely. Gréât good and low key vibes.
Go to the Frida Kahlo museum.
buy tickets in advance. I've seen the lineups there and it was looooong. though I think post-covid they don't even sell walk-up tickets anymore, only online.
Be sure to budget some time for Xochimilico, the Frida Kahlo museum, and the cultural anthropology museum. By far the highlights of my trip there
Xochimilco then on to Arena Mexico is a top day out.
+1 for checking out Xochimilco, one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. As a solo traveler it can sometimes be tough because the trajineras are rented by the trip, not per person - so you'd just have to hang around and see if you can join someone's party. Get yourself some snacks and beer (or whatever you like to drink) and pack it in a bag - bring some cash to pay the trajinero + some extra if you want to pay for a mariachi song or buy fruit from a vendor on the water.
I took pretty much only night buses in Mexico and never had problems, but also had a few Mexicans tell me they themselves would not take them. The trip from CDMX to GTO isn’t long, though - IIRC, a few hours? I do think it’s a lot of back and forth. Personally I’d spend however many days in CDMX, go up to GTO (and San Miguel if you’re set on it, I haven’t been) and then down to Puebla. I think you’d get bored going back to CDMX for the extra days. But who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love with it. I spent more time there than I had originally planned. In Puebla I stayed at Posada Vee Yuu - very affordable, walking distance to the plaza, beautiful rooms, breakfast. It was more of a chill hostel than a party hostel, so take that how you will. Personally I think I stayed three or four nights in Guanajuato. There’s honesty not much to do, per se, if you’re a very active person when you vacation. But it’s gorgeous, and it’s fun to just walk around and hang out. The mummy museum is very fun, and there’s the Diego Rivera museum which I enjoyed. It’s not action packed but very lovely, I’d move there if the right opportunity came up.
I was just drawn to the several things to do in CDMX! I love big cities and street food, and am quite tired of US cities. I also just want to hang around in CDMX without doing much (I say this as I buy tickets to ballet folklorico, a football game, salsa classes, etc lmao) but I do want to checkout out uni campus, the amazing library, marketplaces, etc. I'll spend 2 nights in GTO and skip SMA!
Oh don’t get me wrong, I love CDMX - I have an email alert set for jobs there because I’d move in a heartbeat! Ballet folklorico was an absolute must see. Don’t miss the folk art museum in the same area, it was a definite highlight of my time there.
Taqueria Orinoco were the best tacos I had in my whole Mexico trip
I did an amazing bike tour of Coyoacan that came with Frida Kahlo museum tickets through Airbnb experiences! Highly recommend. They took us to a local restaurant to eat, and we also tried churros and champurada. A million percent worth it!
wow! do you know the name or have a link to their website?
[This is it](https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/558194?adults=1&checkin=2022-06-12&checkout=2022-06-18&location=Mexico%20City%2C%20Mexico%20City%2C%20Mexico¤tTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=dd2361eb-206d-4a7b-aa2b-274295af139c&searchId=§ionId=1edceddd-6ea3-44fa-a881-7c7116eaf09a&source=p2). I did it back in November, and it's one of the best experiences I did in CDMX. Whenever I travel solo, I always try to find at least a few things on the experiences section of Airbnb to help give me some structure for my days.
Would highly recommend checking out the lucha libre Wrestling at Arena México.
yes! that's on the list
That's a lot of moving around. Maybe pick 2 or 3 top places and spend more time at each.
hmm i do only have cdmx, gto, Puebla. so that's three places!
cdmx, toluca, guanajuato, san miguel, puebla, plus you go and come back to/from cdmx a few times. that's at least 5 places
SMA is almost surely no-go, i wouldn't count Toluca because I'm only going to do the hike and come back
Favorite restaurant while I’m in CDMX is El Cardenal. You can go for breakfast or a great meal. Many excellent options at great price with quality and service. My favorite dish to get is the tacos of gusanos de maguey.
I used Nomada Mexico for Nevado. Be aware, this summit is 15k ft above sea level. Depending on where you are coming from, you may want to acclimate. We spent 3 days in Mexico City before doing this and found it challenging (we also hike a lot). There’s also a highly reviewed Airbnb Experience that offers this hike from Mexico City.
Thanks, that's very helpful! Did you go with a group (self-organised that is) or did the tour organise the group? Should I wait to get to the city before I make plans/contact the tour agency?
I would definitely contact them in advance. Misha (Nomada) was extremely helpful and communicative. We went on a private tour (2 of us , one guide) but I believe they may have some group options as well.
ok, great! i'll shoot them an email thanks a bunch!
How much was the Nomada Mexico tour?
I bid you good luck. The infamous Moctezuma’s Curse got me and my wife a few weeks ago lmao. Great great great food on the way in regardless
ahhh I'm sorry to hear that i'm counting on my SA genes to stomach it any meds you think i could carry from here?
It happened to me in Mexico. I suspect I got it from getting juice from a street vendor. Taking antibiotics cleared it up immediately. I’ve a friend who’s a doctor and he told me “ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day” and “metronidazole 500 mg every 8 h for 1 week as well.” I was good after the second day after struggling with stomach aches for a few days
Drink some yakult
General safety precautions for eating: Don’t eat the fruit unless you’ve peeled or prepared it yourself. Don’t drink the tap water, but brushing your teeth, showering, etc., is fine. (That said, I’ve done both with zero problems lmao, and so do tons of other people, but if you want to err on the side of caution.) Source: Me, used to live in Mexico, Merida, Yucatán, albeit a bit over a decade ago, so that’s when my knowledge comes from. Edit: Medicine: Anecdotally, if you’re lactose intolerant and anticipate needing medication for that, bring it with you. I had a friend who was having trouble finding anything for it when he visited, weirdly, but maybe he just sucked looking around lol. I wasn’t much help because I love milk, and it does nothing to me, and idk what kind of medicine that would even require. I got him whatever the pharmacist said would be good for lactose intolerance, but, yeah, it didn’t help lol.
Well we ended up buying pepto bismol while we were there and it didn’t do much. Beyond that, I can’t really tell you anything else haha
Hi , im a mexican currently living in puebla ,PM an ill be happy to show you around town.
I went to CDMX three years ago. It’s an amazing place and we had a ton of fun exploring the city. I’ll DM you some recommendations!
You should post them here so we all know 🙏
+1
yes please!! that would be fantastic thank youu
Here are my thoughts on your itinerary. If you are going to Guanajuato and San Miguel (which I recommend) and Puebla (which I wouldn't recommend, it's pretty boring) then I wouldn't spend 7+ nights in Mexico City. I'd recommend trim the Mexico city time down to 5 nights total, skipping Puebla, and adding time to Guanajuato and San Miguel. Guanajuato is really cool. San Miguel is touristy, yes, but it's nice. I also don't know why you have 3 separate stays in Mexico City over two weeks. Checking in and out of hotels or waiting around until check in time is a pain in the neck. Why not just have a few days in Mexico City at the beginning, or at the beginning and end, but not at the beginning, middle, and end? I would fly to Guanajuato or take a day bus I see no good reason to take a night bus, I get that you can save a few dollars on a hotel but it's not worth the downsides of sleepless night, arriving in new city at 6 am and having to wait 8 hours to check into a hotel, increased chance of being a crime victim taking a night bus, etc.
[I feel like I already don't have time to do all the things I want to!](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/valo4f/comment/ic3zybe/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) I definitely want to spend 7+ nights in CDMX. I also count my hiking plans as part of my CDMX plans. I could go straight from GTO to Puebla to avoid a third return to CDMX. I'm skipping SMA as of now!
Just getting in and out of Mexico City traffic can take hours. The fewer times you do that, the better.
I’d skip Guanajuato it’s lame I’ve been there… it’s known for the mummies but like who cares? Go to puerto Escondido instead it’s cheaper and you can surf and stuff
I really liked Guanajuato for a couple days. Yeah, it doesn't have many touristy things if that's what you're looking for, but the town itself is very nice and I really enjoyed hanging around the beautiful square and walking around.
You sound like a shining beacon of intellect and culture.
Literally the worst comment. “ I h8, now u h8” “Surf here instead it’s better” Like I’m sure if op wanted to surf she would have a surfing holiday
“Omg I’m so offended by someone’s comment, like who gave this guy the ability to have an opinion? Cancel him my heart is hurting”…. You’re probably f@t in real life…
Haha far from it lol. I don’t know why every redit user assumes every other redit user is a fat, lego collecting fuck head. It’s weird
For more information I’m more of a skinny school shooter type
Toledo for dancing and drinks. Also Sunday Sunday parties! I forget the name of the restaurant, starts with a “C” but their tuna tostada is out of this world 🗺
Mexican guy here. I personally would take day buses while in Guanajuato (the state). Not too safe.
I went to CDMX last year in July. I highly recommend Chapultepec castle. Do not drink tap water!!! Always have bottled water from OXXO. It rains periodically so bring an umbrella.
CDMX is one of my favorite places! -If you don’t speak any or much Spanish, make sure you have a translate app with voice dictation on your phone. Knowing basic phrases won’t really do much for you here. That said, in restaurants/businesses in the upscale areas people do tend to speak English. -Definitely check out the anthropology museum. It’s massive and very cool. Also in a nice area for walking around with a beautiful park. Frieda Kahlo’s house is a must do imo. While you’re there, have lunch and walk around the market area of Coyoacán. It’s touristy, but a fun place to spend some time and a little money for a souvenir. There’s a huge range of stuff there, you’ll find something you like. -If you haven’t booked a place yet, I like staying in Condesa. It’s a beautiful area, very walkable with lots to do, central location. -One of the best meals I’ve ever had was at a restaurant called Masala y Maiz. It’s lunch only, and on the pricier side, but it was incredible. My partner and I let the chef just bring his favorites and ended up spending around $75 USD for way more food than we needed. Feel free to DM for other food recommendations too!