Option 2
Head over to La Ciudadela to get some shopping done. Buy a blanket, buy a comal, buy some turquoise or just wander the colorful aisles. Try some crickets sold outside the market.
Things sold at La Ciudadela
Eat some street tacos on Calle de Balderas (near La Ciudadela)– I had some amazing birria there. Birria is traditionally made with goat meat stew, and this birria was juicy and flavorful.
Wander over to Palacio de Bellas Artes– enter if you’d like, or just enjoy the scenery.
Rest at Don Porfirio Cafe which is on top of a Sears in front of the Palacio de Bellas Artes. It has a beautiful view of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, but you might be fighting people for a seat. Definitely order one of the hot chocolates though!
Option 3
Wander the stores of the Historical Center
Admire the intricate details of the art in the Metropolitan Cathedral
Get lost in the extremely hectic Mercado de la Merced, just a few blocks away
The meat section of Mercado de la Merced
I kept this list short because Mexico City is big. Like, really big. There’s a lot of people and you will be tired especially if you’re doing a lot of walking, so keep this in mind. You don’t need to experience everything in 12 hours, as long as you can take your time at each spot and get a full understanding of the people in the country you’re visiting, your short visit will be a success.
Have you been to Mexico City for a layover? What did you do?
