Free Things To Do In Mexico City

May 26, 2014
Michael Ryan

Mexico City is the perfect destination if you are travelling on a budget.  You can find cheap accommodation and food at good prices is plentiful.  There is also a lot you can see without spending any money.

File:Distrito Federal en México.svg

Walking

You can take a walking tour through the center of the city.  You will be able to stroll through the main square, get a good view of the main Aztec temple and all the colonial architecture.  Going on a walking tour will allow you to see all the main sights in the city.

Visiting Churches

If you love old churches, you will find a wide range of them in this city.  Many of these have superb architecture and art from the colonial period.  Two of the churches that are a must-see are the most visited church in the world, the Basilica de Guadalupe, and one of the oldest cathedrals still standing in the Americas, the Catedral Metropolitana.

Chapultepec Zoo

The zoo houses around 252 animal species, of which 130 are native to the country.  It is open from Tuesday to Sunday between the hours of 9am to 4:30 pm.  The zoo is closed on Mondays.  Admission is free.

Parks

The city may be known for its traffic, crowds and buildings, but you can also find several green areas to visit.  Parque Mexico is situated in the Condesa area near the Chilpancingo metro station.  It has beautiful pathways, a range of shrubs and trees and benches to relax if you have walked a long way.  You can enjoy a free tango class in the park on Sundays, from 5 pm.

You can pay a visit to Chapultepec Park which is close to Chapultepec or Auditorio metro station.  It has huge green, natural spaces, museums, amusement parks, as well as a lake where you can rent a paddle-boat.  A visit to this park will allow you to have a relaxing afternoon paddling on the lake.

Markets

There are many markets to visit in Mexico City.  It is not necessary to spend money at the markets as simply exploring and browsing is sufficient to keep you busy for hours.  You can choose to visit the massive Mercado La Lagunilla close to the Lagunilla metro station.  The best day to visit this market is Sunday where you can find anything from clothing to antiques.  If it is food products you are after, you should visit the Mercado de la Merced.

It is not necessary to have a huge amount of cash with you if you want to see Mexico.  If you can obtain cheap accommodation, there are several free places to visit.  The one item you will have to pay for is your Mexican car insurance.  You cannot visit Mexico without it as it is illegal to drive on the roads without sufficient Mexican auto insurance.  It  is very easy to obtain a Mexican insurance policy especially from Mexinsurancestore.com.  All you have to do is go online and search for reputable providers.  Pay for your policy, print out a couple of copies and you are set to jump into your car and enjoy the beauty of Mexico.