Last year, my partner and I decided to take a trip to Mexico City.

“You’ll go with a tour group, right?” folks asked us.  They should know us better than that.

We never go anywhere with a tour group – it’s too constricting and too expensive.  When we travel by ourselves, we can get to see exactly what we like, when we like, how we like.

“But surely it’s too dangerous to be by yourselves, especially two women?” was the question we heard over and over, even from our favorite Mexicophiles.  And since we’re talking about last year, they weren’t referring to swine flu.  They were referring to the fact that over the years Mexico City has garnered a reputation as being a high-crime city, and unsafe for individual tourists.

We’ve traveled all over the world and know how to look after ourselves.  We never put anything in our back pockets.  We never carry purses that could be easily grabbed from our shoulders.  We never stand in the middle of the street poring over maps, looking like lost tourists.  If we’re out at night, we don’t walk down any deserted streets, even if it means going out of our way.  We always look like we know exactly what we’re doing and where we’re going even when we’re clueless.

Although we travel on a budget, we never stay on a street that seems seedy or in a hostel or guesthouse that feels unsafe in any way.  If there’s no lock on the door, we won’t stay there. So we felt pretty confident in our ability to stay safe in Mexico City.  Was that confidence warranted?

Definitely.  Surprisingly, we felt safer in Mexico City than we have in many other parts of the world (especially the USA).  We took the bus from Guadalajara to Mexico City, and then used the metro to get from the bus station to our hotel. Right away we were impressed with the Mexico City metro system.  It is ultra clean, very modern, well-signed and easy to navigate.  It took us to our destination, near the Zocolo, a small, inexpensive, well-appointed hotel that was on a well-lit, well-traversed main street.

Because of problems in the past, the city has done a great deal to combat crime on public transportation and in the metro.  In the major stations there are signs everywhere that violence against women is unacceptable.  Some even have a police post especially designated for victims of sexual assault.  Although this was slightly unnerving, there were other things that made us feel very positive.  There are armed guards on every platform who stand on elevated boxes so they can see everything.  One fascinating thing is that the front two cars of the trains are designated for women and children only.  Although it felt a little weird – like being in Saudi Arabia — this definitely made us feel very safe.

And it’s not just on the underground.  When we weren’t using the underground, we used the small microbuses that are ubiquitous throughout the city.  One night we were trying to get back to our hotel.  Microbus after microbus rolled by, each one jammed to the gills.  Just when we were wondering what we should do, an enormous bus drove up, with a large sign that said it was for women and children only.  Forget feeling weird – it felt great!

We were in the city when a massive Peace march took place — Mexicans all over the country demonstrated against the kidnappings and violence that have resulted from the drug wars.  Hundreds of thousands of white-clad people poured into the Zocolo, heard speeches, sang songs and lit candles.  Later they quietly dispersed with not a single incident of violence reported. The next morning, the street had been swept completely clean and we marveled once again at how clean, quiet and serene Mexico City had turned out to be.

Mexico City Felt Surprisingly Safe is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

Air Travel to and from Mexico City

Nonstop and direct flights come to Mexico City from every city of North America. There is one passenger airport: the Benito Juarez International Airport, about 4 miles east of the main downtown area of the city. The airport has six halls or salas, divided between domestic and international arrivals and check-ins.

Over 35 airlines fly into Mexico City. Aeromexico, Mexicana, Alaska Airlines, American, America West, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways are just a few of the companies that come from the United States. Many airlines have offices in Mexico City.

Consider a vacation package if you are coming as a tourist. This would include your airfare and your lodging price.

Getting to Mexico City by Road

You can drive there from the United States. Whenever possible, take the rather expensive toll roads, as the prices keep most of the traffic off them and they are pleasantly fast and easy. Of course, once you get to the Mexico City area, then you have a car or motorhome to deal with! You may want to stay in a city or town outside of the DF (Distrito Federal, and Mexicans speak of Mexico City that way, much as Americans speak of Washington as DC). Then you can take public transportation into the city.

My husband and I took the trip around parts of Mexico described in my book Mexico with Heart, (the link takes you to first page — all pages are online here) in a small RV. We had no interest in taking our rig into Mexico City, and since we had gotten lost in a variety of other Mexican cities by the time we approached Mexico City, we took a roundabout way to get to Teotihuacan, our destination in the area. It worked nicely.

Intercity Bus Service to and from Mexico City

Mexico has excellent bus service, and Mexico City has four main bus terminals, roughly one for each of the four directions. That’s how they are named: Terminal Norte for points north, Terminal Oriente, called TAPO, for the east, Terminal Sur for the south, and Terminal Poniente for the western destinations. The terminals have luggage check rooms, cafeterias, and other amenities. Buses are frequent, and come in deluxe, first class, and other qualities. You can generally just turn up at the station and find a bus, though you may want to make reservations. The Lonely Planet Mexico guidebook is good on bus travel information throughout Mexico.

Travel around Mexico City

A nightmare at worst.

A nuisance at best.

The city is choked with vehicles, and as a result, there are strictly-enforced rules that keep some cars off the streets daily, according to their license plates. Renting a car is certainly possible but not only do you have to deal with frustrating traffic and parking space non-existence, but you also have to be careful about possible crime against you.

Taxis are probably the best way to travel around Mexico City, provided you only get them at official locations, since there are a number of freelance taxis whose activities include robbing tourists. City buses are more confusing than in many Mexican cities. There is a fast, cheap, efficient metro, which runs to and from the airport as well as around the city. It can be dangerously crowded during the long rush hours, is known for the pickpockets who work in it, and has regulations (not always enforced) against traveling with more than a shoulder bag. Adventurous travelers may wish to join the 5 million other passengers per day.

Be sure to allow plenty of time to get to the airport, however you are doing that.

Traveling to Mexico City — and Around It is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

If you are thinking of living in Mexico City for a few years or more, you might be interested in purchasing a home which you could later resell, much as many people do in the U.S. when they move.  But it may not be your best choice in Mexico City. If you can afford something on the upscale end, you can find a nice selection of both homes and condos, some in gated communities. But affordable middle-class housing is a challenge. Mexico’s middle class is looking for it too, and there just isn’t that much. Add to that the relative rarity of mortgages, and renting may begin to look more attractive. Also, reselling isn’t always so easy.

While real estate in Mexico City may be less expensive than in many parts of the United States, it tends to be the highest in the country, comparable to some of the most expensive beach resort areas. And you do not get fresh air with it!

Mexico City as a place to be has many pluses and minuses… the link takes you to my assessment of them. Also, do read my page on investing in Mexican real estate in general.

If you are interested in real estate in the Mexico City area as an investment, you presumably know what you are doing… which I don’t!

Real Estate in Mexico City is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

Mexico City has enough tourism sites to keep you busy indefinitely! Museums, art galleries, sports teams of all sorts, great shopping, a beautiful historic downtown area, wonderful parks… there is no limit to the things you can do in Mexico City. Here are a few:

• The Museum of Anthropology is famous worldwide for its extensive collection on Mexican archaeology and history.
• The Bosque de Chapultepec is a huge park in the city, with many things to do within it: museums, cafes, etc. And the people-watching is great.
• In the downtown area, the Zocalo is one of the largest plazas in the world, with the cathedral, the presidential palace, and much more in the vicinity. Beautiful historic buildings!
• The floating gardens of Xochimilco
• Art, including great murals and paintings of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and many others

Before you pack your bags for a vacation there, do consider pollution, congestion, and crime.

Pollution: The air quality is terrible, as the geography of the valley that Mexico City sits in combines with the heavy traffic to create a thick stew instead of the air your lungs would prefer. At about a mile high, the city’s air is thinner to begin with anyway.

Congestion means that travel around the city is slow and tedious. The traffic is so frustrating, and parking so difficult, that rental cars aren’t generally recommended. See more on the page about travel to Mexico City and within it.

Crime: In the 1990s, Mexico suffered economic problems that left many of its people destitute. Some of these people used a lot of ingenuity in figuring out ways to separate richer people from their goods. Today, tourist guidebooks on Mexico generally explain the situation in detail. Here are some general guidelines: Carry little cash with you, and be very alert to your surroundings. Stay out of places where there are few people. Don’t necessarily trust the police, as in some cases they are involved in crime too. Don’t hail a taxi on the street, as some of the roaming cab drivers are involved in robbery. Taxis at your hotel or in official cab stands are much better. While other parts of the country may have seen some increase in crime, it’s in Mexico City that it’s reached the highest levels. All in all, some preparation (making photocopies of your passport, leaving your fancy jewelry at home, that sort of thing) and common sense are called for.

Smoke billows from a volcano within sight of Mexico City Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com

But do these drawbacks mean you should avoid Mexico City as a tourism destination? It all depends on what you want. Many people love the vibrancy of the city. There may be something you want to do or see there. You may love big cities and want to experience the unique flavor of this one.

People go to Mexico City for business. With about a quarter of the entire population of Mexico, and with government and industry offices centered there, “the city” (la ciudad) as it’s called, is where a lot of things happen. Many of the hotels in Mexico City offer suites for business travelers to use as offices while they conduct their business.

If your business takes you there, or if you decide to live or retire there, you will do the same thing that most of the other twenty million do: make the best of any drawbacks and enjoy the many wonderful aspects of the city. If you might be there for a long time, see the page on real estate in Mexico City.

I’ve been there several times, and I have happy memories of fascinating hours in the Anthropology Museum, international restaurants, staying in ultramodern hotels and in intimate little places, the friendliness of people I met, and much more. It’s truly a phenomenon, Mexico City!

About Mexico City is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

If you are going as a tourist, select your place to stay based on where you will be spending most of your time.

Check out vacation packages to Mexico City, which combine airfare and hotels. If you have a specific purpose, perhaps for business, choose your hotel to be reasonably close to your work destinations, to minimize the amount of travel around the city you need to do.

Some well-rated hotels with rooms for $150 and up (sometimes way up!) include: JW Marriott Mexico City, Four Seasons Mexico City, W Mexico City, Galeria Plaza, Marco Polo, Hotel Presidente InterContinental, Habita, Nikko Mexico, Marquis Reforma Hotel, Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel and Towers, Casa Blanca, Sevilla Palace, Camino Real Mexico City, Fiesta Americana Grand Chapultepec, Sheraton Suites, Benidorm, Brasilia, Hotel Residencia Polanco, Hotel Ambos Mundos, Hotel Cibeles, Hotel El Greco, and Real Del Sur.

Some popular hotels with lower rates include: Hotel Catedral, Casa Gonzalez, Segovia Regency, La Casona, Maria Cristina, Best Western Majestic, Hotel Gillow, Parque Ensenada, Vasco De Quiroga Hotel, Best Western Hotel Cortes, Riazor, New York Hotel, Mision Park Plaza Mexico, Mision Zona Rosa Mexico City, Mayaland, Holiday Inn East Mexico City, Hotel Metropol, Hotel Isabel, and Regente.

I came across the information someplace that La Ventana Hotel is pet-friendly.

Here are some of the areas of the city where you will find hotels:

• Downtown: wonderful for access but crowded and noisy during the day. It is relatively empty at night, so be more alert.
• Reforma and Zona Rosa: this is the business center of the city, along with fine shopping and nightlife.
  
• Chapultepec and Polanco: includes the wonderful Chapultepec Park, the famous Museum of Anthropology, the Modern Art museum, and is close to the Reforma area. Some very nice luxury hotels are located here.
• Airport: in an industrial and slum area, but convenient if you are leaving early the next morning or for business or other travelers who fly in and out quickly. A very utilitarian Mexico City hotel choice.

The Many Hotels of Mexico City is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico