Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world and one of the most rewarding to plan properly, because its interesting parts are concentrated into a handful of walkable neighbourhoods separated by a lot of city. Getting the grouping right is the whole job.
Four days is the sensible minimum: one for the historic centre, one for the museums and the park, one for the southern neighbourhoods, and one for Teotihuacán or a slower day in Roma and Condesa.
The city sits at high altitude, which is worth planning for rather than discovering. The first day is noticeably harder than the third, and a light first day is a better itinerary than an ambitious one.
Think of it as a set of walkable districts connected by longer journeys, rather than one continuous city you can cross on foot.
The altitude keeps temperatures mild all year — this is not a hot city — so the real variable is rain, and it is far less disruptive than the word 'rainy season' suggests.
Dry, warm and clear
The warmest and driest stretch, before the rains start. Long clear days and comfortable evenings. Air quality is generally worse in the dry months, which is the trade-off.
The rains have stopped, the air is clean
Arguably the best window: the rain has washed the air, everything is green, and the weather is settled. Día de Muertos falls at the start of November and is a genuine reason to plan around these dates — book well ahead if so.
Rainy season, which mostly means late afternoon
It rains most days, but typically as a heavy burst in the late afternoon or evening rather than all day. Mornings are usually clear. Cheaper, greener, and much less of an obstacle than people expect — carry a jacket and plan indoor afternoons.
Dry, cool nights, and hazier air
Pleasant days and genuinely cold evenings by local standards. This is when air quality tends to be at its worst, which matters if you are sensitive to it.
A four-day trip needs Premium; the free version covers one destination for up to three days, with the places drawn from open data either way.
