Mexico City

November–April is Mexico City's dry season and best time — temperatures 15–24°C, clear skies, and the air quality (a persistent challenge in this high-altitude basin) at its best. February–April are particularly excellent — warm, clear, and the most comfortable for exploring the city on foot.

May–October: The rainy season brings daily afternoon showers (usually clearing within 1–2 hours), lush greenery, and the extraordinary lightning storms over the Popocatépetl volcano. Temperatures are cooler (18–22°C) than you might expect at this latitude — Mexico City sits at 2,250 metres, which tempers the tropical location significantly.

1. Teotihuacán pyramids

The Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon — built between the 1st and 7th centuries and among the largest pre-Columbian structures in the world — are one hour north of Mexico City by combi bus from Autobuses del Norte terminal (AUD $3 each way). Entry AUD $6. Climb the Pyramid of the Sun (65 metres, 248 steps) for views over the Avenue of the Dead and the entire ceremonial complex. Go on a weekday morning (arrive at 8am opening) to avoid weekend crowds. A hat, sunscreen, and water are essential.

2. Frida Kahlo Museum, Coyoacán

The blue house where Frida Kahlo was born, lived, and died is Mexico's most-visited museum — the rooms preserved as she left them, her personal possessions, and her paintings in the context of the extraordinary life she lived. Entry AUD $15; book online to guarantee entry (sells out most days). The surrounding Coyoacán neighbourhood is the most bohemian in Mexico City — cobblestone streets, excellent coffee, and the best churros in the city at El Jarocho.

3. Street food in Roma and Condesa

Mexico City's street food is among the world's finest. Tacos al pastor (vertical spit-grilled pork with pineapple, AUD $1–1.50 per taco), tlayudas (Oaxacan flatbread with beans and toppings, AUD $4–7), tamales (masa filled with chicken or cheese steamed in corn husks, AUD $1.50–2), and elotes (grilled corn with mayo, cheese, chilli and lime, AUD $2–3). The Roma and Condesa neighbourhood taco trucks serve some of the best — El Califa de León (Michelin-starred, one taco, AUD $4) and El Turix (cochinita pibil, AUD $3) are standouts.

• Budget hotel in Roma or Condesa: AUD $60–100/night. Mid-range boutique: AUD $120–200/night.
• Taco al pastor: AUD $1–1.50 each.
• Full restaurant lunch (set menu): AUD $12–20 per person including drink.
• Metro single journey (one of the world's cheapest metros): AUD $0.25.
• Teotihuacán entry: AUD $6.
• Uber across the city (e.g., Roma to Coyoacán): AUD $4–8.

The tourist neighbourhoods of Roma, Condesa, Polanco, Coyoacán, and the Centro Histórico are safe with normal urban vigilance. Specific notes: use Uber rather than street taxis (express kidnapping of taxi passengers has occurred, though rarely). Do not use your phone on the street — phone snatching is common. Avoid areas outside the tourist zone at night. Register on Smartraveller before departure and monitor advisories.

Day 1: Centro Histórico and Zócalo

Mexico City's historic centre: the Zócalo (one of the world's largest public squares), Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor (Aztec temple ruins excavated below the colonial city, AUD $6 including the excellent museum). Palacio Nacional (Diego Rivera's extraordinary murals of Mexican history, free). Lunch: Mercado de San Juan for international gourmet food stalls. Evening: Alameda Central park and the Palacio de Bellas Artes (extraordinary Art Nouveau/Art Deco building, free exterior and lobby).

Day 2: Teotihuacán

Early departure (combi bus from Autobuses del Norte, 1 hour). Full day at the pyramid complex. Return for evening in Roma or Condesa neighbourhood — street food tacos, mezcal bars on Álvaro Obregón.

Day 3: Frida Kahlo and Coyoacán

Morning: Frida Kahlo Museum (book ahead). Explore Coyoacán: Mercado de Coyoacán, Plaza Hidalgo, León Trotsky Museum (AUD $3 — Trotsky lived and was assassinated here in 1940). Afternoon: Xochimilco floating gardens (AUD $25–35 per person for a 2-hour trajinera boat with mariachis). Return for final Mexico City dinner in Polanco — one of Latin America's finest restaurant neighbourhoods.