When is The Best Time to Visit Mexico City?
When you are planning your trip to Mexico City, you should always take into consideration the weather and what season you will be travelling in. This will help you decide on what to pack and discover what there is to do in Mexico City around the dates of your trip. Although the climate is generally pleasant year-round — like most large cities — the best time of year to visit Mexico City is usually in the spring (March to May) and fall (September to November).
In this post we break down each season so you know what to expect when you visit. But first, here are some essential items you should take with you at any time of year:
- Comfortable shoes
- Breathable fabric
- Your favorite outfits for dinners and drinks
- Portable charger
- Camera
- Reusable water bottle
- Active wear if you go on hikes or do yoga
- Sunscreen, lip balm, moisturizer
- Light and secure bag
Mexico City in the spring
During the months of March, April and May, Mexico City is blessed with hot days and cool evenings, making it the ideal time to visit the capital. The average temperature in the day is mid to high 70s °F. In the evenings there’ll be a slight chill, which a light jacket will keep at bay.
If you visit Mexico City in the springtime, you’ll be able to admire the blossoming jacaranda trees, which leave a trail of lilac confetti along Paseo de la Reforma after a blustery spring day.
What should you pack when travelling to Mexico City in the spring?
In the springtime, the best advice we can give on what you should pack for your trip to Mexico City is layers. During the day, you will certainly be comfortable wearing a pair of light pants and a t-shirt. However, if you plan to be out all day and into the evening, you should definitely take with you a warm sweater or jacket for when the temperature drops. If you plan on returning home to change before you hit the town at night, then, feel free to twirl around the city in a floaty day dress!
If you are visiting Mexico City towards the end of spring, surprise rain showers are a possibility as we move into the rainy season. An umbrella and a light rain jacket with a hood are ideal additions to your suitcase for this time of year.
What is there to do in the springtime?
One of the best things to do in the spring in Mexico City is visit the nearby archaeological site, Teotihuacán for the Spring Equinox. Crowds of people dressed in white climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun. Join everybody and stretch your arms out wide to receive the positive energy released by the sun.
Mexico City during Holy Week and Easter is actually a very peaceful and pleasant place to be. It’s one of the few opportunities to see the streets emptier than usual as residents flock to the coast for their two-week break. At the end of April, we recommend Zone MACO Art Week, an arts and design fair exhibited in the Centro Citibanamex. It is the largest fair platform in Latin America and brings together leading and emerging national and international art galleries.
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Summer in Mexico City
Although the summertime (June to early September) is the wettest time of year in Mexico City, it’s still quite a good time to visit. It may rain every day but usually only in the afternoons and evenings. Therefore, you should have a clear morning to go grab a coffee and take a walk before retreating back to your apartment and ordering takeout. Temperatures are generally mild in the summer, rarely changing between daytime and at night, feeling extra fresh after a heavy downpour.
What should you wear in the rainy season?
The best item to pack when visiting Mexico City in the summertime is most certainly a sturdy raincoat with a hood, just in case you get caught in an unexpected storm. Umbrellas might not fare well in gusterly showers, therefore a waterproof will be much better and a pair of boots to splash about in the puddles.
What is there to do in Mexico City in the summer?
On the last Saturday of June, commencing at the Ángel de Independencia, join the Mexico City’s Gay Pride Parade (Marcha del Orgullo). Follow the vibrant crowd along the Paseo de la Reforma, ending at the Zócalo where the atmosphere is electric.
Casai’s luxury apartments are the perfect hideaway for stormy afternoons. They are located in the most trendy neighbourhoods of Mexico City, such as Polanco, Roma Norte and La Condesa. Marvel at the flashes of lightning and quiver at each grumble of thunder from the comfort of your bed. Or turn down the black-out blinds and switch on Netflix.
Mexico City in fall
Fall is an exciting time to visit Mexico City as everyone slowly emerges from their homes after the rain and signs of life reappear. Parks are once again lush green and tree-lined avenues flourish, creating urban canopies. For instance, on Calle Amsterdam in La Condesa.
High temperatures in the day return with crisp evenings that relieve us of the day’s heat. November eases us into winter and also hosts one of the best festivals of the year in Mexico City.
What should you bring with you when you visit Mexico City in the fall?
When visiting Mexico City in the fall, we would recommend you bring with you jeans, plenty of layers, day dresses or shorts and of course, sweaters. A raincoat may also be useful for the last showers of September.
What is there to do in the fall?
One of the biggest celebrations in Mexico City is Independence Day. Festivities begin on the eve of September 15th and spill over into the next day. Thousands of proud Mexicans and visitors pack into the Zócalo, waving the national flag with pride. El Grito is a special tradition that marks the celebration of Mexican Independence Day. On the night of September 15th, from the National Palace in Mexico City, the president stands on the balcony and leads the crowd in El Grito to remember the heroes of Mexico’s independence movement. ¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!
Possibly one of the most famous Mexican festivals, Day of the Dead, is celebrated in Mexico City from the end of October until the beginning of November. It’s an event not to be missed if you are visiting Mexico City at this time of year. The city is adorned with bright orange marigolds, a flower used to light a path to guide the dead back to the living. Catrins and catrinas meander the eerie streets of Mexico City, as candles flicker and ofrendas pay homage to loved ones. The mega-ofrenda in the Zócalo is a highlight, as well as “La Llorona en Xochimilco” — a special night boat ride through the canals of Xochimilco.
Mexico City in the winter
Winter is the perfect time of year to visit Mexico City for those who prefer to explore in much cooler temperatures and wrap up at night. The weather in December and January is usually dry and cool, almost freezing in the early morning and late at night. February begins to get warmer leading up to springtime. If you’re prepared to bundle up and spend cosy nights at home or sip mezcal in one of many mezcalerías, then why not visit Mexico City in the winter.
What you should pack for a winter trip
If you are visiting Mexico City in the winter, be sure to pack warm clothes as well as lighter layers as it can still be quite warm during the day. Your typical winter woolies will certainly fit in here, especially at night.
What is there to do in Mexico City at Christmas?
Visiting Mexico around Christmas gets you in full festive mode. Christmas season begins on December 16th with many posadas (carol singing and nativity scenes) occurring in most neighbourhoods. In the city at Christmas time, you can go ice-skating in the Zócalo, enter the cathedrals to admire their nativity scenes, count how many Christmas trees you see around Plaza de Revolución, or take a swing at a seven-pointed piñata (one point for each of the seven deadly sins). Fun fact: break the piñata and you rid the sins from your life!
Christmas Eve is the main event, when families gather together around a feast. Typical Mexican Christmas dinners feature turkey, with sides such as a bacalao (salted cod) salad or mole and tamales. Desert tends to be an upside down pineapple cake.
Families once again get together on January 6th to celebrate Kings Day. In the lead up to this day, you will notice an abundance of enormous breads in markets or bakeries. This is rosca de reyes. It’s a sweet, round bread with candied fruits sprinkled on top. A favorite Mexican tradition involves someone in the family hiding a figure of baby Jesus in the bread and everyone tears off a piece. The family member who finds the baby Jesus must make tamales for everyone on February 2nd, when Christmas season officially ends.
Overall, Mexico City is a destination you can visit at any time of year. There is always something happening, come rain or shine.
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