Gay Travel Mexico City
10 things a gay tourist must do in Mexico City
Attention all gay tourists: Mexico City brings it all! We are talking about one of the biggest cities in the world with so much to offer you’ll need holidays after your holidays just to recover. And even though it’s chaotic, the traffic is constant and it’s packed everywhere, believe me, it’s worth, and you’ll even want to recommend it and come back.
And, before we start, just a few tips. Rush hours are from 7 am to 10 am and from 5 pm to 9 pm, so you might want to stay in one place during those times, or walk if you want to go somewhere. Public transportation is cheap, I recommend to use taxi apps or taxis your hotel gets for you, the subway is usually faster and safer than buses, the Metrobús is ok but usually busy, and as for green options, the city counts with a public bicycle service. Also, this is the second city with more museums in the world, so get ready for a lot of culture. Even though the city is relatively safe, tourists may want to dress discretely, not show huge expensive gadgets everywhere, and avoid lonely streets late at night; just in like most big cities. And of course, this is one of the friendliest cities in the world, so feel free to peck or hold hands in public, since most people are relatively tolerant. So, let’s begin:
1: Bus Tour
As a tourist myself a technique that has helped me quite a bit is, as soon as I arrive to a new city, I take the bus tour in order to get a lot of basic information in a few hours, see where everything is, how far things are, and what I want to visit calmly. Mexico City actually has several hop-on-and-off-bus-tours, so manage your time wisely: City Center (more historic), Polanco (one of the poshest areas in the city), South (traditional), Guadalupe Basilica (more religious), Canteens, Lucha Libre, Palaces and Nocturne. Ask at your front desk the nearest station to hop on! turibus.com.mx
2: Chapultepec
This is one of the most beautiful areas in the city, with a huge forest, lakes, cultural activities such as folk performances and ballet, the Anthropology Museum, the Estela de Luz Structure, and the Castle, with a breathtaking view of the city. Subway stations: Auditorio (Orange line) and Chapultepec (Pink Line).
3: Colonia Roma
This might be the best area to eat ANYTHING you want, and for any pocket. In this nice and welcoming neighborhood, most of the best restaurants are on Álvaro Obregón Av. and its surroundings. I particularly recommend the trendy Mercado Roma (Querétaro 225). Stations: Subway- Insurgentes (Pink line) and Chilpancingo (Brown line). Metrobús: Álvaro Obregón, Sonora, Michoacán and Campeche (Red Line).
4: Coyoacán
A very traditional neighborhood. The two main plazas host the church, the kiosk and the Coyotes Fountain. There are plenty of excellent restaurants such as Corazón de Maguey and bars with live music such as El Hijo del Cuervo. A few blocks away you can find the Frida Kahlo Museum and the park, Viveros. A cart churro, a street ice cream and a coffee from Café La Selva are true musts. Subway stations: General Anaya (Blue Line).
5: Shopping
Our kryptonite. For those who enjoy the best labels, Presidente Masaryk Av. at Polanco is a must, where you would find the up-scale international designers (Polanco subway station, Orange line). For malls with cinemas, restaurants, food courts, and of course, shops; Perisur (Perisur Metrobús station, Red Line), Antara (Polanco subway station), 222 (Insurgentes subway Station, Pink line) and Santa Fe (only accessible by car) might be the best shopping options of the city. And for a cheap and wide variety of art crafts, the Ciudadela Market in the City Center (Juárez subway station, Olive Green line) is THE place. If you are looking for High Mexican Design (not sombreros or ponchos), Pineda Covalín is one of the top fashion houses that portrays traditional designs.
6: Teotihuacán
7: La Condesa
This is definitely the trendiest area of the city. Young couples, hipsters, fashionistas… everyone wants a piece of La Condesa. Facing La Roma (opposite side of Insurgentes Av.), this neighborhood offers a massive range of restaurants, parks for romantic and canine walks, stores, coffe shops, weekend bazaars, but above all, the best bars to start any memorable night. Any bar on Tamaulipas St., Michoacán St., or around Mexico’s Park or La Cibeles Fountain (such as Wallace Bar or the terrace of the posh Codesa DF Boutique Hotel) is very likely to be quite busy at night, even during the week, but is the place to see and be seen.
8: City Center
Of course the Historic City Center has to be on the list. At “El Zócalo”, tourists can find the National Palace (with murals of Diego Rivera, Frida’s husband), the Cathedral, Bellas Artes Palace, the Central Alameda, the Templo Mayor Museum, and the pedestrian Madero Av. (with shops and restaurants). The quintessential traditional restaurant is Café Tacuba, but I recommend the terrace of the ancient Mexico Hotel, with the best view of El Zócalo. Subway stations: Zócalo (Blue line) and Bellas Artes (Blue and Green line).
9: Nightlife
What you’ve been craving. Even though there are LGBT clubs all over the city, this is how I would arrange a crazy weekend of tequila shots and phone numbers: one trashy and cheap night at the City Center’s Marrakech Salón, Marra 2.0 and La Purísima (Bellas Artes subway station), one trendy and up-scale night at Envy (only Friday) or Guilt (only Saturday) (Polanco subway station), and a universal night barhopping at Zona Rosa (Insurgentes subway and Metrobús stations), the gay district. The pink zone has clubs for all, such as Lollipop (with Karaoke), Nicho (for bears), El Taller (underground just for men), Botas (strip club) and Kinky (probably the most popular). The key is to get to Amberes St. and just go with the flow.
10: Reforma
The Mexican Champs Élysées. On this avenue tourists will find the emblematic Angel of Independence Monument (the symbol of the city), the Diana the Hunter Fountain, the National Auditorium (where Coldplay and Shakira have performed, just to name a couple), Chapultepec and Zona Rosa, and it’s also very close to the City Center. It is the perfect way to finish any week since, on Sundays, the central lanes are closed for bicycles, roller skates, roller blades, dogs and baby strollers during the day. Stations: Subway- Chapultepec, Sevilla or Insurgentes (Pink line). Metrobús- Reforma (Red line).
