#CDMX

Mexico City, in one paragraph. A capital of some twenty million people, built on a drained lake at 2,240 metres, inside a basin ringed by volcanoes. It holds around 170 museums — second in the world only to London — three UNESCO World Heritage sites within its own boundaries, and a cuisine that is itself inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is the most visited city in Latin America, and the overwhelming majority of visitors never leave four of its sixteen boroughs.

The five things that catch everyone out. The altitude makes the first two days harder than expected. Tap water is not drunk. Lunch is at 14:00 and dinner starts at 21:00. Most museums close on Mondays and are free on Sundays for residents, which makes Sunday the most crowded day. And colonia names repeat across the city, so every address needs its borough and postcode.

How to move. Buy a Movilidad Integrada card on day one: one card for the Metro, Metrobús, Tren Ligero, Trolleybus, Cablebus and Ecobici, at some of the lowest fares in the world. The Metro beats a car on almost any journey inside the city. Use app taxis rather than hailing, especially at night.

If something goes wrong. 911 is the single emergency number nationwide and has English-speaking operators; Locatel, on 55 5658 1111, answers general city questions 24 hours a day.