What this section is. Experiences rather than places: the walks, tours, markets, festivals, workshops and nights out that make up a visit to Mexico City, sorted by the kind of traveller and the kind of day.
How the city's calendar works. Two rhythms run in parallel. The institutional one — museums, theatres, orchestras, festivals — publishes weeks or months ahead and is easy to plan around. The community one — patronal feasts, carnivals, pilgrimages, posadas — follows the religious calendar, is announced locally with little notice, and is where most of what is distinctive about this city actually happens.
The five dates worth planning a trip around. 1 and 2 November for Día de Muertos. 12 December for the Virgin of Guadalupe, the largest Catholic pilgrimage in the Americas. Holy Week in Iztapalapa, staged since 1843. The last Wednesday of most months for Noche de Museos. And late October for the Grand Prix.
And the one free thing to build a Sunday around. Paseo de la Reforma closes to traffic every Sunday morning for cyclists, runners and open-air exercise classes.
Practical notes. Most museums close on Mondays and are free on Sundays for residents. Lunch is at 14:00, dinner from 21:00. Markets and street food are cash. At 2,240 metres, two substantial things in a day is a realistic target.
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