What this section is. Ready-made combinations — themed routes through the city for the kind of trip you are actually taking, from two days to a week.
By length. 48 hours splits cleanly into the historic centre on one day and Chapultepec or the south on the other. A week is the point at which the city stops being a checklist: Xochimilco, lucha libre, Teotihuacán, Tlatelolco and a day trip out all become possible. And a top ten exists for anyone with less.
By interest. Green routes for parks and running; walking routes for the districts built for it; the refined end for Polanco and San Ángel; the alternative circuit through the Roma and Condesa; family routes; the city without filters, through markets and pueblos; and a business trip with a free evening.
The two rules behind all of them. Group by area and never cross the city twice in a day — journeys eat more time than you allow for. And respect the altitude: at 2,240 metres, two substantial things in a day is a realistic target, not three.
Practical notes. Most museums close on Mondays and are free on Sundays for residents, which makes Sunday the busiest day. Lunch is at 14:00, dinner from 21:00.
