Traveling to Mexico City is extremely easy. Visas are not required for tourists from the U.S., Canada, and nearly 40 countries in Europe and Latin America, meaning you can easily arrange a last-minute trip to D.F. should the mood strike your fancy.

WHAT TO TAKE
Everyone has their own taste for what sort of clothing and accoutrements they like to bring traveling with them, but a few points bear keeping in mind when packing your bag. Mexico City might be technically located in the tropics, but it’s not very tropical. At 2,100 meters above sea level, the climate is much, much cooler than Cancún. So make sure you bring a light jacket, even in summer, for the evenings, and in winter be prepared for it to be positively chilly at night. The rainy season in Mexico City is usually between April and October, but rains can hit all year, so a pocket umbrella isn’t a bad idea (although you can buy them there very cheaply). Warmer clothes are needed for visiting the mountain countryside around the city, near Valle de Bravo for example. Bring sunscreen and a hat when the weather is sunny (most of the time), especially if you plan a day trip to somewhere like Teotihuacán.

  Not only is the climate very different in Mexico City than in the beach towns, but so is the style of dress. This is a huge, busy, working city—you’re not going to see a lot of people walking around in shorts and sandals. You will definitely draw attention to yourself if that’s what you wear. Think of yourself visiting a big city anywhere in Europe or North America, and pack accordingly. Women will want to dress relatively conservatively for touring the city, if only to keep the occasional catcalls to a minimum.

  A photocopy of your passport and of your visa paper (given to you when you arrive at the airport) are always good to have, but leave the originals in your hotel. The easiest way to get cash is with an ATM card. All the major Mexican banks are owned by foreign companies, and their ATM machines are hooked up to most international networks and offer up-to-the-minute exchange rates. Don’t travel with too much cash (or valuables in general), but having, say, a 500-peso note tucked away is not a bad idea in case of emergencies. Beware of toting around expensive-looking cameras as they are a temptation to would-be thieves. It’s best to keep it in a bag when you aren’t using it. Also sometimes useful are 20- or 50-peso Ladatel telephone cards, which work at the ubiquitous pay phone. Ladatel cards are sold at magazine stands and convenience stores, such as Oxxo and Sanborns.

WHEN TO GO
Pretty much any time of year is a good time to go to Mexico City. Because this is a mainly urban environment, most sights are not particularly weather-dependent. Sometimes visiting Mexico City during the April–October rainy season can be wet, but it’s not difficult to come prepared with an umbrella or rain jacket. Temperatures are cooler in the winter but fairly moderate all year round. In terms of air pollution, it tends to get a bit worse during the colder, drier winter months (thermal inversions are not uncommon), but good and bad days are possible throughout the year. In general, pollution is lighter (logically enough) when it’s windy.

  There’s no tourist season per se in Mexico City, but it’s often nice to go during Mexican holidays, when many residents are away on vacation and the city is less congested. The Christmas holidays and Semana Santa (Easter Week) are great times to visit.

SAFETY
Mexico City has a well-deserved reputation as a city with a lot of crime. While some people will be put off by this, the truth is that it’s no more dangerous than any city in Latin America, or indeed, most of the world. And like any big city, knowing where you can and can’t go and what you can and can’t do will make you a whole lot safer. Tourists can very easily stay out of harm’s way by simply sticking to the neighborhoods described in this book. Most crime takes place well away from tourist destinations, where foreign visitors are unlikely to venture. A large number of tourist robberies happen when foreigners flag a taxi off the street; always get a safe sitio (radio) taxi instead. The other common place to get robbed is on a crowded Metro car, so don’t bring valuables with you, and watch out for pickpockets. Be wary of strangers who approach you, as tourist scams, though not common, are not unheard of. But try not to be so suspicious that you cut yourself off from meeting Mexicans, who tend to be more open and friendly than many foreigners are used to. In general, pay attention to your surroundings and use your judgment to stay out of trouble’s way.