Mexico City Downtown Tour Cathedral, Templo Mayor & Bellas Artes
About this experience
A downtown tour that starts where the city itself started. In three hours on foot you go from the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio Nacional to the Templo Mayor, seen from the archaeological viewpoint over the excavation; north to Plaza de Santo Domingo, the old palace of the Inquisition and the mural-covered courtyards of the Ministry of Education; then west past the Palacio Postal, Plaza Manuel Tolsá and the Casa de los Azulejos to finish in front of the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Your guide is a certified local historian and groups are capped at fifteen.
The Zócalo: Cathedral, Palacio Nacional and Templo Mayor
We meet at the Metropolitan Cathedral and read the main square from the outside in: the cathedral that sinks a few millimetres a year into the old lake bed, the Palacio Nacional across the plaza, and the Templo Mayor seen from the archaeological viewpoint, where the Aztec city lies open below street level.
Plaza de Santo Domingo and the Inquisition
Three blocks north, the arcade where public scribes still type letters for people who ask. Facing it, the palace that housed the Holy Inquisition, and beside it the Ministry of Education, whose courtyards hold one of the largest mural cycles Diego Rivera ever painted.
Palacio Postal and Plaza Manuel Tolsá
The post office that looks like a Venetian palace, with its gilded ironwork staircase, and the square named after the sculptor whose equestrian statue of Charles IV has been moved around the city for two centuries. The Palacio de Minería and MUNAL frame the plaza.
Casa de los Azulejos and Bellas Artes
The sixteenth-century palace wrapped entirely in blue and white Puebla tiles, and then the Palacio de Bellas Artes: Italian marble outside, Art Deco inside, and sinking into the same soft ground as everything else here. We finish at its steps.
About 2 kilometres at a relaxed pace, with frequent stops for explanations, photos and rest. The streets are cobbled in places, so comfortable shoes help. Suitable for all fitness levels.
No. This is a walking tour of exteriors, plazas and public courtyards, and no museum ticket is included. Your guide will point you to the ones worth coming back for, and can tell you what they cost and when they are quietest.
All ages are welcome! The route is pleasant and accessible. Children find the ancient ruins and stories especially fascinating.
$400 MXN per person — about 22 US dollars. Prices on this site are in Mexican pesos, not dollars. No hidden fees, and booking is confirmed instantly.
Our guides are professional, certified and born and raised in Mexico City. This particular tour runs in English.
The Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio Nacional from the outside, the Templo Mayor from the archaeological viewpoint, Plaza de Santo Domingo, the palace of the Inquisition and the Ministry of Education, the Palacio Postal, Plaza Manuel Tolsá, the Casa de los Azulejos and the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Online, on this page: pick a date, say how many of you are coming, and pay by card or PayPal. Confirmation arrives by email straight away, with the meeting point and a map. If you would rather ask first, write to us on WhatsApp at +52 55 6435 4613.
Three hours on foot with a certified historian, capped at 15 people, across eight of the places the city was actually built around — for $400 pesos. If you would rather read what guests say than take our word for it, our reviews are on Google, TripAdvisor and Airbnb, linked from this site.
At the main entrance of the Metropolitan Cathedral, facing the Zócalo — Plaza de la Constitución s/n, Centro Histórico. Look for our pink shirts and pink umbrellas. Departures run daily at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm.
Meeting Point
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If you are looking for Mexico City tour recommendations, this is it. Our Mexico City tour guide made the Mexico City Downtown Tour an unforgettable experience. Truly one of the best tours in Mexico City!
From
$400 MXN/ person
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