A Guide to Mexico City

Mexico City, México

Places you must try and visit on your next trip to Mexico City!

Ah, Mexico City, home of the very metropolitan lifestyle, the peso, delicious food, crazy driving, endless museums, and amazing culture.

Your initial thoughts on Mexico City - or Mexico for that matter - may not be the most positive, but I promise, this grand city is nothing like that depicted in the media! It's infused with so much character, life, and culture. I mean, this city literally has over 100 museums. It has limitless street food joints, some of the most laid-back and hard-working people ever, and heck this city has a very rugged-hipster vibe in some of its neighborhoods.

Although some may disagree, I've claimed this city the NYC of Mexico because this city never sleeps.

 

Food

Keep an open mind about what authentic Mexican food really consists of. No, it is not TexMex. 

You should not expect Burritos, Tacos, Guac, Chips, and Salsa to be a staple of the city's restaurants. I was totally bummed out when not one single restaurant, or whole in the wall, we ate at offered free chips and salsa. Mexico City, unlike Texas, will not welcome you with endless free chips and Salsa. Nonetheless the food is fantastic!

Terraza Mexicana

If you are looking for a rooftop restaurant with an amazing view, head to the Terraza Mexicana . The restaurant is situated on the biggest plaza in Mexico City - El Zócalo. 

Probably my favorite restaurant of the whole trip. The views are spectacular! One side overlooks the Zócalo. The view includes one of the famous churches in the city - La Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México.

On the other side you have a view of the Torre Latinoamerica, another famous landmark in CDMX.

I was so excited that we stumbled upon this gem.

Not only was there a view, but the food was delicious! I cannot rave enough about the enchiladas Swissas I had. We all had a hard time choosing what we wanted - everything on the menu was apetizing. They had something for everyone. I believe the menu included vegetarian options. 

I must say, their fruit bowl and horchata were the perfect finish after our savory meal.

For all you fellow chai latte lovers, if you have never tried orchata, you must! It's basically creamy rice milk infused with cinnamon flavors. MMMM. 

Tortería el Zacatlan

If you are looking for a cheap but satisfying meal, this is the whole in the wall you should check out. We stopped at this place on our way to the Teotihuacan pyramids. We could have chosen any little food stand, but chose this place for its prices and fresh meats! The menu was basic, but the flavor from the food was far from it. The tortas ( basically a sandwhich ) were fantastic, we even ordered some to go.

Almost everything on the menu was under $1.50. That's about 30 pesos, give or take. My meal was 2 dollars. Best bang for your buck!

El Pendulo Cafe 

I'm not the biggest book worm, but when I read about this place, I just had to put it on the itinerary. This cafe has two floors. The bottom floor is a bookstore with endless amounts of interesting reads, they also have a coffee bar with various seating if you feel like relaxing and diving into a book. The upper floor is a cafe with a small terrace! The food quality was great and the service was a bit slow, but nonetheless they were very kind and accomodating! Very unique business. 

Tepoznieves

"Nieve de dioses" or " ice cream of the gods".

I 100% agree!  

We stumbled upon this ice cream shop when we were in the La Condesa neighborhood. My mom was getting her nails done at the shop right next to it, so Klaas and I decided to hop over to grab some ice cream. Best decision! 

They had so many exotic flavors, it was so exciting! I chose "rompope", my childhood favorite flavor. It's creamy based and soooo good! I promise, you'll like it! 

Klaas was a little basic and had something strawberry flavored, but his face told me the flavor was far from basic.  

Mercado Roma 

Interesting and cute little market to have a drink or a meal! Best thing about this gem is that they have a terrace with a sweet bar! It's definitely a cozy spot for you and your friends to hang.

You'll see plenty of local hipsters hanging out here for sure!

The Teotihuacan Pyramids

Oh my goodness. Everything about this day trip to the pyramids was unbelievable. As I type, I get chills. This was my favorite part about visiting Mexico City ( the pyramids are an hour bus ride away ). I cannot rave enough about going to visit these pyramids. 

Make sure to plan your trip to the pyramids a day or two before hand. If you are trying to get their the cheapest way possible, I suggest taking the metro to the bus station and taking a bus to the pyramids, in total its about 6-7 dollars (so cheap, I know.) 

Here is a detailed post I found online on how to navigate your way there. 

There will be tons of tourists there, so arrive early to get some sweet shots! Included in the entrance fee (7 dollars) is a pass to visit the museum that goes into detail about the city built by the Aztecs! I highly recommend.

I won't go into more detail because I think you should experience this first hand! 

Just expect to see tons of vendors! You should definitely engage in haggling prices with them! It's so easy to snag a deal-- and their items are already cheap, double bonus!

If you go in the summer remember to pack a hat and sun screen, it was a huge mistake that I didn't! And water and snacks! (There are some food vendors outside the pyramid site). 

Xochimilco

Second favorite part of the trip! 

You have to make this trip a top priority as well! You won't regret it.

Once you get on the boat you'll be offered soft drinks for a small charge (beer is an option, too). As your guide rows you down the river you will have a multitude of other vendors on boats selling food, trinkets, and other miscellaneous Mexican souvenirs! (I bought a flower crown, which was a popular item being sold!)

Klaas was sweet and had some mariachis come and sing for us. One of the best moments of the trip. I asked them to play my favorite mariachi song - el Mariachi loco. Haha, I could not stop dancing and laughing.  

Anthropology Museum  

Best museum I visited! 

Be sure to schedule a significant block of time if you plan on seeing the entire museum. There is so much to see and it's not just an hour or two kind of visit.  

Some of the information is trabslated in English for your convenience. 

We only had time to tour the beginning of the museum. It was amazing. So informative! If you're into evolution and how we, Homo sapiens, came to be, you should definitely check this museum out! You will leave so informed and amazed at all the cool artifacts they have displayed.

Torre Latinoamerica  

This is just one of those things that you can say you did when in CDMX! The views are phenomenal! This is the tallest building in Mexico! You definitely get a birds eye-view from up here.  

Its worth the 7 dollars! 

 

Vasconcelos Library 

If you are all about futuristic architecture, I say stop by this amazing library, I've never seen anything like it! The architecture is absolutely stunning!

Unfortunately I was unable to get a proper shot of the beauty. Though, you can easily find photos of it all over the internet!

This is just one of those things you have to do. I stood there forever just looking at the perfection of the library. 

Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral 

       I think I can speak for Klaas and I when I say the architecture in Mexico is beyond stunning. It definitely has just that sprinkle of Spanish design. 

Another favorite spot of mine was this beautiful Catholic Cathedral. You will be amazed at the unique beauty inside. 

All my fellow  Catholics, don't hesitate to visit this cathedral!

Frida Khalo Museum aka La Casa Azul 

      Although I can't call myself a hardcore Frieda Khalo Fan, I was so glad I put her museum on the itinerary.

I fell in love with the her little blue house!

I love how they preserved it and made it into a museum displaying tons of her work (some works displayed are unfinished). They also have rooms on display that show the bed she laid on when she was bed ridden after her accident. You'll also see the mirror she used to create those famous self portraits of herself! 

Another rooms display her different dresses and her shoes. It's just a fantastic spot near the neighborhood Coyoacan. 

    I don't think I could have left Mexico City without heading over to this museum. It was just very special and a very authentic Mexican experience.

Soumaya + Jumex Museums 

Two other notable places that unfortunately we did not have time to completely visit. Time flies when you are having fun, seriously! Although we were in Mexico City for 6 days we missed out on a lot of cool museums like the Soumaya and the Jumex Museum. 

The awesome thing about these museums is that they are right beside each other so once your done with on you can hop over to the other!

Also if you are a fan of Jeff Koons like I am, you should be happy to know that the Jumex museum displays one of his art pieces!

So thankful I got to adventure Mexico with my mom and Klaas. There were tons of good memories made that I'll always treasure. Seriously, Mexico City will always be one of my favorite spots in the world! Hasta Pronto, Mexico!

Amsterdam, Netherlands

If you are looking for your next european destination, you must consider this amazing city! It is filled with so much life. You'll see endless canals and of course tourist using them as backdrops for their new instagram posts. Don't worry about having to wait in line to sneak a picture in front of one because there are loads around the city! It isn't called the city of canals for nothing!

As I arrived at the Schipol Airport, I knew I would be having a great time in Amsterdam. The Dutch were very welcoming.

Though, be warned, Dutch people can be blunt at times, but don't take this as them being rude. This is really just an aspect of their culture. They don't tend to beat around the bush like us Americans, so do keep that in mind!

If you do decide to stay in Amsterdam for a bit, I promise you will not regret it!

First things first, where to stay!

Iris Hotel

Our hotel view.

I sat on the windowsill every morning just to get a glimpse of a morning sight in lovely Amsterdam.

Can't rave enough about this cute little hotel gem.

I loved this little hotel we stayed at! It was honestly one of the cheapest and decent ones we could find. I will say, Amsterdam is EXPENSIVE. Be prepared to lay down some cash for your stay.

Also, If you cannot deal with the European size of rooms, then don't stay here! It was a tiny room, with hardly any walking space. That was probably the only flaw this hotel had. Everything else was exceptional! They had a cute patio out in the back and a dining room for breakfast & lunch.

Klaas giving me a little wink as we started our Amsterdam trip.

The building was old and quaint. It was an authentic Dutch/European building. It was three stories, with steep and narrow staircases. It was basically a playhouse, but I still enjoyed staying there.

The service was great! The girls at the front desk were so accommodating! Plus, it was close to the city center were most things are poppin'.

The Streets of Amsterdam

Amsterdam is easily one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It definitely displays a Nordic vibe, with doses of hipster atmospheres here and there.

Important: the dutch love using their bikes to get places.

Amsterdam is deemed the bike capital of the world. Coming in second is Copenhagen (one of my other favorite cities).

The dutch use their bikes like Americans use their cars. It is one of their main modes of transportation, so expect many cyclists!  Please stay out of their way, or you will hear their bike bells ferociously ringing, which translates into "get the hell out of the way!" Just fyi.

Don't get me wrong, you will definitely see cars and trams, but the city was not originally built for cars.

The best way to get around in Amsterdam is by foot or bike! Either one you choose, you have the right of way!

Canals, canals, canals. I wasn't lying about how many there are throughout the city!

Then there are those neighborhoods that look so picture perfect. This one house/building was probably one of my favorites that lured my attention. Those red shutters against the charcoal-colored brick created such stunning contrast, I just had to get a photo of it!

And like any other city, there is always a hustle and bustle aspect. Of course, I was fascinated by this.

There's much to see in this city, so you'll need a satisfying meal to get through the day. 

Bruincafe 't Centrum

Location: Rembrandt square

When I say this was the best sandwich I've ever had, I truly mean it. These puppies were full of flavor and so fresh. They where definitely worth the 7 euros!

Klaas and I stumbled about this cute little cafe as we walked around the city center. You can probably never go wrong with any of the local cafes with outdoor seating, but I highly recommend you stop by this one for their sandwiches!

They also have delicious pancakes! Don't expect traditional pancakes, the Dutch like theirs large and flat! It's more like a crêpe. Nonetheless, it's fantastic.

Pannenkoek or pannekoek is the dutch spelling for pancake!

They also had delicious cappuccinos served with a Biscoff cookie, yum!

And of course their table settings were instagram worthy.

This was round two at this cafe.

Bloemenmarkt

(The Flower Market)

Any step you take, Amsterdam will have you turning heads, whether it be the interesting people, the amount of tourists, the "adult" stores (sex shops), the coffeehouses (weed shops), the cheese shops, the endless bike racks, or the amazing amounts of flowers and tulips being sold (my favorite head turner).

If you are heading to Amsterdam in the Spring, you cannot miss this market even if you tried. At least, I hope you don't miss it! You can find it on the street Singel and close to the tram station Koningsplein.

So many vibrant flowers to look at, take pictures of, or actually buy!

Ah, I fell in love and immediately told Klaas we had to go into the shops.

Heineken Experience

So if you follow me on snapchat, you might have vicariously experienced the "Heineken Experience" with me. Basically, it's an interactive tour about the origins of the Heineken beer company. I literally had no expectations, I was just excited about the free beer-- which is funny because I don't drink much.

As a heads up, I highly recommend buying tickets at a Tourist Ticket Shop. You can find one outside the Rijks Museum. Buying your ticket at one of these places will allow you to have a fast pass, basically cut in line. Buy it. Waiting in line kills time you could be using to explore the city more!

I won't go into much more detail about the Heineken experience because surprises are a good thing. All I'm saying is 3 free beers and a whole lot of fun, DO IT!

Here's a grainy picture of Klaas and I.

 

Rijk's Museum

Rijk's Museum is a well known museum in Amsterdam. The Dutch Art displayed in this museum gives an overview of dutch history from the middle-ages and beyond. It is very touristy, but if you are interested in Dutch history then this is a place for you!

Klaas and I in front of the Rijks Museum.

The Museum is massive and so beautiful. Though, I can't say it's a favorite of mine.

Don't look for any modern sculptures or paintings here! You'll have to look elsewhere.

Although, this wasn't my kind of Museum, I still found the Dutch history found in this maze of a museum insanely interesting! I think I might have enlightened Klaas about his own culture. Maybe not.

I Amsterdam

You can't really say you visited Amsterdam if you don't get a picture with the I Amsterdam sign! I mean, yes, you can, but why not make it fact?

There are two places you can find this sign! One is right outside the Schipol Airport, and the second is outside the Rijks Museum.

Can you find me among all these humans?

Oh look, there I am.

Anne Frank Huis

Visiting the Anne Frank house was at the top of my list, and I scheduled a whole Sunday morning around it. I'm glad I did. I didn't believe Klaas when he said "there will be long lines, and we will need a whole morning for it." 

Plan to definitely spend the morning waiting in line. You will easily spend 2.5-3 hours standing (depending on the day and season you visit). There are little shops around, so if you are with someone, trade off and take line breaks. This will help make waiting in line doable.

Once you are in, you are taken back to history class to relearn about the events during WWII (1939-1945). You are taken behind that famous bookcase that separated the Franks and Van Daans from a Hitler controlled Germany and death.

It was an emotional experience for me. 

Make sure to visit the Anne Frank Huis on your Amsterdam trip.

Screaming Beans

Favorite coffee shop in Amsterdam!

They had the best hot chocolate. This may sound odd, but my favorite part of the hot chocolate was the whip cream. Usually I ask for every drink sans whip cream, but for some reason I asked for it. No regrets with that choice. America definitely deprives us of authentic, natural-tasting whipped cream.

Final thoughts on Amsterdam

Loved, loved, loved, the city. I was a happy, clog-wearing bumble bee. I couldn't have had a better start to my spring break vacation.