Sylvia & Robert

This "Travel" tab of the website has all of pertinent information for people travelling from abroad to Mexico for the wedding. The link at the bottom of this overview section is a map that has the venue, our reserved hotel, recommended restaurants, and recommended attractions marked.

Credit cards are accepted at all nicer restaurants, convenience stores, and retailers. Cash is necessary for smaller restaurants, street food, and souvenir vendors.

ATMs and money-exchanges can be found at the airport and throughout the city. We strongly recommend using ATMs, since you are getting the current market exchange rate. When using ATMs in foreign countries, you will often be presented with an option to withdraw in local currency (pesos) or home currency (USD). Always opt to withdraw in local currency (pesos). This is basically a scam where if you opt for home currency, the local bank will do you the *favor* of converting the transaction for you, at a hefty markup of 10% or more.

The exchange rate is 20:1 (MX$:USD$).

10% tip is standard at restaurants.

We highly recommend using Uber to get around the city. It is cheap, convenient, and safe. A combination of bus and metro is also good, but will take longer. If you choose to use public transportation, you can use Google Maps to route your trip. If you need to use a taxi, be sure to hail one from an official taxi stand.

Petty crime such as pickpocketing or theft of unattended belongings is the biggest worry for visitors to Mexico City. We recommend not wearing flashy jewelry and wearing backpacks on your chest when in crowded areas.

No visa is required for US citizens when visiting Mexico. Be sure to check your passport expiration date though, you will not be allowed to fly to Mexico if your passport expires within six months of your entry date. Processing times for new passports or passport replacements can be six weeks.

All international flights arrive at Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). On your inbound flight, you will be given an immigration form to fill out to hand to the immigration officer who checks your passport. They will give you back the bottom portion of this form: be sure to hang onto this! If you do not have the bottom portion when you leave Mexico, you will be charged USD$42 and spend 45 minutes dealing with bureaucracy.

We recommend showing up to the airport three hours before your flights time, as there may be delays either while checking in, dropping off bags, or going through security.

At this time, the United States is requiring all inbound passengers to have a negative COVID test within three days of their departure date.  This can be either a PCR test or a rapid test. This will be checked at the airport. If staying in a hotel, tests can be arranged through the hotel. If staying in an Airbnb, you can ask your host for information or you will have to contact a local clinic.

Here is a link to a Google map we created with pharmacies we know do the test near where the wedding and reception will be (can be edited if you know of any more): www.google.com/maps/placelists/list/Jicu5-1QSSWPcbaw-jq07g?token=_GMcM7Dy6-8

Check with your airline for agreements they have with local clinics. See the link below as an example for AeroMexico.

You have several options for getting to your hotel from the airport:

This is a good option because it is cheap and ensures there is no miscommunication with directions since you input the destination into the Uber app. There is no designated Uber pickup location, so you will have to tell the driver which door of the terminal you are at by either texting or calling them (The door numbers are displayed in large font, so they are easily recognizable). Also, you will need cell service to use Uber. See the "Cell Service" section for more info.

Estimated Cost: MX$160 / USD$8

If you do not have cell service or don't want to chance difficulty communicating with an Uber driver, you can get to your hotel by Taxi. Be sure to only use one of the official taxi companies that have kiosks just outside the terminals. If you are approached be someone asking if you need a taxi, just say "no, gracias."

The taxi trip is prepaid. Give your destination to one of the workers at a taxi kiosk, and they will tell you how much the fare is. You pay at the kiosk and they will give you a receipt to give the driver.

Estimated Cost: MX$300 / USD$15

The Mexico City metro is easy to use and only costs MX$5 (USD$0.25), however it will take longer and can potentially be crowded. There is a metro stop located at the airport. It takes about 10 minutes to walk there from the airport terminal.

Most cell phone plans from major carriers in the US (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) include service in Mexico, however there may be restrictions such as slower data speeds. If it is not already included, you can likely add-on coverage for Mexico for a month.

There is a Telcel outlet in the airport where you can get a local SIM card to use during your time in Mexico. The outlet is located on the second floor of Terminal 1 near Door 6. All of their plans come with unlimited talk and text throughout Mexico and the US. The SIM card price depends on the data plan you choose:

1.3 GB (USD$6)

4 GB (USD$15)

6 GB (USD$25).

Your phone will need to be unlocked to use these SIM cards. If you bought your phone from the manufacturer (Apple/Samsung/Google, etc) it is already unlocked. If you purchased it through a carrier (AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon), it is locked and can only be used with that carrier until you request it be unlocked. This is a straight-forward process: T-Mobile Verizon AT&T

From Wikipedia:

"Teotihuacan is known today as the site of many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas. At its zenith, perhaps in the first half of the first millennium (1 AD to 500 AD), Teotihuacan was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas, with a population estimated at 125,000 or more, making it at least the sixth-largest city in the world during its epoch."

We are arranging a group trip to the pyramids on the day before the wedding (Thursday). If you would like to attend, please RSVP.

Going it Alone: Buses leave from Mexico City North Bus Station every 15 minutes and cost MX$106 for a round-trip ticket. Entrance to Teotihuacan is MX$75. The trip to the site is about 1.5 hours each way. You only need an hour or two to explore the site unless you want to climb the pyramid of the sun, which can have about an hour long wait. To avoid weekend crowds, visiting on a weekday is preferable.

Chapultapec Castle sits atop Chapultapec Hill and houses the Mexican National Museum of History. Looking out from the castle grounds you can see across the entire city. Next to the castle is Chaputapec Park, one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere. 

Entrance Fee: MX$80 (USD$4)

The center of Mexico City. Zocalo is a massive plaza with an even more massive Mexican Flag. Here you can find the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral and cultural performers such as indigenous dancers and mariachis. From the plaza, you can take a walk down Avenue Francisco I. Madero, a pedestrian street packed with restaurants and street performers. Many of our recommended restaurants are in walking distance of Zocalo.

An artist's market held on Saturdays, Bazaar Sabado is a great opportunity to experience local artist culture. In addition to works of art, there are food and drink vendors.

After her death, Frida Kahlos house was transformed into a museum celebrating the work of herself and her husband, Diego Rivera, and their legacies. This museum is usually crowded, so buy tickets ahead of time and show up early.

Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM

What can only be described as Mexico's premier exertainment, Lucha Libre is held at Arena Mexico several times per week. Tickets start at only MX$180.

Coinciding with our wedding is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is on Sunday December 12. Mexico City sees an influx of thousands of pilgrims to visit this basilica on this date, and millions throughout the year. If you go to see the basilica, don't miss the opportunity to make the short hike to Capilla del Cerrito, a small church built ontop of a hill nearby, marking the site where Juan Diego had his vision from the Virgin Mary.

From Wikipedia: 

"Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) is a Roman Catholic church, basilica, and National shrine of Mexico which houses the cloak containing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The 1709 shrine was built in the North of Mexico City near the hill of Tepeyac, where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. The basilica structure which now contains Juan Diego's cloak was completed in 1974."

A labyrinth of all things Mexican, Mercado de Artesanias de La Ciudadela is the go-to place for souvenirs but is also fun to just wander around. It is centrally located, most prices are posted (although you can still haggle), and you don't have to worry about pushy souvenir vendors.

We are going to defer to the BBC's list of top 10 Mexican cuisines to try. This list is endorsed by verified chilangos (residents of Mexico City).

Mexico City offers cuisine from all over the world. In this section, we will make suggestions for Mexican food, but if you have a craving for something else, it is only a quick google search away,

Mercado Roma - A market with two dozen restaurants to choose from. 

El Mayor - A nice restaurant near Zocalo with a view overlooking a massive set of ruins that are still being excavated.

Pujol / Mercaderes / El Cardenal / Los Girasoles - Each of these restaurants serve upscale Mexican cuisine are are located next to Zocalo.

Cafe de Tacuba - Century-old institution known for its spicy house mole recipe, elaborate decor & live mariachi band. Walking distance from Zocalo.

Bar La Opera - A famous cantina in downtown CDMX offering both food and drinks. Supposedly, there is a hole in the roof that Poncho Villa put there with his pistol.

Tenampa - The most famous restaurant on Garibaldi, a plaza famous for mariachis.

Azul Historico - Upscale restaurant near Zocalo that has a great atmosphere. On the second floor are about a dozen boutique shops.

El Moro - This is not a full restaurant, but a great spot for churros and chocolate.

Gran Hotel de Mexico (Terraza) - A restaurant on the roof of the Gran Hotel de Mexico. It has a view overlooking Zocalo and a fantastic stained-glass roof.