Neighborhood 48H guide
Centro Histórico: Where to Stay & What to Do in 48 Hours
The Zócalo, the cathedral, Templo Mayor, Bellas Artes and breakfast at El Cardenal.
The Centro Histórico is the old heart of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Zócalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the ruins of the Aztec Templo Mayor, colonial palaces and the Palacio de Bellas Artes on the Alameda.
Photo gallery
Photo: Jeff Kramer · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Why stay here
The big sights are within walking distance, and colonial-palace hotels make it special.
Who it's for: History and architecture lovers and first-timers who want the landmarks on foot.
Pros
- Major landmarks on foot
- Historic hotels with rooftops
- Classic cantinas and cafés
Cons
- Crowded by day, quiet at night
- Protests and events often close the Zócalo
- Farther from Roma/Condesa
48H in the Centro Histórico
Zócalo to Bellas Artes on foot.
08:30 – El Cardenal
Classic Mexican breakfast with hot chocolate and conchas.
10:00 – Zócalo, cathedral & Templo Mayor
The Templo Mayor museum is closed Mondays.
13:30 – Casa de los Azulejos
Lunch in the tiled 18th-century palace’s courtyard.
16:00 – Palacio de Bellas Artes
Murals by Rivera and Siqueiros, then the Alameda.
Named recommendations
Real places with links to their official site or a Maps place page. We do not invent hours, prices, or ratings.
Eat
Eat
Casa de los Azulejos (Sanborns)
Madero 4
Diner inside a tile-covered 18th-century palace.
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →
See / do
See / do
Zócalo & Metropolitan Cathedral
Plaza de la Constitución
One of the world’s largest squares, with the cathedral and Palacio Nacional.
Photo: Jeff Kramer · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →See / do
Templo Mayor
Seminario 8
Excavated main temple of Tenochtitlan and its museum. Closed Mondays.
Official site / map →See / do
Palacio de Bellas Artes
Av. Juárez & Eje Central
Art nouveau palace with murals by Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros.
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons Official site / map →
Where to stay
Specific named properties—not vague city-wide searches. Expedia stays use tracked Creator links; others open the hotel's official site.
Roam48 may earn a commission when you book a stay through Expedia or Vrbo links on this page, at no extra cost to you. All commercial stay links use rel="sponsored nofollow".
Hotel · Expedia
Downtown Mexico
Isabel la Católica 30
17-room hotel in a 17th-century palace two blocks from the Zócalo, with a rooftop pool.
Check rates on Expedia →Hotel · Expedia
Gran Hotel Ciudad de México
16 de Septiembre 82
1890s department store turned hotel under a Tiffany glass ceiling, facing the Zócalo.
Check rates on Expedia →Hotel · Expedia
Círculo Mexicano
República de Guatemala 20
25-room hotel in a restored building behind the cathedral, with a rooftop pool.
Check rates on Expedia →
Vacation rentals
Prefer an apartment or whole home in this neighborhood? Browse Vrbo listings for Centro Histórico.
Mexico City requires short-term rentals to be registered with the city. Prefer listings that show a registration and a responsive host.
Browse vacation rentals in Centro Histórico on Vrbo →Other ways to spend 48 hours in Mexico City
- Roma Norte — Plaza Río de Janeiro, bread at Panadería Rosetta and a long seafood lunch at Contramar.
- Condesa — Morning laps of Parque México, the Avenida Amsterdam loop and art deco apartment blocks.
- Polanco — The Soumaya and Jumex museums, boutiques on Masaryk and a tasting menu at Pujol.
- Coyoacán — Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul, the coyote fountain in Jardín Centenario and tostadas at the Mercado de Coyoacán.
- Juárez — Coffee at Café Nin, Indian-Mexican at Masala y Maíz and the old Zona Rosa, a block from the Ángel.
- Reforma / Chapultepec — The Ángel de la Independencia, Chapultepec Castle, the Anthropology Museum and cocktails at Fifty Mils.
- Santa María la Ribera — The Moorish kiosk in the Alameda, the Museo del Chopo and a neighborhood that still feels local.