Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destinations

Mexico City – Nicer Than You Think

Plenty of destinations in this world suffer from a bad reputation that was well-deserved in the past, but maybe not deserved so much now. After spending a few days bopping around four different neighborhoods in Mexico City (more to come), I’m getting the feeling this might be one of those places.

I’m as guilty as anyone else of taking a place’s reputation for granted if I haven’t heard or seen otherwise. For me, Mexico City has always meant life-threatening smog, unbelievable traffic, and crime so bad you couldn’t flag a cab without worrying about getting kidnapped. I’ll go on the record now saying this city is suffereing from a bad rap. In fact, it passes the essential test: an affirmative answer to the question, “Could I live here?” There would be one big caveat—I would have to work from home or near an office in a section of town I really like—but otherwise, sure. There are some really nice areas I could happily live in right now.

Yes, the smog is real, but I’ve seen far worse. Bangkok, Delhi, Saigon, and pretty much any city in China make this city’s air look pretty good in comparison. I wouldn’t want to spend a lifetime breathing in this air, but if you come for a few days you’ll be fine unless you’re asthmatic. My tissues haven’t been nearly as black here as they were when I blew my nose living in Bangkok for a month—or when I worked in New York City for that matter. The current mayor is trying hard to make the city more green as well, encouraging biking (even closing the Paseo de la Reforma to traffic each Sunday) and trying to push state companies to plant on their roofs.

Plus there’s enough interesting architecture to hold your interest every block or two. I have been especially digging the Condesa neighborhood. They like to refer to it as Mexico City’s Soho because it’s artsy, but that would mean Soho 20 years ago, before there was a Gap or Starbucks on every other corner. And that assumes there were ever shady cobblestone streets and nice parks big enough for a jog in Soho. Umm…no.

As for the crime, I’m feeling pretty darn safe here. The streets are packed with people, even in El Centro where the rich hoity-toity people in town will tell you that it isn’t safe to wander after dark. I’m wandering anyway and it’s fun and lively. The locals who actually work around here tell you they are only worried when there’s a demonstration going on. You can can some of the best street food in town here too, which is key. 

Yeah, the traffic really does suck. Places that look close on a map end up taking three times longer than you would expect to traverse. There’s an easy solution that the upper crust ignores though: Metro + feet. It’s faster, cheaper, and easier to go underground and then walk. And oh man is it cheap to ride the subway here. More on that later.