I’ll start by saying that Mexico is massive. It has everything from glittering cities to ancient ruins, white-sand beaches to brightly-coloured street art. Although it’s impossible to “do” Mexico (or any country) in a short trip, read on for some ideas about how to spend two weeks in Mexico to get the most out of its different facets, starting in Mexico City and ending on a paradise beach.
Day 1: arrive in Mexico City
Start your two weeks in Mexico in its capital: Mexico City. Home to 22 million people, this sprawling city is a hub of activity and excitement as you’ll see over the next few days.
Day 2-5: Mexico City
I’m not going to set out day by day what you should do in Mexico City because this will depend on your interests. There is so much to do in Mexico City that you’re not going to be bored! I’ve written this brief summary of things to do in Mexico City, including some practicalities about getting around. But here’s an even briefer summary for you to mix and match as you please:
Museums
Mexico City is known for the sheer number of museums it has, rivalling Paris!
My favourite museum in Mexico City was the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology). This museum explains Mexico’s history from prehistoric times to the Mexican occupation of parts of current USA, with lots of visual exhibits.
Secondly, I recommend the Palacio de Bellas Artes. This is the distinctive orange-roofed building in the city centre, which has impressive marble walls and staircases inside. The permanent art collection is well worth a visit and it often has interesting temporary exhibitions too.
Finally, visit the Frida Kahlo Museum. This is a little out of the way in the district of Coyoacán, where Kahlo lived and died. The wider Coyoacán district is also worth wandering around, in particular its food and craft market and its lovely main square.
Historical centre of Mexico City
Walk around the busy Zócalo (main square) and visit the cathedral for some welcome peace and quiet.
Ruins
A trip to some ruins is an essential part of any trip to Mexico!
The nearest ruins to Mexico City are at Teotihuacán. Read my full blog post here for information about the history of Teotihuacán and the logistics of visiting.
Day 6: travel from Mexico City to Oaxaca
After your four days in Mexico City, travel south east by bus to Oaxaca. The bus journey from Mexico City to Oaxaca is scheduled for about seven and a half hours. I use Busbud to book buses in Latin America.
Day 7-9: Oaxaca
Oaxaca is my favourite place I’ve been to in Mexico. It’s exactly what you imagine when you think of Mexico: brightly-coloured buildings, vibrant flags and flowers hanging over each street, wall art at every turn. Oaxacans famously love to celebrate; even if there isn’t a specific festival whilst you’re here, they’ll still be out in the square letting off homemade fireworks, accompanied by energetic mariachi bands on the move around the city centre.
Other than the infectious cheerfulness of Oaxaca’s bright colours, my favourite thing about Oaxaca is its markets. In particular, the Mercado 20 de Noviembre has an excellent food scene. Wander around the various restaurants and make the tough choice about what to eat (or return another day and have something else!). The smoky meat hall was a highlight for me. And try a grasshopper or two, a Oaxacan speciality – you’ll see piles of them in the outdoor markets.
Oaxaca’s signature drink is mezcal, a spirit similar to tequila. Oaxaca produces the overwhelming majority of Mexico’s mezcal using the agave plants from the hills around the city. Consider doing a mezcal tour to see how it’s produced.
Oaxaca is also a religiously historical city, as evidenced by its old churches and cathedral. These provide some calmer relief from the cheerful chaos of Oaxaca’s streets.
Day 10: travel from Oaxaca to Isla Holbox via Cancún
After two lively cities, head to the beach!
Day 10 of your two weeks in Mexico is a day of travelling involving three stages:
Flight from Oaxaca to Cancún
First, get a morning flight from Oaxaca to Cancún. This takes about two hours.
Transfer from Cancún Airport to Chiquilá
Chiquilá is on the north side of the Yucatán Peninsula and this is where you catch the ferry to Holbox. You’ll need to book a transfer service from Cancún to Chiquilá. You can do this most easily on GetYourGuide. You’ll find the transfer minibus at the airport exit.
Ferry from Chiquilá to Holbox
The final step in getting to Holbox is the ferry from Chiquilá to Holbox. You can buy tickets at the booth beside the ferry terminal. The ferry crossing takes about 20 minutes.
Day 11-13: Holbox
Holbox ticks all the boxes of a paradise island. White-sand beaches lined with palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. Light turquoise waves lapping against the shore. Happy hour at every bar every evening, timed to coincide with sunset. And it’s a quiet place. Its reputation is that it is explicitly not a party island. So it is a nice peaceful end to your two weeks in Mexico.
You can do as I did and spend the time reading books on a sunbed on the beach. I also walked down to Punta Mosquito and saw the flamingos that live there. Other options are a three islands tour, or a bioluminescence kayaking tour.
Read more about Holbox here.
Day 14: depart from Cancún
You’ve come to the end of your two weeks in Mexico! Transfer back to Cancún in the reverse order of day 10, and fly home from there.
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