Mexico City Travel Forum

I have found a great guest house to stay at in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City. Would this area be convenient to sightsee, and a pleasant place to stay? We plan to probably just see a few museums as we would only be staying a few days, and hang out. Also, I've read this is a safe and hip area, called the "Soho" of Mexico City. I'm hoping my fellow VT'ers familiar with Mexico City can give me further advice or opinions of this area, or are we better off staying somewhere else. Thanks!

I think this is one of the better areas in which to base yourself in the city, and it's location is such that you can reach just about anything you'd want to see with relative ease. Condesa has lots of small restaurants, shops, etc., it's a nice residential neighborhood. The Red Tree House is located there, if that's where you'll be staying, and it comes very highly recommended.

Enjoy the visit.

Thanks very much for your reply, yes, we are planning to stay at the Red Tree House. I've managed to do more research and now feel comfortable staying in La Condesa and DF. Really looking forward to it.

Condesa is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in the City. You'll love it!

pleasant place to stay? -- Yes, I do think so... it's a neighborhood with nice houses (some of them wealthy) and with a lot of restaurants and nightclubs, so it's very lively at night too.

Would this area be convenient to sightsee -- well, maybe not too much as there are no museums or tourist attractions nearby, but you can easily reach the more "touristy" area with the metrobus (which runs along Insurgentes Ave.) and then the metro. This neighborhood is rather centrally located, so you should be able to go to either the downtown / Chapultepec/polanco area (north / northwest) or to Coyoacan and San Angel (south), where other interesting museums and churches are located. So you should be ok staying around the Condesa area.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but is the subway safe to use? I hope I don't offend anyone, I've just read in some guidebooks that it isn't safe.

Yes girl, it's safe.... as long as you don't ride it after 8-9 PM and especially if you're a female traveling alone. If you're a group then it's easier to stay safe. Also, try to avoid it during rush hours - between 7-10 AM and 6-8 PM (also depending on the direction you're going, as some lines/directions are more crowded than others). Don't have any valuable objects (big cameras, attractive cell phones, jewelery) on sight, don't carry your passport or important documents/items with you. Better if you can keep your belongings in a small fanny pack **in front of you** so you can keep an eye on it at all times and you have your money and stuff attached to your body. Just follow these simple and obvious precautions and you will be fine. A friend of mine got his money stolen in the Rome metro, but I haven't yet heard of a tourist that has been robbed in the Mexico City metro -- NOT saying that it doesn't happen, but it isn't as scary or dangerous as some people want to make it appear.......

I agree with Laura about the metro - it is incredibly cheap and convenient in this huge metropolis. Depends on where you're from - when my friend from New York City was with me she marveled at how clean and fun the metro is ... if you're from a teeny town in Canada well any huge city is a bit of a shock. There are maps posted on the walls that are easy to follow, I always take the metro to and from the airport if its at a decent hour, and also long distances like to Xochimilco or University City.

Great, good to know! I guess my hometown at slightly over 1 million is teeny tiny compared to DF ;o) We are so excited about visiting, thanks to everyone so far, and keep the replies coming if you have a comments or suggestions :o)