Mexico City, the fifth largest city in the world, is an underrated city to explore and travel. As someone who spent a month in Mexico over the summer, I am here to tell you why you should travel to Mexico City for the best food, culture, and fun.
Many disregard Mexico City as a dirty and unsafe city, but that could not be further from the truth. Of course, it is necessary to take precautions, similar to how you would when traveling in any other big city; don’t wear flashy clothes in busy areas, don’t travel to bad neighborhoods, and don’t take taxis. But some neighborhoods such as Polanco, Zócalo, Coyoacán, Roma Norte, and Chapultepec, are a tourist’s dream. Chapultepec has a park that is twice as large as Central Park in New York City and features a castle from colonial times that looks out over the entire city and costs only 1oo pesos (about $5) to enter. In the park, there is a lake where tourists can paddle around and feed the squirrels and birds. Roma Norte and Polanco feature some of the best shopping, food, and nightlife in the city in a high-end and safe area. Coyoacan, home of the Frida Kahlo museum, has some of the most colorful markets, lively street performers, and incredible gastronomy. In Zócalo, or the old city center, has
Mayan ruins right next to the Presidential Palace, displaying a rare and beautiful juxtaposition of ancient and modern life.
Furthermore, the museums in the city are plentiful and stunning. One of the most highly recommended is El Museo de Antropología, or the Anthropology Museum. This museum features exhibits from ancient civilizations across Central and South America, and the life-sized displays of architecture and real corpses from people who lived in these civilizations lends to a magical and haunting experience. In the old city center there are also multiple art museums, my favorite of which was the National Art Museum, or Museo Nacional de Artes.
Besides the museums and the neighborhoods that are so exciting to explore, the people of Mexico City are so kind and welcoming. From the taxi drivers to the street food vendors and the performers on every corner, almost everyone is willing to have a conversation and give you advice on where to travel to within the city. People from Mexico City, or Chilangos, are some of the friendliest people you will meet. 
