I'd been looking forward to this for months, and landed into a city that was already humming. The historic district was full of everything — from the quiet marigolds and sugar skulls to vendors and busy crowd. I could feel that a huge weeks-long celebration was building up.
Settling into my stay at the historic downtown required a bit more effort than expected — getting through traffic and finding a currency exchange took some doing — but once all that was resolved, I was exactly where I wanted to be: Constitution Plaza.
The plaza itself was a full sea of cempasúchil marigolds, vendors lining every edge, and shamans performing cleansing and blessing ceremonies for anyone who stopped. A calm, beautiful hour before the real energy of the trip kicked in.
From there, I checked into a hotel closer to Reforma Avenue and spent part of the afternoon at the nearby Chocolate Museum — a lovely little detour for a drink and a pastry. Then I wandered over to scout Reforma Avenue itself, and even in the early afternoon it was already alive: tents going up, face painters working fast, people comparing half-finished costumes with real pride. I loved just walking through that buildup, some places shoulder-to-shoulder, before heading back to get into my own handmade costume and makeup for the night ahead.
By 6 PM, the avenue was fully barricaded for the Mega Procesión de Catrinas, and it did not disappoint — elaborate skeleton makeup, dramatic costumes, brass bands, dancing in every direction. I cheered with everybody for almost three hours before ducking back to the hotel to recharge my phone and catch a short rest. When I came back out later, the barricades had loosened and the remaining crowd folded right into the parade itself — one continuous celebration, food vendors still going strong, police calmly keeping an eye on things.
The next day, I set out for Xochimilco hoping to get out on the canals toward the Island of the Dolls. It didn't quite come together — by late afternoon the canals were quiet, and a boat tour would have meant covering the full cost solo. I headed back without the boat ride this time, but if that kind of eerie, memorable detour appeals to you, it's worth building real time around — I visited the Island of the Dolls years ago and still think about it, especially paired with Halloween week's mood. My one real tip here: book a tour with hotel pickup rather than arranging it independently — it would have saved me the juggling I did trying to sort it out on my own.
Even with that one detour not quite working out, Mexico City gave me days full of marigolds, parades, and energy I haven't found anywhere else. If you only have time for one Día de los Muertos city, start here.