A Week in Mexico City: Music, Markets, and Culture
When Joe and I realized we could see Kamasi Washington, Oasis, and Air all in the same week in Mexico City, it felt like the perfect excuse to spend time in this world-class capital. With flights from Guadalajara just an hour long, it definitely felt like a no brainer!
Mexico City exceeded my expectations. It reminded me of New York City in how each neighborhood had its own personality—busy streets leading to quiet, tree-lined corners. We stayed in Roma Sur, a safe, peaceful, and walkable neighborhood with a convenient metro stop, and explored the city mostly by subway. At just 5 pesos a ride (about 25¢ USD), it was fast, reliable, and incredibly affordable.
Here is how we spent the week-
Art, Museums, and Culture
Mexico City is a cultural powerhouse filled with so much amazing art.
Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul): Walking through her house gave insight into her pain, passion, and inspiration. The vivid blue walls and lush gardens alone are worth the visit.
Museo Nacional de Antropología: One of the world’s most important anthropology museums. The Aztec Sun Stone, Mayan relics, and massive pre-Hispanic collections could take a whole day to explore. We did a quick tour with plans to return for more exploration later.
Museo de Arte Popular: A celebration of traditional Mexican crafts—colorful masks, alebrijes (fantastical creatures), and folk art. We even caught a performance of wheelchair dancers, which was both powerful and inspiring.
Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares: A smaller gem focused on traditional art and textiles with bold, intricate designs.
Biblioteca Vasconcelos: The famous “mega-library” where futuristic floating bookshelves make you feel like you’ve stepped into a sci-fi movie.
Markets and Parks
Few cities in the world can match Mexico City’s market culture. We loved wandering through each one and discovering something new:
La Lagunilla Market – A sprawling Sunday tianguis with everything from antiques to screen-printed art.
Tianguis Cultural del Chopo – A legendary punk and goth market with band tees, vinyl, and some of the best people-watching in the city.
Parque México and Parque España – These two parks are next to each other and both lovely. We were able to see a few quinceañera photo shoots while strolling through. Right outside the park is Churrería El Moro: Crispy churros dipped in thick, rich hot chocolate- so good!!
Independence Day in Mexico City
The big Independence Day festivities take place on September 15. During the day, we walked through the Zócalo, decorated in red, white, and green, imagining the crowds that would gather that evening for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s historic first “Grito de Dolores” (Cry of Independence)—the first time a female president would lead the nation in this tradition.
At night, we opted for a more local celebration in Coyoacán, where families filled the plaza. We watched the 11pm Grito de Dolores in a local bar which was fun and festive.
The Music Scene in Mexico City
We centered our trip around three incredible concerts—and each one was a highlight in its own way.
Kamasi Washington at Pepsi Center: Spacious venue, roaming beer sellers so you never miss a song, and vendors outside selling inexpensive merch.
Oasis at Estadio GNP Seguros: The energy was electric as fans gathered at local bars beforehand, singing Oasis hits over micheladas. By the time the band took the stage, the atmosphere was euphoric.
Air at Auditorio Nacional: An incredibly cool venue—modern design, fantastic acoustics, and a fitting stage for Air’s dreamy sound.
Beyond the big shows, we found live music everywhere:
Café Jazzatlán blew us away with Manguito con Chile, a funk-jazz-Latin fusion band with phenomenal energy.
Terraza Bizarro hosted a moody Portishead tribute on the rooftop terraza.
Foro Bizarro leaned into Mexico City’s goth and underground side with its dark, skull-filled aesthetic for the Rue Oberkampf show.
By the end of the week, Joe and I were ready to return to our tranquil pueblo, but loved our time in the big city and know that visits will be a regular occurrence.
