A day in Coyoacán: top things to do

If you’re into the bohemian/hippie/intellectual -not at all poser- vibe, you must visit Coyoacán, in Mexico City. Its bazaars, cafés, museums and restaurants will make you fall in love with the Mexican culture. Heads up… every foreigner ends up wanting to live here.

According to historians, Coyoacán (word in Nahuatl for ‘place of coyote owners’) was once comprised of pieces of land divided by canals of water –similar to Xochimilco’s chinampas–, waterholes, springs and orchards. Sadly, part of it got destroyed with the eruption of Xitle volcano, and the Spanish managed to wipe out the rest.

Right here, in the center of Coyoacán, was where Hernán Cortés –after conquering Tenochtitlan– decided to establish its military headquarters and ordered the construction of a new city that would bury one of the biggest empires of the Mesoamerican era.

From then on, Coyoacán attracted many artists, philosophers, writers and foreign figures seeking political asylum, like: Diego Rivera (painter), Frida Kahlo (painter), José Clemente Orozco (painter), Salvador Novo (writer) and León Trotsky (Bolshevik wanted by Stalin).

Nowadays, although all trail of the pre-Hispanic era has faded away and only colonial façades remain, you can definitely feel our roots fighting back to re-gain their land and culture. Especially, when you visit the bazaars and see young entrepreneurs’ designs displaying and being proud of their Mexican heritage.

Follow this itinerary, with our top things to do in Coyoacán, to really get the best out of this beautiful neighborhood and experience it like a local.

What to do in Coyoacán in 24hrs

9:00am: Have some breakfast

There are restaurants in every corner, but one of our favorites is Moheli. The whole menu is delicious, but if you are looking for a true Mexican breakfast, go for the ‘chilaquiles con pollo’ and a ‘tamal de chocolate avellanado’. You’ll remember this meal, particularly if you ask for a table outside and enjoy the surroundings. Save the coffee for the next stop.

10.30am: Treat yourself to a good cup of coffee

On your way to Frida’s museum, stop at El Jarocho. This coffee house has been open since 1953, offering the best quality grains from Veracruz. Iced or hot, they’ve got it all: cappuccino, espresso, americano, latte, moka or the traditional Mexican sweet coffee ‘café de olla’. You can also buy a bag for your home.

Also read: Best coffee shops in Coyoacán. A guide every coffee and pastry addict should read.

11:00am: Getting to know Frida

The cobalt blue walls hide an intimate insight into Frida Kahlo’s life; her childhood home that with time became a reflection of her love for Mexican culture and Diego’s interest in pre-Hispanic art. During your visit you can admire some of her paintings (including Long Live Life, Frida and the Caesarian Operation, and Portrait of My Father Wilhelm Kahlo), her workspace, their bedrooms, garments, photographs, etc.

For better appreciation, visit all the corners of the house and then return to rooms one and two; you’ll observe Frida’s paintings in a whole new way. Even if you are not a fan, seeing her personal belongings creates an interesting bond with the artist and her work. Pay attention to the quotes written above the walls!

12:00pm: Time for some shopping!

Walk to ‘Mercado de Coyoacán’ (two blocks away from Frida’s museum). This market has everything you can imagine, but especially beautiful and cheap Mexican crafts. Just to give you an idea, the same ‘alebrije’ sold in Frida’s store, you can find it here for 20 times less.

There are many craft stalls –mainly on the periphery of the market–, but our favorite is ‘Artesanías Mi Cuetzalan’ (their stall is #277). They’ve got a great selection of real Mexican souvenirs, with good quality and fair prices. Plus, Elsa and her husband are the perfect image of our friendly and kind culture.
* You can ask for a special price, if you are buying many things; just keep in mind that in order to protect the artisan’s work, their profit margins are small.

Interesting fact:
You’ll see many signs of ‘Photos not allowed’ or ‘Photos $40’. The reason behind this is that the storeowners are convinced that tourists come in just to take pictures, to later steal their designs. And they aren’t totally wrong… They’ve noticed inside and outside the market ‘Mexican crafts’ made in China, that although they have clearly lower quality, they’re sold way cheaper; which automatically makes storeowners have less sales, and forces artisans to reduce their –already low– prices.
PS: The one’s that charge are simply opportunists you shouldn’t engage with.

1:00pm: Re-charging batteries

Continue walking through Ignacio Allende street until you reach Coyoacan’s center. Then, head to ‘Mercado de Antojitos Mexicanos Juanita’ and prepare yourself for a feast…

The market offers quesadillas, tacos, gorditas, flautas, sopes, pozole, pambazos, huaraches, tlacoyos, and many other things. It can’t get more traditional than this.

Our go-to stall is #14 and our favorite dishes are: Gordita de chicharrón con queso, quesadilla de queso, quesadilla de papa and quesadilla de frijol con queso. But they’ve got a wide variety of stews, which you can mix with cheese (Oaxaca type). Salsas and cream are spread around the counter.

They’ll give you a piece of paper to write your order and your name, and in less than five minutes you’ll have your food served. They only sell sodas and a juice type of beverage called Boing (the guayaba (guava) one is the best), but you can look for bottled water or ‘aguas frescas’ in other stalls.

2:00pm: More & more shopping!

Across Jardín Hidalgo you’ll see some yellow arches that make way to the famous ‘Mercado Artesanal Mexicano’ (Mexican Craft Market). This place also sells beautiful traditional Mexican crafts, but it’s got more hippie style products, like clothing with ‘ohm’ signs or elephants, tons of leather or beaded jewelry, incense, handbags, artwork, etc. Plus, here you can get piercings, henna tattoos, dreadlocks and string braids.

Another market worth visiting (there are many) is ‘Los Mercaderes’. Here you’ll see young entrepreneurs whose designs embrace the Mexican culture with a little modern twist. At the end of the market, there’s a stall called Oro de Oaxaca that sells ‘Crema de Mezcal’ (Mezcal Cream), which is just amazing –maybe even better than Bailey’s–. Ask for a free tasting!

4:00pm: Worth the visit

If you have time and are interested in the exile from the Soviet Union of one of the major leaders of the Bolshevik movement, you should definitely visit the ‘Leon Trotsky Museum’.

The house that now holds the museum is where Leon Trotsky (Lev Bronstein) lived his last two years, before a Soviet agent, sent by Stalin, killed him in his study. All the rooms were kept exactly as they were, with his and Natalia’s (spouse) personal belongings.

Pay attention to the bullet marks on Trotsky’s bedroom from the first attempt of murder and the changes made to the house, for their protection. Also, his ashes are buried in the middle of the garden, where the red flag stands.

5:00pm: The Coyoacán experience

Part of experiencing the neighborhood’s life is just sitting down on the benches along Jardín Hidalgo and Jardín Centenario and feeling its bohemian/intellectual/artistic vibe, with a munchie of your choice:

• Ice-cream, from ‘Helados Coyoacán Siberia’.
• Churro with filling, from ‘Churrería General de la República’.
• Esquite or Elote: corn with mayonnaise, fresh cheese, lemon, salt and chile (if you like).
• ‘Papas de carrito’: potato chips, churritos or fried pork rinds with lemon and salsa (‘salsa botanera’ is less spicy).

Don’t forget to go inside the church ‘Parroquia de San Juan Bautista’, one of the oldest churches in Mexico City that dates back to 1582. You’ll be surprised…

7:00pm: Fine dining

Jardín Centenario is surrounded by beautiful restaurants overlooking the Coyotes Fountain and the vibrant nightlife that illuminates Coyoacán. You can scout the area and check their menus displayed outside.

For Mexican food we like Corazón de Maguey. ‘Mole’ is their specialty, so we recommend ordering the ‘Three color enchiladas’ (just ask them to put extra sauce inside, because the chicken can be a little bit dry), with the signature cocktail ‘De Barro’: mezcal, lemon juice, orange, cucumber and grapefruit with gusano de maguey chile on the rim. They also have tastings of mezcal, but save them for the final stop.

9:00pm: Got more energy?

Go to ‘Mezcalero’, just a few steps away from the Mercado de Antojitos Mexicanos Juanita. This place offers a wider variety of mezcales and their tastings are more reasonably priced (5 mezcales x $400mxn).

The waiters aren’t very good guides, but you can approach the bartender and ask for his recommendation, if you are indecisive. Try the one infused with turkey breast; it’s my favorite kind. Their cocktails are also very tasty.

Hope you have a fantastic day and fall in love with the neighborhood, just like us. Do you have a favorite spot in Coyoacán?

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Useful information

How to get there
The nearest metro stations are ‘Viveros’ and ‘Miguel Ángel de Quevedo’. From there is a 15-20 minutes walk to Coyoacán’s center. If you decide to walk, choose the route that sends you through Francisco Sosa street –one of the oldest in Mexico City, from the 17^th Century.

**There’s a metro ‘Coyoacán’, but that leaves you a little bit far and it’s not the most picturesque route.

Download map
Use our map to see the location of each point mentioned above.

Leon Trotsky Museum
-The museum is opened Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. (Closed on Mondays)
-Ask at the counter for the free guided tour (good enough English to get the general picture). There are also boards with information in English, if you want to enjoy it at your own pace.

Frida Kahlo’s Museum
– Closed on Mondays and on Mexican holidays (January 1^st, March 21^st, May 1^st, September 16^th, November 21^st and December 25^th).
– Buy your tickets online, or you’ll be standing outside for 45 minutes. Go to this link and in the blue calendar to the left, select your date and time. The museum is just a 10 minutes’ walk from the Church in Jardín Hidalgo.
-Rather than reading a whole board and then turning to appreciate what’s in the room, buy the audiovisual guide for a more interactive visit.
-You can take photos inside the museum; just pay the permit ($30 mxn).
-There’s a discount for teachers and students, so make sure you bring your credentials.