We arrived in the late afternoon, and after a restful sleep and a nice breakfast, we took off for our first trip - a guided private city walking tour (which I can recommend to everyone; it was organised by Tours by Locals). First we visited the Mercado, which is always fascinating. Then we walked through some streets where we could view street art and murals - of which the most interesting are in the Museo Mural Diego Rivera. Then further to the Plaza de Constitution, the cathedral and the Templo Mayor. We got a pretty good idea of the old city center that way. Later on, we discovered more of it on our own. By the way, as long as you stay in the old center, you're pretty safe. We were not robbed by pickpockets or felt threatened in any way.
Paying the entrance fee to the Templo Mayor is worthwhile. It gives you a pretty good idea of how the old town of Tenochtitlan was created.
More Aztec ruins can be found in Teotihuacan, around a one and a half hour's ride from Mexico City. There our guide showed us the pyramids of the moon and the sun, and also the one called the citadel. Most impressive! Among the ruins is the Palace of the Jaguars, where high priests lived and gathered.
A third trip we took was to Xochimilco.
The waterways are a bit too touristic and can't compare with Venice (or even Bruges), but the interesting part of this tour was the visit to the Museo Dolores Olmedo, which houses a large collection of paintings by Freda Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The museum is in fact an old hacienda. The last owner, Dolores Olmedo, bequeathed it to the state of Mexico and then it turned into a museum.
And interesting too is a visit to a authentic pulque bar in the village... You really must try one of their brews (just don't exaggerate, it's quite heady).
What concern the temperature, even in December it was not really cold in Mexico. Summer wear could be used, although mornings and evening could get a bit colder. A warm jacket then is to be recommended! Also no concerns about the food. It can be spicy, but we never suffered any ill effects of it.
