Spring break in lush, lovely Mexico City gets a 10/10. Whoever christened New York as the city that never sleeps, probably never made it to this sprawling, colorful metropolis—one of the most vibrant, buzzy places I’ve visited. Mexico City is BIG and traffic is as much of a guarantee as taco stands, but if you navigate to CDMX’s best neighborhoods, shopping, dining and site seeing you’re guaranteed a perfectly tailored week away.

Stay

The Polanco neighborhood, which is known for its upscale shopping and dining scene, manicured residential streets and proximity to Chapultepac Park is a great central location. Fave restaurants: Dante, Parole (be prepared to join a congo line) and La’Unica, all located just off Lincoln Park.

Day 1: Saturday

Set aside an early Saturday morning to visit Bazar Sabado, a curated artisan market in the lovely San Angel neighborhood where you can find stunning textiles, pottery, paintings, clothes, jewelry and much more. This place made me swoon, and I scooped up a showstopping metal and pearl clutch before the afternoon crowds. Wandering just outside the market we stumbled upon the charming Iglesia de San Jacinto, Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo’s studio and the historic San Angel Inn for lunch. Next we took a cab to Coyahuacan, aka Frieda Kahlo central. This is where you’ll find Casa Azul, myriad murals and more tributes to the feminist icon and Mexico’s most famous artist.

Day 2: Sunday

We started our day at Chapultecpec Park (think Central Park, but more trees and a mind boggling number of souvenir stands). Perched atop the park is Chapultapec Castle, which has a beautiful terrace and 360 views of the city. In the park you can also find an instagram-friendly indoor/outdoor bookstore, water sports, numerous world class museums and a zoo with the last remaining giant panda in Latin America.

We spent the afternoon strolling through the exquisite, verdant Roma Norte neighborhood, which is great for shopping and pastries at Panadería Rosetta. In the evening we ubered to Ballet Folklorica in the center, which highlights traditional Mexican dance and was one of the most joyful, warm, inviting performances I’ve ever been to. Its home base, Palacio de Bellas Artes, also boasts Diego Rivera murals, a stunning glass stage curtain made by Tiffany Lamp Co. and beautiful art deco architecture.

Day 3: Monday

Most of the museums close on Mondays, so we hired a private tour guide and drove to Teotihuacan, the City of the Gods, where you can climb the pyramids, marvel at the ingenuity of ancient civilizations and stare at the sun through a piece of obsidian. It’s breathtaking and worth the trip alone.

Bordering on exhausted we asked our guide to drop us at Museo Soumaya back in Polanco so I could get another art fix. This museum holds art from the incredibly impressive private collection of a Mexican billionaire. It was a lot to take in after a morning at the pyramids, but I stopped to admire the myriad Rodin’s, a Botticelli, de Lempicka, Gentileschi and new-to-me Mexican artists like Angel Zarraga.

Day 4: Tuesday

I quickly fell in love with Condesa, a quiet, whimsical neighborhood ringed with parks and greenery. A forest fairyland in the middle of the city. Amsterdam Avenue, which travels in a circle around the neighborhood, has the most delightful walking path: a median that spans the entire avenue covered in tropical plants and good vibes. It was easily our favorite spot in the city. We jumped on and off of the path to check out boutiques from local designers, admire the colorful homes and eat churros.

In the afternoon we timed some heavy rainfall with a visit to the Anthropology Museum. The perfect bookend after visiting Teotihuacan. Then it was back to the hotel for a break before Lucha Libre, a cultural mainstay in CDMX and the pro wrestling experience you didn’t know you needed. The food is meh but the performers–and they crowd–are committed.

Day 5: Wednesday

CDMX’s Centro is reminiscent of Time’s Square, so don’t waste your time shopping or dining here. Do come for the amazing Aztec temple ruins, the palatial Metropolitan Cathedral and the Central Square, which also serves as an encampment for protests and strikes. We made it our first stop on our last day before checking out the Ciudadela artisan market, a labyrinthine maze lined with raffia bags, silver jewelry, leather goods and more. We bought a painting of ancient god. I’m still figuring out where to hang him, but you know what they say: buy the art you love and find a home for it later.

Travel Diary: Mexico City