Nightlife & the Arts in Mexico City

Night is the key word. People generally take in dinner and a show at 9 or 10 PM, head to bars or nightclubs at midnight, then find a spot for a nightcap or tacos somewhere around 3 AM. (Cantinas are the exception; people start hitting them in the late afternoon and most close by 11 PM.) One way to do this if you don't speak Spanish is on a guided tour. Gray Line (55/5583-5533. www.grayline.com) organizes nightlife tours to the mariachi plaza (Plaza Garibaldi) and the zócalo, complete with an English-speaking guide and a complimentary drink. The outings are cheaper if you have a group of 10 or more people; you should make reservations 12 hours in advance. If you set off on your own you should have no trouble getting around, but see the Safety box in the Planner at the start of the chapter about the perils of hailing cabs—if money is no object, take official hotel taxis or call a sitio (stationed) taxi (55/5514-7861).

Condesa, Roma, Centro Histórico, Coyoacán, and Polanco stand out as Mexico City's hippest neighborhoods. If you're looking to do some barhopping and want to foot it, you can do so in La Condesa. The Zona Rosa has lost ground to Condesa and Polanco in the past few years, but it's still packed on Friday and Saturday nights and everything is within walking distance. Niza, Florencia, Londres, and Hamburgo streets are teeming with bars and discos.

Where It's At

The most popular neighborhoods for barhopping are Condesa, Roma, the Centro Histórico, Coyoacán, Polanco, and the Zona Rosa. Drink prices fluctuate wildly according to area and establishment.

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