Mexico City, Mexico
With more than 20 million inhabitants in a vast metropolitan area, this megalopolis marks, from its heart of zócalo, the spiritual pulse of a nation that has always been vulnerable and dramatic.
Mexico City, Mexico
With more than 20 million inhabitants in a vast metropolitan area, this megalopolis marks, from its heart of zócalo, the spiritual pulse of a nation that has always been vulnerable and dramatic.
VISA AND OTHER PROCEDURES
Portuguese citizens do not need a visa for a stay of up to 30 days. Brazilian citizens must apply for a visa to enter Mexico. Both must have passports valid for at least 6 months after arrival in Mexico.
HEALTH AND SAFETY CARE
The authorities in Mexico require a certificate of yellow fever vaccine to all visitors over one year of age who come from a destination with a risk of transmission in the country or who have transited for more than 12 hours at airports in those countries. There is an intermittent risk of contracting malaria in some parts of the state of Chiapas. Very low risk in the states of Chihuahua, Durango, Nayarit, Quintana Roo and Sinaloa. Protect yourself from mosquito bites also to avoid a possible contraction of Dengue fever.
For more information on traveling health, see the Health Portal of the Ministry of Health and Tropical and Traveler Medicine Clinic. In FitForTravel find country-specific health and disease prevention advice (in English).
At the time of writing this text, much of northern Mexico remained extremely insecure due to rivalry drug cartels and their violent criminal actions. The situation was particularly dangerous in the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Coahuila and Durango, as well as in southern Guerrero.
TRIP TO MEXICO
Cancun, Riviera Maya and Mexico City are the main air ports of entry into Mexico.
Fly from Lisbon to Madrid. THE Air Europa fly directly from Madrid to Cancun for from €1.500.
A KLM / Air France fly from Lisbon to Mexico City with a single stopover (Amsterdam on the way, Paris on the way back) for from €800.
INTERNAL FLIGHTS
About 15 years ago, there was a drastic change in the panorama of Mexican airlines with the entry into the scene of several low-cost which broke the former dominance of Mexicana and Aeroméxico. From then on, domestic flight tickets have substantially decreased in price. Today, the main companies operating nationwide are:
Aeromar, AeroMexico and Aeromexico Connect, Magnicharters, Interjet, Volaris e VivaAerobus.
TRUCK
Mexico has developed an acceptable road network that is traversed by various types of buses. Almost all major cities have terminals that receive long-distance buses. Depending on their quality, these are divided into Deluxe (De Lujo, also called Ejecutivos) Home e Away classes.
Deluxe rooms have tinted windows, fully reclining seats with space between them, air conditioning, quality TVs and on-board bathroom. They only stop once or twice along the way, sometimes not even that. Accordingly, they charge the highest prices, from €4 to €7 or €8 per hour, the latter being for really special buses and services.
buses from Home they include guaranteed seats for each passenger that are relatively reclining, as well as air conditioning, a bathroom and TVs that show movies right in front of the passengers. They cost around €3 for each hour of travel.
already those of Away they function essentially between smaller towns or even towns. They are slower than the previous ones and stop more often. Depending on the companies that operate them, they can be modern but also old relics. They will be about 20% cheaper than those of Home but in certain states they are also at greater risk of being assaulted by bandits. And, as much as the federal government and the state-owned companies try to fight them, Mexico has too long and too frequent a history of these misfortunes.
There are still the microbuses small 25-seater buses, normally new but considered to be equivalent to a second class, provide connections between nearby towns.
And finally, the collectives, a kind of microbuses that can either be relics with VW Combis or more modern models. They only depart for round trips to nearby towns when they are full or, in the best case, when the driver thinks the number of passengers is sufficient.
CAR RENTAL
It is more expensive than renting in Europe and the United States but simple to do either online or over the counter. Mexican rent-a-cars accept drivers from 21 years old and up to 24 years old, subject to payment of an extra fee. All drivers must present a driving license from their own country, passport and credit card.
Expect to pay a minimum of €30 per day for a small utility vehicle, including insurance and unlimited kilometers. To get lower prices, rent online in advance, for periods of a week or longer, and avoid renting at airport agencies. The agencies that you will find more easily all over Mexico are the usual multinationals.
Carefully check the safety of each place you plan to travel. Wherever you are, it is important to avoid traveling in the most dangerous states in the country (mentioned in Health and Safety) and, wherever you are, at night. Even if it costs you, drive as much as possible on toll roads.
Em Bus ticket, you can make your reservation for bus travel in most of Mexico
No time is decidedly bad to visit Mexico. That said, in the low-lying and coastal areas of the country, May to September are the hottest, wettest and rainiest months. From June to November, it is cyclone season all along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula (states of Quintana Roo, Mérida and Campeche), powerful cyclones can seriously affect these states and even others further north like Tabasco and Chiapas. Even if it is normal that there is no great instability, if you travel to these areas at this time, know that you may have the misfortune of finding, for a week or more, cloudy skies, strong winds and rain that can cause some destruction.
Still, July and August and mid-December to early January are the peak vacation seasons for both Mexicans and foreigners. At these times, the coastal resorts tend to be pineapple.
From November to the end of February is the Mexican winter. The lands in the interior cool in such a way that, in the higher ones, there are diurnal minimums below 0ºC and even snow. This is what happens, for example, in the state of Chihuahua.
Mexico's currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN). They abound in most cities, ATMs and the most sophisticated establishments are prepared to accept credit card payments. Mexico is a country with very affordable prices.
ACCOMMODATION
There is a strong backpacking culture in Mexico which means you can find hostels throughout with overnight stays in dorms and private rooms. Expect to pay around €3 for a dorm, €10 to €15 for a double room with shared bathroom, €15 to €25 for a double room with a private bathroom.
Another type of stay is guaranteed by roadside hotels and motels but, all too often, they prove to be uncomfortable and even unsafe.
At a higher price and refinement level, resorts and hotels from international chains are increasingly frequent in the country. Comfortable and refined, they don't exactly allow guests to feel the Mexican soul. The Riviera Maya and Acapulco are good examples of coastlines full of gigantic resorts with beaches, swimming pools and many other private infrastructures, all-inclusive services and, in high season, a chaotic crowd of guests of countless nationalities. Expect to pay from €400 to €1.500 for a week's stay in half-board in this type of hotel.
Taking into account the objective of experiencing Mexican culture, the best hotels are the colonial ones established in old haciendas. you equate (cactus cultivation) and other historic buildings and properties. A large part of these hotels are luxury (5 stars) and have high prices, easily €200 to €800 per night for a double room, depending on the location, ranch in particular and the time of year.
FOOD
Mexico, much more than the United States, contains an endless national gastronomic universe worthy of careful exploration. The cuisine is divided into northern, central, southeastern and coastal.
You'll find street food everywhere except, of course, in and around resorts and big hotels. Served in small stalls, cars and caravans, street food is the least expensive in the country. Problems with this type of food are not exactly frequent, but, in any case, carefully observe the aspect of what you buy to avoid any complications. Traditional complete meals are sold at simple market stalls for as little as €2,50, drinks on the side.
Despite the quality and variety of its cuisine, Mexico imported the culture of the fast junk food and many of the same franchised restaurants that exist north of the border are also proliferating in Mexican territory, with prices higher than street food.
Apart from these types of meals, you will find popular small restaurants that serve different breakfast combinations that, depending on the richness and diversity, range from €2 to €5. Mexicans are used to heavy breakfasts with eggs, tortillas, beans and even meat. However, in places with the greatest affluence of tourists, you will also find places that have adapted to what foreigners were most looking for: yogurt with muesli, fruit, oatmeal and bread with butter and sweets.
Most conventional Mexican restaurants offer, between 13:16 pm and XNUMX:XNUMX pm, the so-called race race, cubiertos ou menu of the day. These last menus include several dishes of the best traditional Mexican food at very affordable prices, from €8 to €20 with soup, dishes, drinks, dessert and coffee included. At dinner, it is normal for Mexicans to eat fewer dishes and lighter dishes, sometimes simple snacks ou mexican platillos as burritos, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tamales and pies.
Note that you will find these specialties everywhere. On many days of abrasive heat, you can refrain from eating overly composed and bulky meals. Buy from these instead snacks ou mexican platillos at a reduced price – €1 to €3 in the streets and markets, more in restaurants – and at any time of day.
IINTERNET
It spread across the country at great speed throughout the country. Some Riviera Mayan resorts charge extra. most of the hostels and certainly the hotels of international and colonial chains offer Wi-Fi access as part of the rate.
If you find yourself stranded in a rural village, look for an Internet Café as close to the center as possible. It is most likely not to be far from one. Expect to pay €0,50 at a maximum of €1 per hour of navigation.
Alternatively, purchase a SIM from Telmex or a competing company upon arrival in Mexico that you can install in a smartphone unlocked or pen to have internet wherever you go.