Coyoacan is our favorite neighborhood in Mexico City. The colorful plazas, artistic heritage sites, tree-lined streets and a bohemian vibe in the air make Coyoacan feel worlds away from the bustle of the rest of the city.
Given Mexico City is a large metropolis, there is plenty to do in each area. Just for Coyoacan, I can list over a dozen things to do. But that is not the purpose of this post.
Today, I am going to help you plan how you can explore Coyoacan in 2-3 days.
I have designed this Coyoacan itinerary focusing on art, history and culture, structuring your days with a mix of guided and self-guided activities for you to experience the top sights and attractions in and around Coyoacan.
Don’t worry. We will also share an alternative if you have only one day to explore Coyoacan.
☠️ Related Reading: How to Experience Day of the Dead in Mexico City
Coyoacan in 2-3 Days: Quick Overview
Do not have time to read all the details? Here’s what you can capture now:
🌳 Coyoacan 3-Day Itinerary Summary
| Day1 | First half: Introduction to Frida Kahlo, Coyoacan Markets and Street food. Book this tour. Second half: Visit Frida Kahlo Museum and Leon Trotsky Museum. |
| Day2 | First half: Self-guided walk in the Coyoacan neighborhood. Second half: Explore canals of Xochimilco on this trajinera tour that combines tradition, culture and party. |
| Day3 | First half: Diego Rivera-Frida Kahlo House Studio Museum guided visit, followed by a self-guided walk in the San Angel neighborhood. Second half: Guided walk of UNAM Campus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn about its history, architecture and some of the most famous murals of Mexico City. |
Note: This is a slow paced, immersive itinerary to explore Coyoacan and around over 3 days. You can modify it and shorten it to 2 days.
⭐️ Coyoacan in 1 Day: Book this tour
➡️ Related Reading: Best Areas to Stay in Mexico City + Top Hotels
Explore Coyoacan, Mexico City: Day 1
Start your first day by learning about the celebrated figures of Coyoacan, visiting classic museums, checking out markets and sampling local delicacies.
Introduction to Frida Kahlo and Coyoacan Markets
Coyoacan is the birthplace of the famous Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. For her impactful work and empowering outlook on life, she went on to become a global icon, but this neighborhood, Coyoacan is where Frida spent most of her life.
So, what better way of starting your Coyoacan exploration than getting to know more about this celebrated artist?
On this half-day tour, a specialist guide introduces you to the life and works of Frida while walking by some important landmarks of Coyoacan.
You also get to try different street foods, and visit the Coyoacan market and sample local delicacies like tostadas.
Frida Kahlo Museum
Frida Kahlo museum ticket is included in the tour price, and you get time at the end to explore the museum on your own.
🏡 This is the house where Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera used to live. It has now been converted to a museum.
Because of the blue colored exterior of the house, Frida Kahlo Museum is also popularly referred to as Casa Azul, Spanish for Blue House.
It is a small museum but I recommend you to take the time to explore and absorb everything it has to offer, like I did on my first visit to Casa Azul.
🗓️ Frida Kahlo museum is closed on Mondays.
Leon Trotsky Museum
After visiting Frida Kahlo museum, stroll to the nearby Museo Casa de Leon Trotsky, less than 10 minutes walk away.
🏡 This used to be the house of Leon Trotsky, the exiled Russian revolutionary, and has now been converted to a museum.
Similar to Casa Azul, visit this museum to check out Tortsky’s living quarters and get glimpses of his personal belongings, learn about his works, and the stories of his life and his assassination.
The small house has been preserved much as he left it, and a visit to this museum can offer you a powerful political and historical contrast to Frida’s world.
🗓️ Leon Trotsky museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Explore Coyoacan, Mexico City: Day 2
On the second day of your Coyoacan itinerary, explore the neighborhood on your own in the morning and for the second half of the day, go for a party of a different kind, the Mexican style!
Self-guided Walk in Coyoacan
Treat yourself to a light and easy morning.
Coyoacan’s two major squares, Parque Centenario and Plaza Hidalgo, are located right next to each other, and this is where you can start your self-guided walk.
🌮 Grab a nice brunch at one of the cafes or restaurants by the plazas, people watch and, even on a busy day, feel the relaxed atmosphere of Coyoacan.
For your self-guided walk, this is the route you can follow. The route takes you to some of the parks and squares of Coyoacan, allowing you to enjoy a nice walk in the pretty alleys of this charming neighborhood.
📍 Plaza Hidalgo and Parque Centenario: Two main squares of Coyoacan, adorned with shady trees and colorful benches, are often buzzing with street vendors, musicians and events. Here, locals gather to relax. The area is surrounded by historic buildings and cafes and restaurant, and the atmosphere feels relaxed and vibrant.
📍 Fuente de los Coyotes: The iconic fountain in the heart of Parque Centenario features two bronze coyotes, represents the Aztec cosmovision and the name Coyoacan, and serves as a beloved neighborhood symbol.
📍 Parroquia San Juan Bautista: The 16th century church has an ornate baroque altar, beautiful frescoes and a tranquil courtyard.
📍 Avenida Francisco Sosa: The historic, tree-lined avenue is known for its colonial era buildings, artisan shops and charming neighborhood cafes.
📍 Parque Santa Catarina: This peaceful stone-paved square is surrounded by colorful facades and the picturesque Santa Catarina church.
📍 Parque de la Bombilla: This is a spacious urban park with monuments and gardens. It also has a towering monument to the revolutionary leader Álvaro Obregón.
Canals of Xochimilco
Xochimilco, another borough of Mexico City, is known for its characteristic canals that create for a vast network of waterways, originally built by the Aztecs.
The best way to explore these canals of Xochimilco is to cruise aboard the colorful boats called trajineras. From your location in Coyoacan, you can book an Uber to get to the trajinera embarkation point.
🚣🏽 There are various ways to enjoy a trajinera ride on the Xochimilco canals.
You will find companies offering full blown parties onboard, as well as guided tours that focus more on telling visitors about the place and its history.
✅ We found this Xochimilco trajinera tour to be a balance of both: tradition and party.
Two women developed this tour, keeping in mind the essence of Xochimilco. So, on this trajinera ride, you get to learn about the place, the canals and the history behind them, while you party onboard!
🍸 Unlimited premium drinks (beer, tequila, mezcal) are included in the experience, and for snacks, you get to create your own guacamole. They provide all the ingredients.
➡️ Tip: If you are in Mexico City during Day of the Dead, go for La Llorona show in Xochimilco. Learn more here.
Explore Coyoacan, Mexico City: Day 3
On the third day, venture beyond Coyoacan and explore another pretty neighborhood, San Angel on a self-guided walk, fill yourself with more about Frida and Diego, and visit UNAM.
Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo
Take a short taxi ride to Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo in the San Angel neighborhood. It is a pair of modernist homes that were once occupied by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.
Built by Mexican architect Juan O’Gorman, the twin houses hold striking features, each of them with a story behind it.
🏘️ A completely different experience from visiting Casa Azul, this house studio museum gives you a peek into the creative personalities of the two artists, their inspirations and their tumultuous relationship over the years.
🎟️ Guided Tour: To learn more, book this guided tour of Frida Kahlo-Diego Rivera Studio House. Entry ticket and transportation are included.
🗓️ Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo remains closed on Mondays.
Self-guided Walk in San Angel
After visiting the house studio museum, take a stroll along the picturesque street, Calle Benito Juárez and take a self-guided wall in the San Angel neighborhood.
Here is the route you can follow to visit these landmarks:
📍 Parroquia San Jacinto: This church displays a centuries-old architecture and has tranquil gardens.
📍 Plaza San Jacinto: The central square of San Ángel, this plaza is surrounded by historic residences and shaded by leafy trees.
📍 Bazar San Ángel: It is different from El Bazar Sábado (check next). A market with various stores selling souvenirs and traditional handicrafts, and local eateries.
📍 El Bazar Sábado: Held in the Plaza San Jacinto, this is a Saturday special market featuring paintings, art and crafts, jewelry and unique souvenirs, made by local artists.
📍 Plaza del Carmen: A quiet plaza adjacent to a beautiful former monastery, offering a peaceful spot to relax in the heart of San Ángel.
📍 Mercado del Carmen: A trendy market set in a renovated mansion, where you will find boutique stores and all kinds of eateries, from cute cafes to local food stalls to hip bars.
📍 Museo de El Carmen: A fascinating museum housed in a former Carmelite convent, it is famous for its colonial art collection and mysterious mummies.
Guided Visit of UNAM
Your last stop on the Coyoacan itinerary is UNAM campus. From Museo de El Carmen, you can take a short cab ride, or if you are up for it, walk along the main road for about half an hour.
UNAM is the acronym for Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Spanish for Autonomous National University of Mexico, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
🏫 The sprawling campus, lush gardens and monumental outdoor murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Juan O’Gorman make this is a great place to explore for those interested in art and culture of a place.
We had the opportunity of visiting UNAM with a friend from Mexico City.
Getting to know about the university from her, its architecture and history, the murals and the muralists, visiting the central library, sitting on the lush campus ground, and grasping Mexico City’s identity through all of it was an incredible learning experience for us.
That is why, for a visitor to fully absorb the history and cultural identity associated with the university, we recommend a guided walk of UNAM. Check availability here:
If You Have Just One Day for Coyoacan
Are you on a short trip to Mexico City? Do not have 2-3 days to spare just for Coyoacan? That’s fine! Here is an alternative tour idea for you:
On this guided tour, you get to experience all the highlights, such as:
- Coyoacan neighborhood
- Frida Kahlo museum
- Trajinera ride in Xochimilco
- UNAM
🎟️ Note: This full-day tour has multiple optional selections, for museum tickets and lunch. So, the tour price will change based on your selections.
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