A New Momentum

Mexico City rallies with dynamic changes and innovation.

- Tim Leffel

MEXICO CITY HAS SELDOM SEEN the travel press limelight like its North American counterparts of Toronto and Washington, D.C., but the rest of the continent finally seems to be waking up to its wealth of reasons to visit. Despite claiming the largest number of museums in the world and housing great cultural institutions, it took Mexico City a long time to get the respect it deserves — partly because it’s had to overcome so many obstacles … the latest, a major earthquake that hit in 2017.

Every time, though, Mexico City bounces back from adversity by taking things up a notch. Despite the setbacks, each year the city gets a bit cleaner, a bit ritzier, a bit more confident in what it has to offer.

Jim Johnston, author of the popular book Mexico City: An Opinionated Guide for the Curious Traveler, says the real turning point came in 2015, when a flood of articles about the city’s vibe started showing up in seemingly every travel publication. “Restaurants, bakeries, and shops of all kinds have been opening up, many run by foreigners. This has added an edge of adventure to the city, introducing Mexicans to a wider range of products and services,” he says. “There is a big change in the perception of the city — fear has been replaced by fabulousness. In addition, the infrastructure has improved, the air is cleaner, and public transportation has improved.”