Solo travel in Mexico City: Tacos, Frida Kahlo and finding connection alone
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Tacos del Valle (left) serves freshly pressed tortillas and vibrant salsas. The Museo Frida Kahlo (right) courtyard bursts with tropical greenery.
PHOTOS: STACEY CHIA
Stacey Chia
- Mexico City offers rich culture, food and history, from tacos and Roma Norte to Frida Kahlo’s home and Luis Barragan’s Casa Gilardi.
- Solo travel there feels less lonely through local talks, Lucha Libre and Xochimilco, but visitors should note tourism is driving gentrification and higher rents.
- Use Uber or Ecobici, stay alert, carry cash, and learn basic Spanish to show respect and ease travel in Mexico City
AI generated
MEXICO CITY – Stepping off the plane in Mexico City, it is not fear that hits me. It is the altitude.
More than 2,200m above sea level, I find myself breathless after climbing the short flight of steps to my Airbnb. After briefly fearing that I had developed a sudden heart condition while alone in a foreign city, I remember what high altitude does to the body and any anxiety about travelling alone gives way to the vibrant city around me.