The Best of Mexico City: Self-Launched Teotihuacan, Guadalupe, Xochimilco & Coyoacán
2 days · Mexico City
Amigo Tours charges £155
No-markup version: ~£87 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Amigo Tours' two-day Mexico City highlights run — the same Teotihuacan pyramids, Basilica of Guadalupe, Xochimilco canals, Coyoacán and the Frida Kahlo Museum, done on public transport and self-booked tickets. Day 1 heads north to Tlatelolco, the Guadalupe Basilica and the Teotihuacan pyramids (all reachable with cheap metro + bus combos), and Day 2 goes south to Coyoacán, the Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul), UNAM's Diego Rivera murals and a trajinera boat ride in Xochimilco. You travel at your own pace, avoid the big tour-bus logistics, and book the Casa Azul directly on the museum website well ahead of time. Costs are rough budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Tlatelolco, Basilica of Guadalupe & the Teotihuacan Pyramids
Mexico City / Teotihuacan
Start early at Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco (metro Tlatelolco, Linea 3, ~MXN 5 / £0.25) to see the pre-Hispanic ruins stacked against the colonial church and the modern tower blocks — a free, self-guided walk with the on-site information boards. Walk or take a short taxi (~£3) up to the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Mexico's most important pilgrimage site; entry is free, and the climb up to the Capilla del Cerrito viewpoint is worth it. Then head to Teotihuacan independently: take metro to Autobuses del Norte (Linea 5), buy a ticket with the Teotihuacan-bound bus at the appropriate gate (~MXN 60-100 / £3-4.50 each way, ~1 hour), and get off at Puerta 1. Pay the site entrance (~MXN 95 / £4) and walk the Avenue of the Dead from the Temple of the Feathered Serpent (Ciudadela) up past the Pyramid of the Sun and on to the Pyramid of the Moon — climb the Sun pyramid first before it gets hot and crowded. Skip the operator's tequila-tasting stop or do a small independent tasting at a local spot if you want it. Buses return to the city until early evening.
🚌Metro (Linea 3 and 5) ~£0.5 total + round-trip bus to Teotihuacan ~£7-9
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Roma Norte / Centro Histórico — private room or dorm (£15-25 per night)
- →Self-guided Plaza de las Tres Culturas walk in Tlatelolco (free)
- →Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe visit (free)
- →Teotihuacan archaeological site self-guided loop (entrance ~£4)
- →Climb the Pyramid of the Sun and walk the Avenue of the Dead
- →Temple of the Feathered Serpent / Ciudadela
- →Optional local tequila or pulque tasting
Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Museum, UNAM Murals & Xochimilco
Mexico City (south)
Take metro to Viveros/Coyoacán (Linea 3) or General Anaya (Linea 2) and spend the morning wandering Coyoacán's cobbled streets, plaza and Mercado de Coyoacán for breakfast. Pre-book the Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul) yourself online at museofridakahlo.org.mx — tickets are around MXN 320-350 (~£14-15) and sell out days or weeks in advance, so book the earliest slot you can and pick up the optional photography-free audio guide. Afterwards head to UNAM: take metro/trolebús to Universidad station, walk the Espacio Escultórico and see Diego Rivera's mosaics on the Central Library and the murals in the Rectoría. In the afternoon continue to Xochimilco (tren ligero from Tasqueña, Linea 2, ~MXN 3 / £0.15) and board a shared trajinera at the Embarcadero Nativitas or Cuemanco — a one-hour shared boat ride is roughly MXN 50-100 per person (~£2.50-5), though private boats run ~MXN 600 an hour and can be shared with other travellers at the dock. Return to the city centre in the evening.
🚌Metro + tren ligero + colectivo, ~£2-3 total
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Roma Norte / Centro Histórico — private room or dorm (£15-25 per night)
- →Coyoacán neighbourhood and market stroll
- →Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul) — pre-booked ticket ~£15
- →UNAM campus and Central Library Diego Rivera murals
- →Espacio Escultórico walk
- →Shared trajinera boat ride in Xochimilco ~£3-5
Self-launched vs. Amigo Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Amigo Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£87 | £155 |
| Duration | 2 days | 2 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £68 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Amigo Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£87
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does The Best of Mexico City: Self-Launched Teotihuacan, Guadalupe, Xochimilco & Coyoacán cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £87 per person for 2 days in Mexico City. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Amigo Tours?+
Yes — Amigo Tours charges around £155 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £87 — a saving of roughly £68 (44%) per person.
How long is the Mexico City trip?+
This itinerary runs 2 days, covering 2 day-by-day stops through Mexico City.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through Mexico City, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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