Autumn in CDMX is one of the best times to explore the city streets. The temperature cools, the air feels clearer than in the hot summer months, and it’s time to enjoy some of our most vibrant traditions, like Day of the Dead.
If you're planning to visit the Mexican capital this season, here's our guide to all the best festivals, flavors, and events that make fall in the city so special.
Autumn Weather in Mexico City
From late September to December, Mexico City offers a very pleasant climate for exploring on foot. Temperatures typically range from 12°C to 24°C (54°F to 75°F), with cool mornings and sunny afternoons. The heavy summer rains are long past, and you’re now free to enjoy our parks, plazas, and terraces without much fear of a downpour.
If you visit in fall, be sure to pack a light jacket or sweater for the chilly early mornings and evenings, and a small folding umbrella, since we still get some occasional rain.
Our Favorite CDMX Fall Activities
Park Walks
The Chapultepec Forest is a green oasis of fresh air in the city. In autumn, its trails are covered with dried leaves, and its lakes become a tranquil spot for boating.
Or visit leafy Alameda Central, one of the Historic Center’s most iconic parks. Its fountains, sculptures, and arty vibes make it a perfect place to relax after visiting nearby museums or strolling through picturesque arcades and plazas. Around Day of the Dead, the area feels extra colorful, with markets and seasonal stands decked out in bright marigold flowers and sugar skulls, ready to welcome back ancestral spirits.
Museums and Exhibitions
Fall is also a great time to visit museums and galleries, since it’s common for many top-quality exhibitions to open during these months. The city has more than 150 cultural venues, from the National Museum of Anthropology to contemporary spaces like the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC). Many are within walking distance of each other here in the Historic Center.
Seasonal Gastronomy
Autumn in Mexico City is also a time for delicious holiday foods. It’s the much-anticipated season of bread of the dead (pan de muerto)—puffy, yummy, orange-flower flavored buns decorated with a bone motif. In markets and bakeries, you’ll find these aromatic treats topped with sugar and filled with cream or other surprise ingredients like marzipan or marigold petals.
This tasty bread is usually accompanied by fresh hot chocolate and café de olla—spiced coffee boiled in a clay pot that’s a typical Day of the Dead offering.
Another classic is calabaza en tacha, pumpkin slow-cooked with piloncillo brown sugar and cinnamon, served as a dessert both in restaurants and homes.
Must-See Neighborhoods to Enjoy Fall in Mexico City
The fresh Autumn air invites you to wander streets steeped in history and filled with color. In Coyoacán, for example, you can stroll through cobblestone squares, visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, and sit in a café sipping atole (a traditional hot cornmeal drink). Or check out San Ángel, with its colonial mansions, weekend art markets, and quaint old streets.
In the Historic Center, once the fall festivities roll around, markets take center stage. The flower market Mercado de Jamaica gets dressed in bright orange with mountains of marigolds for Day of the Dead altars. Walking through the market aisles and inhaling the flowers’ aromas, you can really feel the celebration’s roots, since this exact type of flower has been used since ancient times. As well, don’t miss all the art and altar installations and parades that take place in the Zócalo and the surrounding streets during the Dia de Muertos celebrations (see below!).
Day of the Dead in Mexico City: Autumn’s Crown Jewel
Fall in Mexico City practically revolves around Day of the Dead, the country's most emblematic tradition. The city transforms into a vast stage where altars, processions, and festivals fill the streets with rich colors, aromas, and rhythms.
One of the most anticipated events is the Day of the Dead Parade in Reforma, where floats, dance groups and giant skeletons parade along the city's main avenue. There is also the Megaofrenda (Giant Offering) in the Zócalo, which each year brings together local artists, universities and organizations to showcase their altars.
At the southern edge of the city, you’ll find Dia de Muertos in its most traditional form in Indigenous-rooted farming areas such as Mixquic. Here, families gather around graves at candlelit cemeteries decorated with flowers, food, and music. It's an authentic and deeply meaningful experience.
Where to Stay to Experience Fall in Mexico City
If you’re a fan of pleasant weather, cultural celebrations, and delicious food—fall in CDMX has it all! Strolling through Chapultepec, noshing on Pan de Muerto with a cup of hot chocolate, browsing flower-filled markets, and experiencing both traditional and artistic Day of the Dead celebrations up close, are experiences you can only have here, in our vibrant, colorful, and cozy city.
The best way to enjoy it all is to stay in the heart of the city. At Central Hoteles, with all our properties located in the Historic Center of Mexico City, you’re always just a short walk from the best culture, parks, and fall festivals.
Besides our great location, our hotels offer a warm and comfortable environment to relax after exploring museums, markets, and traditional neighborhoods. Come enjoy our hospitality, and make the most of every day of your stay in Mexico City.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Travel, culture and traditions in Mexico City.
