Xochimilco

Markets · Belen ·

Xochimilco

Markets · Belen ·

Festive boat rides on Aztec canals, floating vendors, mariachi bands

Information

Mexico City, Mexico Get directions

@matadornetwork

1,344 Postcards · 344 Cities

Neighborhoods in Mexico City

"This neighborhood is what Mexico City must have looked like centuries ago when it was still Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec empire and a city of waterways. Xochimilco can be toured by traditional, colorful boats called trajineras. Among the canals, you’ll be able to see chinampas, artificial pieces of land dedicated to agriculture that have been in use since the times of the Aztecs, as well as Isla de las Muñecas (Island of the Dolls), a landmark in CDMX. Xochimilco produces a lot of fruits and vegetables, but it’s also famous for its flowers and pulque — a traditional fermented beverage made from agave plants. There are plenty of piers where you can rent a trajinera to wander around the canals (oarsman included), but the biggest and more traditional one is Nuevo Nativitas." - MATADOR_NETWORK

https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/mexico/mexico-city/neighborhoods/

MATADOR_NETWORK

Xochimilco

@matadornetwork

1,344 Postcards · 344 Cities

Nature and Parks in Mexico City

"This neighborhood still has plenty of the water canals that defined Mexico City way back before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. There are several piers where you can rent a traditional trajinera, a colorful wooden boat that fits as many as 20 people, to explore the area while smaller boats cater to all your food and drink needs. There are even boats with musicians — usually mariachi trios — if you’re in the mood ofora more festive ride. Nuevo Nativitas is the most popular pier to embark from in a trajinera. You can either rent a private boat or join a group in a collective trajinera." - MATADOR_NETWORK

https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/mexico/mexico-city/nature-parks/

MATADOR_NETWORK

Xochimilco

@matadornetwork

1,344 Postcards · 344 Cities

Xochimilco

https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/mexico/mexico-city/neighborhoods/

MATADOR_NETWORK

Xochimilco

@goop

4,111 Postcards · 173 Cities

"Granted, these colorful, gondola-like boat trips are of one of the classic tourist activities in Mexico, and you'll need to summon all your hardcore negotiating skills when hailing a trajinera, but spending the afternoon cruising the ancient canals in this area by boat is a lot of fun. Many local families head here for long, lazy afternoon cruises, accompanied by hired mariachi groups who serenade them via boat. Beers and snacks can be hailed on the canal too, meaning you don't have to pack too much of a picnic."

The Mexico City Guide

Xochimilco

@caitlindale

11 Postcards · 2 Cities

This is this incredible network of canals that have floating gardens throughout. We were able to take the subway there, and then you can rent a private boat (comes with a captain), float around and buy treats from floating treat boats, listen to the mariachi bands that drift by and just generally relax and enjoy. Very charming!

Mexico City

Xochimilco

Rosario L.

Yelp

My first time at this market was a wonderful experience. We walked around aimlessly for a good hour before we finally decided on a place to eat. It seemed like most of the small restaurants inside of the market were offering fish platters, which none of us had the appetite for today. There was one long stretch of hall that probably had twenty or more little Independent restaurants. Everyone had pozole and pancita which again was something relatively new for everyone. We found one special restaurant and we all at pollo asado con feiiles and arroz. Two large pitchers of Jamaica juice was included. The service and food were great. The market was even more interesting and they have everything.

Linda V.

Yelp

Very large, daily held market in Xochimiico! Everything thing I think you could possible want of need was here! Clothes, fresh fruit, meat, juice, Toys, handmade jewelry, shoes, purses...even sign up for local yoga classes! I bought a gourd from an outside, sidewalk vendor since I decorate gourd's in US.

Sunil R.

Yelp

This is a Unesco site given the history and significance of Xochimilco. The market was fun and we picked up some souvenirs and snacks.

Tomas R.

Yelp

An experience worth doing if you're planning a visit to Mexico City! We went on a weekday and thoroughly enjoyed having a private boat for our group of six people. Our tour was reserved for three hours and the views were beautiful. There were a few stops along the way, but be mindful for those of y'all who might have a small bladder. The bathrooms are outhouses so make sure to bring hand sanitizer and pesos. Now what makes this really fun are the vendors and food merchants who float along the way. It was so nice being able to order items along the way. Since there were only so many boats out on the river we were able to cover a large amount of the man-made river. Plan ahead and bring snacks, drinks, alcohol, and ice for the adventure. You can also rent a speaker to have music along the way! This was such a fun adventure. 100% recommend.

T F.

Yelp

Food and ambiance are wonderful! Worth the tour guided boat ride! We ate The blue corn quesadillas made to order right in front of us

Jon W.

Yelp

Cool experience if you're in Mexico City. Better if you go on a weekday. I can't even imagine coming to this place on a busy weekend with all the boats in the water. There were only a few boats in the water when we went and it already seemed crowded. On a weekend you prolly won't get far due to traffic of boats not really being able to move. It was cool to be able to roll up next to other boats that were selling food and souvenirs. They'll ride along you for a bit till you're done buying stuff. Worth checking out. It's nice to go close to sunset. Don't forget to tip your boat guide. They don't make much money and they gotta paddle the entire way for you.

Andy N.

Yelp

After a ride down the canal, you're going to want to refill on delicious and affordable market food. Look no further than Mercado de Xochimilco. This expansive market has plenty of spots to sit down and grab a bite to eat. We made our way towards the center where there were tons of stalls that sold seafood cocktails and shrimp empanadas. We managed to eat through 2-3 bowls of shrimp, scallops, and octopus ceviche, with saltine crackers included. Everything we had was delicious and the seafood glutton in all of us were screaming YES! The shrimp empanadas here were no joke- they were toasted to perfection and was a party in my mouth. I wish I could have asked for a recipe because they were seriously amazing. Don't forget to sample some of the barbacoa and sip some horchata on your way out! Everything was reasonably priced which made our food sampling experience all that much better. Definitely stop by if you're in the area.

Vivek S.

Yelp

I went to Xochi a day after the elections 2018. There were very few tourists at the embarcadas so I decided to checkout Mercado de Xochimilco. It was absolute pleasure and totally worth the time. The diversity of products is really good. Felt safe and secure while in the market. No one tried to oversell. Friendly people. Stopped at a random food stall and had the best tacos dorados of my life. It was run by 3 grannies and I knew it couldn't go wrong. It was pura comida mexicana con mucho amor :) Craving for authentic Mexican food - deberías visitar de aquí !!

Billy D.

Yelp

This is worth a visit to Xochimilco alone - it is where the locals shop and it was my favorite market in Mexico. It's two square blocks with indoor and outdoor sections - slightly busy, but not too packed. Here you can buy produce, dried chilies, ice cream, juices, meat, fish, non-food items, or grab a delicious lunch from dozens of vendors.