Mexico City

Mercado de la Merced

La Merced Market

One of the largest and most famous markets in Mexico, La Merced was built in 1860 and covers several blocks with tianguis style vendors lining nearby streets. The market mainly sells food and household items; if you're looking to cook for yourself or just want to wander aisles of stalls selling cheap limes or huitlacoche, this is the place to go. Many vendors offer tastings. Foreigners will stick out a bit, but not excessively. Vendors are honest, at least for Spanish speakers, and may accommodate some bargaining although prices are fair. Local tour guides offer half-day tours of the market (yes, it's that big!). Vendors with the best food usually have the longest lines.

Daily 06:00-18:00

Mercado de Sonora

Witches' Market

One of the more interesting markets, this specializes in traditional medicines, as well as paraphernalia for Santa Muerte and voodoo. Endangered animals are also sold here, and the market is regularly raided by the police. The area is not as safe as the higher-class neighborhoods to the west; exercise caution.

Daily 08:00-17:00

Tianguis Cultural del Chopo

El Chopo

Huge outdoor flea market. Focuses on alternative music including grunge, heavy metal, punk and ska. Bands play at one end of the park.

Sat

Jardín del Arte

Colorful market on Sundays with more than 100 artists exhibiting and selling their paintings and sculptures.

Mercado de San Juan

This market specializing in gourmet foods, and is frequented by many of Mexico City's top chefs. On offer are many foods imported from Europe and elsewhere, including such specialties as European cheeses, Spanish and Italian sausage, pre-Hispanic foods and exotic meats.

Daily

Mercado de Coyoacán

A traditional Mexican market with a large selection of produce and food items as well as other goods; Frida Kahlo used to shop herself. There are also a number of food stalls here, making this a good place to stop for lunch.

Daily 07:00-17:00

Mercado de la Ciudadela

Ciudadela Market

Tourist-oriented handicrafts market with over 350 vendors from all over Mexico, first established for the 1968 Olympics. Cleaner and more expensive than the other markets in the city.

Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-18:00

Mercado Lagunilla

La Lagunilla

This huge street market features antiques and other new goods such as clothing, crafts, food, jewelry and toys. It is considered safe to stroll in this street market, but try to remain in the streets near Francisco Bocanegra and Comonfor, because beyond that the market eventually blends into Tepito, another market which is a lot less safe.

Sun 10:00-16:00

Mercado Medellin

Fruit and vegetable market with a wide selection of unusual products used in Mexican regional recipes as well as cuisines from throughout Latin America. Many specialty vendors, some selling only chiles, others selling only coffees from Oaxaca, or food from Colombia. Street food fans will find regional dishes and inexpensive gourmet foods.

08:00 - 18:00

Mercado el Chorrito

Large public market, lots of food vendors. Local vibe, not tourist oriented.

Daily 08:00 - 18:00

Mi Mercado 24 de Agosto

Large traditional marketplace with extensive selections of produce, meats and seafood. A huge number of fonditas cook regional dishes and some of the tastiest food in Mexico City can be found here at very low prices. A budget traveler can find a delicious lunch for as little as M$40. The market is known for having a large flower market. Another large section is devoted to non-food items and services, including hair stylists and locksmiths. On the streets adjacent to the market are similar businesses, such as bakeries and tortillerias.

Daily 08:00 - 18:00

Tianguis Cultural del Chopo

The main flea market for the counterculture in Mexico City. Along Aldama Street between Sol and Luna. Metro Station Buenavista.

Mercado de Artesanías de San Juan

San Juan Arts and Crafts Market

Vendors here sell a full range of Mexican handicrafts from across the country, including pottery, textiles, carving, leatherwork, and jewelry.

Daily 10:00-16:00

Mercado del Carmen

It's a traditional Mexican marketplace, but one adapted to the more Bohemian artsy lifestyle of San Angel. Whereas most marketplaces in the city open around 6am, the artsy crowd is just going to bed then, and they certainly won't be ready to go to a market until the sun is warm. The market opens at noon, but stays open later in the evening. The food hall is a star attraction, and while there are some traditional food stands serving regional cuisine, there are also trendy food stands serving up nouveau Mexican cuisine with very non-traditional recipes and ingredients.

Daily 12ː00 - 20ː00

Casa de Luna

Fair trade store that offers a beautiful selection of traditional Mexican folk art and an eclectic assortment of jewelry, textiles, Mexican-kitsch, nichos, Day of the Dead images, market bags, masks, milagros, etc. – varied but carefully curated. The upstairs gallery displays Mexican contemporary artwork.

11:00-20:00

Del Valle Sunday Tianguis

Popular street market stretches for about 4 blocks along a large avenue. Flower vendors are regularly here as are various cooks preparing regional dishes such as barbacoa and quesadillas made from scratch (handmade tortillas).

Sun 08:00 - 14:00

Mercado Alvaro Obregon

Along Alvaro Obregon Avenue, this market sells crafts, paintings and there is a unique stall selling fossils and meteorites.

Sat 10:00-16:00

Parque Nacional Bosque de Tlalpan

Tlalpan Forest National Park

Large forested area with walking paths. 5km jogging path. Picnic areas available. Sunday flea market. No dogs, bicycles or scooters allowed.

Daily 09:00 - 17:00

Parque Naucalli

State park with picnic areas, walking trails, skatepark, vendors, dinosaur exhibit. Occasional special events like a Christmas market.

07:00 - 18:00

Tianguis Sabado

Every Saturday, a pop-up flea market and art fair takes place in Lincoln Park.

Sat 08:00 - 16:00

Mercado La Paz

Mercado Tlalpan

This public market is one of the oldest in Mexico City and is the last "Porfirian" style that remains in Mexico City. Travelers interested in public architecture of the late 19th century will admire the elaborate brick facade, the black tile floors, and the stone pillars inside. As with all traditional marketplaces, it's a great place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables or authentic Mexican and regional prepared dishes.

Plaza San Jacinto

Site of the famous Bazaar Sabado, the park is just 2 blocks from Plaza del Carmen) is the hub of San Angel's arts community, with galleries and the Museo Risco adjacent.

Day of the Dead

Mexico is one of the few countries in the world that celebrates this day (Dia de los Muertos), in which people go to the cemeteries to offer tribute to their departed ones, and decorate their graves with marigolds and bright colors. But this is not a sad celebration, on the contrary, people give family and friends candy treats in the shape of skulls and bones made of sugar and chocolate, as well as delicious bread called "Pan de Muerto". Don't miss a visit to a public market to find these delicacies, and watch out for the parades to and from the local cemeteries. In Mexico City, festivities include the lively Desfile de Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead Parade) which was inspired by the James Bond movie, Spectre. The parade includes people dressed as calaveras catrinas and huge colorful alebrije balloon as well as floats and marching bands. The parade route goes up Reforma and over to the Zocalo. In Xochimilco, there are Day of the Dead parties on the canals and the already colorful trajineras are decked out in marigolds, skeletons and wildly fanciful themes.

November 1–2

Monumento a la Madre

In Zona Rosa. Sunday art market.

Ciudadela Market

A crafts market where cultural groups from around Mexico distribute their crafts to other parts of the country and the world.

La Lagunilla and Tepito

Near Centro Historico (metro stations Lagunilla and Garibaldi). La Lagunilla has some of the best antiques, and is a maze of interesting thing, although it is a high crime area with 317 reported robberies in 2006. Tepito is more for pirated CDs, stolen things, and knock-offs. This area is huge and it's very easy to get lost. Shopkeepers are mostly friendly and will point you toward the nearest Metro station. For safety, visitors to this market should dress down, go with someone else, and arrive early in the day when it's less crowded. If you don't speak Spanish it's probably better to stay away. The collectibles market takes place every Sunday from 9AM, mainly along Paseo de la Reforma at intersection with Allende.

Pino Suarez

There is a lot of youth-minded fashion going on here. Most of it is a knock-off of something else but at such low prices who can complain? There is a very large indoor market near the metro stop that has a ton of clothing, shoes, and food vendors.

Plaza del Angel

In Zona Rosa, Calle Londres (metro station Insurgentes). Mostly expensive antique shops, the famous Sunday collectibles market has nearly vanished.

Bazar Artesanal Mexicano

An arts and crafts market with good quality items.

Daily

Food stall market

At different times there are other food stalls open.