Best Time to Visit Mexico City

Dry season: November to April

This is the easy stretch. Days are sunny and mild, and the rain is rare. In January and December the highs sit around 22°C, but the nights drop to about 7°C. That's properly chilly in a high-altitude city, so you'll want a jacket for dinner in Roma or Condesa.

By March and April it warms up. Afternoons hit 29°C in April, which is lovely for wandering Chapultepec Park or the canals of Xochimilco on a trajinera (a colourful flat-bottomed boat). Dry-season weather is the best fit for first-timers and for anyone packing in museums, markets and day trips to the Teotihuacán pyramids.

Rainy season: June to September

Be honest with yourself here. July and August are the wettest months, tied at 159 mm, and it rains on 28 days. But it's rarely an all-day drizzle. Mornings are often fine, then the clouds roll in and a storm hits mid-afternoon. Plan outdoor sights like Teotihuacán early and save the Museo Nacional de Antropología for the afternoon downpour.

Crowds are thinner and hotel rates tend to ease. If you don't mind a wet umbrella, this is a good time for a cheaper trip. The air is green and fresh, and the Metro is faster than a traffic-jammed taxi when the streets flood.

Shoulder months: May and October

May is hot and increasingly stormy, with rain on 15 days. October is drier, with about 14 rainy days, and it's a smart pick if you want fewer people and decent weather. Both months rate Excellent in our data.

Festivals and crowds

Late October into early November is the big one. Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) brings altars, marigolds and parades, and the city fills up. Book rooms early if you're coming then. The weather is also pleasant, with only a little rain by November.

December brings Posadas, the pre-Christmas street parties, and Christmas and New Year are busy. Semana Santa, the week before Easter, empties the city of locals but fills the main sights with visitors. Mexico's Independence Day on 15 and 16 September draws big crowds to the Zócalo, the main square, even though it's wet.

If you want the best mix of sun, calm and fewer crowds, aim for February or early March.