The Best Markets In Mexico City

The markets of Mexico City are a snapshot of local life. You’ll see chefs inspecting fresh produce, families riffling through mounds of clothes and friends nattering over street-food bites. Plenty of tourists too. There are many markets in the capital, from simple open-air tianguis to grand malls several blocks large. Here are the best.

If you love Mexican food and shopping, check out Culture Trip’s five-day Mexico City adventure. Led by our Local Insider, you’ll embark on a journey of discovery on a private market tour. Other activities include floating down the canals of Xochimilco and visiting Frida Kahlo’s house.

1. La Ciudadela

Market, Shop, Bazaar

La Ciudadela / Flea market in Mexico City, Mexico

La Ciudadela is the market of artisans – an essential stop if you’re looking to pick up a gift or two. It’s semi-covered with more than 350 vendors peddling wares from across Mexico, including Oaxacan textiles, alebrijes – you might know them as the spirit animals in Coco (2017) – and a lot of homeware.

2. El Bazar Sábado

Bazaar, Market

A bit more boujee than your typical Mexican market, El Bazar Sábado flogs a fine range of artisanal goods. It takes place in Plaza San Jacinto, a park of tree-shaded walkways leading to a central space with a fountain. There’s also a stage, which hosts musical performances. Once you’re done shopping, wander around the cobblestone streets of the San Angel neighborhood, stopping at the pretty Parroquia San Jacinto church.

4. La Lagunilla

Market

It’s the best-known flea market in Mexico City, with vendors packed into a large warehouse and many more spilling onto the surrounding streets. It’s the place to go for, well, pretty much everything, but predominantly antiques, trinkets and clothing. It’s a week-long event, but gets extra busy on Sundays, when the weekly tianguis officially takes place.

5. Mercado de San Juan

Market, Mexican

San Juan Market (Mercado de San Juan) near the Historic District in Mexico City specializes in exotic and gourmet ingredients and caters mainly to res

Your inner foodie will be drawn magnet-like to this grand produce market. There’s all the usual fruit and veg, but it’s perhaps better known as the place to buy lesser-seen meats. You can also try insects here, including local delicacy chicatanas (leaf-cutter ants).

6. Mercado Medellin

Market, Mexican

distant people wandering aisle of Medellin market stacked high with staggering variety of temptingly arranged fresh fruit Roma district Mexico City

For a foodie fix in the Roma neighborhood, head to this one-block-large covered market. Inside, you’ll find all sorts. Mole pastes, fruit and veg, spices, dried chilis, and ice cream among them. There’s also several hot-food vendors dishing out Mexican classics.

7. Mercado Jamaica

Market

Launched in the Fifties, Mercado Jamaica is the go-to flower market in Mexico City, with more than 1,000 stalls. There’s everything from bunches to put up in your home to grand funerary arrangements. Plus a section dedicated to piñatas, and a decent range of fruit, veg and meats.

Updated from the original by Niall McGrade.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.