Tulum + Mexico City Travel Diary
Mexico is glowy to its core. Tara spent a week exploring the Riviera Maya and Mexico City, get a look inside her travel diary for the best spots to stay, eat, explore, and more.
Honestly, Tulum and Mexico City are some of the best cities around. A trip including both of them just might make you burst with glow. Our trusty travel guru's at Two Nights In helped plan our trip, of course, leading us to the best spots to stay and such. We started off the trip in the Riviera Maya, staying a night over in Playa Del Carmen, then driving off to Tulum for the remainder of our stay. Tulum is literally GLOW paradise. The vibes, the beach, the food, the spas... everything is rustic, chill, perfection. No need for shoes really, just good bikinis, and a good appetite for some of the best food around. After Tulum, we spent some time in Mexico City, exploring yet again some incredible food as well as awesome museums and rad neighborhoods.
:: PLAYA DEL CARMEN ::
Hotel la Semilla // This is the cutest boutique hotel ever. Rustic chic vibes engolfed in greenery, this is the spot to stay if you're looking for a spot in Playa Del Carmen. It's right near the beach too, which is a plus. We loved staying here for the night! They also include breakfast with your stay and serve it in their very sweet patio garden. The chilaquiles were deeeelish.
Trujillo // A new-ish spot with amazing food and even better vibes. By a famous chef from Mexico city, this spot offers Mexican food with an elevated twist.
Mahekal Beach Resort // We got couples massages at the Mahekal beach resort, and they were perfection. Their spa is beautiful, and a great place to unwind after a flight.
:: TULUM ::
NEST Tulum // We spent the first few nights in Tulum at this rustic beach resort. Two Nights in found us this romantic spot. Our room was perched up on the second floor with an incredible view of the crystal blue ocean. Our room was equipped with a little cozy 2nd floor nook, and the white washed Tulum beach vibes of our dreams. The breakfast is incredible, the mezcal margs by the beach in our beach cabanas, and sweet staff make this place glow approved. Come here for natural vibes.
Posada Margherita // This is one of our favorite spots to eat in Tulum. Yes it's Italian food, and yes it's amazing. TRUST. Their fresh-made pasta is unreal, as is their fish cooked with tomatoes and sea water, alongside homemade pistachio gelato and chocolate mousse. The ambiance is just as amazing too.
Gitano // This spot is a must for amazing drinks, specifically mezcal. You can't go wrong with any of their speciality cocktails, they are perfection.
Yaan Wellness // If you're looking for BLISS, look no further than Yaan Wellness. This is the glowiest spa ever. It is a 2-hour adventure that starts with sauna, steams, and hot pools to get the heart-rate up and detoxification process started. From there, you are taken to your own wellness pod for another hour or so of treatments. You leave here lighter, brighter, and glowy to the max.
Arca // Arca boasts creative and smaller dishes that truly wow you with flavor and beauty. Their drinks are delicious and their jungle-side ambiance and simple modern decor make it one of the best spots in town.
Sanara // We spent our last night in Tulum at the beachside wellness haven Sanara. Glowy down to every single detail, Sanara is our version of heaven. They offer daily morning yoga that overlooks the ocean, a wellness spa with incredible healing services, as well as one of our favorite restaurants on the planet, The Real Coconut Cafe (see more next.) Sanara pays attention to every single detail, from service, to the amenities in your room, to your name-tags at the beach, you feel taken care of like no other. This is luxury eco chic done to perfection.
The Real Coconut Cafe // This is the type of food we want to eat every single day. Created by Daniella Hunter, The Real Coconut is real food down to its core. Dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free heaven, where everything is made from scratch with real ingredients. We dream about their avocado toast, pancakes, coconut chips, green smoothies, and so much more.
Tulum Mayan Ruins // These ruins are beautiful. Set perched above crystal blue waters, they are some of the most beautiful ruins we've come across.
Cenotes // You MUST go cenote exploring when you're in Tulum. We loved Dos Ojos, Jaguar + Nicte-Ha.
Hartwood // Truly one of the best restaurants in the world. You need to make a reservation well in advance if you want to eat here. There is always a wait on top of that! The food is all cooked on the flame, it's magical. Flat bread with 3 dips, ceviche, octopus, fish, roasted beet, corn and peanut ice cream. The menu changes daily, but they keep some staples on there.
:: MEXICO CITY ::
Hotel Condesa DF // This chic boutique hotel is where it's at in Mexico City. The modern and sleek design incorporates natural greenery and natural light. Their breakfast spread is on point, and their rooftop bar is one of the best in the city. We finished most nights with a night-cap of horchata cocktails.
Rosetta // One of the most beautiful settings we've ever come across, Rosetta offers Italian fare done right. We went for dinner our first night and feasted on focaccia and olive oil, a bottle of wine, pasta, and shorts ribs with polenta. And of course, we didn't skip dessert of chocolate Mille fuilles with chocolate and herb ice cream. They also have a lovely bakery that shouldn't be missed.
Churreria el Moro // You will never have better churros period. This is where it's at. They serve it with a range of different toppings, fillings, and dips -- opt for the bitter Mexican chocolate like the traditionalists.
La Otilia Free Cafe // This sweet gluten-free cafe makes some delicious treats, matchas, and other cafe fare.
Museo Soumaya // The structure alone is a sight to be seen. The building itself is a truly incredible gravity-defying piece of art.
Frida Khalo Museum // This museum was the previous home of Frida and Diego. It gives you a tour of their history and an inside look into their personalities. The building itself is filled with bright blue walls and greenery throughout. Tip: definitely buy tickets beforehand
Chapultepec Park // This park is one of the largest in the world. There's tons to do inside, filled with museums and various stands throughout.
Maximo Bistro // Come here for an incredible, refined meal. The food here is a mix between Mexican, French, and European. We ate amazing uni toast, pork tamales, pasta, delicious desserts.
Lardo // This quickly became our favorite breakfast spot. Every morning starting off with a capuccino, a perfect croissant with guava and cheese filling as well as chilaquiles with buratta.
Casa Louis Barragan Home Tour // This is an amazing tour led through Louis' own home in the city. You can a true inside look into the intricacies of his mind in this incredible apartment. This was one of our favorite things we did. You must make a reservation.
Louis Barragan Stables // The San Cristobal Stables are a private experience not open to the public. If you want to experience this stunning space, you must make a special reservation for a group of 5 people or more.
Museum Anthropology // This museum is worth a visit for its beautiful fountain in the middle of the museum. It's pretty spectacular!
El Parnita tacos // A true locals spot where they barely speak English, to be totally honest they weren't super nice to us, but the food was good and ambiance was cool. Definitely recommend only coming here if you speak Spanish.
Contramar // This is truly one of the most incredible meals we've ever had in our lives. The tuna tostadas are life-changing, as is everything else we ordered (the aguachile, octopus tacos, grilled fish with green and red sauce, fig tart, and strawberry meringue.) This meal will be in our dreams forever. And don't forget to order your meal with Micheladas!
Teotihuacan Pyramids // This Mexican archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City contains the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun, quite masterful and wondrous structures.
For more Mexico travel tips click here :: Tulum + Mexico City + San Miguel De Allende + Todos Santos