In general
Currency
Mexican peso (MXN): 1 euro is worth about 20 pesos (June 2026). Cards work in hotels, restaurants and cities; cash is essential for markets, taxis, tips and smaller sites. Use bank ATMs (BBVA, Banorte) and avoid generic in-shop machines: higher fees.
Language
Spanish (plus 68 Indigenous languages, from Maya to Zapotec). In tourist areas English works; elsewhere a few words of Spanish transform the trip — Mexicans repay them with double warmth.
Documents / Visa
Citizens of the EU, UK, US and many other countries need no visa for tourist stays up to 180 days: a passport valid for the whole stay is required (6 months' validity recommended), plus proof of onward flight and accommodation. On arrival, immigration registers your entry (the old paper FMM is now digital at major airports) and MAY grant fewer than 180 days: check the days you are given. Always verify the rules for your nationality before leaving.
Health / Vaccines
No mandatory vaccines arriving from Europe or other non-risk countries. Don't drink tap water (bottled only, even for brushing teeth in simpler places); dengue is present in the hot lowlands: always use repellent. In Mexico City (2,240 m) take the first days slowly. Health insurance is essential: private hospitals are excellent but expensive.
e-SIM / Connectivity
EU roaming plans do not cover Mexico, and other visitors should expect high roaming rates too. Telcel has the best coverage: cheap local SIM (even at OXXO shops) or an international e-SIM (Airalo, Holafly) activated before departure. Good 4G in cities and tourist areas, none on stretches of Chiapas and the sierra.
Electricity
127V, 60Hz, type A and B sockets (flat blades, US standard): European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and camera chargers handle 127V fine; check the label on hairdryers and the like.
Time zone
Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca: UTC-6 year round. Quintana Roo (Cancún, Tulum, Bacalar): UTC-5 year round. Yucatán and Chiapas: UTC-6. Mexico abolished daylight saving in 2022.
Climate
Dry season November to April: the best time everywhere, from the Yucatán sea to the highlands. May to October brings afternoon rains and humid heat on the coast (hurricane risk August-October on the Caribbean); highland evenings are cool all year: pack an extra layer.
Payments
Card where there is a terminal, cash for everything else. Always keep small notes: the 500-peso bills from ATMs are hard to break at markets. Petrol stations are cash-based, with a small tip for the attendant.
Good to know
Safety
The tourist routes (Yucatán, Oaxaca, the right CDMX neighbourhoods) are calm: big-city precautions apply — no valuables on display, authorised taxis or Uber, care at ATMs after dark. Avoid driving at night outside cities and check your government's travel advice for areas to avoid: Mexico is vast and conditions vary state by state.
Driving and roads
Your national licence is enough to rent a car. Prefer the toll motorways ('cuota'): pricier but safe and fast; the free 'libre' roads are slow and riddled with topes, the ever-present speed bumps that destroy suspensions — ALWAYS slow down through villages. Fuel up whenever you can: rural petrol stations are sparse. For roadside emergencies, the Ángeles Verdes answer on 078.
Cenotes and Mayan sites
In cenotes no sunscreen or repellent (even 'bio'): a shower before entering is compulsory, the ecosystem is extremely fragile. At archaeological sites arrive at opening time: less heat, fewer crowds, better light. Water, hat and good shoes always; at the big sites (Chichén Itzá, Teotihuacán) there is no shade.
Tipping
The propina is part of the system: 10-15% in restaurants (check it isn't already on the bill), 20-50 pesos for porters, something for guides, musicians and the kid who 'watches' your car. In Mexico's everyday human economy, tipping is respect.
Street food
Eat where locals eat and where turnover is high: the crowded taco stand is safer than the empty restaurant. Hot salsas in small doses (habanero shows no mercy), pre-peeled fruit only at clean stalls, and lime on everything doubles as a natural disinfectant.
Tickets to book ahead
Frida Kahlo Museum: ONLINE ONLY, days or weeks ahead. Chichén Itzá and Uxmal sell tickets on site but arrive early; for parks and tours (Teotihuacán balloons, Sumidero boats) book the evening before. On Sundays many museums are free for residents: bigger crowds.
Useful numbers
- 911 — Single national emergency number
- 078 — Ángeles Verdes — free tourist roadside assistance
- +52 55 5596 3655 — Your country's embassy in Mexico City (number shown: Italian embassy)
💡 Book the Frida Kahlo Museum online well ahead and reach the archaeological sites at 8 sharp: you beat both heat and crowds. On the road always take the 'cuota' toll highways and never drive at night outside the cities.