At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season Busy without being peak, with one concentrated week: Zona MACO fills Roma, Condesa and Polanco and lifts hotel prices for its run. The 14th fills restaurants without moving room rates much.
Mexico City in February — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Mexico City in February offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for art lovers & culture seekers. Expect temperatures of 10–24°C, around 2 days of rain, and medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around $45–160 for mid-range travellers. Book three to four weeks ahead for the best mid-range rates and the widest hotel choice.
Contents15 sections
#Weather in Mexico City in February
Mexico City in February averages 10–24°C (50–75°F) with around 2 days of rain, and crowds are medium.
| Measure | February in Mexico City |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 24°C / 75°F |
| Overnight low | About 10°C / 50°F |
| Wet days | About 2, with about 6mm of rain |
| Sunset | 6:29pm on the 1st, 6:41pm by the 28th |
| Big dates | Constitution Day, Monday 1 February 2027; Zona Maco, 3 to 7 February; Día del Amor y la Amistad, Sunday 14 February |
| Air | Clean at the start; the ozone season begins around mid-month |
Figures are Servicio Meteorológico Nacional 1991–2020 normals for Tacubaya, Mexico City.
What that actually means for your trip:
- It is the driest month after December. Six millimetres of rain over the whole month, and only two days on which any falls.
- The afternoons are warm, the nights cool. At 2,240 metres, a sunny 24°C afternoon becomes a 10°C night quickly, and few buildings are heated.
- The air changes halfway through. Until about mid-February the skies are at their clearest; then the ozone season begins, building towards its peak in April and May.
- The jacarandas begin to wake. The first purple blossom can appear in the last days of the month, ahead of the full bloom in March.
Is February a good time to visit Mexico City? Yes, it is one of the best months. It is dry, warm by day and still clear in its first half, and the first week brings the city's biggest art fair. Pack a warm layer for the evenings, and if you are sensitive to air pollution, come in the first half of the month.
#February in the city
The month opens with a long weekend: Constitution Day is observed on Monday 1 February 2027, and the next day, 2 February, is Candelaria, when whoever found the baby figure in the Epiphany rosca owes their friends a dinner of tamales and atole.
Zona Maco, the city's big contemporary art fair, runs from 3 to 7 February 2027 at the Centro Banamex (formerly Centro Citibanamex), and the week around it brings satellite fairs, gallery openings and parties across Roma, Juárez and San Miguel Chapultepec. Hotel prices in those neighbourhoods rise for the week. See our Zona Maco guide.
Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 6 February 2027, and the small Barrio Chino on Calle Dolores, near the Alameda, usually marks it with lion dances.
Ash Wednesday, 10 February, begins Lent, and 14 February is Día del Amor y la Amistad, the day of love and friendship, celebrated with flowers, balloons and full restaurants.
#What to Do in Mexico City in February
Solo Travellers
Spend Zona Maco week in the galleries, then a morning at the Museo Nacional de Antropología and an afternoon in the Bosque de Chapultepec. The clear skies of early February are the best for the view from the Torre Latinoamericana.
Couples
Walk the plazas of Coyoacán and visit the Casa Azul, booked ahead, then dine in Roma for Día del Amor y la Amistad.
A trajinera on the canals of Xochimilco is perfect in the dry sunshine.
Families
Chapultepec, with its castle, lake and zoo, and the pyramids of Teotihuacán, an hour away, suit the mild weather. Join a Candelaria tamal feast if you are invited.
Groups
Book a lucha libre night at Arena México, explore the art fairs, and share tamales on Candelaria.
The Lagunilla market fills Sunday mornings with antiques and curiosities.
#Getting Around
From AICM, the main airport, the safe options are an official taxi, paid in advance at a counter in arrivals, or a ride-hailing car from the marked zone; Metro Line 5 also leaves from Terminal 1.
In the city, the Metro and the Metrobús share a rechargeable card, and ride-hailing is the safest choice at night.
February is the best month of the year for walking. The Centro, Roma, Condesa, Juárez and San Rafael connect on foot more easily than the map suggests, and the weather rarely interrupts a plan.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | MXN 900–1,500 | Shared dorm or simple hotel, tacos and fondas, Metro fares |
| Mid-range | MXN 2,500–4,200 | Boutique hotel in Roma or Condesa, restaurants, museums |
| Luxury | MXN 8,000+ | Five-star hotel in Polanco, tasting menus, a private guide |
February is good value outside Zona Maco week, when the art crowds push up hotel prices in Roma, Juárez and Condesa.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Zona Maco | Ticketed: MX$540 a day online or MX$620 at the door, plus a 15% online service charge |
| Lodging tax | 3.5%, with 16% VAT also added |
| Metro ride | A few pesos |
| Gallery openings and satellite fairs | Often free |
| Restaurant tip | 10–15% |
- Book Zona Maco week early.
- Compare totals, since tax and VAT may not be in the headline rate.
- Use ride-hailing rather than a street taxi.
#Food & Dining
February's dishes are tamales, eaten on Candelaria with atole, a warm corn drink, and, from Ash Wednesday, the Lenten seafood and meatless dishes that appear on menus, from fish tacos to capirotada, a spiced bread pudding.
Tacos al pastor from the street and the fixed-price comida corrida at a fonda are good every day.
Lunch is the main meal, from about 2pm; dinner is late and lighter. Drink bottled or filtered water.
#Nightlife
Zona Maco week fills the bars of Roma, Juárez and Condesa with art crowds and opening parties. The rest of the month is lively at weekends in the mezcalerías and cocktail bars, and the old cantinas of the Centro pour cheaper drinks. Altitude makes alcohol stronger.
#Shopping
Crafts from every corner of Mexico fill the stalls of the Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela, at fixed prices, and the Lagunilla sells antiques on Sundays. Roma and Condesa have independent design shops, and Zona Maco week brings pop-up design and art markets. Carry small notes for stalls.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Greet people with buenos días or buenas tardes before asking for anything.
- Use usted with older people and anyone serving you.
- If you find the figure in the rosca, the tamales on 2 February are on you.
- Tip 10 to 15% in restaurants; the bill comes only when you ask.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Spanish | Sounds like | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Me regala...? | Meh reh-GAH-la | The polite way to ask for something |
| Tamal de rajas | Ta-MAL deh RAH-has | A tamal with chilli strips and cheese |
| Atole | Ah-TOH-leh | The warm corn drink served with tamales |
| Feliz día del amor | Feh-LEES DEE-a del ah-MOR | Happy Valentine's Day |
| La cuenta, por favor | La KWEN-ta, por fa-VOR | The bill, please |
| ¿A qué hora abre? | Ah keh OH-ra AH-breh | What time does it open? |
#Packing List
- A warm layer for the evenings
- Comfortable shoes for walking
- High-factor sunscreen and a hat; the altitude sun is strong
- Lip balm and sunglasses against the dry, bright air
- A bottle to refill with filtered water
- Smart clothes for Polanco restaurants and gallery openings
- Cash in small notes for markets and stalls
#Backup Plans
If the air quality is poor late in the month: spend the day in the big museums, the Antropología or the Museo Soumaya, and save Teotihuacán for a clear morning.
If it is Monday: the Antropología and most other museums are shut, so make it a market day or go out to Xochimilco.
If a march closes Reforma or the Zócalo: walk around it and use the Metro.
#Safety & Health
Ordinary care keeps visitors safe here: carry little, keep the phone away on crowded Metro trains, and take ride-hailing cars after dark. Altitude and dry air dehydrate you without your noticing. From mid-February, check the air-quality index, and follow the advice when an environmental contingency is declared.
Emergency: 911.
#What's New for February 2027
- Zona Maco runs from 3 to 7 February 2027
- Constitution Day is observed on Monday 1 February
- Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 6 February
- Ash Wednesday is on 10 February, and Lent begins
- The ozone season begins around mid-February
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for February 2027. Climate figures are Servicio Meteorológico Nacional 1991–2020 normals for Tacubaya. Dates and prices verified against:
- Zona Maco for the 2027 art fair
- Servicio Meteorológico Nacional for the climate normals
- SEDEMA air quality for the ozone season
- AICM for getting into the city from the airport
- Código Fiscal de la Ciudad de México for the 3.5% lodging tax
For the month before, see Mexico City in January, and for the month after, Mexico City in March.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is February a good time to visit Mexico City?
Yes. It is the driest month after December, with about 24°C by day, 10°C at night and two wet days. The first half has the clearest air before the ozone season begins in mid-February, and the first week brings Zona Maco.
What is Zona Maco?
Mexico City’s big contemporary art fair, held at the Centro Banamex, formerly Centro Citibanamex, from 3 to 7 February 2027. The week around it brings satellite fairs, gallery openings and parties across Roma, Juárez and San Miguel Chapultepec, and pushes up hotel prices there.
What happens on Candelaria in Mexico City?
On 2 February, whoever found the baby figure in the rosca at Epiphany hosts friends or family to tamales and atole. Tamal shops have long queues from early morning, and the best varieties sell out by midday.
Is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Mexico City?
Yes, as Día del Amor y la Amistad, the day of love and friendship, on 14 February, a Sunday in 2027. Friends exchange gifts as well as couples, flower and balloon sellers fill the streets, and restaurants book up, so reserve ahead.
What’s the weather like in Mexico City in February?
Mexico City in February typically sees temperatures of 10–24°C with around 2 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.
How much does it cost to visit Mexico City in February?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of $45–160, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Flexible dates can save up to 20% compared with peak-week rates.