Safety had been my number 1 concern with visiting Mexico City, especially after hearing about muggings, pick-pocketers and general unrest to name a few.
Having spent 5 days travelling around the city and staying in what we later discovered to be the supposed run down part of town, I can report that we had absolutely no problems.
At no point during our stay did we feel unsafe. Yes we did draw some attention and stares especially when trying to squeeze into the Metro with all our stuff, but overall people were helpful and polite.
Even the scary looking, heavily armed police, that can be found in most undergrounds and largely populated areas, were more than happy to point us in the right direction with a smile.
We observed that the City was trying to reshape itself, yes it had a bad rep but it genuinely seemed to want to change that image.
The police seemed to be more of a presence than anything else. From the foot patrols, to the armoured cars to even having traffic pulled over for a full check, it all seemed to be for one reason: to increase the people’s security and establish safety and calm, and to us this really came through.
So if you have been thinking about Mexico City don’t let stories and guide books put you off, just pack some common sense and don’t do anything you wouldn’t do at home and enjoy the sights!
