You do not need a visa for Mexico if you are a citizen of a European Union country, the UK, the US, Canada. For other nationalities please make sure to check accordingly. You will however be asked to fill out a form handed out during the flight, so remember to keep your hotel address and passport handy. When you go through immigration, all non-Mexican citizens receive a small piece of paper from the customs officer that you will need to keep with your passport. You will need this paper to leave the country. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you keep this paper, otherwise you will have to pay a penalty and fill out paperwork before you can leave the country. Please note that for all international travel you need to ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months after your travel, and if you have a stop-over in the US, you will need a valid ESTA (Visa Waiver Authorization) or a Visa. This can be obtained here: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
Don't drink the tap water! It is fine if you brush your teeth with it, but don't fill your water bottles to drink it. We recommend you do not drink tap water, not even from the hotel. If you want drinks with ice, we would recommend that you only get drinks with ice at established hotels, restaurants, bars, to make sure they use certified purified water.
Mexico City is huge - over 22 million people living in the city! It is as safe as any other large metropolitan area in the world, so it is still essential to always be alert, street smart and use common sense. The area where the wedding venue is located (Polanco) is one of Mexico's best neighborhoods. Polanco is considered to be the Beverly Hills of Mexico City. It is important to keep a low profile while walking in the streets, so that you do not draw unnecessary attention. If you are carrying cash, be discreet. While touring the city we strongly suggest that you do not wear fancy jewelry or expensive watches. As in any big city, the more modest you look, the more you reduce chances of any unpleasant experience. Always be aware of possible pick-pockets as well. The areas around the wedding are safe to walk. If you follow our recommendations on things to do, you will have an amazing time in CDMX. We're so excited for you to explore the many things this beautiful city has to offer!
Along Paseo de la Reforma or around some of the major landmarks/attractions we've mentioned, you will notice the Touristic Police, who speak many languages, English included. In most touristic areas and hotels, some English is spoken. However, knowing a few words in Spanish will definitely be helpful. Simple stuff will go a long way and Mexicans will appreciate you trying to speak some Spanish. "Gracias" (Thank You), "De Nada" (You're Welcome), "Por Favor" (Please), "Disculpe" (Excuse Me), "Baño" (Restroom), "Cerveza" (Beer), "La Cuenta Por Favor" (My Check Please), "Boda" (Wedding). You still have some time to practice that Rosetta Stone/DuoLingo/(insert app here) and have a real opportunity to speak Spanish when you arrive in Mexico City.
Hopefully you know by now, that this will be a multi-cultural blended wedding. There will be a variety of American songs ranging from the 80s and on (shout out to 90s and 00s hip hop/pop), KPop, Jewish folk songs, Mexican folk songs. Get ready to put on your dancing shoes!
We definitely encourage you to check with your carrier what the process is to add international calls/data for your time in Mexico City. Many US carriers already include Mexico coverage in their standard plans at no additional cost. By having data coverage while you are in Mexico, it will be very easy to navigate around the city using Google Maps, Waze, and Uber. By having calls, you will be able to make restaurant reservations, call for taxis and so on. If you are unable to get this, many hotels/restaurants offer Wi-Fi, but we still strongly suggest that at least one person in your party gets a working cellphone while in Mexico. Here are the prices for unlimited data/calls from the most used carriers when we last checked: Verizon - $5/Day, AT&T - $10/Day, TMobile - Free, Sprint - $1/Day or $10/Week
It is customary in Mexico to tip your waitress/servers. Tip is generally not automatically added to your check, unless you are a large party. Always review before paying. Tip percentages range from 10% on the lower side to 18% on the higher side. Usually, 15% tip is a good amount.
Mexico uses the same type of US outlets, with the same voltage as well (110 volts). All of your US charges and adapters will work without issues and without needing any type of converters.
It is definitely helpful to carry some Mexican Pesos with you for minor things, but the majority of bars, restaurants, hotels in Mexico City will take credit cards; this is by far the easiest way to pay, we would recommend that you check with your bank to make sure your credit card does not charge you fees for foreign usage (most don't these days, but better safe than sorry). Also, many banks still require that you let them know you will be using your credit card in Mexico so they don't block your transactions. For getting some cash, you can get it from your US bank (if you ask them with enough notice) or at your domestic/Mexico City airports. Whenever you pay with credit card, we recommend you ask them to bring you the credit card terminal so they run it in front of you. This is completely normal in Mexico. If you plan on going to any bazaars or markets, it is best to have some pesos on hand. Most of the smaller vendors only accept cash.
Beth Itzjak is one of Mexico City's most important synagogues. It is also one of the oldest Ashkenazi synagogues in Mexico City (built in the 1950's). Located in Polanco, this is the synagogue where our friends and family go to during High Holidays. The address is Eugenio Sue #20, Col. Polanco. 11550, Polanco-Chapultepec, which is less than 5 minute walking distance InterContinental Presidente. If you'd like to attend services, please contact us in advance so we can arrange it.
Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día Central (Sadi Carnot 12, San Rafael, 06470 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico). It may not be the closest, but this is the church that we attended with Irene's parents. It is quite spacious however seats were quite filled when we were there. In order to make it to the Bible study hours, we'd recommend you be there by 9am. All services are in Spanish.