12 days in Cancun & Mexico City Itinerary

Few destinations in Mexico dazzle visitors quite like Cancun, a modern resort town filled with glitzy hotels sitting on picturesque and well-developed Caribbean beaches.

Explore Cancun's surroundings by going to Cobá Zona Arqueológica Cobá (in Coba), Museo de Ropa Etnica de Mexico - Murem (in Valladolid) and Playa del Carmen (Spas & Scuba & Snorkeling). Next up on the itinerary: buy something for everyone on your list at La Isla Shopping Village, kick your exploration up a notch at some of the top local zipline courses and adventure parks, stroll around arte Garden, and stop by Joyería Ambarte.

To see ratings, where to stay, photos, and more tourist information, go to the Cancun day trip planning app.

Recife, Brazil to Cancun is an approximately 14-hour flight. The time zone difference moving from Brasilia Standard Time (BRT) to Eastern Standard Time (EST) is minus 2 hours. Prepare for slightly colder weather when traveling from Recife in January: high temperatures in Cancun hover around 31°C and lows are around 22°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 20th (Wed) to allow enough time to travel to Mexico City.

Breathtakingly large, Mexico City provides a home for almost 9 million people living in nearly 1,700 distinct neighborhoods.

Explore Mexico City's surroundings by going to San Juan Teotihuacan (Teotihuacan Pyramids & Zona Arqueológica de Teotihuacan Estacionamiento Puerta 5) and Catedral de Texcoco -La Inmaculada Concepcion (in Texcoco). There's lots more to do: get a new perspective on nature at Museo Nacional de Antropologia, step into the grandiose world of Chapultepec Castle, explore the world behind art at Palacio de Bellas Artes, and contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana).

To find traveler tips, reviews, maps, and more tourist information, you can read our Mexico City trip itinerary planner.

You can fly from Cancun to Mexico City in 5 hours. Other options are to drive; or take a bus. The time zone difference moving from Eastern Standard Time (EST) to Central Standard Time (CST) is minus 1 hour. While traveling from Cancun, expect a bit cooler days and much colder nights in Mexico City, ranging from highs of 24°C to lows of 7°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 27th (Wed) so you can travel back home.