Castillo de Chapultepec

Castillo de Chapultepec was one of the first stops we made during a trip to Mexico City and wow, this castle was truly huge and beautiful. The castle itself is huge, with some of the most incredible architecture and art I've seen. It definitely felt like stepping back in time as you explore the varying rooms throughout. What i found especially impressive how well pieces of history were maintained, like ornately decorated carriages that were original.

To enter the castle, there is a bit of a short upwards walk. You pay for a ticket at a ticket box at the bottom of the hill before you begin making your way up. It's cheap and comes to only a couple dollars. Definitely wear good shoes for walking. Some of my favorite areas included the rooftop, rooftop garden, and varying bedrooms and offices. You can explore the whole place in under 2 hours without rushing, and eve though its a popular spot, the grounds are hige so it never feels overly busy.

When you're done at the castle, be sure to check out the rest of the huge park it is located in, where you can find other activities and local vendors!

Loved it. 95pesos in cash at the ticketing building at the base of the trek.

But I did my research beforehand. Went on a weekday and went right at opening at 9am before the crowd formed. Don't go on Sundays, it's free for locals. It was getting real crowded as I left the castle around 11:10pm. Crowd started forming around 10-10:30pm with the multiple Spanish tour groups. But it was bearable.

I brought a small purse instead of a backpack to avoid checking anything in the locker and the locker fee. But it seems like we were allowed to bring it in, just had to throw out all the food according to another tourist. Thankfully, I had a collapsible backpack in my purse. Haha.

I suggest wearing comfy shoes and a water bottle &/ some cough candies just for the trek up to the castle. It was a good 10-15minute walk on an uphill slope. But before you enter the castle they make you drink your water or throw it out. And don't lose that ticket you bought before. They check it by the entrance of the castle.

You might be greeted by someone offering a 2hr tour guide service for 150pesos. I didn't opt for it. Even though I don't speak/ read Spanish, I still enjoyed it. But I enjoy pretty things/ antique things/ architecture in general.

I think they had QR codes too for English explanations? But I didn't think it was necessary and no wifi by the castle.

There is wifi at the base inside the ticketing area though.

It is unfortunate that a part of the castle and the castle's garden grounds were closed though. It looks really nice from some photos. I wonder why it was closed today, but unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish, so I couldn't ask why.

P.s. there's only 2 bathrooms upstairs. And they're pretty ghetto.

What a beautiful castle. I loved watching them restore the paintings on the scaffolding.
We went on a Sunday. It was packed. It's free to everyone local with I'd. It's 90 pesos for foreigners.
It's a long hike to the front gate. They used to have a tram. I wish they still did.
There is so much to see inside. This should be a must see for everyone.

What a disappointing experience! Maybe I'll give it another chance on a future trip but this felt like such a waste of time. It's too bad bc I was super excited to visit.

- Do not come on a Sunday. It appears to be free to locals and it was packed. People seemed to have lost all sense of how to navigate efficiently, and it was chaos. We ended up only going through a few rooms before giving up bc you couldn't enjoy anything with that many people.

- You have to hike up a hill to get to the entrance. It's a doable climb but just prepare yourself. It took us at least ten mins from the bottom to the top and the heat was uncomfortable. Definitely bring water and comfortable shoes/clothes.

- Speaking of water, they don't allow you to bring any in, which is so ridiculous. You will have to toss it before entering.

- There is no air conditioning or proper circulation inside. With the number of people and the heat, it made for a very stuffy, unenjoyable experience

- The museum is not accessible to non-Spanish speakers, so if you don't speak Spanish, you will not get much out of the exhibits. Every sign and description is in Spanish. Really disappointing bc there seemed to be some really cool stuff here.

- There seemed to only be two bathrooms in the whole place. Both upstairs. One near the front and one at the back. The one at the front had at least 30 women in line. Really badly planned.

- The garden upstairs was pretty and the castle architecture is cool. Again, I'm sure this place is much better on a cooler day without crowds and if you speak Spanish.

- Personally, I wasn't impressed with the views bc I don't care for the landscape of the city and all I noticed was how polluted the city looked.

- Tickets are 90 pesos in cash only. You purchase at the top of the hill. Staff is otherwise non-existent and not helpful. There is a ton of security though.

I hate to leave such a pessimistic review but I wish I'd known all of these things before coming, so I hope it helps someone else plan a more enjoyable visit. Good luck!

We traveled to Mexico City during Spring break and visited Castillo De Chapultepec which was beautiful but it was very crowded. The bathrooms were nice but busy and got dirty pretty quickly. Not sure if it's always that crowded or if it was because of the week we went but it was difficult to walk through and enjoy the sights. I would not recommend you go with young children because it's basically a museum and you have to hike up a hill just to get there. Many kids were throwing fits which made the experience even less enjoyable. The art and collections were beautiful and interesting.

I was so excited to visit this place and check out the famous checkered floor that's located here. When we arrived the line wasn't too bad and we only waited about 15 minutes to be let through.

Security told us we weren't able to take food or drinks up with us and that we were to leave it behind in one of the unlocked lockers. We had bought bread and drinks and so we tucked them into one of the available lockers.

Heading up to the castle is a workout as it's mostly uphill and it feels never ending... Your calves will be burning at the end... We spent abut 2 hours exploring the different rooms and displays. Unfortunately, the floor with the checkered floor was closed and we were not able to experience it.... :(

Walking back down was a breeze and much easier then when going up. We went to the locker and were disappointed to see that our stuff was gone:( One of the locals saw us looking around and told us to never trust the securities and that they had seen one of them take our stuff.... boo.

Other then that we had fun. The castle was beautiful and the view from the outside patio was really nice. Its a must visit.

This is one of my favorite places to visit in Mexico City. The castle was once the residence of Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota in 1864, and then the official residence of Mexico's presidents until 1939 when it became the National Museum of History. It has an abundance of historical objects, paintings, murals, and even a breathtaking hallway with stained glass windows. Besides learning about Mexican history, you can appreciate the castle's stunning architecture. Plus, the terrace offers one of the best views of the city. To reach the castle, follow the road that curves up the hill behind the Monument to the Child Heroes. It is a bit of a walk, so I'd suggest wearing appropriate footwear.

Over our seven days in Mexico City earlier this morning, there were a lot of special experiences - a lot of highlights. Without question, one of them was our visit to the Castillo de Chapultepec!

Up at the top of Chapultepec Hill in el Bosque de Chapultepec - a sacred site for the Aztecs - is the Castillo de Chapultepec. The castle has been used as a military academy, an imperial residence (Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota during the Second Mexican Empire), a presidential residence, an observatory, and (now) a museum - the National Museum of History.

The museum contains many historical objects, but the highlight for me was really the building itself: the stained glass hallway, the empress's bedroom, the malachite room, the tower and observatory in the garden of the upper level, the staircases! And the views! (A fun fact I didn't learn until after visiting - the castle was used as a filming location for the 1996 Romeo and Juliet movie - I an see why - it's that stunning!)

It is absolutely worth visiting and including in your CDMX itinerary. It's gorgeous and special. See it for yourself!

A beautiful estate nestled over 2000 meters above sea level. It offers a breathtaking 360 views of Mexico City and the surrounding Chapultepec park. This is a definite must see not only for the views of Mexico City but to also appreciate the architecture and beautiful grounds of the Castle. From the garden on the first floor by the entrance to the second floor garden, the vibrant stained glass windows, the beautiful paintings, and learning about the history of Mexico City, this place has it all! It is a bit of a hike from the ticket office to the castle so make sure to wear comfortable shoes, breathable clothes and pack some cold water!

This place is a must do if you are in Mexico City. This castle is a UNESCO world heritage site, and along with Iturbide Palace, also in Mexico City, are the only royal palaces in North America which were inhabited by monarchs.

If you can go earlier in the morning is better. The price is $85 pesos for both residents and foreigners. It has amazing 360 view of the city, and it shows several rooms or displays.

You will have to go up a small hill to get to the actual entrance, but you can stop along the way and enjoy the view. I recommend you start from the back to the front, and go to the internal gardens in the tower at the back, it's just amazing!