Trendy CDMX Tour - Art Scenes

CDMX

Trendy

In the last decades La Condesa, Roma Norte and Zona Rosa have experienced a massive process of gentrification where many old mansions have turned into art galleries, mezcalerias and trendy shops plus cool restaurants and even sex shops — so put on your Mexican aesthetic outfit and be a part of the transformation of the coolest part of the city.

Time period: 2010s-now

Movie/book: Roma (2018)/revista online Cool Hunter Mexico

Soundtrack: Zoé/Sussie 4’s music

Fashion: black outfit, a paliacate plus a tote bag

Budget:

Map for the eight edition of the Corredor Cultural Roma-Condesa in 2012

This walking tour would take you through the streets of La Condesa/Roma Norte/Zona Rosa, the neighborhoods where influencers/digital nomads from all over the country (and now the world) move to; and where many fashion designers, artist and chefs have open their businesses in the last few years turning it trendy. The area is characterized by renovated art nouveau/art deco mansions, parks and overpriced coffee shops, bars and restaurants. After the Mexican Revolution the area started declining as the elite moved out of the city to Las Lomas or Polanco, and latter on to the suburbs of the city design by Luis Barragan in the 40s-50s: el Pedregal or Ciudad Satélite. The mansions of La Condesa and La Roma got neglected, with some getting destroyed during the earthquake in 1985 and others got replaced by new apartments or office buildings. The neighboring Colonial Juarez went from boujee to bohemian during the 80s with the first pride going throughout its streets in 1979. The artist Jose Luis Cuevas (a local himself) referred to it as “La Zona Rosa” (the pink zone) because it was white during the day, a cultural heaven with its new art galleries and cafes; but red at night with its bars and lgbtq nightclubs. By the 90s the gay/bohemian vibes spread out side the pink zone reaching the crumbling Condesa/Roma: mansions started being transformed into art galleries or concept stores, new sophisticated restaurants and overpriced cafes opened up, and the streets got cleaned. By the end of century La Condesa became the hipster neighborhood competing with the hippie Coyoacán for popularity. In the 2000s the cultural corridor of La Condesa-Roma got created with the aim to promote the local artsy businesses, and it was a success! So successful that what it was a forgotten neighborhood has become the most expensive in the city, and sadly overpricing its hipster class. Since the pandemic the area has been invaded by digital nomads and influencers whom have become the perfect clients for the new wave of designer shops, contemporary art galleries and even sex shops; putting Mexico City in the global art and design scene with its own ArtWeek (thanks to the art fair Zona MACO). Nonetheless tensions have arise and during the summer of 2025 protest against the gentrification of the city were carried out, with some making the point that the immigrants should adopt the local culture instead of imposing theirs (in other words make the effort to speak Spanish and eat salsa picante). The tour suggest having breakfast at a book store and relaxing in 2 iconic parks in the morning; window shopping Mexican designers and art galleries in the afternoon; and sex shops plus a drag show at night.