Experience the Day of the Dead Traditions in Mexico City
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What is the Best time to visit, to experience the Day of the Dead traditions?
For you to experience the Day of the Dead traditions.
The best time is for you to go to Mexico at the end of October. Or, you can arrive there on the day of Halloween.
Since the movie, Spectre has inspired the Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City, you'll want to go earlier to experience the events and parades and main parade. So, check when the parade is likely to be on. In 2023 it appears to be sometime in the last weekend in October, and if you are planning to go, please confirm as it looks like there are events on from 21 October to 2 November.
Day of the Dead
On the 1st of November and 2nd of November, the Day of the Dead is celebrated.
The first day is dedicated to children. And, the second of November is for adults.
Every year on Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, his family shared the memories of relatives who had passed on. ~ Coco [Disney Pixar]
Where Can You Book a Day of the Dead Tour?
You can book a tour organized by Pata de Perro DF for the second day. You can go on the waiting list to book the tour in advance. Please note, the tour can differ from the one I went on.
In this tour, you travel by small bus out to three towns in the Milpa Alta area of Mexico City.
There, you experience the Day of the Dead traditions.
We did the tour in 2014, so the experience can vary now. You can see my pictorial experience of the first town follows.
Sign found on the walking tour at San Pedtro Atocpan
San Pedtro Atocpan
In the first town, San Pedtro Atocpan, you'll walk around the town,
Then, you can eat lunch with the people on the tour.
And, you will visit some churches. In the churches, you'll see offerings, and altars.
And, you can walk around the cemetery and see the decorations.
1 Ofrenda in the Church
You can see firsthand the Day of the Dead traditions of the Ofrenda in the church.
In the churches, you'll see how the Day of the Dead traditions has transcended cultures. And, see the offerings and altars.
See the pictures below to see the kind of items they use. Like, vegetables, fruit, and flowers.
2 Tour Lunch
You'll experience a traditional Mexican lunch with the people on the tour. Mole is on the menu.
From outside the building nearby, I was taking photos of the colored papers, Papel Picado.
The people inside said to the tour guides that I could go in and take photos inside the building. I thought that was very kind of them.
The papers came in different colors of blue, yellow, purple, green, white, pink, orange, and black.
Papel Picado
3 Day of the Dead Traditions at the Church
You can walk to the church and experience the Day of the Dead traditions.
Children were dressed up in costumes like skeletons. They had bags filled with lollies they had collected.
This experience reminded me of the Halloween tradition.
4 Cemetery on the Day of the Dead Traditions
You can walk around the cemetery and experience the Day of the Dead traditions.
In the cemetery, you'll see relatives and friends nearby the graves. They busy themselves decorating the graves.
You'll see flowers of different colors. They use many orange marigolds and gladioli.
And, you can smell incense burning. See decorated skeletons adorn the graves.
5 The View
You can look at the view across the town from the church.
6 Dog on the Street
On the walk through the street, you see a dog sleeping in the street of the town in Milpa Alta.
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Next, you'll walk back to the bus.
And, the tour continues to a cemetery in the second town, San Antonio Tecomitl.
Then, we visited the third town at night.
Have you visited Mexico for the Day of the Dead?
What a fun trip you had! Mexico is on my travel wishlist so maybe I can visit next October and see this for myself. Thanks!
Thank you Shirley. It’s an unique experience. I hope you do.
Your pictures are beautiful! I would love to visit Mexico on Day of the Dead – what an interesting experience!
Thank you Pam. It’s an unique experience. I hope you do.
Would definitely love to explore this too! What a great experience
Hope you get to Tanya
Thank you for sharing about your time there. I’ve never visited during that time, but I just love all the colors!
Thank you Crystal
I love your photo processing, it is more like paintings. Very talented.
Thank you Manuelle
What a fun adventure! It really looks like a scene out of Cocoa
Thank you for your comments Lisa
I love the way you made these photographs into works of art! Beautiful!
Thank you Lauren
It is a dream to go to Mexico on Day of the dead. these photos are beautiful and inspiring. Hope we make it there soon… maybe this year, if lucky.
Thank you Travel Bugs World. Hope you get to visit on Day of the Dead. It’s real special.
So colorful! I love the pink church. What a great time to visit!
Thank you Lori. It’s an unique time to visit.
Your photos are beautiful and it looks like you had a great trip!
Thank you Tricia. Yes, it’s an unique journey.
The decorations for Dia de Los Muertos are always so beautiful!
Thank you for your comments Brianna, yes.
nice article. I like the edit on the photos…very appropriate.
Thank you Jen
We love Mexico but it has been a long time since I’ve been to Mexico City. I’m sure being a part of the celebration in Mexico was amazing to experience.
Thanks for your comments Leeanne. Yes, it was an unique experience.
Beautiful photos to capture this beautiful celebration of life!
Thank you kmf
We lived in Playa del Carmen 2 years ago and we managed to somehow completely miss all of the festivities as we had a newborn and we’re exhausted from his schedule. Looks like a fun time.
Thank you Wendy, it was a fun and unique experience. That would have been nice to live there, even thought your world changes with a newborn. Hope you get to see it all one day.
What a wonderful experience. Being right in the middle of real celebrations.
Thank you Julie. Yes, it was an unique experience.
Definitely interesting to learn about.
Thank you Courtney for your comment, there’s some movies too.
Your pictures are so fun; so colorful! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Tara. You’re welcome.
What fun! I have only experienced Dia De Los Muertos in old town here in San Diego, I want to experience it in Mexico for sure. What a great tradition.
Thank you Taci. It’s an unique experience. Hope you do one day.
I have ALWAYS wanted to explore Mexico City during the Day of the Dead celebration. It seems like a beautiful wonderful rich time to be learning and traveling. Love this insight.
Thank you Kita. It’s an unique experience.
Looks fun, great photos
Thank you Hera
I did not know that there were 2 days, one for children and one for adults.
Thank you Missy. I didn’t either until we did the tour.
Wow, the color in your photos is amazing. It is such an interesting celebration.
Thank you Heather. It’s an unique experience.
This looks so interesting and fun! Beautiful photos/artwork.
Thank you Amanda
Our local library does a special “Day of the Dead” display where families can come and make displays for their family members who have passed. It’s beautiful to see the love that goes into it.
Thanks for sharing Trisha. That’s so special of your local library.
So different viewing Day of the Dead from someone’s perspective and not through an information pamphlet! Thank you for sharing your experience. Your photos and art are amazing! Really made the vibrant colors pop.
Thank you Christina. The plan is to post about the two other towns. So, keep an eye out for them.
Such colourful pictures depicting a very unique celebration. I didn’t realise the kids had their own special day.
Thank you Jan. I found out when we visited.