The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Mexico City
Mexico City, the vibrant and sprawling capital of Mexico, is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world, thanks to the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. With over 20 million pilgrims annually, this city offers the faithful a profound spiritual journey centered around the 1531 apparitions to St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on Tepeyac Hill. Here, pilgrims can venerate the miraculous tilma, walk in the footsteps of saints and martyrs, and immerse themselves in a uniquely powerful blend of indigenous heritage and Catholic devotion.
Founded as Tenochtitlán by the Mexica in 1325 and later transformed by Spanish evangelization, Mexico City became a spiritual heartland for the New World. The Guadalupe apparitions catalyzed the mass conversion of the Americas and solidified the Virgin Mary’s role as a bridge between peoples and cultures. Today, the city is home to some of the most sacred shrines in the Western Hemisphere, making it an essential destination for any Catholic pilgrim.
✝️ Top Pilgrimage Sites in Mexico City
1. Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Local Name (Spanish): Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe
Colloquial Name: Guadalupe Basilica, New Basilica
🏛️ Type: Minor Basilica, National Shrine, Marian Apparition Site
📖 Description / Highlights:
The world’s most visited Catholic shrine, the New Basilica welcomes over 20 million pilgrims each year. Built in 1976 with a modern circular design, it allows unobstructed views of the miraculous tilma from every pew. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe—imprinted on St. Juan Diego’s cloak—remains a powerful symbol of love, unity, and divine intervention. Major feast days, especially December 12, attract millions in solemn celebration.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Fray Juan de Zumárraga No. 2, Villa Gustavo A. Madero, Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Ciudad de México
🧿 What3Words: ///lawful.sponge.drain
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.4847, -99.1177
🌐 Website
2. Expiatory Temple to Christ The King (Old Basilica)
Local Name (Spanish): Antigua Basílica de Guadalupe / Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey
Colloquial Name: Old Basilica / Antigua Basílica
🏛️ Type: Historic Basilica, Museum, Colonial Church
📖 Description / Highlights:
Completed in 1709, this Baroque treasure was the tilma’s home for over 260 years. Pilgrims today admire its rich colonial art, Talavera-tiled bell towers, and the thousands of ex-voto offerings left in gratitude. Though now a museum, it still holds Mass and remains a sacred witness to centuries of devotion.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Atrio de las Americas, Villa Gustavo A. Madero, Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Ciudad de México
🧿 What3Words: ///spraying.kindest.tigers
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.48508, -99.11691
3. The Chapel of Tepeyac Hill
Local Name (Spanish): Capilla del Cerrito de Tepeyac
Colloquial Name: Tepeyac Chapel / Capilla del Cerrito
🏛️ Type: Marian Apparition Site, Pilgrimage Chapel
📖 Description / Highlights:
Built atop the very hill where Our Lady first appeared, this intimate chapel rests on the site of a former Aztec temple. Pilgrims ascend through Stations of the Cross, retracing Juan Diego’s steps. A panoramic view of Mexico City awaits at the summit, offering spiritual reflection and peace.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Federico Ocampo 9, Villa Gustavo A. Madero, Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Ciudad de México
🧿 What3Words: ///truck.harder.tiptoes
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.48616, -99.11588
4. Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven
Local Name (Spanish): Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Bienaventurada Virgen María a los cielos
Colloquial Name: Mexico City Cathedral / Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México
🏛️ Type: Metropolitan Cathedral, Historic Church
📖 Description / Highlights:
Built atop the ruins of the Aztec Templo Mayor, this monumental cathedral is the largest in Latin America. It was here that Bishop Zumárraga first received St. Juan Diego and the tilma. The cathedral contains 16 chapels, exquisite altarpieces, and relics dating back to the 16th century.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Plaza de la Constitución S/N, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México
🧿 What3Words: ///exit.these.lighten
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.43444, -99.13280
5. Church of Santiago Tlatelolco
Local Name (Spanish): Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol de Tlatelolco
Colloquial Name: Santiago Church
🏛️ Type: Historic Church, Baptismal Site
📖 Description / Highlights:
Located in the Plaza of Three Cultures, this church was built using stones from ancient Aztec temples. It is the baptismal site of St. Juan Diego and a powerful symbol of the fusion between pre-Hispanic and Catholic faiths. The original baptismal font and indigenous carvings remain visible today.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Plaza de las Tres Culturas, Tlatelolco, Cuauhtémoc, 06900 Ciudad de México
🧿 What3Words: ///update.ducks.jokers
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.45118, -99.13677
6. Iglesia de la Sagrada Familia (Holy Family Church)
Colloquial Name: Sagrada Familia
🏛️ Type: Martyr Shrine, Parish Church
📖 Description / Highlights:
This peaceful parish church holds the tomb and relics of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, a Jesuit martyr executed during the Cristero War. A small museum honors his life and bravery, while the church’s stained glass and intimate atmosphere invite prayerful contemplation.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Puebla 144, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México
🧿 What3Words: ///working.boosted.lame
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.42248, -99.16144
🌐 Website
7. Church of the Fifth Apparition
Local Name (Spanish): Santuario de la Quinta Aparición Guadalupana
Colloquial Name:
🏛️ Type: Apparition Site, Healing Shrine
📖 Description / Highlights:
Constructed on the site of the fifth apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where Juan Bernardino, Saint Juan Diego’s uncle, was miraculously healed in 1531. The church features a holy well with waters believed to have curative properties and walls adorned with thousands of ex-votos, testimonies of miracles attributed to the Virgin’s intercession.
🧭 Directions:
📍 Address: Av. Juan Diego S/N, Tlatempa, 55419 Ecatepec de Morelos
🧿 What3Words: ///bleat.aviation.falls
🗺️ Google Maps: View Map
📌 GPS Coordinates: 19.56656, -99.05372
🌐 Website
🛏️ Where to Stay
🔗 Useful Links
🕊️ Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Official Website