Day of the Dead
Día de Muertos · Mexico, nationwide (Mixquic, Mexico City)
Marigolds pave the way home, and altars hold the dead's favourite foods: Mexicans welcome their departed loved ones with reunion.
Know before you go
- Don't treat a cemetery vigil as a costume party
- don't photograph family altars or people mourning without permission
- don't touch or take offerings from altars
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
La Catrina, the skeleton lady in a big hat
The most famous image of the Day of the Dead, 'La Calavera Catrina', comes from the Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada: a skeleton lady in a large hat decked with ostrich feathers and flowers, very probably satirising upper-class Mexican women who imitated European fashion. In 1946–1947 the muralist Diego Rivera painted her as a full figure in a mural. In 2008 the 'Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead' was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Source: Wikipedia: Day of the Dead
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Day of the Dead is held from late October to early November, when people believe their departed relatives come home to visit. It blends pre-Hispanic Indigenous rituals with Catholic festivals introduced in the 16th century, and coincides with the end of the maize harvest. In 2008 the 'Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead' was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Local customs
- Families build altars (ofrendas) with photos, marigolds, candles, papel picado, pan de muerto and the dead's favourite food and drink
- at night they go to cemeteries to clean and decorate the graves and keep vigil by candlelight
Religion & beliefs
Indigenous beliefs blended with the Catholic All Saints' Day (1 November) and All Souls' Day (2 November).
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
Mexico: carry your original passport and entry record
- Carry your original passport with its entry stamp, or download your electronic entry record from the immigration website
- Carrying only a copy or photo
Immigration officers do not accept copies; you may be questioned, detained or even deported.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Mexico travel advice
Mexico: e-cigarettes may not be brought in or sold
- Leave your e-cigarette at home before you travel
- Bringing e-cigarettes or vape liquid into the country
- Smoking or vaping in public places
Customs will confiscate them and may fine or detain you; smoking in public places can bring a fine of up to MXN 3,000.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Mexico travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- Don't treat a cemetery vigil as a costume party
- don't photograph family altars or people mourning without permission
- don't touch or take offerings from altars
Locals appreciate DO
Locals welcome visitors who come respectfully to learn: speak softly in cemeteries, and ask families' permission before taking photos.
Plan your visit
Practical info
| 2026 dates | November 1 – 2, 2026 |
|---|
Travel tips
- Mainly on 1–2 November, with customs and dates varying slightly by region
- Mixquic in southern Mexico City is famous for its cemetery vigils
- cemeteries are crowded at night, so go with others and arrange transport back in advance
2026 schedule
- 1 November remembers children who have died and 2 November adults
- altars go up across the country from late October.
Photos
Photos
Edson2k · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ines Suarez R. · CC BY-SA 4.0
