Mexico Citys appeal as a tourist destination is obvious. Ciudad de Mxico boasts an incredible culinary scene, world-class museums, historic sites and more.

But as with any place with a large tourism industry, its common for visitors to make certain mistakes and the locals are in a position to see all of it. We asked people who live in Mexico City, from expats to natives, to share some of the faux pas theyve observed.

From misjudging spice to forgetting about altitude sickness, here are 20 mistakes tourists often make while visiting Mexico City and some advice for avoiding these errors during your travels.

Expecting everyone to speak English

Try to learn a little bit of Spanish before arriving, just basics like good morning, hello, etc. Approaching someone with only English seems a bit rude even if most of us speak fluently. Anais Martinez, culinary tour guide and blogger at The Curious Mexican

Its a mistake to assume that everywhere you go in Mexico City, people will speak English. While many people in the city do, its much more considerate and appropriate to learn at least a few phrases in Spanish: Good morning! Nice to meet you! How much does this cost? Do you speak English? Can you help me? Lydia Carey , writer and tour guide

Only staying downtown

Most tourists I know think the best is to stay downtown near Avenida Reforma and the Angel of Independence, but there are many other amazing neighborhoods in the city with more folklore and color, like Coyoacan with its amazing artisan markets and delicious churros, and Condesa and Roma with lovely parks, art galleries and yummy bakeries. Gabil Mireles , personal coach and motivational speaker

Thinking salsa refers to a dip

When you arrive at a Mexican restaurant, the server will probably bring some different kinds of salsa to your table. Unlike what happens north of the border, this is not intended as an appetizer for you to dip your chips in. Salsa is not a dip, its a condiment intended for you to spice up your food for the remainder of the meal. Use the spoon provided, dont dunk. Max St Romain , food and travel blogger at Gastronauta DF

Assuming U.S. dollars or credit cards are accepted everywhere

Bring cash to markets, as most likely no one will take cards. Also, bring pesos; we dont accept USD in the city. Martinez

Dont assume that you can use dollars anywhere in the city. And when you tip someone with dollars, not only is it a pain for them to change that money, but they will always lose money in the transfer. Better to use pesos, which are easy enough to get from a local ATM. That sounds pretty obvious, but many visitors from the U.S. and Canada have asked me that question. Carey

Drinking in the streets

Its illegal to drink alcohol in the streets of Mexico City. We understand people travel here as a vacation, to relax and have a good time, but if the cops see you drinking in the streets they will be on you. They might tell you just to stop doing it, but also could be more problematic, depending on the cops attitude and yours but better try to avoid that. Ubish Yaren , owner of Mexico Underground