SUMMARY
When it comes to vibrant culture and varied cuisine, thereâs nowhere quite like Mexico. Get a taste of the countryâs best on an eight-day Premium adventure through Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca. Join expert guides to uncover the ancient secrets of Teotihuacan, Cholula, and the Mitla ruins. Take your taste buds on a trip, from the beckoning street food stalls of the capital to a home cooked Zapotecan lunch and a creative dining experience in Oaxaca. Your local leader will show you the heart of a country that is sure to leave you captivated.
TOTAL DURATION : 8 Days
GROUP SIZE : MIN 1 MAX 12
TOUR ITINERARY AND DATES
START : Mexico City
END : Oaxaca
COUNTRIES VISITED : Mexico
Validity : 01 JAN 2024 To 31 DEC 2024
Day :1
Location : Mexico City
Welcome to Mexico! Your adventure begins in Mexico City, the vibrant beating heart of the country. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, where you will meet the rest of your group and local leader for a 6pm welcome meeting. Your hotel in Mexico City is housed in a beautiful building from the 1890s and the location is truly one of the cityâs best. The buzzing Zocalo Plaza and spectacular National Cathedral are right on your doorstep; views of which can be admired from your hotelâs rooftop restaurant and bar. After your meeting, head out for dinner with your leader and small group. Tonight you will have the chance to sample a tempting array of local dishes, sampling your way across Mexico by trying tacos from different regions. The cityâs authentic food scene will surprise and delight even seasoned travellers, as will the lively atmosphere created by roving Mariachi bands. End the evening with some sweet treats at the cityâs oldest churreria.
Day :2
Location : Mexico City
Today will be spent getting to know Mexico City on a tour with your knowledgeable leader. From cosmopolitan glamour to ancient and colonial history, thereâs a lot to see, so rise early and head out to the National Museum of Anthropology where your leader will walk you through the different stages of the countryâs past. Continue to the Zocalo Plaza, the lively main square of the city. Visit the National Cathedral to hear its story and marvel at its impressive Gothic architecture, then view the sprawling National Palace before taking in massive murals painted by Diego Rivera. This spot first held a palace built by an Aztec emperor in the early 16th century, and now houses the offices of Mexicoâs president. Enjoy an evening at leisure. Thereâs no doubt that the food here is best experienced like a local, so be sure to ask your leader for some excellent dinner recommendations this evening.
Day :3
Location : Puebla
Depart Mexico City and travel to Teotihuacan. Here you'll discover the extraordinary ruins known as the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, which dominate the skyline. This was once one of the country's biggest ancient cities and the Aztec capital. Join an expert local guide and stroll down The Avenue of the Dead to see fascinating clues as to what life here was like nearly 2000 years ago. After lunch continue to Puebla. Stop off on the way to visit a local family who produce beautiful stonework carved form obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glasslike rock. Take some time to admire their striking pieces and speak to the family about their craft. Arrive in Puebla, a charming city that has retained its colonial heritage despite rapid growth and development. Set out for a walk around town and visit Calle de los Dulces (Candy street) and the El Parian handicraft market, as well as the impressive Rosary Chapel and Town Hall Palace. Mexican food is deliciously diverse and Puebla is no exception. Enjoy dinner at an award-winning restaurant this evening, where a local chef serves up local specialties in an elegant setting â the mole here comes highly recommended.
Day :4
Location : Puebla
After breakfast, drive out to the fascinating Cholula archaeological site. Meet with an expert local guide and tour the complex, including the Great Pyramid of Cholula â if you include its basement, this is the largest pyramid in the world. Explore the excavated areas around the pyramid and learn how the structure was built to honour the god Quetzalcoatl. For lunch today, stop off at a wonderful restaurant serving up organic dishes made with locally sourced produce to minimise their impact on the environment. The rest of the day is free for your own explorations â you may like to join your leader for a visit to a local artisan to discover more about the Talavera pottery tradition.
Day :5
Location : Oaxaca
Today you will make the journey to Oaxaca, a colourful and captivating city rich with history and culture. Arrive in the late afternoon and settle in to your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights â a beautiful property converted from a 19th-century colonial mansion, traditional charm emanates from every corner of this hotel, from its ivy-clad courtyard to original frescoes and stone fountain. Each room is wonderfully unique and individually decorated, but they all feature gorgeous high ceilings and modern amenities. Just a stoneâs throw away from the cityâs main Zocalo, bursting with interesting cafes, musicians and artisans, thereâs no better base for your time in Oaxaca. Head out for an orientation walk with your leader to get a feel for the city, stopping by the delightful local markets of Benito Juarez and 20 de Noviembre, then enjoy a free evening for further explorations. The best way to get to the heart of Oaxacaâs culture is to taste its food, so your leader will be happy to offer up some great local recommendations for dinner.
Day :6
Location : Oaxaca
Today, venture out of the city and take a tour of the Oaxaca region. Visit the Mitla ruins archaeological site â once the religious centre for Zapotec communities â and the Tule Tree, considered the worldâs widest tree at over 11 metres in diameter. The Montezuma cypressâ gnarled trunk is over 1500 years old, roughly the same as the ruins. Stop off in Tule town to try some Mexican ice cream â an important part of Mexicoâs culinary history, this hand-churned ice cream is up there with the best of them. Perhaps try some Mexican vanilla, fresh fruit sorbet or even a scoop seasoned with chili. Continue to a beeswax candle-making workshop, learning age-old processes passed down for generations and the intricate designs that are created. Later, take part in a Zapotec weaving demonstration, which uses only traditional techniques, tools, patterns and organic dyes. Watch as local families meticulously craft folk clothing and rugs, some taking months to complete. You will learn the whole process from preparing and dyeing the yarn to traditional weaving methods. Here, enjoy a mostly plant-based lunch of regional Zapotec specialities. On your way back to Oaxaca, stop by an agave mezcal factory for a tasting before returning to the city in the late afternoon.
Day :7
Location : Oaxaca
Enjoy a free day to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of Oaxaca. Thereâs something here to suit every interest â speak to your leader about arranging a visit to the Monte Alban archaeological site, a local cooking class or a street art cycling tour. You may like to head to one of the cityâs many markets to browse stalls of coffee, spices and crafts made by local artisans. In the evening, itâs time for a send-off in style as you head to a special dining experience. Your venue for this evening presents an amazing menu of traditional Oaxacan dishes, curated and cooked by the restaurantâs award-winning female owner and inspired by the recipes of her mother and grandmother. Let the dishes take you on a trip around the state of Oaxaca as you enjoy a multi-course meal. This final dinner will certainly be one to remember.
Day :8
Location : Oaxaca
Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you would like to spend some more time in Oaxaca, speak to us about arranging additional accommodation ahead of time (subject to availability). Or, if youâre not ready for the journey to end, take a look at our Mexico: The Yucatan Peninsula tour â this 15-day tour encompasses this itinerary then continues after Oaxaca.
Premium Mexico City to Oaxaca
Reference : IT