Mexico City to Oaxaca

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm, if you arrive early, why not use your free time to check out this incredible city? Modern meets ancient in Mexico City – one of the world's largest urban centres. Although crowded and smoggy, D.F. (Distrito Federal) offers a great variety of impressive museums, galleries and architecture, along with exciting nightlife and delicious street food. Head to the Zocalo, the city's huge central square, to see Aztec ruins or relax in one of the many parks, plazas and gardens. Or, provided you have got in early to book your ticket, you may like to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum. Tonight, maybe head out for a group dinner.

Today your leader will show you around the historic city centre. Visit Zocalo Square, a prominent central meeting place since Aztec times, and soak up the sound of rapid-fire Spanish and booming drums that fill the vast space. The dome-topped Palacio de Bellas Artes is the next must-see attraction. Within the stark white marble palace, you will find walls painted by the likes of Diego Rivera. You can spend the afternoon doing whatever takes your fancy in the heart of Mexico. Why not sit down for lunch at a fonda (a home that a family has opened to the local community as a restaurant). You can usually grab a delicious three-course meal for less than $5!

After breakfast this morning, take a private vehicle to San Pedro Tlahuac where Nahuatl descendants preserve pre-Columbian traditions – this is one of the last remaining places in Mexico that still has the canals and chinampa farms from the times of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Learn the local lingo on the way with an informal Spanish lesson, as your leader teaches you the all-important phrases – like how to order a cerveza! When you arrive, take a traditional trajinera boat along the canal to a chinampa farm, where you’ll meet a local to tour their family’s land. Help pick some fresh vegetables that will be used for lunch, then sit down and enjoy a meal as a group. Continue to Puebla, arriving at about 3 pm. Check into your hotel and then get to know the city on a short orientation walk. Tonight, head out for an optional group dinner after joining your leader for a drink at La Pasita Bar. Pasita is a sweet liqueur made of raisins, served in a caballito (tequila glass) and decorated with a cube of fresh goat cheese and a raisin stuck on a toothpick. This bar is particularly famous because of its way of serving the pasita. After dinner, why not check out a Lucha Libre show – the famous Mexican sport where masked musclemen combine wrestling and theatre in a memorable performance. 

Today is free for you to explore at your own pace. Maybe check out one of the many well-maintained churches and buildings, go for a hike near one of the area's looming volcanoes, or visit the Great Pyramid of Cholula – containing five miles of tunnels and ancient history with the enormous Popocatepetl Volcano serving as a backdrop. Puebla is also Mexico’s culinary capital, so you could also head out to indulge in some street food. If the season is right, try some chiles en nogada (stuffed chillies covered in creamy walnut sauce).

Get cosy with the locals as you travel by local bus to Oaxaca, where a culinary paradise awaits – this is a great time to crack a book or take a nap! Stretch your legs with an orientation walk when you arrive. Oaxaca is an old colonial town full of graceful arcades and colourful markets. After your walk, you’ll tour the 20 de Noviembre Market, where you'll do as the locals and head to the Pasillo de las Carnes Asadas (the grilled meats aisle). Follow your nose (and your leader) to find it – smoke and the smell of grilled meat is thick in the air. You can even select the raw meat that looks best to you and have it grilled how you like it! Grab some guacamole, salsa and some fresh tortillas on the way and then find a spot at one of the long tables where you’ll sit down for a classic Oaxacan lunch.

This morning, you’ll visit the nearby archaeological site of Monte Alban. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this place was inhabited for over 1,500 years by the Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs. The terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Alban were literally carved out of the mountain and are now the symbols of a sacred topography. After, head to a local barro negro, or black pottery studio. See a demonstration of how the famed black pottery (or pottery of the night) is made and learn about the history of this artform – legend says that the clay is blessed! Head back to your hotel this afternoon, and if you have the energy, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy Oaxaca’s nightlife.

Today is a free day to explore Oaxaca at your own pace. Why not try your hand at whipping up the local cuisine with a cooking class, or venture to Hierve el Agua – a group of stunning natural rock formations where the minerals resemble cascading waterfalls. Maybe opt for a day tour of the Mitla archaeological site and visit a Teotitlan weaving town and mezcal distillery on the way. Alternatively, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the streets and take the opportunity to feast on some regional delicacies, including banana-leaf-wrapped tamales and spicy baked chilli and lime grasshoppers usually sold by the lovely old ladies of the markets. Depending on the season, a folkloric ballet performance is also a great option.

Your adventure comes to an end this morning. If you would like to spend some more time in Oaxaca, just speak to your booking agent.