Day 1: Mexico CityWelcome in airport MEX and transfer to your centrally located hotel (earliest possible check-in hour: 15:00h local Mexico City time). Resting time of day at leisure before your first overnight in Mexico City.
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Day 2: 3 Cultures, Historical Center, Market & Templo Mayor (B)Breakfast in hotel.
Today, let us show Mexico City to you, in its origins, in its transformation to contemporary culture, learning about ancient roots and culinary aspects. Visit the Square of 3 Cultures in Tlatelolco, where in prehispanic times were held the market places of all goods, which also were provided to the theocratic quarters of priests, and where nowadays the Aztec ruins lay next to colonial Santiago church, surrounded by the rather modern living complex of Nonoalco- Tlatelolco. Get into Mexico City’s historical center (UNESCO World Heritage – UWH), where you explore the area walking, see Zocalo main square with National Palace and Metropolitan Cathedral around, get into a local market and see all the fresh fruit and vegetables and have some tasting of typical Mexican food. Visit also the ruins of Aztec Main Temple which remain from prehispanic Aztec capital Tenochtitlán (Templo Mayor is closed on mondays / in those Mondays, the view would be from outside only). See also the Fine Arts Palace with its fascinating mural paintings inside, as well as Alameda Central Park and get glimpses into traditional bakeries and Mexican artisan sweet shops. After a day full of city center exploration, return to your hotel. There we recommend not to miss a dinner (not
included in package price) in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, which is well known for its exquisite cuisine!
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Day 3: Cooking In Xochimilco & Coyoacán Home Of Frida Kahlo (B, L)Breakfast in a hotel.
Morning drive into southern parts of Mexico City to reach Xochimilco town, which is part of the capital. Meet the local family, with which you will go to market hall to buy ingredients, for then to get to their private home and kitchen for your cooking class on typical Mexican recipes and finally have a wonderful ride on your private Trajinera boat along the ancient canals of Floating Gardens of Xochimilco (UWH) with its agricultural Chinampa islands. Enjoy a tasty lunch on board, before then in afternoon to get into Coyoacán colonial quarter, where you will visit also the Blue House, which is the Museum Frida Kahlo, which houses a charming exhibition about the famous artist’s life, her art and connected oeuvre to her and her husband Diego Rivera. Visit the main building and exhibition on your own, before your guide will receive you again on your exit from the museum. Evening return to hotel to resting free time.
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Day 4: Anthropology Museum - Teotihuacán – Cañada De Cisneros (B)Breakfast in a hotel.
The morning is dedicated to Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology, a unique example of its kind in the world. The visit there is for the viewing of some major exhibition hall about main prehispanic cultures in Mexico, also seen from the prehispanic point of view, calling all the included cultural area Mesoamerica. On route then out of Mexico City, afternoon visit of Teotihuacán archaeological site (UWH). The name was given by the ancient Aztec culture, which, when they arrived to settle in central valleys of Mexico, already found this pre hispanic city abandoned, and for the mighty structures thought, that such place could have been built by gods only. During your visit walk, see so emblematic structures like so called Citadel, Quetzalcóatl-Temple, Road of the Dear, and yes, of course, also the great Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, among others. Evening arrival in your overnight place in countryside Cañada de la Virgen in the outskirts of Mexico City, where the landlady welcomes you in her charming rural mansion to fully relax in nature and silence.
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Day 5: Tepotzotlán, Rural Cooking & Colonial Origins Of Water (B, L)Breakfast in hotel.
Morning short drive into neighbor Magical Town of Tepotzotlan, there to see the precious Mexican baroque church (UWH – as part of Camino Real) and the Museum of Vice royal Art (museum closed on Mondays). Go to the local market and already get some of the ingredients, with which on your return to hotel you will realize the cooking class on base of pre hispanic recipes! Enjoy lunch surrounded by the private and lush ambiance of Quinta Golondrinas, before you will visit still the colonial aqueduct Arcos de Sitio for a panoramic walk around and see this wonderful engineering work from the colonial era, when the missionaries worked to get water into central valleys of Mexico.
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Day 6: Cisneros – Bernal – Wines & Cheeses – San Miguel De Allende (B, L)Breakfast in a hotel.
Today’s route goes through the rich region of wines & cheeses in the federal state of Querétaro. Get to Magical Town of Bernal for a view into this fairy tale-like place with the great monolith in its background. Visit also one of the traditional vineyards outside of Bernal, where you will taste from different wines, accompanied with artisan cheeses from the region. Enjoy a rich lunch on the vineyard, before in the afternoon, you will arrive in San Miguel de Allende colonial town for hotel check-in and resting time of day at leisure.
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Day 7: Cañada De La Virgen & San Miguel De Allende (B)Breakfast in a hotel.
Morning drive out to visit the remote arch. site of Cañada de la Virgen of toltec-chichimeca pre hispanic culture, which was ruled by stars and planets and served with its temples mostly to predict and recognize season for seed and harvest. After return to San Miguel de Allende, visit this colonial town and its historical center (UWH) which remains from mining activity in the Spanish colony. Outstanding buildings here are the main church La Parroquia in Mexican neo gothic style and the Museum House of Allende, who was an important person in Mexico’s Independence history. See also the botanical garden, which hosts many plants of the rather dry and semi desert landscapes around.
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Day 8: San Miguel – Atotonilco & Dolores Hidalgo – Guanajuato (B)Breakfast in a hotel.
Morning departure from San Miguel de Allende for Guanajuato. In route, visit the Sanctuary church of Atotonilco (UWH), as well as Magical Town of Dolores Hidalgo with its important past in Mexico’s Independence History, since from here is Father Hidalgo, who is supposed to have initiated the struggle to get free from Spanish colonial crown. Afternoon arrival in Guanajuato city to visit its historical center (UWH) with Juarez Theater, Alhondiga, Hidalgo Market and all the small squares and lanes in irregular pattern due to the position of Guanajuato in a narrow valley.
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Day 9: Guanajuato – Guadalajara (B)Breakfast in a hotel.
Leave Guanajuato in the morning, for in the early afternoon to visit “The Tapatía Pearl” city of Guadalajara, capital of state of Jalisco and the famous Mariachi Music. During the visit, see the historical center with an elegant mix of colonial and neoclassical architecture and get to Tlaquepaque quarter to live some traditional live music and the views on all kinds of handcraft art in between the ancient walls. Evening free at leisure in town.
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Day 10:Tequila & Huachimontones (B, L)Breakfast in a hotel.
Make a full-day excursion around Guadalajara, first to visit the Magical Town of Tequila. In Route, see the UNESCO World Heritage Landscapes of Blue Agave plants, and then in town visit a typical Tequila liquor distillery to learn about the processing of the plant and taste from the beverage. For lunch, reach Teuchitlan Lagoon and a waterfront restaurant, for afterwards to visit the interesting arch. site of Huachimontones, where the prehispanic culture has built the ancient temples on circular basements. Late afternoon returns to Guadalajara and your hotel for resting free time.
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Day 11: Guadalajara – Pátzcuaro(B)Breakfast in a hotel.
Morning departure from Guadalajara and drive through to the Magical Town on the shores of the lake with the same name: Patzcuaro. This highland town is surrounded by pinewood forest mountain and a rather humid climate around the year. This is also the reason for the traditional architecture in town: tile roofs on thick walls of adobe blocks. During the visit of town, see the main squares and churches, as well as the House of 11 Patios. Take also a boat on Lake Patzcuaro to visit the small-town island of Janitzio where the stone sculpture of José María Morelos is dominating the island from its top. Evening free in Patzcuaro and its charming, romantic atmosphere:
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Day 12:Pátzcuaro – Santa Clara, Tupátaro & Tzin Tzun Tzan – Morelia (B)Breakfast in a hotel.
In route from Patzcuaro to Morelia, visit some amazing towns of artisans, colonial and pre hispanic art & architecture. In Santa Clara del Cobre, craftsmen & women work with copper and create beautiful all-day life articles. In Tupataro picturesque small town, the wooden roof of the church has incredibly beautiful inner paintings from the early colonial era in Mexico. In Tzin Tzun Tzan many people work in wood and straw handcrafts and the local archaeological site, from which you also can enjoy great views over Lake Pátzcuaro, has some characteristic shapes in so-called Yácatas. Tzin Tzun Tzan was the capital of the prehispanic kingdom of Tarasca culture which never was dominated by the Spanish colonial crown. Evening arrival in Morelia colonial city and your hotel. Evening free at leisure to enjoy town.
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Day 13:Morelia – Mexico City (B)Breakfast in a hotel.
Morelia is perfect for this morning visit walk. Its historical center (UWH) is of great splendor, mostly built-in colonial times from the pink shimmering limestone of the region. See the massive cathedral on the great main square, the Tarasca fountain and colonial aqueduct, as well as enter the traditional market of sweet and wooden music instruments. Around midday leave Morelia on route directly back for Mexico City, where you can be delivered finally in a hotel or in the airport.
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