THE COMPLETE MEXICO EXPERIENCE

From the bustling capital city to ancient Mesoamerican ruins, tortilla making, mezcal tasting and downtime at the beach – this is the ultimate Mexican escape.

Destination
Starts at

Mexico City

Destination
Ends at

Puerto Escondido

Destination
Duration

8 days

Destination
Group Size

Maximum 14

Destination
Physical Rating

moderate Information

Destination
Style

discovery Information

About your trip

This country has so much to offer, but it's hard to combine every facet of Mexico into just one trip. Our eight-day adventure pulls it off, starting with a cultural deep dive along the vibrant streets of Mexico City. From there it’s onto the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan and the beautifully tiled buildings of Puebla. You’ll explore a unique cacti forest en route to Oaxaca, the culinary capital, where tortilla making, mezcal tasting and an authentic cooking class awaits. Our final destination? The gorgeous Pacific surf town of Puerto Escondido. Bustling cities, ancient ruins, foodie experiences and some time on the beach – all in just over a week with Culture Trip.

Trip Highlights

  • Cruise down the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City
  • Visit the former home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
  • Dine at the iconic Cafe de Tacuba, a CDMX institution
  • Explore the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan and Monte Alban
  • Learn about the artistry behind Puebla’s famous ceramics and tiles
  • Master Mexican cuisine with a cooking class in Oaxaca
  • Become a connoisseur of mezcal with a guided tasting session
  • Kick back on the laid-back beaches of Puerto Escondido

Your Itinerary

Upon arrival at Mexico City International Airport (MEX) you can make your way to our first hotel of the trip. Depending on when you get here, you should have plenty of time to relax and refresh before we gather in the lobby for a welcome meeting with the group and our Local Insider. You’ll then be whisked over to the iconic Cafe de Tacuba for dinner. This place is over a hundred years old, and its hearty cuisine and cosy atmosphere is the perfect introduction to Mexican dining. We recommend capping off the meal with an indulgent cup of Mexican hot chocolate.

Accommodation

NH Centro Historico

Activities Included
  • Welcome meeting
  • Welcome dinner at Cafe de Tacuba

Our first full day is dedicated to the capital, one of the largest and most energetic cities on the planet. After breakfast we’ll head out on a walking tour of the city centre, passing through the epic Zócalo square and visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral. We’ll wind our way to the Coyoacan neighbourhood and the Casa Rivera Museum, a striking Bauhaus building once home to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. We’ll continue in the neighbouring district of San Angel, where cobbled streets and colonial-style homes paint a pretty picture of middle-class Mexico. Our afternoon ends with a real highlight as we go to the floating gardens of Xochimilco, originally built by the Aztecs as a water supply system. Today the canals are lined with colourful trajineras boats, one of which we’ll hop on for a serene boat ride. We’ll round off our day in CDMX with an incredible meal at Azulisimo Restaurant, where Chef Zurita has crafted a menu imbued with Mexican tradition and tasty local ingredients.

Accommodation

NH Centro Historico

Activities Included
  • Mexico City morning walk
  • Casa Rivera Museum visit
  • San Angel Quarter visit
  • Xochimilco boat ride
  • Dinner at Azulisimo

After breakfast we’ll leave the capital behind, with our (just over an hourlong) transfer acting as a kind of time machine, which will take us back to Mesoamerica at the pyramid-complex of Teotihuacan. This ancient city was once home to around 250,000 people, making it the largest metropolis in the Americas at the time. Our local guide will give you a tour of the site, including a spectacular walk down the Avenue of the Dead. Next is one of the most beloved cities in Mexico, Puebla, famed for its rich history in ceramics. The best introduction to the City of Tiles is invariably at a local factory, where we’ll learn all about the production process by watching master craftspeople at work. By late afternoon we’ll be strolling around the city’s Unesco-listed centre – covered in great ceramic architecture, naturally – on a guided walking tour, while the rest of the evening is to be spent at your own leisure – just make sure dinner involves mole poblano, a rich sticky sauce made with chilli and chocolate, which Puebla is famous for.

Accommodation

Colonial de Puebla

Activities Included
  • Visit to Teotihuacan
  • Talavera Ceramics experience
  • Puebla city tour

After breakfast we’ll head to the nearby town of Zapotitlan Salinas, where you’ll get to visit its unique botanical gardens. This place feels more like a nature park, with a remarkable collection of cacti spread across its arid plains and unique rock formations. After a hike through the gardens we’ll stop for lunch at Itandehui restaurant, where Chef Antonio Diaz C. takes the ingredients found among cacti forests to create striking variations of classic Mexican dishes. Our afternoon will be spent on a long but scenic drive to the city of Oaxaca, where a tortilla-making masterclass awaits at a local factory – a warm tortilla fresh out of the oven, in this part of the world, is something else.

Accommodation

La Noria Centro Historico

Activities Included
  • Zapotitlan Salinas Botanic Gardens visit
  • Lunch at Itandehui restaurant
  • Tortilla making class

The foodie theme continues in Oaxaca, regarded by many as the culinary capital of Mexico. Don’t over-indulge at breakfast, since a late morning cooking class awaits. Learn about the traditional foundations of Mexican cuisine – the key flavours, ingredients and dishes – as you rustle up your own delicious lunch. It’s the perfect fuel for our walking tour of Oaxaca, one of the most beautiful colonial towns in all of Mexico, full of cobbled streets, bustling markets and magnificent old churches. City strolling is thirsty work, so we’ll stop off for a little mezcal tasting session – this agave spirit has started to earn tequila-levels of fame, and 90% of it is made in the state of Oaxaca. We’ve rather wisely left the rest of your day open, so you can let your mezcal-influenced mind lead the way.

Accommodation

La Noria Centro Historico

Activities Included
  • Cooking class lunch
  • Oaxaca city tour
  • Mezcal tasting

Our morning starts with a visit to Monte Albán, the capital of the Zapotec empire and one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica. The ruins are remarkably well preserved, with pyramids, temples, houses and tombs across the site. After a guided tour we’ll head back on the road to Puerto Escondido. Having traversed the heartlands of the Mexican Plateau and the vast landscapes of Oaxaca, we’ll finally reach the ocean! This gorgeous Pacific resort is full of palm-tree beaches and lively coastal towns. We’ll arrive late in the afternoon, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore our hotel’s giant stretch of private beach.

Accommodation

Posada Real Puerto Escondido

Activities Included
  • Visit Monte Alban site

You’ve explored three of Mexico’s most vibrant cities. You’ve travelled back in time at ancient Mesoamerican sites. You’ve even become an expert on regional dishes and agave spirits. Now it’s time to relax! Today is all about kicking back and enjoying the laid-back surf vibes of Puerto Escondido. Grab a board and ride some waves, chill on the beach or simply enjoy our hotel’s many facilities, including multiple outdoor pools, a private beach, a tennis court and putting green. This evening we’ll gather for a farewell dinner with the group at one of the hotel’s excellent restaurants – perfect for an evening of reflection, and maybe some tequila too.

Accommodation

Posada Real Puerto Escondido

Activities Included
  • Farewell dinner

Sadly, our all-encompassing Mexican adventure has come to an end. After a tasty breakfast at the hotel we’ll all go our separate ways. You could head to Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM), but we won’t blame you for booking yourself an extra few days by the sea.

What's Included

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • 7 breakfasts, 2 lunch, 3 dinners
  • Local Insider
  • Welcome meeting
  • Mexico City morning walk
  • Casa Rivera Museum visit
  • San Angel Quarter visit
  • Xochimilco boat ride
  • Visit to Teotihuacan
  • Talavera Ceramics experience
  • Puebla city tour
  • Zapotitlan Salinas Botanic Gardens visit
  • Lunch at Itandehui restaurant
  • Tortilla making class
  • Cooking class lunch
  • Oaxaca city tour
  • Mezcal tasting
  • Visit Monte Alban site

What's Not Included

  • Visas
  • Travel insurance
  • Hotel transfers (unless otherwise stated in the Included Activities section above)

Customer Reviews

Accommodation

NH Centro Historico

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Location-wise, it doesn’t get better than this – the NH Centro Historico is bang in the centre of everything, steps from Zocalo square, Metropolitan Cathedral, City Museum and archaeological zone. Rooms are modern, comfortable and clean, and you'll find an on-site gym, an alfresco terrace and a sumptuous breakfast buffet.

Colonial de Puebla

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This gorgeous old building, found in the historical heart of Puebla, dates back to the 17th century. It’s a bit of an icon of the city centre and, despite recent renovation, has lost none of its original charm. There’s a particularly homely feel in the all-day restaurant, serving a la carte menus from breakfast through to dinner – some say the mole poblano here is the best in Mexico.

La Noria Centro Historico

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The old and the new blend almost seamlessly in this hotel, which somehow manages to feel grand and homely simultaneously. Rooms are spacious, while communal courtyards – like the terrace bar – feel like an oasis in the heart of Oaxaca. There’s a restaurant and bistro, both open all day, as well as a gorgeous outdoor pool, tucked away on a terrace beneath the Mexican sunshine.

Posada Real Puerto Escondido

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Without doubt the hotel highlight of our trip, the Posada in Puerto Escondido is a truly epic coastal resort. It’s found right on the Pacific seafront, with exclusive access to one of the best beaches in the region. The gardens are sprawling, the outdoor pools inviting, and the five bars and restaurants onsite will keep you more than satisfied – our favourite? It’s hard to choose between Coco's Beach Club and La Palapita Sunset Bar.

COVID Safety

Your safety and wellbeing are our top priority, so we’ve put the following measures in place on all our TRIPS:

  • Our average group size is 10 people (max 18), which gives you all the security of being in a group whilst avoiding a crowd.
  • Where possible, we use small/ boutique accommodation – this means fewer guests and reduced exposure to other travellers.
  • We require all accommodation providers to share protocols around the extra health and hygiene measures they are taking.
  • Included activities are exclusive to our group wherever possible, to minimise contact with others.
  • Covid-19 negative test results or vaccine certificates may be required. Please check the entry requirements for the destination you are travelling to. Our travel experts can assist you in finding this information.
  • We recommend you confirm all guidance on official government sites and check that you are able to travel with your travel insurance issuer. Your travel insurance may be invalidated if you travel against government advice. Our travel experts can assist you in finding this information.

Important Info

  • You must be aged 25 years or over to join this trip.
  • Please be sure to check whether or not you need a visa to enter the country you're travelling to. Please refer to our Booking Terms & Conditions for further information.
  • If you have any pre-existing medical conditions or accessibility requirements, please notify our Customer Support team as soon as possible.
  • We won't charge you extra if you travel alone – you'll be allocated a twin room with another traveller of the same gender.
  • To upgrade to a private room, share a room with a friend, or book pre- and post-trip accommodation and/or airport transfers, please contact our Customer Support team.
  • Please be aware that travel insurance is compulsory for all travellers.
  • Please be aware that the itinerary, activities and hotels are subject to change. While unlikely, these changes can happen due to circumstances beyond our control. We will always do our best to ensure minimal impact on your experience.
  • Please be aware images on this page are for illustrative purposes and may not reflect your itinerary exactly.

Additional Info

Cancellation Policy

The world of travel is changing – and that's why we’re offering flexible booking conditions, to take the stress out of booking in times of uncertainty.

You can get a full refund should you need to postpone or cancel your trip up to 56 days prior to departure. 

Read our Booking Guarantee to find out more about how our Support Team can help you. 

For the full details and cancellation charges, see our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Terms & Conditions

Please refer to our Booking Terms & Conditions.

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Hassle-Free Booking

When booking with us, you’ll benefit from a low deposit payment option, flexible cancellation options and personal customer support. T&Cs apply.

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