Oaxacan charm and Pacific coast

Welcome to Mexico! Your private driver will meet you at the airport and drive you to your hotel, located in the historic centre of the capital. If time permits, you can visit the Zocalo where you will discover the cathedral and the National Palace. You can admire the works of Frida Khalo's famous lover, Diego Riveira. Then, you will reach the Palace of Fine Arts and the Alameda Park through the pedestrian street Madero. You will finally reach the famous Avenida Reforma with its monuments and buildings touching the sky.

By car: Mexico City airport - Mexico City 10km (30min)

Today is a free day to enjoy Mexico City. You will walk around the city center. You will first go to the Zocalo, where you will discover the Cathedral of Mexico and the National Palace. You will be able to admire the works of the famous lover of Frida Khalo, Diego Riveira. Then, you will go to the Palace of Fine Arts and the Alameda Park through the pedestrian street Madero. You will make a stop at the Casa de los Azulejos. For a great view of the city, you can climb to the top floor of the Latinoamericana Tower. You will continue to the Monument to the Revolution, offering another panorama of the capital. You will then catch up with the famous Avenida Reforma with its monuments and buildings touching the sky. At the end of this avenue is Chapultepec Park and its Museum of Anthropology, a great introduction to the evolution and history of Mexico. You can stroll through its paths, go pedal boating on its lake or climb up to the castle of the same name, converted into a museum.

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This morning, you will reach Teotihuacan at the entrance of the site and climb the pyramids of the sun and the moon as well as the temple of Quetzalcoatl that you observed from the sky. Teotihuacan means "where the gods were born" and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. This city was, at the time of its splendor, one of the largest urban centers of the ancient world. You will make a stop at the obsidian craftsmen to appreciate this meticulous work of goldsmiths. Return to Mexico City with a stop at the Basilica of Guadalupe (the old and the new), the second most visited religious monument in the world after the Vatican. You will discover the famous tunic where the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared almost 500 years ago... be careful ! End of the day free to visit the historical center of Mexico City. You will take the direction of the Zocalo where you will discover the cathedral and the National Palace. Then, you will reach the Palace of Fine Arts and the Alameda park by passing by the pedestrian street Madero. You will finally reach the famous Avenida Reforma with its monuments and buildings touching the sky.

Driving directions: Mexico City - Teotihuacan 60km (1h) / Teotihuacan - Basilica 45km (45min) / Basilica - Mexico City 10km (25min)

Today you will go to the quiet neighborhood of Coyoacán, the artists' district, the Mexican Montmartre. Here you can visit the Frida Khalo and Leon Trotsky museums. Frida Khalo is undoubtedly the most famous Mexican painter for her art, but also for the tumultuous relationship she had with another master: Diego Riveira. At the end of the day, discover Xochimilco and embark on a "trajinera", a kind of large, semi-open, colorful boat that quietly sails between the floating gardens of the canals once used by the Aztecs, to the sound of mariachi music.

Driving directions: Mexico City - Coyoacan 25km (30min) / Coyoacan - Xochimilco 20km (30min) / Xochimilco - Mexico City 30km (50min)

Today you will leave Mexico City and head to Puebla. On the way, you will stop in Cholula, a "pueblo mágico" in the Puebla region, considered one of the oldest cities in America. You will walk through the colorful streets of this student city and see the Great Pyramid in the distance. At the top of the pyramid is the church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, built by the Spaniards. An incredible view of the city and the Popocatepetl, Iztaccihuatl, Citlaltepetl and Malinche volcanoes. On the way down, you can visit the archaeological site. Continuation to Puebla. Known for its resistance to the French invasion, it still has the vestiges of this conflict that you will be able to admire during your excursion in the center. Religion is another facet of Puebla, as the city has many religious buildings that have earned it the name of Puebla de los Angeles. Legend has it that the city was founded as a result of a dream by angels.

Driving directions: Mexico City - Cholula 130km (2h) / Cholula - Puebla 20km (40min)

This morning, you will take the road to Oaxaca, a city anchored in traditions and spared from the aggressions of industrial modernism. On the way, you will make a stop in the middle of countless cactus fields. Free afternoon to visit the historical center of the city, including the Santo Domingo convent which houses one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico. You will be able to make a detour to the house of Benito Juarez, the first mestizo president of the country and emblematic, nicknamed "the worthy of honor of America". You will finish by visiting the local market, one of the most animated and colorful in Mexico City, with the intoxicating scents of unknown spices and the shimmering colors of silky fabrics. You can taste grilled grasshoppers, the famous "chapulines", accompanied by a glass of mezcal.

Driving directions: Puebla - Oaxaca 340km (4h15)

Departure for the archaeological site of Monte Alban (the white mountain), the most fascinating of the state of Oaxaca. This great Zapotec ceremonial center rises on a vast esplanade at 2000m of altitude. You will be amazed by these grandiose ruins that dominate the valley. Return to Oaxaca to discover one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Mexico. Stroll through the historic center of the city and don't miss its typical market and the Santo Domingo convent which houses one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico. Enjoy one of the many culinary specialties with a glass of mezcal. If you want to learn more about this typical drink, visit the Mezcaloteca, dedicated to the preservation and diffusion of traditional mezcals.

Driving directions: Oaxaca - Monte Alban 10km (25min)

Today you will visit the archaeological site of Mitla. After the fall of Monte Alban in 750 AD, Mitla served as the new political and religious center of the Zapotecs, which they called "Lyobaan" meaning "place of rest. The latter built palaces and monuments before the Mixtecs moved in, renaming the site "Mictlán", the place of the dead. Continuation in the afternoon to Hierve el Agua, one of the most visited natural thermal baths of Mexico. Characterized by its turquoise pools and petrified waterfalls at the edge of the ravine, it is the ideal place to take unforgettable photos. Return to Oaxaca at the end of the day.

Driving directions: Oaxaca - Mitla 45km (1h) / Mitla - Hierve el Agua 20km (50min) / Hierve el Agua - Oaxaca 70km (1h25)

This morning, you will head to San Bartolo Coyotepec where many families make their living from black clay pottery or "barro negro". You will continue with the village of San Martin Tilcajete to discover the local crafts. Indeed, this small village of the great valley of Oaxaca is famous for its manufacture of alebrijes, wooden figurines carved in the copal and painted of multiple colors. In the early afternoon, you will leave for Puerto Escondido, the town where you will spend the night.

Driving directions: Oaxaca - San Bartolo Coyotepec 20km (35min) / San Bartolo Coyotepec - San Martin Tilcajete 15km (20min) / San Martin Tilcajete - puerto Escondido 252km (6h11)

Day in Puerto Escondido to enjoy the beautiful beaches of the Pacific. For surfing enthusiasts, you are in the right place. Go to Carrizalillo or Zicatela beach, where surfing lessons are offered directly. For the less athletic, you can take a boat ride to the Manialtepec lagoon or Chacahua lagoons, which are great for bird watching, or explore the ocean floor. Afterwards, take a walk to watch the sunset on the beach.

Day in Puerto Escondido to enjoy the beautiful beaches of the Pacific. For surfing enthusiasts, you are in the right place. Go to Carrizalillo or Zicatela beach, where surfing lessons are offered directly. For the less athletic, you can take a boat ride to the Manialtepec lagoon or Chacahua lagoons, which are great for bird watching, or explore the ocean floor. Afterwards, take a walk to watch the sunset on the beach.

Maybe it's time to say goodbye to Mexico and its beaches? Your stay is coming to an end. You will join the airport of Puerto Escondido to take your return flight.