Mexico with Luxury & Style (10 Days): Sample Itinerary Outline
ID #: DT-M-10-10-30-10-RAIJ
DAYS
1 & 2: Mexico City, MEXICO
You are met upon arrival and taken to your hotel in the elegant Planco
neighborhood. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to relax or explore.
On the morning of Day 2, enjoy a sightseeing tour of this cosmopolitan
city. Visit the Zocalo (Central Square), the second largest in the
world, and the adjacent National Palace, notable for Diego Rivera’s
moving murals depicting more than a thousand years of Mexican history.
Next to the Zocalo is the enormous Metropolitan Cathedral — taking
almost 300 years to complete, it displays a mix of varied architectural
styles. Next visit the Templo Mayor or Great Temple, uncovered by
accident in 1978. ►Some suggested Mexico City hotels (in alphabetical order): Four
Seasons Hotel Mexico City (V) Las Alcobas (V) St. Regis Mexico City (V) ►Together, we will find the best choice for you!
DAYS 3 & 4: Teotihuacán & San Miguel Allende, MEXICO
This morning leave the city to explore the Archeological Site of
Teotihuacán, the “city of the gods.” Visit the impressive Quetzalcoatl’s
Temple, walk along the Avenue of the Dead and perhaps climb the Sun and
Moon pyramids. Next drive to the small and charming colonial city of San
Miguel Allende. On Day 4 you have the option of participating in a
Mexican cuisine cooking class from the renowned Sazon Cooking School (at
an additional cost). You can learn how to make regional dishes, food for
a fiesta, breakfast foods or perhaps visit the local market with your
instructor and learn how to select ingredients for a delicious salsa.
And of course, you get to taste what you learn to create. Enjoy the
afternoon at leisure and explore the city on foot. Visit galleries, walk
to shops, marvel at the churches and take in the city’s atmosphere. ►Some suggested San Miguel Allende hotels (in alphabetical order): Casa de Sierra Nevada, San Miguel Allende (V) Rosewood San Miguel Allende (V) ►Together, we will find the best choice for you!
DAYS 5 & 6: Guanajuato, MEXICO
Drive to Guanajuato and enjoy a full-day tour of this incredibly
interesting and historical city. Your guide will lead you through,
pointing out the historic points of note and hidden treasures. See
Juarez Theater, built during the opulent era of Porfirio Diaz in 1903,
and Alhondiga de Granaditas, site of the first rebel victory in the War
of Independence. Stroll along Callejon del Beso, which translates to
“the alley of the kiss,” as its balconies are so close to each other
they nearly “kiss.” Explore through the Jardín de la Unión, a botanical
garden that serves as the city’s main meeting place. Visit Diego
Rivera’s birthplace — it has been restored and converted into a museum,
displaying some of the early works of this revolutionary painter. On Day
6, enjoy the colonial treasures of Guanajuato at your leisure.
►Suggested hotel: Hotel Villa Maria Cristina, Guanajuato
DAYS 7 & 8: Morelia & Patzcuaro, MEXICO
Take a short drive to the colonial city of Morelia, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, and one of the country’s most significant colonial
cities. Tour the impressive historic center of Morelia, with its elegant
Spanish Colonial architecture. Tour the pink stone Morelia Cathedral
which dominates the main plaza, or Zocalo, that took more than a century
to build. Visit the Palacio Clavijero, which has gone from the Jesuit
school of St. Francis Xavier, to a prison to local government offices.
Explore the Casa de Artesanias, with its robust array of local and
Mexican handicrafts. On Day 8, explore the highland colonial gem city of
Patzcuaro. Stroll the main square, or La Plaza Grande - full of markets
and street performers, and in the center is a statue to the beloved 16th
century Bishop Vasco de Quiroga. Visit the holy Basilica de Nuestra
Señora de la Salud, where Bishop Quiroga is buried. Also, explore the
Casa de los Once Patios (House of Eleven Courtyards) — originally a
convent, today it houses a variety of artisan workshops, where you can
watch them at their craft.
►Suggested hotel: Casa de La Real Aduana, Patzcuaro
DAY 9: Tzintzuntzan & Santa Clara del Cobre, MEXICO
Depart this morning for a visit to a fascinating artisan village that
surrounds picturesque Lake Patzcuaro. During the Day of the Dead (Dia de
los Muertos) celebrations, these villages attract visitors from around
the world to witness the mystical and somber rituals of sitting vigil
with deceased family members. The rest of the year, the villages present
a peaceful look into pre-Columbian times and insight into the friendly
Purépecha indigenous people. We begin by heading out into the
countryside to visit Tzintzuntzan, one of the last few remaining
archeological sites of the Purepecha indigenous people. Next drive to
Santa Clara del Cobre, where you will visit Santa Clara’s famous silver
shops before returning to Patzcuaro by late afternoon.
►Suggested hotel: Casa de La Real Aduana, Patzcuaro
DAY 10: Patzcuaro, MEXICO
Today you are taken from your hotel to the Morelia airport for your
flight home or on to your next destination.