After breakfast, meet our fantastic bilingual guides and set out on our travels towards the Capital City. Our first visit will be the Great Pyramid of Cholula for a private tour of the largest archeological site in the New World. Continue on to the phenomenal Church of Saint Mary of Tonantzintla, one of the few Franciscan outposts in ancient Mexico. Along the way, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, famous for its mole. In the late afternoon, arrive at our fantastic boutique hotel in Mexico City. Travelers will be free to get acclimated and explore the area for the rest of the evening—with expert recommendations from our guides for dinner and local nightlife.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, behold the Basilica de Guadalupe, the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world. Enjoy a leisurely walk up Tepayac Hill and its Garden of Roses. We will also stop at Tulpetlac Church, one of the holiest churches in Mexico and the purported origin of the Virgin of Guadalupe, now a national religious symbol. Enjoy live music and dancing over a delicious traditional lunch. Tour Toteotihuacan, one of the best preserved ancient sites in Mexico, where we will see the Pyramid to the Sun and the Moon. We will also visit the palace of Quetzal-Butterfly, the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, as well as the Avenue of the Dead and the mammoth Citadel. Before returning to our hotel there will be time to explore the local art markets. In the evening, visit with local US diplomats at a casual reception to discuss life in the country. Enjoy another evening on your own in enchanting Mexico City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Reception

This morning we will start our day with a full city tour including Zocalo Square—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take in the beautiful National Palace, Metropolitican Cathedral, and even the Templo Mayor, the excavated main temple of the Aztec people. Meet with a local archeologist who has studied these ancient sites for many years. Tour his lab and discuss the history and politics around excavating these special ruins. After lunch along one of the main squares, enjoy a visit to Chapultepec Castle—the only castle in all of America to be once used by a sovereign leader, Bernardo de Gálvez of ‘New Spain’. Tour the acclaimed National Museum of Anthropology, one of the world’s premier museums of natural history, led by one of its top curators. The focus on civilizations past, including the Aztec, Olmec, and Mayan, will lead visitors to a new appreciation of local cultures. After returning to our hotel for a brief break in the late afternoon, we will enjoy a dinner with local Fulbright Scholars.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, we will head to the south of the city to the beautiful colonial residential section of Coyoacan. Visit the San Juan Bautista Church, which was built on land owned by the conqueror Cortez, meeting with a Q and A of the clergy to discuss religion in the area. Learn more about the preeminent artistic couple of their era, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera as we visit their respective homes and studios, Casa Azul and the Anahuacalli Museum, discussing the masterpieces with their curators. After some free time to enjoy a lunch at one of the many outstanding choices in the area, we will have a private tour of the Trotsky Museum. This home is where Leon Trotsky lived with his wife until he was assassinated in 1942. Enjoy a delicious farewell dinner with friends old and new at the San Angel Inn, a traditional hacienda. Toast to an amazing trip with a smoky glass of local mezcal—salud!

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Say goodbye to friends old and new, check out of our hotel and transfer to Mexico City airport. Note: Transportation can be arranged back to Puebla International Airport as necessary.

Meals: Breakfast