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9-Nights The Heart of Mexico from $3,050
Trafalgar
OFFER ID 1708206
The Heart Of Mexico
Discover Mexico through the places, people and traditions that define it. From Mexico City’s historic heart and the canals of Xochimilco to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Guadalajara and Tequila, this journey connects you with the country’s Aztec heritage, regional flavors and living culture. Stay in a restored colonial building, meet local hosts, make tortillas by hand, learn the craft of alebrijes and visit the birthplace of tequila. Along the way, explore landmark sites, vibrant towns and the stories that continue to shape Mexico today.
Dining Summary
- 2 Dinner (D)
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 2 Lunch (L)
- Explore Teotihuacan, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, and a local Tequila distillery
- Visit Casa Azul, Templo Mayor, Basilica de Guadalupe, Tlaquepaque
- Discover Mexico City, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Guadalajara
- Cruise the UNESCO-listed canals of Xochimilco on a colorful trajinera
- Mexico City: Stay in a restored 18th-century colonial building in Mexico City’s historic district. The hotel stands in the area that formed the center of the Aztec capital before becoming the heart of the Spanish colonial city, with original architectural features that reflect its history.
- Mexico City: Visit Frida Kahlo’s Blue House in Coyoacán, where the artist was born, lived and worked. Explore the house and garden at your own pace, seeing personal items, artworks and rooms that reflect her life and artistic identity.
- Mexico City: Walk through the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace and Templo Mayor. You’ll see how the city developed from the former Aztec capital into the Mexico City of today.
- San Miguel de Allende: Visit the Basilica de Guadalupe, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Catholic world. You’ll see a place of major religious significance in Mexico, where faith, national identity and centuries of devotion come together.
- San Miguel de Allende: Explore Teotihuacán with a Local Specialist, walking along the Avenue of the Dead to see the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of Quetzalpapálotl. As you move through the site, you’ll gain a stronger understanding of the scale, symbolism and lasting significance of this ancient city.
- San Miguel de Allende: Join your Travel Director for a walk through San Miguel de Allende, from the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel and its pink neo-Gothic spires to the hidden courtyards and colonial streets that give the city its distinctive character.
- Guanajuato: Explore Guanajuato on foot with your Travel Director, from its steep alleyways and flower-filled plazas to the subterranean roads built to manage flooding. As you move through the city, you’ll get a better feel for the unusual layout and hillside setting that make Guanajuato unlike anywhere else in Mexico.
- Tequila: Visit a local distillery for lunch and learn how the region’s best-known spirit is made, from the work of the jimadores to the ageing process behind each style. With a Local Specialist, taste blanco, reposado and añejo and understand what gives each one its distinct character.
- Guadalajara: Discover Guadalajara through its architecture, public art and historic landmarks, from the Metropolitan Cathedral to the murals of José Clemente Orozco in the Government Palace. You’ll see how the city’s civic buildings and artistic heritage reflect its importance in the cultural life of Jalisco.
- Mexico City: Travel by private trajinera through the Xochimilco canals to a working chinampa, where local hosts are restoring a 1,000-year-old agricultural system. Learn how these ecological gardens support Mexico City’s green spaces and provide habitat for the endangered axolotl, then sit down to a regional meal made with ingredients grown on site, ending with a cacao ceremony. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
- San Miguel de Allende: Meet the Trejo family for a hands-on paper-mache workshop and learn a craft passed down through four generations. As you make your own alebrije or mask, you’ll get closer to the techniques, skill and family tradition behind this distinctive Mexican art form.
- Guanajuato: Join your host, Mtro. Raúl Jaramillo, at Casa Carbonera for a hands-on workshop centered on Guanajuato’s culinary traditions. Learn to make tortillas by hand and help prepare enchiladas mineras, a regional specialty linked to the city’s mining heritage, before sitting down to a three-course meal with wine. Along the way, hear the story of the family business and create your own small piece of art to take with you.
9 nights from $3,050 per person
Trafalgar Tours: The Heart of Mexico
Day 1 - Bienvenido Mexico
Welcome to Mexico City, the country’s capital and largest city, built on the site of the former Aztec capital and shaped by centuries of change. On arrival, transfer to your Stays with Stories experience, the Histórico Central Hotel, a restored 18th-century colonial building in the heart of the historic district. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers before heading to a local restaurant for dinner.
Accommodations: Historico Central
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - Mexico City Sightseeing and Coyoacán
Explore Mexico City’s UNESCO-listed historic center, starting at Plaza de la Constitución, better known as the Zócalo. See the Metropolitan Cathedral, then visit the National Palace to view Diego Rivera’s murals, which trace Mexico’s history across its walls. Continue to Templo Mayor, the remains of the great temple of the former Aztec capital. Later, drive to Coyoacán for lunch at leisure before a self-guided visit to Frida Kahlo’s Blue House. This evening is yours to spend at leisure in Mexico City.
Accommodations: Historico Central
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Experience Xochimilco
Travel to the Xochimilco canals for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and board a private trajinera to a working chinampa. Here, local hosts are helping revive a 1,000-year-old farming system while supporting Mexico City’s green spaces and the endangered axolotl. After learning more about this unique landscape, enjoy a regional meal made with ingredients grown on the chinampa before returning to Mexico City.
Accommodations: Historico Central
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 - The Valley of Mexico to San Miguel de Allende
Visit the Basilica de Guadalupe, one of the world’s most important Catholic pilgrimage sites. Continue to Teotihuacán, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where a Local Specialist leads your visit through one of Mexico’s most significant archaeological sites. Walk along the Avenue of the Dead and see the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon, then explore the Temple of Quetzalpapálotl, known for its detailed carvings. As you explore, gain insight into the history and significance of this ancient city. After lunch at leisure, travel to San Miguel de Allende, where your evening is free.
Accommodations: Mision San Miguel de Allende
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 - Discover San Miguel de Allende
Join your Travel Director for a walking tour through the UNESCO World Heritage Site San Miguel de Allende, exploring colonial streets, hidden courtyards and local corners along the way. See the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, known for its pink neo-Gothic spires, then join an Optional Experience for a hands-on papier-mache workshop with the Trejo family, who have practised the art of paper-mache for four generations. In a hands-on workshop, make your own alebrije or mask while learning the techniques behind this distinctive craft. After lunch at leisure, the rest of the day is free to explore more of San Miguel de Allende.
Accommodations: Mision San Miguel de Allende
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Through Sierra de Guanajuato
Travel through the Sierra de Guanajuato to the city of Guanajuato, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its hillside setting, narrow lanes and colorful architecture. On arrival, join your Travel Director for an orientation of the city, getting your bearings among its plazas, alleyways and historic buildings. The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. You may choose to visit museums, walk the city’s winding streets or take in views from one of its hilltop lookouts. Later, you can choose to join an Optional Experience, walking Guanajuato’s alleys with student musicians as they perform traditional songs and recount local legends.
Accommodations: San Diego
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 -
Join your hosts at Casa Carbonera for a Be My Guest experience centered on one of Guanajuato’s best-known regional dishes. Learn to make tortillas by hand, then sit down to a three-course meal with wine featuring enchiladas mineras, while hearing more about the family business and the traditions behind the kitchen. Later, continue to Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco and one of Mexico’s best-known centers of mariachi and regional culture, where the evening is free for you to explore.
Accommodations: Plaza Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 - Tequila Tasting and on to Guadalajara
Travel to Tequila, a town at the heart of Jalisco’s agave country and within the UNESCO-listed Agave Landscape. Visit a local distillery and join a Local Specialist to learn about the work of the jimadores and the production of Mexico’s most famous spirit. During a tasting, discover the differences between blanco, reposado and añejo. Later, spend time in Tequila itself, exploring the birthplace of Mexico’s best-known spirit and seeing more of this Pueblo Mágico at the heart of the agave landscape before returning to Guadalajara.
Accommodations: Plaza Diana
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 - Explore Historic Guadalajara
See more of Guadalajara on a city tour, with a light walk through the historic center to view its grand colonial palaces and the Metropolitan Cathedral. You’ll also see the murals of José Clemente Orozco in the Government Palace, one of the city’s most important artistic landmarks. Continue to Tlaquepaque, known for its artisan heritage and traditional character. This afternoon, enjoy time to explore at your own pace and pick up any last-minute souvenirs. Later, join your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant, with mariachi music adding a distinctly Jalisco atmosphere to the evening.
Accommodations: Plaza Diana
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Adiós Guadalajara
Your journey comes to an end today as you transfer to Liberia Airport for your onward flight. Say goodbye to your Travel Director and fellow travelers as you depart.
Meals: Breakfast
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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Rio Grande Travel Centers, Inc.
6500 Holly Ave. NE Suite A-2
Albuquerque, NM 87113
USA
(505) 292-7044
(877) 768-7913