Mexico Itineraries
Colonial Mexico
exploring the colonial heartland on a journey through delightful cities sampling the local cuisine along the way
A 13 day tour taking in the rich history, culture and traditions of six contrasting colonial cities within easy reach of Mexico's capital.
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Itinerary summary
Mexico City
Days 1-2: Fly to Mexico City for a two night stay. The city was founded in 1521 on the ashes of the Aztec island citadel of Tenochtitlán and is today a modern and hectic sprawl which is home to over 20 million people. There are excellent museums, galleries, markets, cathedrals and plazas surrounded by fine colonial architecture. Enjoy a half day guided visit of the historic centre and museum of anthropology.
Puebla
Days 3-4: Met by your driver and driven south (2 hours) for two nights in the city of Puebla, in the shadow of Popocatepetl volcano. You will have a tour of the city - there are over 70 churches and many beautiful buildings. Also visit the nearby town of Cholula, famous for its Great Pyramid (the largest pre-Hispanic structure in the world in terms of volume) with underground tunnels and a Catholic Church built on top.
Cuernavaca
Days 5-6: Driven west (2-3 hours) to delightful Cuernavaca, known as the ‘city of eternal spring’. Here you will visit the historic centre, including the palace of Hernán Cortés. Also visit the ancient and little-visited Olmeca-Xicallanca site of Xochicalco, around 45 minutes from the city.
San Miguel de Allende
Days 7-8: Driven north to San Miguel de Allende via Querétaro (around 6 hours). Querétaro is a lovely city with shady squares and an impressive 18th century aqueduct, and was instrumental in the events leading up to the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821). Continue to San Miguel for two nights in this beautiful city. Time to browse the many interesting shops, visit museums and galleries, and relax in the central square. Enjoy a tour to the little-known colonial mining centre of Mineral de Pozos. ‘Pozos’, once known for its opulence and a thriving mining industry, has been a virtual ghost town for over a century.
Guanajuato
Day 9: Driven to the university city of Guanajuato (90 minutes). You will have a tour of the city on arrival. There are some beautiful squares and buildings of interest, such as the theatre and the Alhóndiga (granary) where the heads of four independence heroes were hung to discourage further uprisings! Guanajuato hosts an annual ‘Cervantino’ festival every October, with a number of artistic and cultural events.
Oaxaca
Days 10-12: Driven to the nearby León airport for a flight to Oaxaca via Mexico City, where you spend your final three nights. This Mexican city is well known for its cuisine (including toasted grasshoppers or chapulines), and traditional crafts such as pottery and weaving. A city tour is included and you also have free time when you could visit the Zapotec site of Monte Albán and the traditional weaving town of Teotitlán del Valle, or just relax and admire one of the many pretty squares and colourful local markets. Oaxaca hosts the ‘Guelaguetza’ cultural festival every year in July, celebrating music, dance, food and drink from the region.
Day 13: Fly back to Mexico City for onward connections.
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Accommodation options
In the following section you will see our suggested options for possible accommodation.
The estimated flight cost included in this itinerary (assuming international flights from the UK plus any internal flights that are necessary) is £1,700 per person.
Standard - £6,680
Price and validity notes
We have tried to give you as accurate an idea of prices as possible, including meals where appropriate (but not when there are good local options so you don't pay for a meal that you might not want), accommodation, transfers, and any tours we have included.
All prices are per person based on two people sharing a room and are intended as a guide (local high or low seasons can cause some variation). All prices were correct when published but may vary with exchange rate fluctuations, fuel surcharges, or changes in the general economic situation.