Luxury Mexico City

Upon arrival, you’ll meet your Exeter Latin America driver and English-speaking guide for your private transfer to your accommodations in Mexico City.

A sprawling city simply bursting with energy, Mexico City is a true melting pot of international talent. Known for its incredible range of fine dining options as well as some of the cities best street food. There are countless ways to spend your days – from visiting nearby ruins, to touring the home of Frida Kahlo, to participating in a cooking class, to catching a local wresting match (lucha libre). Mexico City is an urban jungle with something to offer anyone.

After breakfast you and your private guide will begin to explore the magnificent Mexico City, built on top of the ruins of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. You will first visit the historic center of the city with a stop in the Zocalo (main square), one of the biggest public squares in the world. You will then visit the Metropolitan Cathedral – the biggest church in Latin America, and the Temple Mayor. You will then walk along the famous boulevard Paseo de la Reforma, built during the short-lived reign of Emperor Maximilian, which connects the main square to his castle in Chapultepec (visit not included).

You’ll have some free time this afternoon for lunch & independent exploration.

This evening for dinner, head with your guide to Colonia Narvarte, Mexico City’s hidden gem of street food. This neighborhood is a solidly middle-class neighborhood, perfectly safe and also perfectly Mexican. Tonight you will get to see a side of the city that many tourists miss. The neighborhood is known for its dozens of family-style taquerias and a tranquil atmosphere that has not changed much over the past couple of decades. You will try tacos al pastor (succulent pork tacos cooked similarly to a kebob), zesty carne asada, and suadero tacos from some of the best local vendors. This tour can easily be customized for vegetarian or plant-based diets, with advance notice.

After breakfast you will be met by your driver and guide who will take you to Coyoacan, a former colonial village, located in the southern part of the city. Coyoacan still has its own identity, with narrow colonial-ear streets, plazas, cafes, and a lively bohemian atmosphere. Your guide will accompany you on a walking tour of the area, admiring the main plaza, churches, and colorful old buildings.

You will then visit Frida Kahlo’s home (museum – The Blue House), where she was born and lived much of her life, and eventually died. The house is a treasure trove, not only of her paintings, but also of innumerable artifacts associated with her and her husband, famous muralist Diego Rivera.

You will then drive to visit the Casa Estudio Diego Rivera designed by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s friend: architect and painter Juan O’Gorman.

Return to your hotel and afternoon at leisure.

This morning, enjoy a visit to the world class National Museum of Anthropology that hosts one of the world’s largest collections of archaeological and anthropological artifacts from Pre-Hispanic Mayan civilizations to the Spanish conquest. Each of the Halls display artifacts from a particular geographic region or culture. The Mesoamerican cultures displayed are Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec, Olmec and Maya. You will spend the majority of your visit at the Aztec Hall, which contains one of the museums most impressive artifacts: the Aztec Calendar, this 12-foot, 25-ton carved basalt slab was discovered buried beneath the Zocalo.

Then, you will tour the Castillo de Chapultepec, or the National Museum of History as it is officially known, with a local guide. Built during colonial times, the castle is an emblematic building because of the key historical moments it has witnessed, particularly from the fifteenth to the twentieth-century. The museum houses a collection of more than 100 thousand objects divided into six exhibitions: paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings and prints, coin collections, historical documents and flags, technology and weapons; clothing, accessories, furniture and household items. There are also temporary exhibits on various subjects.

Or, you may prefer to instead visit the Rufino Tamayo Museum, today known as the Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, in Chapultepec Park, which regularly produces some of the most important contemporary art exhibitions seen in the city. Drawing on a significant historical collection of modern and contemporary art, the museum also draws from works collected by its founder, the artist, Rufino Tamayo. Afternoon at leisure.

This morning will be an early departure, but the reward is well worth it. You will drive approximately an hour to reach the Glob port near Teotihuacan, coffee and pastries will be provided while you prepare for your hot air balloon ride. You will enjoy a ride over the Aztec ruins of Teotihuacan, the ride will last from 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on weather conditions. The hot air balloon will fly over the archaeological site of Teotihuacan gliding over palaces and pyramids. After landing you will enjoy a buffet breakfast near to the site, followed by a visit to the grounds themselves before driving back into the city.

Afternoon at leisure.

Today you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport in a private transfer for onward travel.