A Taste of Mexico

Welcome to Mexico! Your guide will greet you at arrivals and take you to your hotel in the city for check in via private transfer. The rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace.

Mexico City

Benito Juarez Park

Palacio de Bellas Artes

Mexico City

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Hotel Bellas Artes

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Today you will discover Mexico City, often called the City of Palaces, on a guided panoramic tour that highlights its most significant landmarks. Begin in the Historic Center, known as the Zócalo, where you will walk through its main square surrounded by impressive colonial architecture and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Continue along Juárez Avenue, passing by Alameda Park, the Hemiciclo a Juárez, and the Palacio de las Bellas Artes, one of the city’s most recognized cultural landmarks. The tour then follows Paseo de la Reforma, one of the city’s principal avenues. Along this route, admire its elegant fountains and monuments, including the Angel of Independence, a symbol of Mexico City. Your experience concludes with a visit to the National Museum of Anthropology, regarded as one of the most important museums in Latin America. Here, you will find outstanding collections dedicated to Mexico’s pre-Hispanic civilizations. Among its most notable pieces is the Aztec Stone of the Sun, alongside other artifacts that provide valuable insight into the traditions, beliefs, and artistry of ancient cultures. This tour offers a clear overview of Mexico City’s architectural, cultural, and historical highlights in a single, well-paced experience.

Aztec Sun Stone

Zocalo

Palacio de Bellas Artes

The Angel of Independence

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Hotel Bellas Artes

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Visit one of Mexico’s most significant archaeological sites, the ancient city of Teotihuacan. Here you will see the monumental structures that continue to define its landscape, including the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Moon, the Citadel, and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. These impressive constructions offer insight into the scale and organization of this once-thriving civilization. After your visit to Teotihuacan, continue to the southern part of Mexico City to experience Xochimilco, an area known for its canals and floating gardens. This UNESCO World Heritage site preserves the traditional system of chinampas, or man-made islands, that supported agriculture for centuries. Surrounded by greenery, the canals remain a living example of pre-Hispanic ingenuity and adaptation. As part of your visit, enjoy a ride on a trajinera, a traditional brightly painted wooden boat that glides through the waterways. This relaxed journey offers the chance to appreciate the landscape from a unique perspective while learning about the cultural importance of the area. Together, Teotihuacan and Xochimilco highlight two distinct aspects of Mexico’s past and present, connecting monumental archaeological heritage with traditions that continue to shape daily life in the capital today. At the end of the tour, your driver will take you back to your hotel.

Teotihuacan

Xochimilco

Xochimilco Boats

Teotihuacan

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Hotel Bellas Artes

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Spend the morning at your own pace in Mexico City, with time to enjoy the city’s many museums, parks, and neighborhoods. By late afternoon, join a shared tour designed around two of Mexico’s most distinctive traditions: tacos and mezcal. Tacos are often regarded as the country’s most iconic dish, and their versatility reflects the diversity of regional cooking. Whether prepared with corn or flour tortillas, filled with pork, fish, beef, or vegetables, and served with or without cheese, tacos remain a staple of everyday life. On this tour, you will visit well-known taquerias in Mexico City that serve both traditional and classic versions, offering a chance to taste the variety that has made this dish an essential part of Mexican food culture. Alongside the food, the experience introduces mezcal, one of Mexico’s most traditional drinks. Guided by a mezcal expert, you will learn about its origins and production while sampling selections that range from smoky to sweet, with floral and herbal notes. This tasting highlights the cultural significance of mezcal, which has been produced in Mexico for centuries. The combination of tacos and mezcal offers a relaxed yet meaningful way to connect with the flavors and traditions of Mexico City.

Mezcal

Tacos

Market Mexico

Traditional Mexican Food

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Hotel Bellas Artes

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Begin the day with a visit to Chichén Itzá, considered the most important capital of the ancient Mayan world and now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This archaeological zone is one of the best-preserved examples of Mayan culture and architecture, offering an in-depth look at the achievements of this remarkable civilization. The centerpiece of the site is the Pyramid of Kukulcán, also known as El Castillo, designated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. You will also see the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, the Great Ball Court of Mesoamerica, and the Observatory, where Mayan astronomers carried out advanced calculations that aligned with solar and lunar cycles. Each structure reflects the knowledge, symbolism, and cultural practices of the period. After exploring the site, the tour continues to Cenote Ik Kil, a natural sinkhole surrounded by lush vegetation and sheer rock walls. Here, you will have time to swim in the clear, cool waters, a refreshing contrast to the morning’s activities. This combination of archaeology and nature offers a clear perspective on how the Mayan world integrated both monumental architecture and the natural environment into its way of life.

Cenote

Chichen Itza

Iguana Chichen Itza

Cenote

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Ya'ax Hotel Boutique

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Your private guide will pick you up from your hotel, ready to take you to the airport for your international flight home. Safe travels!

Airport

Happy Travels!

Flight

Mexican Flag

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Ya'ax Hotel Boutique

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Begin the day with a transfer to Motul, the first Mayan town on the itinerary. Here you will enjoy a traditional breakfast at the local market, where Doña Evelia is known for preparing regional dishes that have become a favorite among visitors and locals alike. Continue to the town of Sinanché for an introduction to beekeeping. Learn about the different species of bees native to the region and the process of honey production. For the Maya, honey and bees held cultural and medicinal importance, and this visit offers an opportunity to understand their role in daily life. Next, travel to San Crisanto to explore the mangroves by boat. During the journey, you will reach an Ojo de Agua, a natural freshwater spring, where you can cool off in its clear waters. Afterward, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, featuring regional flavors prepared in a traditional style. The day concludes in Sac-Há, where you will have time to relax by the oceanfront. With its calm setting and coastal views, it offers a peaceful way to end the experience before returning to your accommodation.

Mayan Hut

Honeycomb

San Crisanto

Motul

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Ya'ax Hotel Boutique

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Enjoy a private cooking experience led by a local chef. The day begins in Hidalgo Park, one of the city’s central meeting points. From there, walk through the downtown streets to reach the Galvez Market. This market is known for its lively atmosphere and wide variety of fresh produce, meats, and spices. Here you will have the chance to learn about local ingredients and purchase everything needed for the dishes you will prepare later. After gathering the products, continue to the chef’s home, where the cooking class takes place in a welcoming setting. Guided step by step, you will prepare a selection of regional recipes using the ingredients chosen from the market. The menu changes depending on the season, ensuring that the dishes reflect what is freshest and most traditional at the time of your visit. This hands-on experience not only introduces you to the techniques behind Yucatecan cuisine but also provides an opportunity to understand the cultural importance of food in daily life. By the end of the class, you will share the meal you have prepared, enjoying both the flavors and the knowledge gained during the day.

Tacos

Food Market

Cooking Class

Cochinita

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Ya'ax Hotel Boutique

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At the scheduled time, transfer to Mexico City International Airport for your flight to Mérida. Upon arrival in Mérida, you will be taken to your hotel for check-in. Later, enjoy a private guided tour of Mérida, often referred to as the White City. This panoramic experience highlights the most significant landmarks while tracing the history of the region, from its Mayan roots to the period of Spanish colonization. Your tour begins at the central square, the Zócalo, surrounded by important buildings that reflect the city’s colonial past. Visit the Cathedral of Mérida, dedicated to San Ildefonso, one of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas. Continue to the Casa de Montejo, built by the Spanish conquerors, and the Government Palace, known for its murals that depict key moments in Yucatán’s past. The Plaza Mayor and the Museum of Contemporary Art also form part of the route, offering a balance between tradition and modern cultural expression. The experience concludes with a drive along the Paseo de Montejo, Mérida’s main avenue, lined with impressive mansions that reflect the wealth of the henequen era. This tour provides a clear introduction to the city’s character, architecture, and historical importance.

Mérida

Mérida

Mérida

Food Stall

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Ya'ax Hotel Boutique

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Depart in the morning toward Celestún, a coastal reserve known for its diverse birdlife and distinctive landscapes. The area provides a natural habitat where cormorants, herons, and pelicans can often be seen. During the season, the highlight is the large flocks of pink flamingos that gather in the wetlands, creating an impressive sight. Your visit includes a boat trip through the mangroves, one of the peninsula’s most important ecosystems. These coastal wetlands play a vital role in protecting marine life, maintaining water quality, and supporting a wide variety of species. As you navigate through the channels, you will have the chance to appreciate the unique environment created by the intertwining roots and calm waters. The experience combines nature observation with an introduction to the ecological significance of mangroves, offering insight into how these fragile systems sustain both wildlife and local communities. Depending on the season, the tour may also provide opportunities to see additional migratory birds that stop in Celestún on their annual routes. Celestún offers a clear view of the peninsula’s coastal environment and the importance of preserving it for future generations.

Celestún Mangroves

Flamingos

Celestún Beach

Paddle Through Mangrove

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Ya'ax Hotel Boutique

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