Compare The Best of Central Mexico: Magical Towns and Bustling Cities by Road Scholar

Day 1
In Transit to Program, Bienvenidos a Mexico
Mexico City D Zocalo Central Hotel
Activity note: Depart U.S. on flights to Mexico City, Mexico. Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez — Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). Flights should arrive by 3:00 p.m. in order to arrive in time for the 5:30 p.m. welcome dinner. Refer to your personal air itinerary for specific flight information

Afternoon: After checking in to the hotel, take some time to freshen up and relax. We will gather at 5:30 p.m. on the hotel’s scenic terrace to meet our Group Leader and fellow Road Scholars.

Dinner: In the hotel restaurant, we will have a 3-course dinner ordered from a select menu; a non-alcoholic beverage is included, other beverages available for purchase. The restaurant has a wonderful view of the Plaza de la Constitución, the Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace, and Government Palace.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Day 2
Orientation, The Majestic Zócalo
Mexico City B,L Zocalo Central Hotel
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 4 miles during the day, standing up to 1.5 hours at a time during field trips; climbing a flight of stairs; city sidewalks, generally flat and uneven.

Breakfast: On the scenic terrace at the hotel, we will have a plated breakfast order from a select menu; orange juice, coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Morning: Orientation: We will gather in a private room at the hotel where the Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Our knowledgeable Group Leader will also serve as our Study Leader on field trips and other group activities, presenting important aspects of Mexican history, culture, traditions, and economy during transfers. Transportation will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Next, we will be joined by a local expert who will summarize major events of Mexico’s intricate, fascinating history that will provide background for our field trips. As the ancient center of the Aztec Empire and the first and most important of Spanish colonial marvels in the New World, Mexico City offers culture and history in a vibrant atmosphere. We will begin to explore this fascinating city with a walking field trip through the historical Zócalo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, constructed with stones from the main Aztec pyramid; the National Palace with its internationally famous Diego Riviera murals; and the recently excavated Templo Mayor archaeological site where the base of Tenochtitlan’s main pyramid has been unearthed.

Lunch: In a well-known, traditional Mexico City restaurant, we’ll have a plated and served lunch featuring a choice of Mexican dishes; fruit water included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will walk along busy downtown streets lined by impressive colonial buildings to reach the Alameda and Bellas Artes, the Palace of Fine Arts. Facing Bellas Artes, is Correo Mayor, an eclectic, emblematic Mexico City palace. We will explore both sites with our Study Leader. We will then set out via motorcoach on a field trip to Coyoacan, a beautiful and quaint colonial neighborhood of narrow streets, small plazas, and a Zócalo with cafés, museums, bookstores, and art centers. We will visit Casa Azul, home of the famous artist Frida Kahlo and now a museum of her life and works. We will also have some time for independent exploration to stroll along the quaint streets, enjoy the lively plaza and choose a restaurant for dinner.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. There are choices from a “fonda”, simple home-style restaurant, or taqueria to delightful, full-service Mexican restaurants.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 3
Xocimilco Floating Gardens, Chapultepec Park
Mexico City B,L,D Zocalo Central Hotel
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 3 miles during the day, standing up to 1.5 hours at a time during field trips; city sidewalks, generally flat and uneven; climbing a flight of stairs.

Breakfast: Hotel plated meal.

Morning: We will board a motorcoach and ride to Xocimilco. The Aztec city of Tenochtitlan was located on a lake in which the Mexicas, as the Aztecs called themselves, traveled by canoes and cultivated the land using chinampas, wooden trellises set on the water. Today, a small portion of the lake and of the agricultural system still remains in Xocimilco, where colorful “trajineras” — small boats decorated with flowers — travel in the canals through the “floating gardens”. Boats with food and flower vendors and mariachis ride alongside the visitors adding to the folkloric event. We will bop aboard a “trajinera” and join in the fun while gaining a deeper understanding of the complex Aztec city. Together with Mexico City itself, Xocimilco is part of the designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the UNESCO inscription, “With its network of canals and artificial islands, it testifies to the efforts of the Aztec people to build a habitat in the midst of an unfavorable environment. Its characteristic urban and rural structures, built since the 16th century and during the colonial period; have been preserved in an exceptional manner.” We’ll then ride on to the elegant Polanco neighborhood for lunch.

Lunch: In the garden of a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated and served meal featuring a Mexican specialty; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Next, we will ride to Chapultepec Park. The origin of Chapultepec Park, one of the largest and most beautiful urban parks in the world, dates to the Aztecs who planted the first Ahuehuete trees — a few of which are still alive today — near a spring and built an aqueduct later destroyed by the Spanish. In addition to its wonderful variety of green spaces, the park contains nine museums, a zoo, an amusement park, lakes, and more. Chapultepec is an important social and cultural destination for local people as well as visitors. Among the many attractions, the park houses Chapultepec Castle, currently the National History Museum, and the world famous Anthropology Museum. We will have an expert-led exploration through both museums. On our way back to the hotel, we will drive along majestic Reforma Boulevard where every roundabout exhibits a monument.

Dinner: We will walk to a nearby restaurant with an ancient patio and enjoy a plated and served 3-course meal; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Day 4
Transfer to Morelia, Exploring the City
Morelia B,L,D Hotel de la Soledad
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Driving about 190 miles, approximately 4 hours. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day, standing up to 1 hour at a time during field trips; city sidewalks and cobblestone streets, generally flat and uneven; climbing a flight of stairs.

Breakfast: Hotel plated meal.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel and leave Mexico City behind with a view of ultra-modern skyscrapers in the Santa Fe neighborhood. As we cross forested mountains, look for the snow-covered tips of volcanos that form the Trans-Mexican Volcano Belt. During the ride, our Study Leader will present the fascinating history of the state of Michoacan, its indigenous Purepecha population, and the origin of its fine crafts. We expect to arrive late morning in Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacan, known as the aristocrat of colonial cities. The historic center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of its characteristics is outstanding urban planning. Its wide avenues are lined with more than 200 majestic palaces, a prominent Cathedral, and stately plazas. Many of these were constructed with pinkish quarry stones, contributing to a formal, unified appearance. We will check in to our centrally located hotel have a moment to freshen up before lunch.

Lunch: In a traditional restaurant under arches facing the Cathedral, we’ll have a plated and served meal featuring some of Morelia’s specialties; fruit water included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: With our Study Leader, we will begin to explore the city during a walking field trip. As we stroll along stately avenues, we will be able to admire the beauty of each and every palace, its architecture and decoration. We will enter the majestic Cathedral and the Government Palace displaying socially significant murals by Alfredo Zalce which our Study Leader will help us to interpret. We will also explore the Church of Santa Rosa de Lima whose adjacent convent is today one of Latin America’s most prestigious music conservatories, especially notable for its children choir. And we will admire the perfect symmetry of the central patio of Clavijero Palace, now a cultural center. At the Regional Museum, we will review the history of the indigenous Purepecha people who were fierce foes of the Aztecs. The Spanish called them Tarascans. After the conquest of the Spanish, the Tarascan kingdom eventually fell, too. As we walk amid fountains, parks and plazas, we will see one of the homes of José Maria Morelos, a hero of the War of Independence, who gave Morelia its name. Returning to the hotel, we will have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: On the hotel patio, we will order from a select menu and have a plated and served meal; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. You might like to return to the main plaza to see the cathedral beautifully illuminated, and mingle with local people at cafés or strolling under the arches.

Day 5
Purepecha Villages & Towns
Morelia B,L Hotel de la Soledad
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Driving about 90 miles, approximately 2 hours. Walking up to 2 miles during the day, standing up to 1 hour at a time during field trips; city sidewalks and cobblestone streets, generally flat and uneven with uphills; climbing one flight of stairs.

Breakfast: On the hotel patio, we’ll have a plated breakfast with a choice of eggs; orange juice, coffee, tea, water included, other beverages available for purchase.

Morning: The state of Michoacan — often called the “Soul of Mexico” — is home to the indigenous Purepecha people. In pre-Hispanic times, they had developed a realm powerful enough to resist Aztec domination. Today their population of more than 100,000 still cling to ancient traditions and contribute greatly to the richness of Michoacan’s crafts, considered some of the finest in Mexico. We will board our motorcoach and head out to villages around Lake Patzcuaro. As we ride, our Study Leader will delve more about Mexican culture and traditions. Beginning in Tzintzuntzan, once the center of the Purepecha empire, we will explore the 16th Century Franciscan convent and the colorful market. Continuing along the lake, we will see the colorful products of weavers, intricate woodcarvings, original ceramics, and more. Founded in the 1320s by the Purepecha, the small quaint town of Patzcuaro is a colonial gem of simple adobe homes painted in red and white, tiled roofs and ancient churches and convents that reveal its indigenous-colonial-Mestizo roots.

Lunch: At a rooftop restaurant with a view of the city’s red-tiled roofs, we’ll have a 2-course plated and served meal featuring Tarascan specialties; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchased.

Afternoon: Our Study Leader will take us on a walking field trip through plazas, the House of 11 Patios, up and down cobblestone streets, and to see Purepechas trading in the open air markets, sometimes using the ancient bartering method. We will also trace the history of the Purepechas in a mural painted by Juan O’ Gorman. Returning to Morelia, the remainder of the afternoon is free.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions from the many restaurant choices.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow.

Day 6
More Morelia, Transfer to Guanajuato, Sunset at El Pipila
Guanajuato B,L,D Edelmira Hotel Boutique
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach, in/out of vans. Driving about 120 miles, approximately 3 hours. Walking up to 2 miles during the day, slow walking and standing up to 1 hour during field trips; city sidewalks and cobblestone streets, generally flat and uneven, walking one flight of stairs.

Breakfast: Hotel plated and served meal.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel, then continue to explore Morelia with our Study Leader. The city boasts a magnificent aqueduct, one of the best preserved in the world. Built with the pinkish quarry stone, the aqueduct is a mile long supported by 253 arches. Near the aqueduct, we will enter the brightly decorated Santuario de Guadalupe, unforgettable with its brilliantly colored and decorate interior. We will also have some time for independent exploration or simply to relax before regrouping for lunch.

Lunch: At a small local restaurant, we’ll have a plated and served meal for another taste of Michoacan cuisine; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Next, we will ride to the queen city of Mexican colonial jewels, Guanajuato, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our Study Leader will lecture on the importance of mining in Mexico as we ride. The discovery of rich silver veins in the 18th Century promoted the construction of this magnificent city. The Valenciana mine was one of the richest silver finds in history. Nestled in the mountains, Guanajuato is notable for its charm as well as very narrow, winding, often steep streets (callejones), stairways, small plazas (plazuelas), subterranean streets, and colorful buildings. Buses cannot enter the narrow streets, thus we will transfer into private vans to reach the hotel located in a quiet niche in a pedestrian zone of the Jardín Union, the main plaza. After checking in, we will have time to freshen up and relax. You might also like to find a bench outside and take in the surroundings of the tree-shade plaza sided by the elaborate façade of Teatro Juarez. Just before sunset, we will regroup and walk a short distance to the funicular that climbs the hill to El Pipila Statue for the finest viewpoint in Guanajuato. There the city lies in front of us on a steep hillside, colorful and imposing as if it were a painting. The setting sun that illuminates the buildings give it a magical appeal. We will return by funicular to the plaza for dinner.

Dinner: At an outdoor restaurant on the plaza, we’ll have a plated and served dinner ordered from a select menu featuring Mexican and international dishes; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: One of Guanajuato’s most popular traditions is the “callejoneada” when groups of musicians in period dress sing, dance, and retell local legends (in Spanish) as they weave through cobbled streets, ancient and steep alleys, and plazas. Elective: Those with energy, stamina, and enthusiasm are welcome to follow the callejoneada. Or, stay in the plaza where music is always present.

Day 7
Guanajuato Highlights, Free Time
Guanajuato B,L Edelmira Hotel Boutique
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 3 miles during the day, standing up to 1 hour at a time during field trips; generally narrow sidewalks, uneven cobblestones, uphills, many steps; climbing a flight of stairs.

Breakfast: In the hotel restaurant, we’ll have a plated breakfast with a choice of eggs plus orange juice, coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Morning: We will set out with our Study Leader on a walking field trip to explore some of the city’s highlights. Facing the central plaza is Teatro Juarez, with its magnificent, neo-classical exterior. As we enter the theater, we will be able to appreciate its richly ornate, flamboyant decoration that follows the horseshoe design of most European opera houses. Bright, colorful homes and buildings line the streets, alleys, and plazas. The alleys can become so narrow that a popular legend tells of a couple kissing from their balconies. We will stop to admire the imposing white stone building of Guanajuato University fronted by a wide staircase with 133 steps — viewed from the bottom! We will also enter the Templo de la Compañía whose rather dilapidated, Churrigueresque exterior contrasts with the spacious interior. The striking, deep yellow Guanajuato Basilica is one of the city’s most renowned architectural, historical, and ecclesiastical landmarks. Situated on a hilltop facing a larger plaza, it is prominent in the daytime and brightly lit at night. Construction began in 1671, sponsored by local silver miners, and was completed in 25 years. The main object of veneration inside is a jewel-laden image of Our Lady of Guanajuato. The story goes that this wooden statue of the Virgin and Child was carved by an unknown artist in Andalusia prior to the Moorish invasion of Spain, and was then hidden in a cave to hide it from the Moors — where it stayed for eight centuries! Eventually, the King of Spain gave it to the basilica as a token of thanks for all the wealth dug out of the silver mines and sent to the Spanish treasury. We will also trace the city’s turbulent history at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a former granary that now contains a regional museum. In 1810, it was the site of the first battle in the Mexican War of Independence.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will have a plated and served meal; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Those who wish to return to the hotel can walk or take a short taxi ride. You might like to wander through the maze of alleys, plazas, and markets, or find a café to sip a beverage and observe the vibrant city life. Other possibilities include the home and museum of world famous artist Diego Rivera and — most definitely off the beaten track — the Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato, the mummy museum.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like in Guanajuato. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Day 8
Transfer to Dolores Hidalgo, San Miguel Allende, Queretaro
Queretaro B,L,D Doña Urraca
Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; getting on/off a motorcoach. Driving about 120 miles, approximately 3 hours. Walking up to 2 miles during the day, standing up to 1 hour at a time during field trips; narrow sidewalks, cobblestones, generally flat and uneven with uphills and steps.

Breakfast: Hotel plated and served meal.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel early in the morning. Due to the narrow streets, we will take private vans to ride through the city center, in and out of underground tunnels and narrow passageways, and in the openings to see colorful back sides of homes to reach our private motorcoach and continue our journey to Queretaro. We will make several stops along the way. During the drive, our Study Leader will tell us more about the economic, social, and religious structure of the Spanish colonial period leading to the Mexican Independence. We will stop briefly in the city of Dolores Hidalgo, known as the Cradle of National Independence. It was here on September 16, 1810, that Father Hidalgo — a priest who became “the father of Mexico” — gave the famous cry for freedom, now called the “Grito de Dolores”, that sparked the beginning of the War of Independence from Spain. September 16 is celebrated as Mexico’s Independence Day. Moving on, we will reach the Sanctuary of Atotonilco, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes the picturesque town of San Miguel de Allende. From the UNESCO inscription: “San Miguel de Allende acted as a melting pot where Spaniards, Creoles and Amerindians exchanged cultural influences while the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco constitutes an exceptional example of the exchange between European and Latin American cultures…Its interior decoration, especially mural painting, makes the Sanctuary a masterpiece of Mexican Baroque.” We will continue our ride to San Miguel Allende for lunch.

Lunch: In a garden restaurant featuring Yucatan cuisine, we will have a plated and served meal from a select menu; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Named in honor of General Ignacio Allende, one of the fathers of Mexican Independence who was born here, San Miguel Allende gained international fame thanks to the establishment of Instituto Allende in the 1950s attracting foreigners to its art and Spanish courses. We will take a walking field trip with our Study Leader to see the town center and appreciate the variety of architectural styles represented in its buildings, especially La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel — the Parish of Saint Michael the Archangel — that can be seen from everywhere. Founded in the mid-1500s, it was rebuilt several times over the centuries. They appear ancient, but the soaring towers and neo-Gothic façade we see today are from the late 19th century. We’ll then move on to Querétaro and check in to an original 16th century former convent for our overnight. During the drive, our Study Leader will narrate the eventful years following the independence discussing Benito Juarez, the French Invasion, the Revolutionary War, and the eventual signing of Mexico’s Constitution.

Dinner: We will walk to an outdoor restaurant on the main plaza for a plated and served 3-course meal; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. You are welcome to walk back to the hotel with our Study Leader or stay in the plaza to enjoy the nightlife, mingle with local people, and return to the hotel on your own.

Day 9
Exploring Querétaro, Aqueduct, Cerro de la Campana
Queretaro B,D Doña Urraca
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day, slow walking and standing up to 1 hour during field trips; cobblestones, generally flat and uneven; climbing a flight of stairs.

Breakfast: In a pleasant restaurant adjacent to the hotel, we’ll have a plated and served meal ordered from a select menu featuring Mexican and international choices; orange juice, coffee, tea, water included, other beverages available for purchase.

Morning: Rich in colonial monuments, charming walking streets, lively plazas, and a monumental aqueduct make Queretaro a UNESCO Site. The city played a major role throughout Mexican history since its founding in 1531. Admire the architecture, baroque and neo-classical, that tell the story of the city from the plotting of the Independence, the execution of Maximilian of Austria, the writing of the Mexican constitution and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe. The Group Leader leads the walk through the most notorious edifices of the historical center, through manicured plazas and lively pedestrian streets Near the hotel, enter San Augustin Temple and ex-monastery to awe at the magnificent cloister considered the most beautiful in America while the baroque Temple of Santa Clara is one of the most opulent of New Spain. In contrast, Queretaro’s Cathedral, the Temple of San Felipe Neri, displays a fusion of Baroque and Neo-clasical. Father Miguel Hidalgo celebrated the first mass in this temple. Walk past the Teatro de la Republica, where in 1876 Maximilian was sentenced to death and in 1917 the present Constitution was signed. The stately building of the ex-convent of San Francisco houses a museum which resumes Queretaro history; a guided visit will point out the most important exhibits. Currently the Government Palace, the Casa de la Regidora was the home of Josefa Ortíz de Dominguez, the initiator of Mexican Independence Movement. In the plaza, stop for lunch and a well-earned rest.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions to choose from the numerous restaurants in the plazas and pedestrian zones in walking distance from the hotel.

Afternoon: We will have some time after lunch to rest and relax or explore independently. In the late afternoon, we will regroup in the hotel lobby, board the motorcoach, and ride to see the magnificent aqueduct, a symbol of the city, with 75 arches reaching a height of nearly 100 feet (30 meters). Next, we will visit the Santa Cruz Convent with its legendary thorn tree on our way to Cerro de la Campana. This is the spot where Emperor Maximilian was executed, thus ending the French invasion in Mexico. It was in Queretaro in 1867 that Maximilian and his army were besieged by forces of the Republic of Mexico headed by President Benito Juarez. We will also enter Santa Rosa de Viterbo Church to admire the Baroque altarpiece. You may ride back to the hotel in the motorcoach or walk if you like. We will have some time to freshen and relax before dinner.

Dinner: We will meet in the hotel lobby and walk to the Casa de la Marquesa, once the sumptuously decorated Baroque mansion of a duchess, now a boutique hotel. In the lavish atmosphere of the dining room, we will have a plated and served 3-course meal; a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Walk back to the hotel. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Day 10
Transfer to Puebla, Teotihuacan Complex, Cholula
Puebla B,L,D Quinta Real Puebla
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Driving about 230 miles, approximately 5 hours. Walking up to 2 miles during the day, up to 1.5 hours during field trip; cobblestones, generally flat and uneven; climbing uneven stone steps.

Breakfast: Restaurant plated and served meal.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel and board our motorcoach for the transfer to Puebla, Mexico’s fourth-largest city, important for its rich history, culture, and economy. Our drive will cross agricultural fields nicely divided by stone walls and rolling hills that encircle Mexico City. As we ride, our Study Leader will lecture on pre-Columbian cultures. En route, we will visit Teotihuacan, one of Mexico’s most noted archaeological sites.

Lunch: At a restaurant near the Teotihuacan archaeological site, we will have a buffet lunch and choose from a wide selection of international and Mexican dishes; non-alcoholic drinks are included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Known as the City of the Gods, from the 1st. century BC to the 5th century the pre-Columbian city of Teotihuacan was the home of an important culture which influenced the succeeding civilizations of Mesoamerica and reached a population greater than Rome. Visit the site, walk along the Avenue of the Dead, visit the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and, if desired, climb the famous pyramids to the Sun and to the Moon. Continue to Puebla with a stop in Cholula before entering the city. Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Sanctuary was built on top of the remains of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, supposed to be the biggest that ever existed. Little remains of the pyramid, but the view of the many yellow domes of the sanctuary against the Popocapetl volcano is a classic sight of Mexico. Continue to the beautiful church of Tonantzintla, then enter Puebla. Located near the Cathedral, the hotel was adapted in an ex-hacienda and displays antique furnishings and locally made “Talavera” ceramics. Known for its excellent Mexican food, meals in Puebla are a treat. Walk half block to a noted Puebla restaurant to dine on the famous mole, a delicious mestizo dish that originated in Puebla.

Dinner: We will walk a short distance to a noted Puebla restaurant for a plated and served meal that will include a non-alcoholic drink; other beverages available for purchase. Our meal will begin with appetizers of local specialties (some may surprise you!). The main dish will feature mole (pronounced “MOH-leh”) poblano that originated in Puebla. This rich, smooth sauce — often served over chicken, turkey, or other meats — is highly labor intensive, prepared with ground chiles and other ingredients such as chicken stock, garlic, nuts, onion, seeds, spices, and tomatoes, as well as chocolate, plantains, and raisins for sweetness, and sometimes more.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 11
Exploring Puebla
Puebla B,L Quinta Real Puebla
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day; slow walking and standing up to 1 hour during field trips; cobblestones, generally flat and uneven; climbing a flight of stairs.

Breakfast: On the hotel patio, we’ll choose what we like from a full buffet including Mexican and international dishes; milk, juices, coffee, tea, water included, other beverages available for purchase.

Morning: Puebla — originally Ciudad de los Ángeles, city of the Angels — was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its wealth of historical and cultural riches, especially architecture. We will spend the day with our Study Leader exploring this urban treasury and some of its outstanding sites on foot and by motorcoach. Its gems of Spanish-colonial buildings include many churches as well as palaces, a historic library, and private houses, many are decorated with colorful azulejos — Talavera-style ceramic tiles. The monumental cathedral, begun in 1575 and completed in 1649, is the second-largest in Mexico; its twin bell towers are the tallest in the country. At the Church of Santo Domingo, much of the baroque ornamentation in the world famous Capilla del Rosario — Chapel of the Rosary — is lavishly covered with gold leaf. The Biblioteca Palafoxiana, founded in 1646, was the first public library in the Americas and has been listed in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” register. The recently refurbished all-tiled kitchen of the Santa Rosa convent was the site where the cloistered nuns invented mole. The Casa del Alfeñique, in 18th century Churrigueresque baroque style, is now a museum. Alfeñique refers to its elaborate stucco ornamentation considered similar in appearance to the meringue candy of the same name. While walking, we will admire the ornate façades of many buildings such as the Casa de los Muñecos (House of the Dolls) for its fanciful, Talevera-tiled images.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated and served meal featuring another original Puebla dish, chiles en nogada (stuffed chiles with a walnut sauce); a non-alcoholic drink is included, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We’ll step on the motorcoach to encounter highlights away from the city center including the fort area where the Battle of Puebla was fought on Cinco de Mayo: May 5, 1862. The outnumbered Mexicans, led by General Zaragoza, outfought the superior French force, providing a moral victory in the larger war against foreign intervention. In a modern residential-cultural-business complex, we will see the Museo Internacional del Barroco, inaugurated in 2016. The sleek, avant-garde design outside contrasts dramatically with the Baroque art inside. Amid the paintings and interactive video displays, a huge model shows Puebla’s place in the development of Baroque culture. Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon is free. You might like to visit a museum