Embrace and explore México City as it showcases all facets of Mexico’s national character. In a place where many public buildings are built from the stones of Aztec temples, past and present are inextricably linked, so that around each modern street corner is another opportunity to delve into the history of Mexico. Ballet folklórico, mariachis, and a cosmopolitan mix of museums and neighborhoods adorned with the art of the great muralists illustrate the story of Mexican antiquity alongside pre-Aztec pyramids and colonial squares.

Highlights

Trace the history of Mexico City with local historians and in a variety of museums.

In museums and exhibitions, study the life and work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Explore quaint and historic neighborhoods like Coyoacan and San Angel.

Activity Particulars

Elevation above 7,000 feet. Walking up to one mile, cobblestone streets, stairs indoors and out.

Day 1

Days 1-8

Historians trace Mexico City’s past from pre-Columbian times through the colonial period and into the present. Enhance your study of the city’s history on visits to its original Aztec core, the Museum of Anthropology, the Basilica de Guadalupe and the Teotihuacan archaeological site, including the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. Lectures on Mexican art and artists cover the lives and works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo with visits to their museums, and you further your study at the National Palace, a modern-art exhibition, the Colegio de San Ildelfonso and the Museum of Dolores Olmedo. Your artistic study culminates in a performance by the famous folkloric group of Amalia Hernandez. Go inside striking neighborhoods, such as Coyoacan with its stately mansions, squares and vendors around the atrium of Saint John, as well as historic San Angel recalling colonial times with cobblestone streets, romantic squares and capricious architecture.

Lodging: Four-star hotel on Paseo de la Reforma, the avenue joining the historical center to the financial quarter.

Mexico

The oldest of the land’s found by Europeans in the New World, Mexico has endured a rough history at the hands of Cortes and subsequent invaders. Despite a turbulent past, the country maintains its relaxed and inviting charm with a mix of modern and traditional from its industrious cities to its captivating wildernesses.