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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, checking in, and getting your room, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax. Program Registration: 6:30 p.m. Come over to the Road Scholar table in the hotel lobby to register with the program staff and get your up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.
Dinner: In the hotel restaurant, we’ll enjoy a welcome three course dinner including dessert, plus coffee, tea, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the days ahead.
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; flat terrain, busy sidewalks; periods of standing up to 1/2 hour at a time.
Breakfast: At the hotel, we'll enjoy a buffet featuring Mexican and international cuisine including a variety of hot dishes, bread, pastries, yogurt, fruit, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.
Morning: Orientation: 8:30 a.m. 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. All transportation will be provided via bus unless specified otherwise. An instructor will conduct all sessions in the classroom; a certified expert will lead field trips and excursions. Periods in the 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’ll be joined in our private meeting room by our instructor to receive the first in a series of lectures on the history of Mexico City. Founded as Mexica-Tenochtitlan by the Mexica people in the early 14th century, it is commonly referred to as Tenochtitlan. According to Mexica mythology, they were signaled by their principal god Huitzilopochtli to build their home where they saw an eagle resting on a cactus with a snake in its beak. For nearly two centuries, the city prospered and expanded as the capital of the Aztec empire, until falling to Spanish conquest in 1521. Leaving the hotel, we’ll walk to The Templo Mayor, which was the site of the main temple of Tenochtitlan and regarded as the center of the world by the Aztecs. It was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, and Tlaloc, the god of rain and agriculture. After seeing the ruins, we will then walk to the Templo Mayor Museum, which holds some 7,000 pieces recovered during excavations of the site.
Lunch: At a local favorite restaurant, we’ll have a 3-course plated lunch with fruit water, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: We'll then continue our expert-led field trip at the Federal Secretary of Public Education. Built as a convent in 1594 The Incarnation Convent was one of the greatest convents in the Colonial Mexico. Today, it’s the headquarters of the Federal Secretary of Public Education with a magnificent display of work done by the master Diego Rivera, having more than three thousand square meters of mural paintings. In his murals he depicted various work activities, he paid homage to the arts, to national heroes and ideals, as well as the fertility. He developed his own concept of the transformation of the human being, he recreated various Mexican celebrations, and he elaborated scenes related to revolutionary social struggles. Back at our hotel, we will have our social hour with an opportunity to know more about our fellow travelers.
Dinner: At the hotel restaurant, we’ll have a plated 3-course meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; periods of standing and walking in the museum up to 1 hour; flat terrain, city sidewalks.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: We will meet with our instructor to continue our lecture series on the history of México City, focusing on the colonial period as the capital of New Spain. After the lecture and accompanied by our local expert we will board the bus to go to our field trip to the Anthropology Museum. One of the most visited museums in México, the Museo Nacional de Antropologia, or the National Museum of Anthropology. Built in the 1960s, this large and prestigious museum houses over 52,000 pieces in 23 exhibition rooms. Among its collections are pieces from the Teotihucans, Toltecs Mexicas, Mayans, and other cultures. One of the most important items we will see is the Aztec Calendar carved in stone. After the presentation, we will have some time to explore the museum independently.
Lunch: At the Anthropology Museum restaurant, we will have a buffet meal featuring a variety of salads, soups, main dishes, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: Continue browsing the museum independently. At a designated time we will board the bus to go to the Museo Mural Diego Rivera to admire the famous mural Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central, meaning "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central" Painted from 1946 to 1947, the 51-foot-long mural depicts famous individuals and events in Mexican history.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, enjoy a two course dinner with fruit water, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase
Evening: At leisure
Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 30 miles, approximately 1.5 hours one-way. Walking up to 2.5 miles throughout the day; periods of standing; dirt paths.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: Departing the hotel via bus, our field trip will begin with a visit to the Teotihuacan Pyramids and its archaeological site where our local expert will introduce us to Teotihuacan and how it became the sixth largest city in the world between 150 BCE and 450 CE. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the pyramids are the centerpiece of the holy city that once hosted a population of at least 125,000 people. Some of the most famous temples include the Temple of the Plumed Serpent and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon.
Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will have a buffet meal featuring a variety of salads, soups, main dishes, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, fruit water, and water; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: We will continue to La Villa de Guadalupe, where we will learn about the old and new Basilica, as well as the Capuchinas Convent, and stand on the Antrio of the Americas. The basilica is the most visited sanctuary in Latin America housing the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. While here, we’ll also learn the story of St. Juan Diego and the apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1531. Originally the site of a shrine to a mother goddess, the conquistadors destroyed the chapel and adapted the location into the parish, eventually building the Old Basilica that was completed in 1709. Due to a sinking foundation, the New Basilica was constructed next to it from 1974 to 1976, creating a dichotomy of old and new. We’ll then return to the hotel.
Dinner: Tonight's dinner is on your own. This meal has been excluded from the program cost. Group leader can make suggestions.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 1.5 miles total throughout the day; periods of standing in museum, flat terrain. Getting on/off a bus; driving about 35 miles each way, approximately 2 hours total. Getting on/off trajinera boats; ride is about 1 hour.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: Accompanied by our expert and aboard our bus we'll head out to the neighborhood of Coyoacán. Once an independent village on the shore of Lake Texcoco, Coyoacán welcomed the Spanish and served as the headquarters of Hernan Cortes and the conquistadors. Its name comes from a Nahuatl word of which the exact meaning is unknown but most likely means “place of coyotes.” While here, we’ll visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as Casa Azul. The museum is housed in the building where Kahlo spent most of her life and was donated, along with its contents, to be a museum in her memory by her husband Diego Rivera. Here, we will admire many exhibits of Frida’s work, as well as some personal items that are on display. The museum displays several works of art by the couple and other artists, in addition to displaying the lifestyle of Mexican artisans and bohemians in the first half of the 20th century. We will also be able to admire some of Diego Rivera's work and enjoy the beautiful gardens during the independent and relaxing exploration of the property before departing via bus to Lake Xochimilco.
Lunch: Aboard the trajineras, we’ll enjoy a delicious 2-course meal with water; other beverages available for purchase. As we ride along in the boats, we’ll explore Lake Xochimilco and the canal system from a unique perspective.
Afternoon: Continuing our ride aboard the trajineras, we will learn why this vestige of the pre-Hispanic area has been designated as a World Heritage Site. Established on the shores of Lake Xochimilco, the borough of Mexico City has retained its own identity from the capital just to the north. Xochimilco was built on artificial islands called chinampas that created more than 100 miles of canals and connected many settlements in the Valley of Mexico – what is roughly comparable to the modern day Federal District. We will then get off the boat at the dock and return to the hotel. At a designated time we will join our instructor in our meeting room to continue learning about the history of Mexico. The focus of our lecture will be Neoclassic Art.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles total throughout the day; flat terrain. Getting on/off a bus; driving about 22 miles, approximately 1.5 hours roundtrip. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during independent exploration according to personal choice.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: In our meeting room with our instructor, we will have another presentation in our series of lectures, this time covering Mexico XX Century. After the lecture, we'll board our bus and head out to the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (National Autonomous University of Mexico), known is the Maximum House of Studies. This educational emblem of the country is one of the most important universities in Latin America. The prestigious university celebrated the 110th anniversary of its foundation in 2020. We will admire the murals made by artists from the stature of David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera
Lunch: At a local restaurant in San Angel, we'll enjoy a 2-course meal, plus lemonade, coffee, and water; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: After lunch, we will walk through the neighborhood of Colonia San Angel and visit the Bazar del Sabado where local artists show and sell their work. With a local expert, we’ll see much of Mexico’s native art. We’ll then return to the hotel.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, enjoy a three-course dinner with flavored water, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 1.5 miles total throughout the day; periods of standing; flat terrain.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: After breakfast we will depart via bus to the Palace of Fine Arts to enjoy a presentation of the famous Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernadez. This piece reflects the various genres and art forms from across the country expressed through both dance and music. After the presentation and accompanied by our local expert we will continuing to explore the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) was built in the place of the first National Theater of México the early 1930's. Here we will have an opportunity to explore the marvelous interior. Primarily a combination of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, the grand building is divided into the main hall with smaller exhibition rooms, the theater and the institute's offices s.
Lunch: At a local restaurant, we'll enjoy a 2-course meal with water, fruit water, or tea included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: We will start the afternoon with a stop to gaze at the Latin American Tower and learn why this skyscraper is one of the most important landmarks in México City. Then, we'll continue our walk to Casa de los Azulejos, or House of Tiles; this is an 18th-century mansion known for its exquisite blue and white tilework from the state of Puebla. Our next stop is the Postal Palace, also known as Main Post Office. Built in the early 20th century by the original architect of The Palace of Fine Arts, the building features a variety of architectural styles creating a unique masterpiece. We'll move on to the Palace of Iturbide for today’s final stop. Constructed between 1779 and 1785, the palace was a prominent count’s wedding gift for his daughter featuring three floors, a mezzanine, and two fortified towers. The Palace has been renamed the Palacio Cultural Banamex to promote the culture of México City. Back in our private meeting room at the hotel, we will have a presentation on México today.
Dinner: We will walk to a local restaurant for a 3-course meal, plus coffee, tea, and water; other beverages available for purchase. The Group Leader will review the program and discuss airport transfers for when the program concludes. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check out the next day.
Activity note: Hotel check-out 12:00 Noon. See your program’s Transportation Information regarding transfers. Driving about 5 miles, approximately 1/2 hour to airport.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we’ll then board the bus and transfer to the airport. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!