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Mexico

The Best of Central Mexico: Magical Towns and Bustling Cities

Program No. 23083RJ
Beginning in Mexico City’s bustle, journey to five colorful, European-inspired cities in Central Mexico, experiencing archaeological gems, open-air markets and savory cuisine.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
Activity Level: Keep the Pace (26)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Jan 11 - Jan 25, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Jan 18 - Feb 1, 2024
Starting at
4,849
Jan 25 - Feb 8, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Feb 1 - Feb 15, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Feb 15 - Feb 29, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Filling Fast!
Feb 29 - Mar 14, 2024
Starting at
4,849
Filling Fast!
Mar 7 - Mar 21, 2024
Starting at
4,449
Apr 4 - Apr 18, 2024
Starting at
4,399
Filling Fast!
Apr 18 - May 2, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Sep 19 - Oct 3, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Sep 26 - Oct 10, 2024
Starting at
4,399
Filling Fast!
Oct 10 - Oct 24, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Itinerary Note

On this date, participants will spend two overnights in San Miguel de Allende instead of Guanajuato. The city of Guanajuato is visited as a day field trip.

Nov 7 - Nov 21, 2024
Starting at
4,399
Dec 5 - Dec 19, 2024
Starting at
4,399
Jan 9 - Jan 23, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Jan 16 - Jan 30, 2025
Starting at
5,499
Jan 30 - Feb 13, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Feb 6 - Feb 20, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Feb 20 - Mar 6, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Mar 6 - Mar 20, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Mar 20 - Apr 3, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Apr 24 - May 8, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Sep 18 - Oct 2, 2025
Starting at
5,499
Oct 9 - Oct 23, 2025
Starting at
5,499
Itinerary Note

On this date, participants will spend two overnights in San Miguel de Allende instead of Guanajuato. The city of Guanajuato is visited as a day field trip.

Nov 6 - Nov 20, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Dec 4 - Dec 18, 2025
Starting at
4,999
Activity Level: Keep the Pace (26)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Jan 11 - Jan 25, 2024
Starting at
5,799
Jan 18 - Feb 1, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Jan 25 - Feb 8, 2024
Starting at
5,799
Feb 1 - Feb 15, 2024
Starting at
5,799
Feb 15 - Feb 29, 2024
Starting at
5,799
Feb 29 - Mar 14, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Filling Fast!
Mar 7 - Mar 21, 2024
Starting at
5,799
Filling Fast!
Apr 4 - Apr 18, 2024
Starting at
5,749
Filling Fast!
Apr 18 - May 2, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Sep 19 - Oct 3, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Sep 26 - Oct 10, 2024
Starting at
5,749
Filling Fast!
Oct 10 - Oct 24, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Itinerary Note

On this date, participants will spend two overnights in San Miguel de Allende instead of Guanajuato. The city of Guanajuato is visited as a day field trip.

Filling Fast!
Nov 7 - Nov 21, 2024
Starting at
5,749
Filling Fast!
Dec 5 - Dec 19, 2024
Starting at
5,749
Jan 9 - Jan 23, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Filling Fast!
Jan 16 - Jan 30, 2025
Starting at
7,019
Jan 30 - Feb 13, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Feb 6 - Feb 20, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Feb 20 - Mar 6, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Mar 6 - Mar 20, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Mar 20 - Apr 3, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Apr 24 - May 8, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Filling Fast!
Sep 18 - Oct 2, 2025
Starting at
7,019
Filling Fast!
Oct 9 - Oct 23, 2025
Starting at
7,019
Itinerary Note

On this date, participants will spend two overnights in San Miguel de Allende instead of Guanajuato. The city of Guanajuato is visited as a day field trip.

Nov 6 - Nov 20, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Dec 4 - Dec 18, 2025
Starting at
6,509
Activity Level: On Your Feet (2)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 2 - May 16, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Itinerary Note

This date welcomes participants who move at a slower pace.

Sep 5 - Sep 19, 2024
Starting at
4,799
Itinerary Note

This date welcomes participants who move at a slower pace.

Activity Level: On Your Feet (2)
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
May 2 - May 16, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Itinerary Note

This date welcomes participants who move at a slower pace.

Filling Fast!
Sep 5 - Sep 19, 2024
Starting at
6,199
Itinerary Note

This date welcomes participants who move at a slower pace.

At a Glance

Forget the Mexico you think you know. Oh, the sensory-piquing surprises — archaeological gems, mouth-watering mole, locals’ warm welcomes — that await you in Mexico’s romantic, central highlands! Beginning in bustling Mexico City, journey to five magnificent, European-inspired cities and learn about 3,500 years of rich history rooted in advanced, indigenous civilizations. Venture to elevations of 6,000-plus feet in these colonial jewels that pulse with an effervescent mestizo culture thriving to this day. Open-air markets, 16th-century cathedrals, a cooking class — find memories of a lifetime at every turn!
Activity Level
Varies by date
Walking 2.5 - 3 miles on six days; standing up to two hours. Climbing one flight of stairs. Driving 2-4.5 hours some days. Walking on cobblestones, generally uneven, sometimes with narrow sidewalks, unavoidable uphills, and high steps. Standing in museums and archaeological sites.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Experience the indigenous Purepecha village of Patzcuaro, a quaint, colorful town of simple adobe homes founded in the 1320s and an adjoining ancient village.
  • Discover world-renowned cuisine and experience a cooking class in Oaxaca that begins with a trip to the market and preparation of a four-course meal.
  • Witness the allure of San Miguel Allende that continues to attract Americans to its orderly colorful streets.

General Notes

All dates follow the same itinerary, but select departures of this program are “On Your Feet” Activity Level to allow for a more relaxed pace.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Maria Mitrani
Maria Mitrani was born in Italy, then lived in Canada, the United States and France. She finally settled in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, where she has been living since 1976 with her husband and three children. She has a bachelor’s in Italian and art history from the University of California at Berkeley. Since 1985 she has led learning adventures through different parts of Mexico and is a specialized guide for Baja California. She is one of the owners and founders of Andiamo.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Maria Mitrani
Maria Mitrani View biography
Maria Mitrani was born in Italy, then lived in Canada, the United States and France. She finally settled in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, where she has been living since 1976 with her husband and three children. She has a bachelor’s in Italian and art history from the University of California at Berkeley. Since 1985 she has led learning adventures through different parts of Mexico and is a specialized guide for Baja California. She is one of the owners and founders of Andiamo.
Profile Image of Cristina Vannucci
Cristina Vannucci View biography
Cristina Vannucci was born and raised in Italy. After graduating from college she worked in England and the United States, then spent several years traveling and working between Italy and France. Cristina arrived in Mexico by chance in 1992 and made it her home working as a group leader ever since. For over 20 years, her love for this country has taken her to hidden places, allowing her to meet different people and to learn about the vast array of culture and nature within.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Mexico Biography of Power
by Enrique Krauze
A history of modern Mexico that discusses power centered on the leader throughout Mexican history.
The Mexican Dream: or, the interrupted though of Amerindian Civilizations
by J. M. G Le Clézio
Nobel Prize winner LeClezio conjures the consciousness of Mexico evoking the dreams that made and unmade an ancient culture.
Like Water for Chocolate
by Laura. Esquivel
This classic love story takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother's womb, her daughter to be weeps so violently she causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef, using cooking to express herself and sharing recipes with readers along the way.
Malinche
by Laura. Esquivel
When Malinalli, a member of the tribe conquered by the Aztec warriors, first meets Cortés, she -- like many -- believes that he is the reincarnated forefather god of her tribe. Naturally, she assumes that her task is to help Cortés destroy the Aztec empire and free her people. The two fall passionately in love, but Malinalli gradually comes to realize that Cortés's thirst for conquest is all too human. He is willing to destroy anyone, even his own men, even their own love. Throughout Mexican history, Malinalli has been reviled for her betrayal of the Indian people. However, recent historical research has shown that her role was much more complex; she was the mediator between two cultures, Hispanic and Native American, and two languages, Spanish and Náhuatl. Bursting with lyricism and vivid imagery, Malinche finally unveils the truth behind this legendary love affair.
Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook: Authentic Recipes from the Regions of Mexico
by Susanna Palazuelos
Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook captures the fascinating culinary heritage of Mexico in one stunning volume. The recipes, prepared by Acapulco-based Susanna Palazuelos, represent a vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes, from all of the states of Mexico. Many of them are unusual regional dishes that have been passed along by word of mouth, such as garlic chicken from Veracruz, and San Luis Potosi's own version of enchiladas. The traditional favorites are here--chiles en nogada, tamales, pozole, tortilla soup--along with some contemporary surprises such as tequila mousse, cilantro soup and lobster crepes. With pine nut sauce. Other well-known Mexican cooks have also contributed their own special recipes to the book. All 250 recipes have been photographed by Ignacio Urquiza, one of Mexico's foremost food and travel photographers. He also provided the scenic photographs, which lead the reader through the regions of Mexico, revealing the markets, the countryside, the way the people live and eat in this varied and beautiful country. Marilyn Tausend's text provides an informative accompaniment to the recipes and photos, exploring Mexico's dramatic history through its food. Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook is the essential cookbook for anyone interested in Mexico and Mexican food.
The Lacuna: A Novel
by Barbara Kingsolver
In this powerfully imagined, provocative novel, Barbara Kingsolver takes us on an epic journey from the Mexico of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover. The Lacuna is the poignant story of a man pulled between two nations as well as an unforgettable portrait of the artist—and of art itself.
The Mexican Revolution: A History From Beginning to End
by Hourly History
Over a period of more than ten years, following the overthrow of the government in 1910, Mexico experienced a period of intense and bloody warfare as a bewildering array of factions in ever-changing alliances took power and then lost it. Presidents were elected (or elected themselves) and were then deposed or assassinated. New factions appeared with impressive sounding slogans, took to the field, and were either wiped out and never heard of again or became the next government
The Mexico Reader: History, Culture, Politics
by Gilbert M Joseph and Timothy J Henderson
The Mexico Reader is a vivid introduction to muchos Méxicos—the many Mexicos, or the many varied histories and cultures that comprise contemporary Mexico. Unparalleled in scope and written for the traveler, student, and expert alike, the collection offers a comprehensive guide to the history and culture of Mexico—including its difficult, uneven modernization; the ways the country has been profoundly shaped not only by Mexicans but also by those outside its borders; and the extraordinary economic, political, and ideological power of the Roman Catholic Church.
Victors and Vanquished
by Stuart B Schwartz, Tatiana Seijas.
Spanish and Nahua Views of the Fall of the Mexica Empire (Bedford Series in History and Culture





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