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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15 days
14 nights
35 meals
14B 12L 9D
5
Purépecha Villages & Towns
Morelia
7
Guanajuato Highlights, Free Time
Guanajuato
8
San Miguel Allende, Queretaro
Queretaro
9
Exploring Querétaro, Aqueduct
Queretaro
11
Exploring Puebla
Puebla
15
Program Concludes
Oaxaca
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
Keep the Pace
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.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Experience the Indigenous Purepecha village of Pátzcuaro, 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 de Allende, which 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 trip experts
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.
Maria Mitrani
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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.
Cristina Vannucci
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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.
Benjamín González
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Benjamin González was born to a traditional Mexican family. As the son of an anthropologist mother and sociologist father, he decided to major in history. His curious spirit has driven him to travel to the 32 state capitals of Mexico and a number of countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Benjamin enjoys sharing his knowledge about Mexico in a natural, local, and joyful way. When he's at home, he likes to read and to write posts for his travel followers.
Anilu Lopez
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Anilu was born and raised in Mexico City. After earning a BA degree in Tourism, she traveled to England and France to learn languages. She lived in France for 11 years, where she studied History of Art at La Sorbonne and worked as a Group Leader. Back in Mexico, she raised her children and has always continued to work as a Group Leader. Anilu is amusing and enthusiastic when sharing her knowledge and passion of her country, its people, culture, and history with people from around the world.
Suggested Reading List
(9 books)
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.
The Best of Central Mexico: Magical Towns and Bustling Cities
Program Number: 23083
Like Water for Chocolate
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.
Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook: Authentic Recipes from the Regions of Mexico
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.
Mexico Biography of Power
A history of modern Mexico that discusses power centered on the leader throughout Mexican history.
Malinche
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.
The Lacuna: A Novel
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
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
Victors and Vanquished
Spanish and Nahua Views of the Fall of the Mexica Empire (Bedford Series in History and Culture
The Mexican Dream: or, the interrupted though of Amerindian Civilizations
Nobel Prize winner LeClezio conjures the consciousness of Mexico evoking the dreams that made and unmade an ancient culture.
The Mexico Reader: History, Culture, Politics
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.