Christmas and New Year's in Oaxaca and Puebla

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 2:00 p.m.

Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, checking in and getting your room, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine, we’ll enjoy a plated 3-course meal, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Dinner will be saved for those arriving late to the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Walking up to 2.5 miles throughout the day; uneven streets and sidewalks.

Breakfast: At the hotel restaurant, enjoy a buffet including a variety of hot dishes, bread, pastries, yogurt, fruit, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures including contact numbers for key staff, and answer any questions you may have. An instructor conducts classroom sessions, a certified expert will lead field trips, and transportation will be via bus unless specified otherwise. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We will board our bus to take us downtown and from there will walk to explore the Historical Center. Led by a local expert, we will visit some of the most important historical buildings. Though the current city was founded in 1532, the Zapotec and Mixtec pre-Columbian civilizations settled in the area for thousands of years. The city is known for these archeological sites and the large number of colonial-era structures.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will enjoy a 3-course lunch, including. Coffee, soft drinks, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will continue with our field trip we will see and learn about the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Founded by the Dominican Order, the rooms that once constituted the monastery today house the Cultural Center of Oaxaca. The construction started in 1570 and continued over a period of 200 years and has since undergone a complete restoration that was finished in 1999. Located next door, we will visit the Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzman, founded in 1528 by the Dominicans. We will get to see and learn about the second largest treasure after the Tutankhamen tomb, found in Monte Albán. We will then walk with our local expert to the famous Mercado Benito Juárez where we’ll feast our eyes on the rich colors of the fruits and vegetables, the smells of the aromatic herbs and exotic spices, and the sounds of the vendors calling out “Tortillas! Tamales! Chocolate! Chapulines!” We’ll take in the hustle and bustle of local chefs picking ingredients for their evening culinary delights and watch artisans as they weave rugs, put finishing touches on pottery, and create paintings. At 5:00 p.m., we will stop at the Zocalo to see artisans preparing for the “Fiesta de Rábanos” radishes festival, which our instructor will introduce us to during a lecture. The “Fiesta de Rábanos,” or Festival of Radishes, refers to carving of oversized radishes for the annual event that takes place in the evening. Named after the main plaza in Mexico City, the term zócalo has been adopted by many towns and cities to refer to their main plaza.

Dinner: Hotel plated meal.

Evening: With guests at the hotel, we’ll enjoy a group activity where we will learn and participate in a traditional Posada as performers sing and act out seasonal stories. Known as Las Posadas, it is a Spanish festival that is predominantly celebrated in portions of Latin America and some of the Southwest. The festival lasts for nine days, with its last night coinciding with Christmas Eve. The nine days represent the nine months that Mary was pregnant with Jesus.The festival gets its name from the story of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay before Jesus’ birth, with participants going from house to house in search of “lodging,” singing carols and holding candles. They are turned away until reaching the final “inn,” which they are allowed to enter. Festivities inside may include prayer, food, and piñatas, depending on the hosts.

Activity note: Driving approximately 30 miles roundtrip; about 1.5 hours throughout the day. Walking up to 2 miles total during group activities; flat surfaces.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll be joined by our instructor in our private meeting room for an introduction to the fiestas, legends, and traditions that are celebrated in Mexico. This lecture will focus on the celebration of Christmas in southern Mexico and Oaxaca and the culture and customs associated with the holiday. Then, setting out via motorcoach with our local expert, we’ll travel to Arrazola, a quiet town south site of Oaxaca. The birthplace of alebrijes, brightly painted folk art sculptures of creatures limited only by the imagination, Arrazola showcases them along the streets and we’ll admire them as we walk. When woodcarving was introduced to the area in the 1950s, this art form took on a life of its own and has become internationally renowned. We’ll then board the bus and take a ride a local restaurant where we will eat lunch.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal with coffee, tea, fruit water, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: The last stop for the day will be in the town of Cuilapam de Guerrero where we will visit the Cuilapam Monastery led by our local expert. Once a formidable city with a population of over 40,000, the Spanish built the monastery to convert the Zapotec and Mixtec populations. After decades of population decline, the monastery slowly deteriorated to its current state. Today, it is a national monument under the care of the National Institute of Anthropology and History. We will return to the hotel for some time to freshen up before dinner. At our private meeting room, we’ll enjoy a social hour and spend more time getting to know our fellow Road Scholars.

Dinner: We will have our festive Christmas Eve dinner at a restaurant in the main square, where we’ll enjoy a three-course meal plus coffee, tea, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Take an opportunity to attend Christmas Mass and/or local celebrations

Activity note: Driving approximately 13 miles roundtrip; about 1 hour total throughout the day. Walking up to 1.5 miles throughout the day; in the sun; significant stairs climbing the pyramids.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll gather for the second part of our presentation on fiestas, legends, and traditions in Mexico. Boarding the bus, we will begin our field trip to Monte Albán, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico with the most spectacular views. One of the greatest Mesoamerican cities, it served as a political and economic center for the Zapotec from roughly 500 BCE to around 500 CE. One of the defining features of the city are the carved monuments, or Danzantes, lining the Main Plaza. After the site visit, we will walk to the Monte Alban Site Museum and observe many of the artifacts excavated from the area, including the impressive collection of Danzantes.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a buffet meal featuring Mexican food with a variety of main dishes, soups, and salads, plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We’ll then return to the hotel where the remainder of the afternoon will be free to relax or if you prefer you can do some personal independent exploration.

Dinner: On your own. This meal has been excluded form the program cost.

Evening: At leisure

Activity note: Driving approximately 60 miles total; about 3 hours, with stops. Walking approx. 2 miles; up to 1/2 mile under direct sun; bring hats, sunscreen, water bottle.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: With a local expert, we will depart to Santa Maria del Tule. This used to be marshland filled with bulrushes, which the Aztecs called “tulle,” and cypress trees. We’ll stop in the town center where El Árbol del Tule is located, a 2,000 year old Montezuma cypress tree that is the widest tree in the world with a diameter of almost 40 feet. Continuing, we’ll go to Mitla, an archaeological site that is an important representation of Zapotec culture as it features unique and intricate geometric and mosaic work. Well-preserved thanks to the dry climate, Mitla was the residence of the high priest, whom the Spanish likened to the Pope, and served as the main religious center for the Zapote.

Lunch: At a local restaurant just outside Mitla, we’ll enjoy a tasty buffet specializing in different kinds of moles, a variety of salads, main dishes, and desserts, plus coffee, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our exploration will continue with a visit to Teotitlán del Valle, a small village known for its handmade textiles from local materials. While here, we will visit a local family for a demonstration on the carding, dyeing of wool, and process of how to make it into a rug on a loom. The village was originally founded by the Zapotec under the name Xaguixe, meaning “at the foot of the mountains,” and still retains much of its original culture. The Spanish then renamed the site Teotitlán del Valle; Teotitlán meaning “land of the gods” in Nahuatl. We’ll then return to the hotel.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated 3-course meal including dessert, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Driving approximately 4 miles total; about 1 hour, with stops. Walking approx. 1/2 mile total; mostly in the shade.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: With a local instructor, we will have a hands-on activity to construct a piñata. A container typically filled with toys or candy, the Mexican piñata combined a similar Aztec tradition celebrating the birthday of the god Huitzilopochtli with the Spanish tradition of breaking a similar container on the first Sunday of Lent, We will be joined by our instructor. Our lecture this morning will build on our knowledge of Oaxaca and its history stretching back 3,000 years. Boarding the bus, we will then visit Josefino Children's Home convent with our local expert. Enjoy the opportunity to visit with the orphanage’s children and break the piñatas made earlie.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a meal featuring a variety of Oaxaca dishes from the region of Isthmus, plus fruit juice, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We’ll then return to the hotel. Take some time to relax and freshen up. Next, we will meet at the designated time in our private meeting room at the hotel, and watch a film focusing on Benito Juarez, one of the most influential figures in modern Mexican history. Leading “La Reforma del Norte” or “The Reform of the North,” he is credited with bringing federalist, liberal policies to the Mexican government.

Dinner: On your awn to enjoy what you like in Oaxaca

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Some walking depending on your selection of activities

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: In the meeting room with our instructor, we’ll settle in for a lecture on the magic hands of Oaxaca, during which we will take a closer look into the local ethnic groups, diversified customs and traditions of the area, the artistry of the people, as well as the fashion of the buildings, clothing, and decorations. Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Oaxaca. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like in Oaxaca

Afternoon: Continue enjoying the day to see and do what interests you the most.

Dinner: At a local restaurant overlooking the zócalo, we’ll enjoy a three-course meal plus coffee, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Boarding the bus, we will have a short ride to Casa de Cantera, where we will experience La Guelaguetza. A local tradition, La Guelaguetza is an event celebrating indigenous culture with dancing, costumes, and parades. More than half of Oaxaca’s populations are indigenous people and their culture remains an important part of their identity. Prepare for check-out and transfer to Puebla in the morning.

Activity note: Driving approx. 220 miles total; about 4.5 hours throughout the day, with stops. Walking approx. 1 mile throughout the day; mostly flat surfaces and cobblestone streets.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we will board the motorcoach and transfer to Puebla where we will check into the hotel.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant featuring Mexican cuisine, we’ll enjoy a 3-course meal, plus coffee, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Then, setting out from the hotel led by our local expert, we’ll go on a walking field trip to the World Heritage Site of downtown Puebla. We will make stops at the Templo de Santo Domingo, a world Heritage Site; the Chapel of Rosario, also called the House of Gold; Casa de los Muñecos, the Doll House, a baroque house from the 18 century with beautiful talavera tile; and a final stop at the artisan Market “El Parian.” The area was unsettled during the Aztec empire, having served as the location for “flowery wars” between the Aztec alliance and their rivals. Until the establishment of Puebla in 1531, the area was known as Cuetlaxcoapan, or “where serpents shed their skin.” Today the city is known for its diverse architecture and Talavera pottery in addition to being one of the largest cities in Mexico.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 3-course meal, plus coffee, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Walking approx. 1.5 miles throughout the day; standing for up to 1 hour at the museum; 1 flight of stairs.

Breakfast: At the hotel restaurant, we’ll order plated meals from a select menu featuring a variety of choices including hot egg dishes, pancakes, chilaquiles, fruit, yogurt, bread and more, plus coffee, tea, water.

Morning: Walking from the hotel, we will visit the Amparo Museum, one of the most important historical museums in the country. Founded by Mexican businessman, Manuel Espinosa Yglesias, as the Amparo Foundation, it was created to promote social learning and culture in Mexico. Gathering more than 3,500 pieces of art from Pre-Columbian to contemporary times, it boasts one of the most significant collections of Pre-Columbian art in any private museum in Mexico. The museum itself is housed in what was originally the San Juan de Letrán hospital, built in 1538 as the city’s first health institution.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a buffet lunch, including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Free time. On your own to see and do what interests you most.

Dinner: On your own

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Driving approx. 25 miles roundtrip; about 2 hours, with stops. Walking about 1 mile throughout the day; mostly flat surfaces and cobblestone streets in the sun; significant stair climbing at the pyramid according to personal preference. Photographs are not allowed at Santa Maria Tonantzintla.

Breakfast: Hotel plated meal.

Morning: We will then set out from Puebla for a field trip to some colorful churches of the area, starting out with Santa Maria Tonantzintla, considered the maximum expression of the indigenous baroque. In Mexican culture, Tonantzin was a goddess identified with the Earth, and the Franciscans allowed the natives to enter this church. As an expression of artistic concerns, the church was declared a historical monument on November 11, 1933. Our next stop will be at San Francisco Acatepec to see its fascinating multicolor façade, which designed and created between the years 1650 and 1750. Considered a masterpiece of the Mexican baroque style, it was constructed with talavera poblana and red brick.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy plated meals including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our field trip will continue to Cholula and the Great Pyramid, one of the largest pyramids in the world. With the widest base of any pyramid in the world at a length of a quarter mile, the pyramid stands 180 feet tall. Built in four stages over a period of 800 years, it was the primary temple to Quetzalcoatl. Following a period of population growth, the pyramid became abandoned until the Toltec-Chichimecas overtook the city and built a new temple atop the pyramid. The temple remained overgrown after the arrival of the Spanish and remained undisturbed until the 19th century, except for the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios church on top. Believed to have been settled around the 4th century BCE, there were originally two villages near water sources that are part of the eastern half of the city. Various waterways made the land ideal for agriculture, allowing the city to grow and prosper. These waterways also mean the city enjoyed an advantageous position as a stop on several major trade routes, thereby helping it to become a major mercantile center. Rather than destroy the city, the Spanish built a second city next door. Both of these sections came to be part of the city of Cholula, with one side having a predominantly indigenous population and the other being largely Spanish. We’ll then return to the hotel.

Dinner: At local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a special 3-course plated meal, including dessert, to celebrate New Year's Eve. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Driving approx. 87 miles one way; about 2.5 hours. Walking approx. 2.5 miles throughout the day and under the sun; standing for up to 2 hours at the museum. Bring hats, water and sunscreen.

Breakfast: Hotel plated meal.

Morning: After checkingout of the hotel, we will board the motorcoach and transfer to Mexico City for the next three nights. Once we arrive in Mexico City, our field trip begins 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 Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, and the Temple of the Plumed Serpent.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a buffet featuring a variety of main dishes, soups, and salads, plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We’ll continue our visit to Teotihucan archaeological site before getting to our hotel to check in, in time to relax before dinner

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a Mexican buffet featuring a variety of salads, meats, and various hot dishes as well as a variety of desserts. Coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: on and off the bus, standing in museums for up to two hours

Breakfast: At the hotel, the buffet features Mexican and international cuisine including a variety of hot dishes, bread, pastries, yogurt, and fruit, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: Our field trip begins in the neighborhood of Coyoacan. Once an independent village on the shore of Lake Texcoco, Coyoacan welcomed the Spanish and served as the headquarters of Hernan Cortés and the conquistadors. Its name comes from a Nahuatl word of which the exact meaning is unknown but most likely means “place of coyotes.” There we will walk a city block to Jardin Centenario, and we will cross the street to visit San Juan Bautista Church, the exact place where Cortés used to worship. We’ll visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as Casa Azul, with our expert. 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 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. You will also be able to enjoy some of Diego Rivera's work. After visiting the museum, you can walk on the beautiful gardens in the property. After the museum visit we will be transferred to the Anthropology

Lunch: At a local restaurant, the buffet will feature a variety of main dishes, soups, and salads, plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: The Museo Nacional de Antropologia – the National Museum of Anthropology – is one of the most visited museums in Mexico. We will explore this large and prestigious institution built in the 1960s, housing over 52,000 pieces in 23 exhibition rooms, and displaying pieces from the Teotihucans, Toltec’s Mexicas, Mayans, and other cultures. One of the most important items you will see is the Aztec Calendar carved in stone. After returning to the hotel, at our private meeting room we’ll become acquainted with modern Mexico with a lecture on the country’s present economic and political situation. One of the largest and most populous countries in the world, Mexico has one of the world’s largest economies and is one of the most visited countries

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant, enjoy a specially prepared farewell dinner plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: The Group Leader will review the program and discuss airport transfers for tomorrow, when the program concludes. The remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.

Morning: 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!