Highlights of Mexico City & Cholula - 5 Days

Highlights

• Ride a traditional boat on Xochimilco's historic canals
• Visit La Casa Azul, where Frida Kahlo lived and worked
• Tour the pyramids of Teotihuacán by bike and on foot
• Make your own colorful Talavera ceramic in Cholula

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Mexico City, Explore at Leisure

Welcome to Mexico! Meet your driver at the airport for a 30-minute transfer to your hotel in Mexico City. The nation's exuberant capital is home to around nine million people and abounds with history, art, music, culture, and a variety of regional Mexican cuisines. Upon arrival at your accommodation, refresh, then set off to explore the city.

Head to bohemian Roma, a neighborhood filled with Art Deco architecture and excellent restaurants, or check out San Ángel, known for its cobblestone streets, art galleries, and sidewalk cafés. For some history, visit the National Museum of Anthropology, considered one of the best in the world. But remember, this is a high-altitude city at 7,349 feet (2,240 m), so try to pace yourself on your first day.

Day 2: Boat Ride in Xochimilco, Visit Frida Kahlo Museum 

Experience the UNESCO-listed canals and chinampas (floating gardens) of Xochimilco in a traditional trajinera (colorful wooden boat) on today's two-hour guided tour. See native axolotls (salamanders) and learn about the Aztec's ingenious food-growing methods in the fertile riverbeds of the waterways that once crossed the valley floor of ancient Tenochtitlan (now modern-day Mexico City).

Afterward, head with your guide to the southern neighborhood of Coyoacán, famous for its cobbled streets, shady plazas, and colorful homes. Admire its 16th-century church, then explore Frida Kahlo's house, La Casa Azul (now a museum), on a three-hour tour. Discover the works of Kahlo and Diego Rivera, including paintings, photographs, and personal items, before returning to your hotel. 

Day 3: Transfer to Cholula, Bike Tour in Teotihuacán

Check out of your hotel this morning and join your guide on a two-hour drive northeast to one of Mexico's most impressive archaeological sites—the "City of the Gods," Teotihuacán. Founded as early as 400 BCE, the city was once home to 200,000 people and over 2,000 buildings predating the Aztecs. Upon arrival, hop on a bike tour and cycle the Teotihuacán Valley past ancient Mesoamerican murals.

Then, join a walking tour down the Avenue of the Dead, visiting the Pyramid of the Sun, the most prominent structure at 215 feet (66 m), and the Pyramid of the Moon at 140 feet (43 m). Pause at the Temple of Quetzalcoatl with its bas-reliefs of the feathered serpent deity before ending your tour with a pulque (fermented agave sap) tasting and a visit to a workshop of native cactus fruit products.

After a stop for lunch, travel three hours southeast to historic Cholula—known as the city of 365 churches—and check in to your hotel before heading out to try some local mole poblano (a rich, savory chocolate-infused dish). 

Day 4: Corn Markets Tour, Talavera Pottery Workshop

After breakfast, join a local guide for a five-hour tour exploring Cholula and its fusion of Indigenous and Spanish colonial influences. With its gastronomy centered around corn, visit a local market, then wander through picturesque streets to the famed Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Church, perched atop Tlachihualtépetl (The Great Pyramid of Cholula)—the largest pyramid ever constructed.

Day 5: Transfer to Mexico City, Depart

If you have time today, check out the Regional Museum of Cholula, where you can view the "Lienzo de Quauhquechollan" (Quauhquechollan Cloth)—a 16th-century cloth painting of the Indigenous Nahua people. Or head to the Talavera Pottery Museum to learn more about this traditional art form. Then, it's time to bid farewell. You'll be transferred to Mexico City International Airport via a 2.5-hour drive in time for your onward flight. Buen viaje!