Mexico Grand Tour: Mexico City, Cholula & Oaxaca - 8 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Mexico City

Welcome to Mexico! This culturally rich and beautiful Latin American nation is full of history, art, music, and some of the most delicious food in the world. Upon arrival at the airport in Mexico City, a driver will be waiting for the transfer to your hotel. After check-in, you can spend the remainder of the day however you wish. Feel free to head out and explore—just know it's one of the largest cities in the world. This metropolis is home to around 10 million people spread over 350 colonias (neighborhoods). It's also a high-altitude city (7,349 ft/2,240 m), so you'll want to acclimate before exerting yourself on any long walks.

Day 3: Bike Tour of Teotihuacán

In the morning, your guide will pick you up at your hotel for the drive outside the city to one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico: Teotihuacán. Known as the "City of the Gods," this 8-sq-mile (20-sq-km) site was founded as early as 400 BCE, meaning it long pre-dates the Aztecs. During its heyday (around 500 CE), it was home to 200,000 people and over 2,000 buildings, making it the largest city in the western hemisphere. Rather than taking a walking tour of its wide pathways, you'll experience Teotihuacán a bit differently—on a bicycle.

Upon arrival, you'll hop on a bike and cycle around the archaeological site, first passing the many murals that decorate the structures and depict cultural and religious motifs and natural landscapes. Then travel down the Avenue of the Dead, Teotihuacán's main path that runs for a mile (2 km). You'll also visit the Pyramid of the Sun, the most prominent structure at 215 feet (66 m), and the Pyramid of the Moon, which towers 140 feet (43 m). Then stop at the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (Temple of the Feathered Serpent), which has bas-reliefs of the feathered serpent deity carved into its sides.

Day 6: Walking Tour of Oaxaca

In the morning, you'll head out for a 3.5-hour guided tour to discover this incredible city's cultural and historical legacy. You'll visit the 18th-century stone Aqueduct, the historic (and colorful) Garcia Vigil street, and the Seminary of the Holy Cross. The latter is where Benito Juárez studied as a teenager. Juárez was a member of the Zapotec Nation and Mexico's first indigenous president. He's considered the father of modern Mexico, as he guided the country through revolutions and invasions. Further on, you'll find El Templo del Carmen Bajo, a charming 16th-century church.

At the corner of the botanical garden sits Santo Domingo de Guzmán, an impressive Baroque church dating to the 16th century. Inside, the monastery's area has been converted into a museum and cultural center. Here you'll find pre-Columbian artifacts, including the contents of a tomb from the nearby archeological site of Monte Albán. You'll also stroll the cobbled, pedestrian walkway of Alcalá Street and visit the 16th-century Metropolitan Cathedral, which overlooks the Zócalo, the busy main square filled with vendors and surrounded by cafés and restaurants.

Day 7: Day Trip to Mitla & Mezcal Tasting

In the morning, you'll embark on a full-day tour outside Oaxaca City. It's a one-hour drive east to the archeological site of Mitla, once a prominent pre-Hispanic city. However, you'll stop along the way at Santa María del Tule to see this little town's major attraction: the Árbol del Tule (Tree of Tule). This ancient Montezuma cypress tree is between 1,200 and 3,000 years old and boasts the largest trunk of any tree in the world (about 137 ft/42 m in circumference). Afterward, you'll stop at a mezcalería to learn what goes into making this traditional, agave-based Oaxacan spirit.

Then continue to Mitla. During pre-Hispanic times, this Zapotec city was the most important religious center and burial site in the Oaxaca Valley (the name Mitla means "Place of the Dead"). It was inhabited as far back as 900 BCE, and the earliest remaining structures here date to around 450. When the Spanish arrived in 1521, they set their sights on dismantling Mitla and built Catholic churches over Zapotec temples. You'll tour the site's five main structures, including Zapotec/Mixtec ruins and ancient churches like the Iglesia de San Pablo, a Catholic church founded in 1590.

Your day will end with a visit to the small colonial village of Teotitlán del Valle. Here you'll head to the workshop of a local artisanal weaver specializing in wool rugs. Upon arrival, your host will share the techniques used in making these traditional items, including the process of dyeing wool with natural inks.

Day 8: Depart Oaxaca

Unfortunately, all good things must end. In the morning, your driver will pick you up from your hotel for the ride to the airport, where you'll catch your flight home. ¡Buen viaje!

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Mexico? Check out these other Mexico itineraries, explore different ways to spend eight days in Mexico, or learn about the best time of year to visit Mexico.