Located just northeast of modern-
day Mexico City are the ruins of
Teotihuacan, an ancient Meso-American
city dating back to 100 BC. Featuring
a vast array of pyramids, palaces and
temples, Teotihuacan represents some
of the best preserved ancient ruins in
the Americas and is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Day 2 (B), Day 3 (B)DAY 4
MEXICO CITY – OAXACA
This morning fly south to Oaxaca,
the long-established culinary capital
of Mexico. A visit to the Mercado de
Comida will acquaint you with local
street food specialties such as tlayudas,
which are crispy tortillas piled high with
beef, cheese and avocado. After you’ve
had your fill of local delicacies, explore
the unique handicrafts found in local
markets and Oaxaca’s stunning colonial
architecture. (B)DAY 5
OAXACA
Oaxaca has a strong indigenous
heritage and the pre-Hispanic culture
of the Zapotec people is evident to
this day. Your discovery of ancient
civilisations continues at Monte Alban,
the ancient capital of the Zapotecs and
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Continue to Mitla, another Zapotec
ruin famous for the intricate mosaic
fretwork that covers tombs, panels and
friezes. These mosaics are made with
small, finely cut and polished stone
pieces that have been fitted together
without the use of mortar and are held in
place solely by the weight of the stones
around them. (B)DAY 6
OAXACA – VILLAHERMOSA
Say farewell to Oaxaca before flying
to Villahermosa via Mexico City. (B)CLASSIC
ME XIC O
Explore the best of both worlds – from
the ancient to the contemporary – on
this tour of one of the Americas’ most
fascinating countries.J
ourney from Mexico City to
Cancun following a trail of the
most important archaeological
sites of Mexico, including Chichen Itza
and Palenque. Combine this with the
colourful marketplaces of Oaxaca, local
street food and the beach town of Playa
del Carmen.DAY 1 – 3
MEXICO CITY
Founded in 1325 as the capital of the
Aztec Empire, Mexico City has a long
and varied history. A fitting place to
start its exploration is the Zócalo, one of
the largest public squares in the world.
The Zócalo has been the nerve centre
of Mexico City for nearly 700 years
and, prior to the colonial period, served
as the main ceremonial centre for
the Aztecs when Mexico City was
still known as Tenochtitlan.156 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLERCONCIERGE