08| Mexico Colonial Cities with Drop Off in Acapulco| 09 Days

08| Mexico Colonial Cities with Drop Off in Acapulco| 09 Days – 08 Nights

In Mexico, there are many cities and places with great beauty and historical preservation, the country is rich in colonial architecture, with colorful houses, tile roofs and quarry temples. Countless are these cities and places, but only some of them can be titled as the most visually impressive. This route will take you to learn about the pre-Hispanic Mexico in its archaeological sites and the evolution of Mexican culture, in the most outstanding colonial architecture of the most outstanding cities of the 18th century and that in 1810 played the…

Monuments / Attractions Envisaged

Mexico City: National Palace, The Metropolitan Cathedral, Tenochtitlan Templo Mayor Pyramids, National Anthropology Museum, Teotihuacan Pyramids, Virgin of Guadalupe Shrine

Tula: Central Altar, The Coatepantli – the wall of the serpents-, The Burnt Palace and the Ball Court, the “Atlantes” Sculptures.

Queretaro: Sightseeing on the City.

San Miguel de Allende: Sightseeing on the City.

Dolores Hidalgo: Bell of Independence.

Guanajuato: Sightseeing on the City.

Morelia: State Museum.

Taxco: Sightseeing on the City

Accommodation Overview

As part of the tour you will be staying at a selection of four star hotels.

Equipped with modern day facilities, these hotels are known to offer the utmost care and comfort along with high standards of service.

Accommodation for your tour will be as described below, at the following properties:

3 Nights at Galeria Plaza Reforma 5* or Similar in Mexico City on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Mision Express Queretaro 5* or Similar in Queretaro on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Mision Guanajuato 4* or Similar in Guanajuato on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Mision Catedral Morelia 4* or Similar in Morelia on Bed and Breakfast basis.

2 Nights at Monte Taxco Hotel 5* or Similar in Taxco on Bed and Breakfast basis.

Hotel Galeria Plaza Reforma 5* – Luxurious hotel which is set in a prime location in Zona Rosa, Mexico. Renowned as Mexico’s leading hotel, it serves as a perfect base for guests staying for either business or pleasure purposes. The hotel is set in the heart of the financial and commercial district, and is five minutes from the Paseo de la Reforma’s office buildings. Explore the nearby boutiques and fine dining restaurants which surround the hotel.

Mision Express Queretaro 5* – An excellent option for those who visit the beautiful city of Queretaro and want a comfortable and pleasant accommodation in one of the best areas of the city. With 5 floors, this hotel offers a comfortable stay with first-rate amenities and facilities that suit both leisure and business travelers.

Mision Guanajuato 4* – First class lodging in this historic city of Guanajuato. Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with its colonial architecture and romantic atmosphere, is an excellent destination to spend unforgettable moments. Hotel has 138 rooms, with first class services and amenities. You will find a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, tobacco shop, laundry and dry cleaning and souvenir shop. Located next to the former Hacienda San Gabriel de Barrera Museum, 20 minutes from the airport, 40 minutes from the city of Leon and 3 hours 45 minutes from Mexico City.

Mision Catedral Morelia 4* – Hotel in Morelia city with cozy rooms, some with own terrace or balcony, where you can admire the beauty of this colonial city. 61 fully equipped standard rooms. The magnificent services and details of the hotel will make you live a cozy stay at the same time that your corners, corridors, balconies and terraces will make you return in time.

Montetaxco Hotel 5* – Live a Mexican experience from the beginning, surrounded by an architecture inspired by colonial scenarios, in a hotel with rooms that will amaze you with panoramic views of a traditional Mexican town.

* Please note that should accommodation in the above listed hotels not be available at the time of your visit we will offer a similar standard.

Board Basis (Meal Plan) & Included Services

Welcome greeting at the airport in Mexico City.

Transportation in air conditioned vehicles.

English speaking guide during the days of the tour.

08 nights accommodation at the hotels mentioned above on DBL occupancy.

Daily breakfast at all the above hotels.

Visits mentioned in the itinerary, including entrance fees to the archaeological sites.

One lunch in Mexico City. Fixed menu in local restaurant (No drinks included).

Government taxes.

Exclusions

Expenses of personal nature like tipping, laundry, telephone/fax calls, alcoholic/non- alcoholic beverages, camera/video camera fee at monuments, medical expenses, airport taxes, any insurance etc.

Any meals other than the mentioned.

Gratuities in hotel (maids and bell boys).

Information

9 Days – 8 Nights

Mexico City & Country Center

Hotels during Tour

Galeria Plaza Reforma 5* or Similar (Mexico City) | Mision Express Queretaro 5* or Similar (Queretaro) | Mision Guanajuato 4* or Similar (Guanajuato) | Mision Catedral Morelia 4* or Similar (Morelia) | Monte Taxco Hotel 5* or Similar (Taxco)

From Our Gallery

Day 1: Arrival in Mexico City

Mexico City, once the Capital of the Aztec Empire, is 200 meters above sea level and has in the Valley of the Nations capital, a population exceeding 22 million people, plus another 5 million in a radius of 70 kilometers. Development of such a megalopolis contains a path full of historic and physical factors that permitted the City to reach such size. All over, as well as nearby, you find the heritage of the Pre-Hispanic societies that populated or influenced the configuration of such colossal urban settlement. The 16th Century witnessed the Conquest of the Country by the Spanish expeditionary army and the religious missionaries, both changing believes and way of life of the aborigine groups. A new architecture was enforced using as foundation for the new buildings, the religious monuments of the existing people. Churches were placed on top of the aborigine temples and today you find Colonial Churches with rich and artistic furnishings and in some cases next to the church, what was not used as a foundation, has been uncovered to its original archeological formation. Mexico City has a Historic District which central square known as the Zocalo right in the Center of the City.

Overnight in Mexico City | Galeria Plaza Reforma 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis

Day 2: City Tour & Anthropology Museum

Mexico City Guided Tour, visiting major attractions. We start where it all begun, we go to El Zocalo. You will see the National Palace with an extended series of Mural Paintings that show a Graphic evolution of the History of the Country and which were painted by Diego Rivera. The Metropolitan Cathedral The oldest and largest cathedral in Latin America, a spectacular Building intended to distract the Aztec people from their own previous believes and convert them to the new religion. Also, right in the rear of the Cathedral, the Templo Mayor Pyramids and Museum, which were part of the big Ceremonial Center of the Aztecs, used as a foundation for other religious buildings. Templo Mayor was not only the most visible sight of an immense urban complex, but also represented the cosmic center of the universe for the Aztecs. You will see The Palacio de Bellas Artes a 19th Century all white marble building performing as a theater as well as an Art Museum, with many fine sculptures. To get a feeling of the City you will drive along the Paseo de la Reforma, inspired by the “Champs Elisée” in Paris. Reaching the National Anthropology Museum.

Overnight in Mexico City | Galeria Plaza Reforma 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis

Day 3: Mexico City – Guadalupe Shrine – Teotihuacan

We will undertake a guided excursion to the famous Teotihuacan Pyramids, starting with a visit to the Virgin of Guadalupe Shrine. This Church is a place of pilgrimage for millions of Mexicans and other parts of the World. The day will dedicate a visit to the ancient archaeological zone of Tenochtitlan north of Mexico City, with its impressive Toltec Pyramids dedicated to the Sun, the Moon, the Quetzalcoatl Temple and the fortresses, the largest monuments of their type in the World.

Overnight in Mexico City | Galeria Plaza Reforma 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis

Day 4: Mexico City - Queretaro

Day four starts with the transfer to the Colonial and outstanding Historical City of Queretaro. In the morning, transfer to Queretaro, one of Mexico's most historic cities. The first stop will be to visit the Tula Archeological Site, which was the most important of the Toltec Culture, with a series of important buildings, such as the Central Altar, the Coatepantli, also known as the wall of the serpents, The Burnt Palace and the Ball Court. Still spectacular and one of the most regarded attractions are the “Atlantes” Gigantic Stone Sculptures of enormous warriors that symbolized the army, prevalent before the Aztec take over. We will reach Queretaro in the afternoon to visit the city. Queretaro was an important city during the Colonial Period, surrounded by Gold and Silver mines, which produced wealth to build and impressive colonial architecture, filled with eighteenth century mansions and churches, specially nominated by the UNESCO. Queretaro is a state capital north west of Mexico City, which played an important role in history, where the insurgent plans were prepared for the Independence from the Colonial Domination of Spain in the Early 19th Century. Queretaro witnessed the burial of Austrian Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg. It was also the siege of the Promulgation of the Constitution that emerged from the Mexican Revolution 1910-1917.

Overnight in Queretaro | Mision Express Queretaro 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis | Travelling Distance Approx. 220 km

Day 5: Queretaro - San Miguel de Allende - Guanajuato

We will continue the route of the most outstanding cities of the 18TH Century, which in 1810, played the role of the “Cradle of Independence”. These cities surrounded by important mining facilities, also constructed monumental colonial buildings of outstanding architecture. First stop will be San Miguel de Allende with elegant mansions and palaces which were the residence of the owners of the silver mines. Today San Miguel is a City sponsoring art in all sorts of manifestations. Later, through a patch of mountains, we will reach Dolores Hidalgo where the Bell of independence was first sound on the 15th of September of 1810. We then a bit later, will arrive to Guanajuato, a State Capital and a very important Colonial City during the Spanish Domination. The Historic District is a very well conserved jewel and tourist destination.

Overnight in Guanajuato | Mision Guanajuato 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis | Travelling Distance Approx. 140 km

Day 6: Guanajuato - Morelia

We will depart from Guanajuato to the Neighboring State of Michoacan. We will towards Morelia through one of the most fertile vegetable intensive agriculture land and pass rivers and lagoons along the way before we reach this other State capital. Morelia was founded in 1541. It was named Valladolid by Don Antonio de Mendoza, the first Viceroy of “Nueva España” as the Country was known during the Colonial Period. In 1828, it was renamed Morelia in honor of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon one of the Generals who consolidated the Independence of Mexico. In Morelia, We will visit the State Museum: this 18th century mansion was restored to contain the State Museum in 1986. It is divided into three sections: Archaeology, History and Ethnology. There is example of an antique pharmacy dating from 1868. The city is really imposing; you will feel back in the 17TH and 18TH century due to the excellent conservation of the Colonial Heritage.

Overnight in Morelia | Mision Catedral Morelia 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis | Travelling Distance Approx. 175 km

Day 7: Morelia - Taxco

Departure to Taxco. Taxco de Alarcon, Mexico's silver capital, is a charming colonial town nestled in the mountains of the State Guerrero between Mexico City and Acapulco. The has town winding cobblestone streets and whitewashed houses, with red tile roofs, and its impressive Santa Prisca cathedral. Taxco has nearby Silver mines and has an important jewelry industry in an all combined setting that makes Taxco a lovely and picturesque town. Those interested in purchasing silver will find the greatest selection and price in Taxco.

Overnight in Taxco | Monte Taxco Hotel 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis | Travelling Distance Approx. 380 km

Day 8: Taxco

City Tour in Taxco, visiting the most important places of interest. Free afternoon to enjoy this charming Colonial City.

Overnight in Taxco | Monte Taxco Hotel 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis

Day 9: Acapulco

In the morning we will travel from Taxco to Acapulco. A short 3 hour drive down the Mountain will have us reach Acapulco, a destination of strong tourist impact, both national and international travelers. Acapulco was the main gateway to the Pacific Ocean during the Colonial stage of Mexico and goes back to the 16th and 17th Centuries from where expeditions left and found the Route to the Philippines and India. Already in the 1940’s Acapulco started pushing and building to get a slice of the Tourist demand from North America. In the Fifties and Sixties the Jet Set and major Hollywood stars bought huge villas enhancing Acapulco´s name worldwide.

Overnight in Acapulco | Travelling Distance Approx. 250 km

Day 10 - 11: Acapulco

For your days of leisure, you will find a paradise on the Pacific Ocean. Nestled at the edge of The West Sierra Mountain formation, Acapulco is South of the Tropic of Cancer and has a very stable warm weather. The country side is abundantly covered by green foliage and Nature has nice preserved areas, a joy to the eye and the spirit. Acapulco is famous for a light and yellowish color of the sand on the beach. People call it the Gold Coast. Contrast with the emerald green of the Ocean has enchanted people who always come back. Acapulco Bay is “U” shaped with Solid Hills from where the view is simply breathtaking. But outside these hills you find lagoons and mangroves where Nature has definite expressions that relate us to our origin and tells us what life is all about. Acapulco Dinning is a Gourmet Challenge of Satisfaction and Acapulco very reputed Night Life goes on until Sun Rise. Attractions you might want to see besides the beautiful beaches are Capilla de la Paz The Chapel of peace located on the scenic road to the Airport with an elevation of 1200 Feet above sea level and a cross 130 feet High. The Zocalo, is the Town Square, in old Acapulco giving you a genuine feeling of a Mexican town. It is quite close to La Quebrada where Cliff divers plung from over 40 Meters. La Quebrada is surrounded by local shops, restaurants. You may visit The Casa de la Cultura a School of Arts and Culture for locals to develop their talents. It has art gallery, literature, music and dramatic performances. The San Diego Fort an 18th Century fortress with canons used to scare away Pirates, today includes a museum of Acapulco History. Other places, the Navy Base Museum, Municipal Market, Jardin Botanico de Acapulco and many more.

Overnight in Acapulco

Day 12: Acapulco - Mexico City

Departure from your hotel to board a flight to Mexico City.