Culture Holidays in Mexico

Mexico Cultural Trips

From dynamic cities and colonial towns to vibrant festivals and wild jungles, Mexico is a forerunner in the travel stakes. Cultural holidays in Mexico take you on a gripping journey into its soul where each day offers a new experience.

Travel back in time to learn about ancient civilisations and the colonial Spanish heritage, and explore the highlands, beaches and jungles to discover the country’s natural wonders. There’s no denying our Mexico cultural trips are a heady concoction designed for inquisitive travellers who want to get under the skin of places such as Yucatan, Mexico City and Oaxaca.

If you’re a budding historian, visit the lands of the Mayans, Aztecs, Zapotec and Conquistadors to uncover the fascinating layers that give an insight into Mexico’s rich heritage. Chichen Itza is one of the most significant Mayan sites and its ancient ruins, Kukulkan pyramid and the Hall of the Thousand Pillars are sights to behold.

As well as exploring Mexico City and sampling some of the authentic dishes, you must experience the Day of the Dead Festival, held each year at Oaxaca. Embracing the Mexican culture in a spectacular fashion, this vibrant festival transforms the streets with its unique celebration that blends ancient traditions and religion. The Mexicans believe that death shouldn’t be mourned but instead, celebrated with friends and family.

Food is a huge part of Mexican culture and one of the best ways to get to grips with its heritage is to visit an authentic local market where you’ll find stalls overflowing with colourful spices, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. The atmosphere is undeniably electric and it’s a great way to socialise with the locals.

Mexico Culture Holidays

15 Days from USD 5098

USD 4725

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Pre-Columbian temples, colonial towns, highlands and jungles.

Culture

16 Days from USD 6420

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Pre-Columbian temples, colonial towns, highlands and jungles.

Culture

16 Days from USD 5925

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Pre-Columbian temples, colonial towns, highlands and jungles

Culture

8 Days from USD 4125

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Experience the Yucatán’s greatest adventures, chosen by the people who know them best

Culture

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Top Things to Do on Cultural Holidays in Mexico

Visit Chichen Itza: One of the most significant archaeological sites in the country, Chichen Itza is located in Yucatan and is a must-see for anyone on Mexico cultural holidays. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is also one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, dating back to 600 AD. The site is home to 26 extraordinary Mayan ruins that are split into two parts: Chichen Itza and Old Chichen, each as impressive as the other. If you’re not sure which Mayan ruin to visit first, the Chichen Itza Pyramid or El Castillo are good places to start. But there are plenty more sights to see, including the Observatory, The Temple of the Warriors, El Caracol and the Mayan Ball Game. The site is utterly enthralling and gives you a deeper insight into the history of the Mayans.

Explore San Cristobel: This colonial highland city wrapped inside ancient pine forest and traditional villages is a jumble of cobbled streets, colourful plazas and centuries-old buildings with red tiled roofs and whitewashed exteriors. As well as boasting a majestic mountain backdrop, San Cristobel is firmly rooted in the country’s indigenous culture and is a great place to scratch beneath the surface of Mexico. Its fusion of ancient customs and modern luxuries adds to its charms. The vibrant cafes are great for mixing with the local Tzotzil people and trying some authentic dishes, or perhaps wander through the streets and admire the old colonial houses.

Attend the Day of the Dead Festival: This is one of Mexico’s most famous festivals, which takes place every year to celebrate the passing of friends and family. The streets, homes and cemeteries in Oaxaca are filled with people remembering their lost loved ones. The Mexicans believe that death should be celebrated rather than mourned and they certainly know how to celebrate in style. You’ll see people of all different cultures gathering in nearby villages and market squares to perform spiritual rituals and traditions. In the evening, the streets are filled with carnivals and parties, with people dressed in spooky costumes.

As well as being immersed in the party atmosphere, you can learn about the local cuisine and sample foods such as enchiladas, almond stew or stuffed chillies. Enjoying lunch at the home of one of the local families is a great privilege and you’ll see their ‘shrine for the dead’ and learn about their heritage first hand.

Take a Tour of Mexico City: The beating heart of Mexico, Mexico City is a potent cocktail of historical sites, floating gardens and modern-day culture. The famous Plaza de la Constitución, Templo Mayor and the Baroque Cathedral Metropolitana hark back to when it was the Aztec capital, yet today it’s a cosmopolitan hub where travellers from around the globe come to get their fix of Mexican culture. A tour of the city guides you through the Zócalo and ancient streets to some of the most significant landmarks such as the Palacio de Bellas Artes, before visiting the Palacio Nacional and the Museum of Anthropology and History.

My thoughts on this trip are a bit mixed.

Pros:
Our tour guide, Veriano, was fantastic—funny, thoughtful, and incredibly knowledgeable. He was truly one of the best parts of the trip. He took great care of us and paced the itinerary well, allowing us to see and experience a lot without feeling rushed. Having him handle all the logistics in advance was a huge benefit—it allowed us to maximize our time and fully enjoy each location. One highlight was the convertible bus ride from Amalfi, which he arranged as a surprise—absolutely unforgettable! I also really enjoyed the group of fellow travelers—such kind, interesting people who added so much to the experience.

Cons:
Working with Exodus was more challenging than expected. Their process seems geared primarily toward travelers from the UK, especially when it comes to flights and logistics, so coming from elsewhere was more complicated and less cost-effective. The trip also got off to a rocky start—the initial tour leader who was supposed to meet us at the airport was 40 minutes late, and no one from Exodus or the local team contacted us. It left several of us wandering the airport, unsure of what to do. Thankfully, things improved significantly once we connected with Veriano.

I had mixed feelings about the hotel (Hotel Due Torri). There was rarely anyone at reception, which made it difficult to get assistance when needed. Meals were served in a large, hot, noisy dining room where the hotel owner’s dog frequently barked, and the breakfast staff came across as unhappy and even dismissive—at one point, a breakfast staff member made fun of one of us in Italian saying, “I guess she can’t read”. That said, there were bright spots—Salvatore and a few other team members were warm and welcoming, and the cooking demonstrations were enjoyable. Unfortunately, the food itself didn’t measure up to other meals I’ve had in Italy.

Like many travel experiences, this trip had both highlights and lowlights. Overall, I’m grateful for the opportunity and the wonderful people I met, but I’d likely consider a different travel company in the future.

Julia Lamb Highlights of the Amalfi Coast

A lot to see on this whirlwind tour,stunning scenery in Kyrgyzstan, busy Almaty in Kazakhstan and a lot of mosques,minarets and mausoleums.
The included lunches and dinners were very good apart from the dinner and breakfast at the yurt which was very basic and tasteless,room for improvement.
The eagle hunting demonstration is excellent something I won’t forget. The yurt stay was basic but acceptable,a bit chilly at night in June,the next morning there’s a 6km walk down to the red rocks,a very easy walk and very beautiful.
The border crossing on foot into Kazakhstan was straightforward as it’s so quiet unlike the border crossing into Uzbekistan which was pretty chaotic.
The Charyn Canyon was amazing,easy walk down to the picnic spot,you can either walk back or buy a ticket for a ride back up in a soviet truck.
Both sleeper trains were 4 berth quite tight on space for luggage,first sleeper does have food and drink available.
Uzbekistan was stunning but overwhelming with the amount of mosques,minarets and mausoleum’s visited in 4 regions,personally I wouldn’t have been bothered if Khiva had been missed off the itinerary a bit of a tourist trap.

Susan Watson The Silk Road

This trip exceeded my expectations in many ways! There is so much to see and enjoy on this tour. It is a tale of two halves: the first half, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, focus more on the stunning scenery and nature. The beauty of Kyrgyzstan was a revelation to me. And the Eagle-hunting workshop was an absolute highlight for everyone in the group. I did also enjoy the ‘brutalist beauty’ of Bishkek (expect your first day to be a long day, as you land in the morning and do a city tour in the afternoon – I basically skipped a night’s sleep, but it was worth it!). A personal highlight for me was the walk from the yurt camp (most of the group cited the overnight stay in a yurt as their highlight) to the red rocks – absolutely stunning. The Grand Canyon in Kazakhstan was also a great experience. The second half of the trip, Uzbekistan, is more cultural: you will see many impressive mausoleums, madrasas and mosques. Samarkand especially blew me away! Khiva is also very beautiful but seems a bit more geared towards tourists – it was definitely more expensive than other parts of Uzbekistan, although still cheap. In Tashkent we also visited a market and some metro stations, which was a little different and a very interesting interlude. There is just so much to see and do. Some might find the many mausoleums a bit repetitive towards the end, but I found they all had something different to offer and it truly is a unique opportunity to visit these beautiful places before it gets to overcrowded with tourists (especially Uzbekistan is geared towards receiving more tourists and is getting more coverage in the international press as an up and coming tourist destination!).

Yves Hoekman The Silk Road

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