Highlights of Mexico: Mexico City, Oaxaca & the Yucatan

Today you explore the vibrant heart of Mexico City. You stand in the immense Zocalo, one of the largest squares in the world, framed by the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace, where you admire Diego Rivera's sweeping murals of Mexican history. Beside the cathedral you explore the Aztec Templo Mayor, the great temple of Tenochtitlan unearthed in the modern city, with its excellent museum. In the afternoon you visit the incomparable National Museum of Anthropology, home to the Aztec Sun Stone, colossal Olmec heads and the treasures of ancient Mexico, set in leafy Chapultepec park. The history, art and energy are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having explored the heart of the capital. This evening, savour the city's superb food scene. Rest well, for tomorrow you visit the pyramids of Teotihuacan.

Today you journey to the awe-inspiring pyramids of Teotihuacan, the ancient City of the Gods, just outside the capital. You walk the grand Avenue of the Dead, flanked by temples and platforms, and stand before the mighty Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, gazing across a vast ceremonial landscape that predates the Aztecs by centuries. Returning to the city, you explore beautiful, bohemian Coyoacan, the leafy colonial neighbourhood where Frida Kahlo lived, visiting the Blue House (Casa Azul), now the moving Frida Kahlo Museum, and wandering its colourful plazas, markets and cafes. The scale, history and colour are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having seen the pyramids and Frida's Coyoacan. This evening, savour the capital's vibrant atmosphere. Rest well, for tomorrow you fly south to beautiful Oaxaca.

Today you fly south to beautiful Oaxaca, a jewel of southern Mexico. You are transferred to the airport for the short flight, and on arrival you are met and taken into the colonial town, a UNESCO World Heritage city of golden stone, jacaranda trees and thriving indigenous traditions. You explore its beautiful centre, the grand Zocalo shaded by trees, the magnificent gilded church and monastery of Santo Domingo with its dazzling baroque interior, and the atmospheric streets lined with galleries, craft shops and cafes. You wander the bustling markets, piled with chillies, chocolate, cheese and crafts, sampling the flavours of one of Mexico's greatest food cities. The colour, culture and beauty are captivating. As the day ends, you settle into your Oaxaca hotel. This evening, savour Oaxaca's legendary cuisine. Rest well amid the beauty of this colonial gem.

Today you explore the ancient ruins, crafts and mezcal of the Oaxaca valleys. You climb to the spectacular hilltop ruins of Monte Alban, the ancient Zapotec capital, magnificently set on a levelled mountaintop with sweeping views over the valleys, its great plaza flanked by pyramids, temples, tombs and carved stelae. Returning towards the city, you visit the craft villages of the valley, perhaps watching weavers at their looms with natural dyes, potters shaping black clay, or artisans carving the brightly painted alebrije figures, and you visit a traditional palenque to learn how mezcal is made from the agave and to taste it. The history, crafts and flavours are captivating. As the day ends, you return to Oaxaca. This evening, savour a special Oaxacan tasting of its famous moles and mezcal. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to the Yucatan.

Today you fly to the Yucatan, the heartland of the ancient Maya. You are transferred to the airport for your flight north-east to Merida, the gracious white colonial capital of Yucatan state, where you are met on arrival. You explore its beautiful historic centre, with its shady plaza, twin-towered cathedral (one of the oldest on the American mainland), grand mansions of the Paseo de Montejo, and lively markets, soaking up the relaxed, colourful atmosphere and the Maya heritage that infuses the region. The colonial elegance and Maya culture are captivating. As the day ends, you settle into your Merida hotel. This evening, savour the flavours of Yucatecan cuisine, from cochinita pibil to fresh tropical fruit, in the warm evening air. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore the wonder of Chichen Itza on your way to the coast.

Today you explore the wonder of Chichen Itza and swim in a magical cenote on your way to the Caribbean coast. You visit Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and the most famous of all Maya cities, dominated by the mighty stepped pyramid of El Castillo, rising above a vast ceremonial plaza with its great ball court, Temple of the Warriors and sacred cenote. Nearby you swim in a beautiful cenote, one of the Yucatan's magical natural sinkholes, its clear turquoise water pooling in a jungle cavern hung with roots and light, wonderfully refreshing in the heat. The history and beauty are magical. As the day ends, you continue to the Riviera Maya and settle into your beachfront hotel. This evening, savour a relaxed dinner by the Caribbean. Rest well on the beautiful coast.

Today you relax on the beautiful Riviera Maya, the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan. You might simply enjoy the powder-white sand and warm turquoise sea of your beach, swimming and unwinding beneath the palms, or snorkel above the vivid coral of the world's second-largest reef. You could visit the dramatic cliff-top Maya ruins of Tulum, perched above the sea in one of the most beautiful settings of any ancient site, swim in another jungle cenote, or explore the lively town of Playa del Carmen with its shops and cafes. This flexible day is yours to savour the beach and reef after the pyramids and cities. The sea and sand are idyllic. As the day ends, you return to your beachfront hotel. This evening, enjoy a relaxed Caribbean dinner. Rest well on the beautiful coast.

Today you enjoy another flexible day on the beautiful Riviera Maya. You might take a boat out to snorkel or dive the coral reef, swim with turtles off Akumal, explore more cenotes and the lagoons of the Sian Kaan biosphere, take a day trip to the island of Cozumel for world-class diving, or simply relax on the beach and by the pool with a spa treatment. You could visit the ruins of Coba, climbing its jungle pyramid, or return to Tulum's cliff-top ruins and bohemian beach. This second flexible day lets you savour the coast at your own pace, reflecting on the wonderful journey you have made across Mexico. The sea and sand are idyllic. As the day ends, you gather your impressions of Mexico. This evening, savour a final Caribbean dinner. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow.

After a final morning on the beautiful Riviera Maya, perhaps a last swim in the turquoise sea or a stroll along the sand, you are transferred to Cancun International Airport for your onward international departure. You leave having experienced the very best of Mexico, vibrant Mexico City with its Zocalo, Templo Mayor and museums, the towering pyramids of Teotihuacan and Frida's Coyoacan, beautiful Oaxaca with its crafts, mezcal and Monte Alban, and the Yucatan with the wonder of Chichen Itza, magical cenotes and the beaches of the Riviera Maya, all warmed by genuine Mexican hospitality. The images stay vivid long after you land, the great Zocalo, the Pyramid of the Sun, the golden church of Santo Domingo, El Castillo at Chichen Itza, and the turquoise Caribbean sea. Mexico offers history, culture, cuisine and beauty in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this captivating and colourful land.