9 Days • 8 Nights
Luxury Mexico: Fine Art, Haciendas & the Riviera Maya
Tour Includes
About the Trip
Trip Highlights
- Chic design hotels and private art and museum tours in Mexico City are a superb luxury highlight. You begin in style in Mexico City, one of the world's great art and food capitals, staying in a chic design hotel in the best neighbourhood, perhaps Polanco or a boutique in leafy Roma. With a private expert guide and skip-the-line access, you explore the incomparable Museum of Anthropology, private galleries and the murals of Diego Rivera, and the pyramids of Teotihuacan in comfort. The style and access are superb.
- World-class dining, from temples of Mexican gastronomy to hidden gems, is an exquisite highlight. Mexico City and the regions are among the world's most exciting food destinations, and on this journey you dine superbly throughout. You enjoy tables at world-renowned restaurants (home to some of the best in the world), refined regional cuisine, mezcal and tequila tastings with experts, and hidden local gems, all arranged for you. From tasting menus to market feasts, the cuisine is extraordinary. The flavours and refinement are exquisite. Enjoying world-class dining, from temples of Mexican gastronomy to refined regional cuisine and expert mezcal tastings.
- A stay in an exquisitely restored colonial hacienda in the Yucatan is a beautiful luxury highlight. In the Yucatan, you retreat to one of the region's exquisitely restored henequen haciendas, grand colonial estates transformed into sublime luxury hotels, with soaring colonnaded rooms, tropical gardens, cenote pools and impeccable service, steeped in history and tranquillity. From this beautiful base you explore the wonder of Chichen Itza with a private guide, ideally in the quiet early morning, and swim in private cenotes. The elegance and history are beautiful. Staying in an exquisitely restored colonial hacienda in the Yucatan, exploring Chichen Itza privately and swimming in secluded cenotes.
- A beautiful beachfront resort and private cenote and Tulum experience on the Riviera Maya are a blissful highlight. You finish at one of the Riviera Maya's finest beachfront resorts, on a stretch of powder-white sand and turquoise sea, with a world-class spa, superb dining and impeccable service. You enjoy a private cenote and Tulum experience, exploring the cliff-top ruins and swimming in secluded cenotes away from the crowds, and indulge in spa treatments and candlelit dinners by the sea. The beauty and indulgence are blissful.
- Seamless private touring, expert guides and impeccable service make this journey effortless and indulgent. Throughout, this journey is seamless and effortless, with expert private guides, comfortable private vehicles or internal flights, the finest hotels and haciendas, priority access and impeccable service at every stage, so you simply savour the art, ruins, cuisine and beaches of Mexico in comfort and style. The ease and quality are superb. Enjoying seamless private touring, expert guides, the finest hotels and impeccable service throughout makes this an effortless and indulgent highlight of this luxury journey through the culture, cuisine and beauty of Mexico.
- Above all, this journey offers the very finest of Mexico, an indulgent, seamless and deeply rewarding luxury experience. Mexico rewards the luxury traveller like few places on earth, and this journey is the finest of it. Over nine days you enjoy chic design hotels and private art tours in Mexico City, a restored colonial hacienda in the Yucatan with private access to Chichen Itza, and a beautiful beachfront resort on the Riviera Maya with world-class spa and private cenote experiences, with world-class dining and expert private guides throughout. The combination of design hotels, colonial haciendas, private access, extraordinary cuisine and beautiful beaches makes this the ultimate Mexico.
Day by Day
A detailed day-by-day plan for this 9-day journey.
Your luxury journey through Mexico begins as your flight arrives at Mexico City International Airport, where you are met and privately transferred to your chic design hotel in the best neighbourhood of the vibrant capital. Mexico is one of the world's great art, food and cultural destinations, and its warmth and style welcome you at once. The city sits at high altitude, so take it easy today, settling into your beautiful hotel and relaxing after your journey. This evening, a welcome dinner at one of the capital's finest restaurants introduces you to the world-class cuisine of Mexico and to the indulgent journey ahead through the capital, a colonial hacienda and the Caribbean coast. As you settle in, the style and energy of the city work their magic. Rest well in luxurious comfort, ready to explore the art and pyramids of the capital tomorrow.
Today you explore the art, museums and grandeur of the capital with an expert private guide. With skip-the-line access, you explore the vast Zocalo, the Diego Rivera murals of the National Palace, and the Aztec Templo Mayor, and delve into the incomparable Museum of Anthropology, home to the Aztec Sun Stone and the treasures of ancient Mexico. You might enjoy a private tour of galleries and the murals of the city, or the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes, all at a refined, private pace. The art, history and access are superb. As the day ends, you return to your design hotel. This evening, dine at one of the world's finest restaurants, savouring the heights of Mexican gastronomy. Rest well in luxurious comfort, for tomorrow you journey to the pyramids of Teotihuacan and Frida's Coyoacan.
Today you explore the pyramids of Teotihuacan and Frida's Coyoacan with your private guide. In the morning you journey to Teotihuacan, the ancient City of the Gods, walking the Avenue of the Dead beneath the mighty Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, ideally early to enjoy the site in relative calm, perhaps with a sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the pyramids as an option. Returning to the city, you explore beautiful, bohemian Coyoacan and the moving Frida Kahlo Museum in the Blue House. The scale, art and access are superb. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, enjoy an expert mezcal or tequila tasting and a refined dinner, savouring the flavours of Mexico. Rest well in luxurious comfort, for tomorrow you fly to a beautiful restored hacienda in the Yucatan.
Today you fly to the Yucatan and retreat to an exquisitely restored colonial hacienda. You are privately transferred to the airport and fly to Merida, where you are met and driven to one of the region's sublime restored henequen haciendas, a grand colonial estate transformed into a luxury hotel, with soaring colonnaded rooms, tropical gardens, a cenote pool and impeccable service. You settle into this beautiful, tranquil retreat, perhaps enjoying a spa treatment, a swim in the cenote pool, or a stroll through the gardens as the light softens. The elegance and tranquillity are beautiful. As the day ends, you relax in the timeless calm of the hacienda. This evening, savour a superb hacienda dinner of refined Yucatecan cuisine beneath the colonnades. Rest well in luxurious comfort, for tomorrow you explore the wonder of Chichen Itza privately.
Today you explore the wonder of Chichen Itza and secluded cenotes with your private guide. You visit Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, ideally in the quiet early morning, standing before the mighty pyramid of El Castillo and exploring the great ball court, temples and sacred cenote with your expert guide, in relative calm before the crowds. You swim in beautiful, secluded cenotes, floating in the clear, cool turquoise water of jungle pools and caverns away from the crowds, and return to your hacienda to relax. The wonder and refinement are superb. As the day ends, you unwind in the beautiful calm of the hacienda, perhaps with a spa treatment. This evening, savour another refined dinner beneath the colonnades. Rest well in luxurious comfort, for tomorrow you journey to a beautiful beachfront resort on the Riviera Maya.
Today you journey to the Caribbean coast and a beautiful beachfront resort. You are privately driven across the Yucatan to the Riviera Maya, checking in to one of the coast's finest beachfront resorts, on a stretch of powder-white sand and turquoise sea, with a world-class spa, superb dining and impeccable service. You settle in and spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beautiful beach, swimming in the warm turquoise sea, and unwinding by the pool or with a spa treatment. The beauty and indulgence are blissful. As the day ends, you watch the sky soften over the Caribbean from your beautiful resort. This evening, enjoy a candlelit dinner on the sand beneath the stars, savouring the beauty of the coast. Rest well in luxurious comfort, ready for a private cenote and Tulum experience tomorrow.
Today you enjoy a private experience of the cliff-top ruins of Tulum and secluded cenotes. With your private guide, you explore the dramatic Maya ruins of Tulum, spectacularly perched on a cliff above the turquoise Caribbean, ideally early in the soft morning light before the crowds, and swim in beautiful secluded cenotes, floating in the clear turquoise water of hidden jungle pools. You return to your resort to relax on the beach and enjoy a world-class spa treatment. The beauty and refinement are superb. As the day ends, you unwind by the sea, savouring the luxury of the coast. This evening, savour a superb dinner at the resort, perhaps a chef's tasting menu paired with fine mezcal. Rest well in luxurious comfort, ready for a final day of beach and spa bliss tomorrow.
Today you savour a final, flexible day of luxury on the beautiful Riviera Maya. You might relax on the powder-white beach and swim in the turquoise sea, indulge in world-class spa treatments, or take an optional premium experience, a private yacht charter along the coast, a snorkel or dive on the reef, or a boat to the island of Cozumel. This flexible day is yours to savour the beauty and indulgence, reflecting on the superb journey you have made across Mexico. The beauty and ease are blissful. As the day ends, you watch a final Caribbean sunset from your beautiful resort. This evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner, savouring the flavours of Mexico and the beauty of the coast. Rest well in luxurious comfort, ready for your departure tomorrow, having experienced the very finest of Mexico.
After a final morning of luxury on the beautiful Riviera Maya, perhaps a last swim in the turquoise sea or a spa treatment, you are privately transferred to Cancun International Airport for your onward departure. You leave having experienced the very finest of Mexico, chic design hotels and private art tours in vibrant Mexico City, the pyramids of Teotihuacan, an exquisitely restored colonial hacienda in the Yucatan with private access to Chichen Itza, and a beautiful beachfront resort on the Riviera Maya with world-class spa and private cenote and Tulum experiences, with world-class dining throughout. The images stay vivid long after you land, the treasures of the Museum of Anthropology, the Pyramid of the Sun, the colonnades of the hacienda, El Castillo at dawn, and the turquoise Caribbean from your resort. Mexico offers art, cuisine, history and beauty in the finest style, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this captivating and luxurious land.
Where You Will Travel
What's inside the package?
Inclusions
- 8 nights accommodation
- Daily breakfast, a welcome dinner, a hacienda dinner and a candlelit beach dinner
- Airport and land transfers in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles
- Touring and sightseeing as per itinerary with expert local guides
- Entrance fees to archaeological sites, museums and reserves as per itinerary
- luxury design hotels, a colonial hacienda and a beachfront resort, expert private guides throughout, private Mexico City art and Teotihuacan tours, an internal flight to the Yucatan, a private Chichen Itza and cenote experience, a private Tulum experience, a spa treatment, and all entrance fees
Exclusions
- International airfare
- Visa or tourist card fees where applicable
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Fine-dining meals not specified
- Optional premium experiences, extra spa and tips for guides and drivers
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary or inclusions
- Drinks unless specifically stated
- Optional excursions and experiences
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Anything not specifically mentioned under Package Inclusions
Know when to go.
- Visa & entry: Many nationalities (including the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia and others) do not need a visa for tourist stays in Mexico of up to 180 days, receiving an entry permit on arrival; a passport valid for the length of your stay is required. Requirements can change, so we confirm the exact process for your nationality before travel
- Currency: The currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN); cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops in cities and resorts, but carry cash (pesos) for markets, small towns, taxis, tips and rural sites. ATMs are widely available; US dollars are sometimes accepted in tourist areas but pesos give better value
- Best time to visit: The dry season from November to April is ideal across most of Mexico, with warm, sunny days perfect for archaeological sites, colonial cities and beaches; the rainy season (roughly June to September) brings warm afternoon showers but green landscapes and fewer crowds. Day of the Dead (late October to early November) and whale season (December to April in Baja) are special highlights
- Language & etiquette: Spanish is the language, and English is widely spoken in tourism, resorts and cities; a few words of Spanish are warmly appreciated. Mexicans are famously warm, courteous and hospitable; politeness, patience and a friendly greeting go a long way, and tipping (around 10 to 15 percent) is customary in restaurants
- Getting around: Touring is by comfortable private air-conditioned vehicle with your guide or driver, with some internal flights on longer journeys (for example between Mexico City, Oaxaca, the Yucatan and Baja) to save time over long distances. Roads are generally good on the main tourist routes, and we handle all transport and logistics
- Health & safety: We use trusted local guides and carefully chosen hotels and routes, and follow official guidance; the classic tourist regions covered here are well established and welcoming. Drink bottled or purified water, use sun protection and stay hydrated in the heat, and take the usual sensible precautions with valuables in busy markets and cities
- Altitude & climate: Mexico City, Oaxaca, San Cristobal and the central highlands sit at high altitude (Mexico City is around 2,240m), so take it easy on arrival and stay hydrated; days are warm and evenings can be cool, so bring layers. The Yucatan, Riviera Maya and coasts are hot and humid year-round, so pack light, breathable clothing
- Power & connectivity: Power is 120V with US-style flat type A and B plugs, so travellers from Europe and elsewhere should bring an adapter. Mobile coverage and wifi are good in cities and resorts. Bring sun protection, insect repellent, comfortable walking shoes for the sites, and modest cover for churches
Frequently Asked Questions
What level of hotels and service can we expect?
This journey uses the finest hotels in Mexico, chic design hotels in the best neighbourhoods of Mexico City, an exquisitely restored colonial hacienda in the Yucatan, and a world-class beachfront resort on the Riviera Maya, all with impeccable service. You enjoy expert private guides throughout, private transfers and internal flights, priority and early access to the major sites, and world-class dining. We tailor every detail to your tastes, and can upgrade to the very top suites, villas and experiences to create a truly bespoke luxury journey.
Can you arrange exclusive experiences and top restaurants?
Absolutely. We can arrange exclusive and private experiences such as a sunrise hot-air balloon over Teotihuacan, private early access to Chichen Itza and Tulum, expert-led mezcal and tequila tastings, private chefs and cooking classes, a yacht charter on the Caribbean, and tables at Mexico's world-renowned restaurants (among the best on the planet). Just tell us your interests, whether art, gastronomy, design, archaeology or wellness, and we will craft a seamless, indulgent and utterly bespoke luxury journey through Mexico.
What meals are included?
Daily breakfast is included, along with any meals named in the itinerary (typically a welcome dinner and some special meals such as a tasting in Oaxaca or a beachside dinner). Mexican cuisine is one of the world's greatest, from the moles and tlayudas of Oaxaca and the cochinita pibil of the Yucatan to street tacos, fresh seafood, mezcal and tequila, and we usually leave meals free so you can explore, recommending the best local restaurants, markets and cantinas at every stage of your journey.
Are the tours private or in a group?
Your journey is private by default, with your own expert local guides and comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, giving you flexibility, depth and a pace tailored to you; small-group options can be arranged if you prefer. Mexico's knowledgeable guides bring the pyramids, colonial cities, markets, cuisine and rich living culture vividly to life, greatly enriching every visit to the ruins, museums, cenotes and towns along the way.
Do I need a visa for Mexico?
Many nationalities, including the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia and others, do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 180 days, receiving an entry permit on arrival. We confirm the exact, current requirements for your nationality and advise on the best option, so entry is smooth. A passport valid for the length of your stay is required, and we send full guidance before you travel.
Is Mexico safe to visit?
The classic tourist regions covered on our journeys, Mexico City's historic centre, the Yucatan and Riviera Maya, Oaxaca, Chiapas, the colonial highlands and Baja, are well established, welcoming and visited by millions each year. We use trusted local guides, carefully chosen hotels and sensible routes, monitor conditions and follow official guidance. As anywhere, we advise the usual sensible precautions with valuables, and the warmth of the Mexican welcome is one of the great joys of a visit.
When is the best time to visit?
The dry season from November to April is ideal across most of Mexico, with warm, sunny days perfect for the archaeological sites, colonial cities and beaches. The rainy season (June to September) brings warm afternoon showers, lush green landscapes and fewer crowds. Special seasons include Day of the Dead in late October and early November, and grey-whale watching in Baja from December to April. We advise on the best timing for your interests.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Absolutely. We can adjust the balance of Mexico City, the Yucatan and Riviera Maya, Oaxaca, Chiapas, the colonial cities and Baja, add beach time, cooking classes, a mezcal or tequila experience, cenote swims or diving, extend or shorten the pace, and tailor the comfort and focus entirely to you. Every itinerary is a flexible starting point for your ideal journey through the beautiful and varied landscapes and cultures of Mexico.
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