Mexico City: Zocalo, Teotihuacan & the Art of the Capital

Today you explore the magnificent historic heart of the capital. You stand in the immense Zocalo, one of the largest squares in the world, built on the sacred centre of Aztec Tenochtitlan and framed by the vast Metropolitan Cathedral, the largest in the Americas, 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 unearthed in the modern city, with its superb museum. You wander the surrounding colonial streets, the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes with its murals, and the historic Alameda. The history and grandeur are magnificent. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having explored the heart of the city. This evening, savour the capital's superb food scene. Rest well, for tomorrow you delve into ancient Mexico at the Museum of Anthropology.

Today you explore the incomparable National Museum of Anthropology, one of the greatest museums in the world. Set in the leafy Chapultepec park, it is a magnificent showcase of the ancient civilisations of Mexico, and with your expert guide you marvel at the Aztec Sun Stone, the colossal Olmec heads, the treasures of the Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec and Teotihuacan cultures, and the tomb of Pakal from Palenque. In the afternoon you explore more of Chapultepec, perhaps visiting the hilltop castle with its sweeping views and imperial history, or the modern art museums nearby, and stroll the elegant Paseo de la Reforma. The richness and beauty are magnificent. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, savour more of the capital's cuisine. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to 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 travel out across the high plateau to Teotihuacan, one of the greatest archaeological sites in the Americas and once among the largest cities on earth. 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, as your guide brings this mysterious civilisation to life. You may visit the Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico's holiest shrine, on the way back. The scale and history are breathtaking. As the day ends, you return to the city. This evening, savour the capital's atmosphere. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore Frida's Coyoacan.

Today you explore the creative and colourful soul of the capital. You wander beautiful, bohemian Coyoacan, the leafy colonial neighbourhood where Frida Kahlo lived, visiting the Blue House (Casa Azul), now the moving Frida Kahlo Museum, filled with her art, belongings and spirit, and exploring its plazas, markets, churches and cafes. In the afternoon you drift along the flower-decked canals of Xochimilco, the last remnant of the Aztec lake and floating gardens, aboard a colourful trajinera boat with music, food and laughter, a joyful and quintessentially Mexican experience. The art, colour and music are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having savoured the creative heart of the city. This evening, enjoy a final dinner in the capital, perhaps a special tasting menu or a lively cantina. Rest well, reflecting on your journey through this great city, ready for departure tomorrow.

After a final morning in the vibrant capital, perhaps a last stroll through a neighbourhood market, a visit to a gallery, or some souvenir shopping for crafts and Talavera pottery, you are transferred to Mexico City International Airport for your onward departure. You leave having immersed yourself in one of the world's great capitals, the immense Zocalo, the Aztec Templo Mayor and the murals of the National Palace, the incomparable Museum of Anthropology, the towering pyramids of Teotihuacan, Frida's bohemian Coyoacan, the flower-decked canals of Xochimilco, and the extraordinary cuisine throughout. The images stay vivid long after you land, the great Zocalo, the Sun Stone, the Pyramid of the Sun, the Blue House, and the colourful trajineras of Xochimilco. Mexico City offers history, art, architecture and food in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this fascinating and creative capital of Mexico.