Contrasts Of Mexico (day Of The Dead)

Arrive in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico and truly the heart and soul of the country. With so much rich history to discover, the city is filled with historic buildings, landmarks and the largest number of museums in the world. Due to the number of evening flights into the international airport, your Leader plans to do the welcome meeting on the morning of day two, and will leave a message in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive into Mexico City at any time. If you would like to receive an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Mexico City International Airport (MEX) which is approximately a 30 minute to one hour drive from the hotel. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to have a stroll around Alameda Central, Mexico City's oldest municipal park, or visit the Templo Mayor Museum, which is known for its exhibits relating to the Aztec civilization.

On our first day in Mexico City we'll be exploring like a local, on foot and by public transport. The Zocalo is the beating heart of the city; the main square that has been a cornerstone in public gatherings since the ancient times. We'll walk down to the centre from the hotel, taking a trip to a local pasteleria en route to try some traditonal sweet bread. The National Palace is located on the east side of the square - the President lives here as his permanent residence, so we'll take a look at it from the outside, along with the grand metropolitan cathedral. The Zocalo also gives us our first taste of Mexico's wealth of ancient history - the remains of the ancient Aztec Templo Mayor were discovered here and are still well preserved, right in the downtown of the city. From the area around the central Zocalo, we take public transport to the enormous Chapultepec Park, Mexico City's main green space, and walk through to the National Anthropology Museum. One of the finest museums in the world, its exhibits offer a taste of the history ahead of us. Our city tour ends here at the museum. Opt to stay here longer, or return together with your Tour Leader. Today's walk in the city may reach approximately 10km including the time at the museum.

Our destination today is the mysterious pyramids of Teotihuacan. En route, we will visit the Basilica de Guadalupe - an important pilgrimage site for Mexicans, with a miraculous story behind it that our Tour Leader will recount. Continuing to Teotihuacan, we enter into this complex of ruins that were abandoned thirteen centuries ago. Once the largest city in the Americas with perhaps 100,000 inhabitants, its influence continued through Middle America, and Maya craftsmen borrowed its decorative motifs and building designs. Centuries later the Aztecs revered Teotihuacan as 'the Place of the Gods'. We'll have lunch nearby (not included), and we may have the chance to see some of the ancient uses of agave and obsidian in a workshop and craft shop nearby. We'll return to Mexico City in the late afternoon. If you wish, you may like the chance to climb the Torre Latinoamericana this evening - one of the tallest buildings in the city, with a panoramic viewing platform that gives fantastic views across the downtown and beyond.