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Arrive
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Day 1 Arrive in Mexico City
Arrive in Mexico City at any time today and take a private transfer to your hotel in the sophisticated Polanco neighbourhood. Your journey in the footsteps of Frida Kahlo begins in earnest this evening with an immersive dinner inspired by the artist's life. With a menu designed by celebrated Mexican chef Graciela Montaño, you'll enjoy an evening of culinary storytelling and authentic Mexican flavours. Discover the symbolism behind every dish - each one carefully designed to reflect an element of Frida's story, and her unwavering love of her homeland. Furthermore, the intimate setting for your meal truly captures the spirit of Frida's famous dinner parties.
Overnight: Casa Polanco
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Day 2 Mexico City's Historic Centre
This morning you will explore historical Mexico City on foot with an expert private guide. Step back in time as you explore the magnificent main square (Zocalo), admire the chapels and ornate gold altars inside the Metropolitan Cathedral, and learn more about Aztec cosmology as you view the Templo Mayor from above. Take in the Palace of Fine Arts' striking Art Nouveau exterior and continue to Museo de San Ildefonso, where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera first met. Your day ends with a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, where you can find several of Kahlo's most iconic pieces, including The Two Fridas - a powerful and deeply personal self-portrait that captures the duality of Frida Kahlo's identity.
Overnight: Casa Polanco
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Day 3 Deep immersion in Frida Kahlo’s life
Venture to the south of Mexico City, where you step into the enchanting world of Frida Kahlo with exclusive private access to the Frida Kahlo Museum (La Casa Azul). Enjoy the beautiful gardens and the exterior of this iconic blue house, before your expert guide takes you through the rooms where the Kahlo family once lived. Gain an intimate glimpse into the life of Frida Kahlo and absorb the carefully curated collection of Kahlo's masterpieces in peace, and at your own pace.
Walk the short distance to the recently opened Casa Roja, the carefully restored family home of the Kahlo family, where you discover a more personal chapter of Frida's life through intimate belongings, photographs and other narratives.
Continue to the Xochimilco canals and ancient floating gardens (chinampas), where you will be able to explore by traditional wooden boat. These small plots of land were used to grow crops following a sustainable farming method that dates back to Mesoamerican times. Frida Kahlo was known for her deep connection to the land, while Diego Rivera's murals often showcased the life and labour of Mexican agricultural workers, so Xochimilco adds a fascinating dimension to your time in the city.
The final part of your day immerses you in the creative realm of Diego Rivera as you visit the Museo Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo. Marvel at Rivera's arresting murals and witness the powerful artistic dialogue between Diego and Frida, before you return to your hotel.
Overnight: Casa Polanco
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Day 4 Teotihuacan & Diego Rivera Mural Museum
Leave Mexico City behind for a journey into the past at Teotihuacan, the "City of the Gods." This UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its breathtaking pre-Columbian pyramids, intricate ruins, and intriguing history. Your private guide will share insight about the daily life, rituals and beliefs of the Teotihuacanos as you walk along the Avenue of the Dead and explore the architectural wonders dotted around the site.
Return to the city for some time at leisure, before you enjoy an exclusive, after-hours exploration of the Diego Rivera Mural Museum. Here you can get up close to Rivera's masterpiece, 'Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park'. This vast fresco features characters from over 400 years of Mexican history, from the country's indigenous roots to the Mexican Revolution. The mural also incorporates some of Rivera's personal memories, with Frida Kahlo playing a key role in the central composition alongside Diego Rivera himself.
Overnight: Casa Polanco
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Day 5 Oaxaca & Frida’s love for mezcal
Today you fly to Oaxaca, the birthplace of Kahlo's mother Matilde Calderón y González. Frida Kahlo had strong ties with the region and often incorporated its culture and typical Tehuana clothing into her art and personal style. After some time to freshen up, meet your guide and experience Oaxaca like a local. Begin at a tucked-away mezcalería, where you'll sample a range of the region's distinctive smoky spirit that was much loved by the artist. Continue to a popular local eatery to savour a traditional tlayuda. This beloved Oaxacan dish features a large, crispy tortilla spread with refried beans and topped with your choice of chicken, beef, Oaxaca cheese, crisp lettuce, and zingy salsa.
Overnight: Pug Seal Zapoteco Hotel
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Day 6 Monte Albán & Oaxaca City
This morning takes you high into the hills to Monte Albán, one-time thriving capital of the Zapotec civilisation. Together with your private guide, wander through the vast, pre-Columbian complex, scattered with the remains of temples, palaces, a ball court, and even an observatory. One of the necklaces Frida Kahlo owned featured a pendant echoing ancient jewels once found at Monte Albán, and her love of Mexican folk art was a running theme throughout her life.
Back in Oaxaca, your guide will take you on an exploration of the city's atmospheric cobbled streets and vibrant squares. Oaxaca's bustling central market overflows with regional crafts and textiles. Here you can find a variety of Tehuana-style garments including huipiles and dresses, often featuring intricate embroidery and bold colours that formed part of Frida's personal style and self-expression. She embraced this traditional attire to assert her Mexican identity, political beliefs, and cultural heritage.
Overnight: Pug Seal Zapoteco Hotel
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Day 7 Teotitlan Market Visit & Zapotec Cooking Class
A short drive east of Oaxaca takes you to the village of Teotitlan del Valle, arguably the prettiest village in the valley and a hub of Zapotec culture. Explore its colourful market and historic church before visiting a family of master weavers, whose intricate rugs are woven on ancestral looms and coloured using natural dyes. You will then join them for a traditional cooking class in their family home. Learn to prepare Oaxacan dishes passed down through generations, then share the meal you have created as part of an authentic taste of local hospitality.
Overnight: Pug Seal Zapoteco Hotel
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Day 8 Weaving communities of Tehuantepec
Embark on a journey to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a famously matriarchal society where women held significant power and influence. Though Frida Kahlo never visited the region, she was inspired by the exquisite velvet, cotton, and silk embroidered Tehuana-style garments. She wore these to express her feminine strength and pride in her Mexican roots. They also served a practical purpose for Frida, helping her to conceal her body which had been affected by childhood polio and a bus accident.
During your time in Tehuantepec you will explore remote weaving villages and meet Zapotec women who spend weeks creating their stunning textiles using horizontal looms. Witness the artistry involved in producing these textiles, and round off your tour sampling a regional street food delicacy.
Overnight: Hotel Calli
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Day 9 Juchitan Market, San Blas Village & Puerto Escondido
Start your day immersed in the sights and sounds of the Juchitan market, one of the most significant in the region. The array of traditional Oaxacan foods and artisan goods on display at the market is astonishing. Continue to the small village of San Blas, a quiet community rich in Zapotec heritage, before resuming your journey through the Oaxacan highlands to the coast. Your base for the next few days is the bohemian hideaway of Casona Sforza, an adults-only boutique hotel set on a laidback beach close to Puerto Escondido.
Overnight: Hotel Casona Sforza
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Day 10 - 11 Beach relaxation in Puerto Escondido
The next two days are free for you to relax in your peaceful beachfront surroundings. Your hotel is located a little outside the bustle of central Puerto Escondido, making it perfect for a tranquil stay, but with plenty of attractions just a short taxi ride away. You could head to the pretty cove of Playa Carrizalillo to splash around in the gentle waves, set out on a dolphin watching cruise, or marvel at the bioluminescent plankton at the Manialtepec lagoon. Back at the hotel, enjoy a soothing massage in the gentle ocean breeze, or put the mixologist to the test at the poolside bar.
Overnight: Hotel Casona Sforza
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Day 12 Depart
After a final breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to Puerto Escondido airport in plenty of time for your onward flight.
Overnight: Home
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Depart
