6 Days in Oaxaca: Creative and Culinary Mexico
Appeal to your inner artist on this colorful, cultural, and culinary tour of Oaxaca that focuses on the city's most creative communities, vibrant crafts, and imaginative traditions.
Mexico
6 days / 5 nights
$3,210 /person
$3,210 /person
Your trip at a glance
Top Activities
Painting traditional alebrije crafts in a local artisan workshop
Traveling back through time at the archaeological ruins of Monte Albán
Cooking beloved Oaxacan dishes and moles with Zapotec women
Comparing and contrasting mezcal variations on a guided tasting
Marveling at Oaxaca's colorful murals and creative galleries on an art-focused city tour
Monte Albán Archaeology and Making Alebrije Art
Overview
Gear up for another full day of art, culture, and adventure. Savor a delicious Oaxacan breakfast at your hotel before meeting up with your expert local guide. Together, you'll set off on a six-hour tour, beginning at Monte Albán: a hilltop Zapotec city. As you visit this site of complex ruins, you'll not only enjoy its impressive landscapes of mountains and valleys, but you'll also hear all about its significance; the city played a major role in the development of Mesoamerica and has since been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your expert local guide will lead you through the complex's main structures, which include the North Platform and the Grand Plaza. You will also pay special attention to the Gallery of the Dancers and the ball court, among other impressive buildings. Afterward, you'll head to the community of Arrazola, about 20 minutes away. Here, you'll participate in a craft-making workshop inside the studio of a local artisan. Before you get your hands dirty, you'll learn about the workshop's history, contextualizing the day's guided and oh-so creative alebrije painting session. Once you've made your own souvenir, your guide will transfer you back to your hotel, setting you loose for another spectacular night at leisure in Oaxaca. (Breakfast)
Highlights
Monte Albán
Developed on a hilltop in the center of Oaxaca's central valleys, Monte Albán dates back to the origins of Mesoamerica and now consists of various well-preserved ruins that reflect bygone Olmec, Zapotec, and Mixtec inhabitants. During today's guided tour, your local archaeology expert will lead you to this site's northern platform, where you'll witness the Gallery of the Dancers — a unique series of stone structures — and learn about Monte Albán's pre-Columbian remains.
Alebrije Painting Workshop
Channel your inner creative during today's artisan-led alebrije painting workshop, during which you'll follow the lead of a local artist to splatter colors on an alebrije: an intricate Oaxacan art form. Typically made of wood, alebrijes refer to vibrantly painted folk art sculptures that often depict both real and imagined animals. In today's crafting class, you'll be given an alebrije to paint however you please, putting your own spin on the region's traditions.
Accommodations
Parador de Alcalá (or similar)
In the heart of Oaxaca's historic center, the Parador de Alcalá hovers between the Santo Domingo de Guzmán ex-convent and the Zocalo. Restored and converted into a boutique hotel, this 18th-century mansion boasts 21 rooms and suites scattered across three floors. All rooms come with marble floors and Egyptian cotton sheets, while contemporary decor melds with details of warm oak wood and colonial-style furniture. Outside of the individual rooms, the hotel maintains a lovely outdoor pool, as well as a terrace with a rooftop garden and 360° views of this wonderful city.
Location:
Calle Macedonio Alcalá 301, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca
Phone:
+529512060402
How it works
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What's included
Included in the final price
- Roadbook with local tips and expert recommendations
- 24/7 on-the-ground support
- Personalized trip crafting
- Private transportation between the airport and your accommodation
- Oaxaca street art walking tour, including English-speaking guide (shared service)
- Monte Albán visit and Alebrije art experience, including transportation, English-speaking guide, entrance fees, and materials (private service)
- Hierve el Agua, Mitla Archeological Site, Tule, Teotitlán, and mezcal experience, including transportation, English-speaking guide, entrance fees, and mezcal tasting (shared service)
- Rural cooking experience, including transportation, guide, cooking lesson, and food (private service)
- Five nights of accommodations, with daily breakfast included
Not included in the final price
- International arrival and departure flights
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Anything not mentioned or listed as optional in the itinerary