Value Mexico: Highlights of Mexico City and the Yucatán
11 days from £2,300
Explore the tour day by day, from the highlights to the quieter moments in between. Here’s how each day unfolds and what to expect along the way.
Transfer to your hotel in the historic centre of the city. Mexico City was built on the site of Tenochtotlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, and it lies at 2,250m above sea level. Vast, chaotic and vibrant, this sprawling megapolis of more than 20 million people has a multitude of attractions.
The grand-looking yet unpretentious Hampton Inn – part of the Hilton chain – occupies a prime position within the capital’s bustling colonial centre. Housed within a historic building with a rather Gothic exterior, the property has some particularly nice features including an atmospherically lit roof terrace and an atrium with an impressive stained glass ceiling.
Rooms are clean, spacious and well-equipped, with dark oak furniture and Mexican artwork. There are two restaurants offering a choice between traditional regional cuisine and international seafood dishes, and a gym with city views. Particularly attentive staff lends this mid-range option a touch of class.
Begin with a guided tour of Mexico City in the morning, when the historical centre is at its least frenetic. Your visit includes the area around the main square (Zócalo) surrounded by prestigious buildings such as the National Palace (with murals by Diego Rivera) and the sixteenth century cathedral. Continue to the archaeological site of Teotihuacán, 50km away. This huge, impressive pre-Columbian city was built on a drained lake floor. Teotihuacán was once one of the largest cities in the world.
It is hugely influential in the historic narrative of modern Mexico and, although it had already been abandoned by the time of the Aztecs, even this great empire held it in awe. Soak up the history as you stroll along the imposing Avenue of the Dead, leading to the vast Pyramid of the Sun, and take the opportunity to climb its vertiginous, ancient steps for a panorama of the ruins and the surrounding countryside.
The grand-looking yet unpretentious Hampton Inn – part of the Hilton chain – occupies a prime position within the capital’s bustling colonial centre. Housed within a historic building with a rather Gothic exterior, the property has some particularly nice features including an atmospherically lit roof terrace and an atrium with an impressive stained glass ceiling.
Rooms are clean, spacious and well-equipped, with dark oak furniture and Mexican artwork. There are two restaurants offering a choice between traditional regional cuisine and international seafood dishes, and a gym with city views. Particularly attentive staff lends this mid-range option a touch of class.
Explore the parks, plazas, markets and museums of Mexico City under your own steam. We can offer a range of optional excursions. Possibilities include the magnificent Museum of Anthropology (closed on Mondays). In our view this is one of the continent’s best museums, with presentations representing different regions, each featuring exhibits manifesting society in pre-Hispanic history and the colonial period as well as showing how life is lived in contemporary Mexico.
A visit to the ‘floating gardens’ of Xochimilco, a network of canals lined by fruit and flower gardens and markets, can be great fun – especially at weekends when residents of Mexico City flock to be transported in one of the colourful gondolas where they are serenaded by a mariachi band. You too will have the opportunity to glide through the canals at a lazy pace on one of these ‘trajineras’. Xochimilco was once connected to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) and was where they grew much of their food. Combined with a visit to Coyoacan and the Frida Kahlo Museum this is a great day out.
The grand-looking yet unpretentious Hampton Inn – part of the Hilton chain – occupies a prime position within the capital’s bustling colonial centre. Housed within a historic building with a rather Gothic exterior, the property has some particularly nice features including an atmospherically lit roof terrace and an atrium with an impressive stained glass ceiling.
Rooms are clean, spacious and well-equipped, with dark oak furniture and Mexican artwork. There are two restaurants offering a choice between traditional regional cuisine and international seafood dishes, and a gym with city views. Particularly attentive staff lends this mid-range option a touch of class.
Fly to Mérida, capital of the Yucatán Peninsula. The city was founded by the Mayan Indians and named Tiho. In 1542 it was conquered by the Spanish conquistadores who dismantled the Mayan pyramids and used the stones as foundations for the cathedral. Mérida then became an immensely wealthy city, described as ‘the Paris of the New World’. Its money came mainly from the production of sisal, cactus fibres that are used to make rope, and it was culturally and geographically isolated from the rest of the country until transport infrastructure reached it in the 1950s.
Today, Mérida retains a lovely colonial centre, with a mix of opulent and crumbly buildings but it is a modern, bustling, thriving city, with lots of local character, some excellent places to eat and good shops and markets. The inhabitants, descendants of the Mayans and the colonists, love a good fiesta, and you may well find one going on, with live music and market stalls, while you are there.
Casa Lucia is close to the heart of Mérida, with Parque Santa Lucia square on its doorstep and the Plaza Principal within 4 blocks.
Casa Lucia makes a great base for a day or two at leisure in this joyful city. Today’s hotel comprises a combination of historic Mérida townhouses, with modern additions, and it has held on to its sense of place. Décor very much leans towards the traditional with period furnishings and chandeliers setting the scene, although modern comforts remain a priority. Guest rooms with air-con, a garden with fountains and an outdoor pool makes this a handy refuge from the heat of a typical Yucatecan afternoon.
Guided excursion to the Mayan temple complex at Uxmal, 80km from Mérida. The site is dominated by the majestic Pyramid of the Magician, alongside which is an elegant nunnery quadrangle with Puuc-style complex stonework pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. Strolling through the ruins, cradled in dense vegetation shading the visitor from the scorching sun is an almost mystical experience. Continue to Kabah, with its incredible Palace of Masks, with intricate mosaics representing the face of Chac the rain god 260 times.
Casa Lucia is close to the heart of Mérida, with Parque Santa Lucia square on its doorstep and the Plaza Principal within 4 blocks.
Casa Lucia makes a great base for a day or two at leisure in this joyful city. Today’s hotel comprises a combination of historic Mérida townhouses, with modern additions, and it has held on to its sense of place. Décor very much leans towards the traditional with period furnishings and chandeliers setting the scene, although modern comforts remain a priority. Guest rooms with air-con, a garden with fountains and an outdoor pool makes this a handy refuge from the heat of a typical Yucatecan afternoon.
At leisure in Mérida.
Casa Lucia is close to the heart of Mérida, with Parque Santa Lucia square on its doorstep and the Plaza Principal within 4 blocks.
Casa Lucia makes a great base for a day or two at leisure in this joyful city. Today’s hotel comprises a combination of historic Mérida townhouses, with modern additions, and it has held on to its sense of place. Décor very much leans towards the traditional with period furnishings and chandeliers setting the scene, although modern comforts remain a priority. Guest rooms with air-con, a garden with fountains and an outdoor pool makes this a handy refuge from the heat of a typical Yucatecan afternoon.
From Mérida drive to Chichén Itzá (3 hrs), the grandest of all the Mayan sites, dominated by the huge, symmetrical, stepped El Castillo pyramid. The origins of the site are mysterious, and appear to have Toltec as well as Mayan influences. It has the largest and best-preserved ball court in the Americas; the venue for an ancient ritual game that was played throughout the continent, but which is still not fully understood.
Archaeologists have not been able to determine whether the losers or winners were decapitated, but judging from the gory carvings along the base of the court’s walls, someone certainly came to an unpleasant end. There is also a huge sacred cenote (sinkhole) where explorations have revealed human remains, artifacts and valuables leading archaeologists to believe it was used for offerings.
After a guided tour of the citadel, continue by road for 2-3 hours to Mexico’s Caribbean coast, known as the Riviera Maya. A backwater until the 1980s, Playa del Carmen is nowadays a fully-fledged international resort with a lively pedestrianised centre overflowing with restaurants and bars.
The well-loved small Petit Lafitte hotel, lauded for its friendly staff and restful atmosphere, is set on the secluded beaches of Playa Xcalacoco at a small yet significant remove from the lively resort of Playa del Carmen. The setting shares the Caribbean beauty of playa’s gleaming beachfront, yet the atmosphere is a world away from the all-inclusives that pervade nearby stretches of the Yucatán coastline.
Guest rooms are either within minimalist maisonette-style blocks or wooden cabañas with attractive decked walls and tiled floors. All are just steps away from the idyllic private beach, lapped by an ocean containing a mesmerising spectrum of turquoise hues.
Relax at Playa del Carmen. The beaches are gorgeous here and there are loads of activities and excursions, from visits to Mayan ruins to scuba diving. These are easy to book locally. You might even hire a car for a day or two to have more flexibility to explore.
The well-loved small Petit Lafitte hotel, lauded for its friendly staff and restful atmosphere, is set on the secluded beaches of Playa Xcalacoco at a small yet significant remove from the lively resort of Playa del Carmen. The setting shares the Caribbean beauty of playa’s gleaming beachfront, yet the atmosphere is a world away from the all-inclusives that pervade nearby stretches of the Yucatán coastline.
Guest rooms are either within minimalist maisonette-style blocks or wooden cabañas with attractive decked walls and tiled floors. All are just steps away from the idyllic private beach, lapped by an ocean containing a mesmerising spectrum of turquoise hues.
The places you’ll stay and explore on this tour. Here’s a closer look at each one and what makes it worth the trip.
Mexico - Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the world’s great capital cities, where ancient civilisations, colonial heritage and contemporary culture converge. Built on the foundations of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, this vast metropolis offers everything from historic architecture and world-class museums to vibrant neighbourhoods and exceptional gastronomy.
Mexico - Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan
Ancient Maya cities rise out of the jungle, colonial towns, and the Caribbean, this is the Yucatán Peninsula Mexico’s most varied region has to offer. Sites like Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Tulum sit within easy reach of colonial Mérida and the Riviera Maya, making Yucatán Peninsula holidays one of the most rewarding trips.
Mexico - Caribbean coast: Riviera Maya and Holbox
White-sand beaches, turquoise waters and ancient Maya ruins meet along this stretch of Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Riviera Maya holidays run south from Cancún to the cliff-top ruins of Tulum, while Holbox Island offers a slower, sand-streeted alternative just off the northern tip of the Yucatán. This combines relaxation, nature and culture.
This holiday is a great introduction to a huge country with an immense variety of cultural and physical landscapes. There are deserts, mountains and jungles magnificent ruined pre-Columbian pyramids and temples, graceful colonial towns and a timeless indigenous life in the villages and markets. We’ve picked out a few of the highlights to give you a good value, economical and rewarding holiday.
Mexico City is a huge metropolis, one of the largest cities in the world (you may like to extend your time here) and our guided tour takes you to a few of the top sights. Zip down to Mérida, an agreeable, Mayan and colonial city in the Yucatán Peninsula, from where you will visit a few of the better-known Mayan archaeological sites. Finally head for the Caribbean beach at Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya.
Paul Winrow-Giffin
All of our experts have lived or travelled extensively in Latin America, so you will receive unrivalled advice based on unique personal experiences.
The practical detail for this tour, all in one place. Transport, accommodation, what’s included and what to pack, so you know exactly what to expect before you go.
- Transport
One flight (longest 1.5hrs); 3 scenic road journeys (longest 3hrs).
- Accommodation
At all levels, we prefer smaller hotels with some local character; whether one of a local chain or independent. On the odd occasion where we use an international chain, we choose properties with some historic or unique features. Here we use small, friendly hotels, colonial or modern in style with well-equipped rooms, private bathroom and heating.
- Meals
Breakfast daily. Lunch day 7. Dinner days 7-10.
- Guides
We carefully select our local partners, some of whom we have worked with for over 25 years. Their English-speaking guides understand the expectations of our clients very well, and are consistently singled out for praise by the latter on their return.
- Summary Of Nights
11 days, 10 nights: Mexico City 3; Mérida 3; Playa del Carmen 4.
- Currency
The unit of currency in Mexico is the Mexican peso.
- How To Take It
Cash machines are available in all major cities and towns, and so taking a debit or credit card with a PIN number is the most convenient way of withdrawing money while on your trip, and in most shops and restaurants you can also pay by card. However, since cards can get lost, damaged, withheld or blocked, you should not rely exclusively on a card to access funds. We recommend that additionally you take a reasonable quantity of US dollars cash (no more than is covered by your insurance), which you can exchange into local currency, and possibly some travellers’ cheques (American Express are the most widely accepted), though these are gradually falling out of use. Dollar bills should be in good condition, soiled or torn bills may be refused. You can take sterling, but the exchange rate is not always competitive or even available, restricting the number of places where you can change money.
- Daily Spend
It is very difficult to give a guideline for essential expenses but a budget of around US$35 per day should cover the cost of meals not included in the holiday itinerary, drinks and the odd souvenir. Eat at the best restaurants and you will pay considerably more.
- Tipping
Tips are expected and local guides often rely on their tip as a significant proportion of their income. We recommend approximately $10 per person for a half day and $20 for a full day for guides and half that for drivers.
Most service industry workers will expect a tip of some kind and so it is useful to have spare change for hotel porters, taxi drivers and the like. It is common to leave 10 – 12% in restaurants.
Tipping guidelines can be found in our Briefing Dossier.
- Insurance
Travel insurance is essential. Details of our recommended policy can be found on our Travel Insurance page.
- Airport Taxes
If you have purchased your flights through Journey Latin America, the international departure tax is usually included in the ticket.
- Trip Suitability
Generally this holiday is suitable for all able, reasonably fit visitors, including families. If you or anyone in your party has a disability please contact us.
- Visas
Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.
- Climate
In Mexico City and the mountains towns the climate is temperate all year round and, because of the altitude it never gets too hot.
The wet/rainy season lasts through June to August, which usually means a couple of hours of rain in the afternoon.
Temperatures can drop to freezing in Mexico City over the winter months.The Yucatán Peninsula is hot (around 30°C) and humid all year round. October through April are the driest months. The hurricane season runs from July to November.
- Clothing And Special Equipment
Bring plenty of light cotton clothing and good, comfortable walking shoes. Some warm items and good waterproof jackets are also necessary. We suggest that you plan to ‘layer’ your clothing; it is easier and more efficient to put on a couple of light layers than one thick jumper, and sensible to have long sleeves for areas where mosquitos may be a problem. Sandals are a good informal option for evenings. Protection against the sun (sunblock, sun hat) and mosquito repellent are essential and you should bring swimwear. A daypack is useful for carrying around
sunblock, guidebook, water and any extra layers.Please get in touch with the office before departure if you have any doubts. Good equipment is very important and hard to come by in Mexico.
- Vaccinations
Preventative vaccinations are recommended against the following; typhoid; polio; tetanus; hepatitis A. For specific requirements you must consult your GP.
You can also find helpful information on the Masta Travel Health website.
- When is the best time to go to Mexico?
It’s a year-round destination. Over half the country enjoys temperate highland weather, while the coasts are mostly sunny, hot and relatively humid. The northwest has an arid desert climate. Elsewhere most rain falls from Jun to Sep though precipitation can be expected up to Nov. Hurricanes are possible around the Gulf of Mexico and Yucatán Peninsula Jul – Nov.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What is the official language of Mexico?
The official language of Mexico is Spanish and indigenous languages.
- What is Mexico's official currency?
The official currency of Mexico is the Mexican peso. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs using a UK credit or debit card.
Credit card or debit cards are widely accepted, although cash is still useful in Mexico. You’ll need some Pesos (or US$) cash for smaller expenses such as tips or souvenirs. Pesos can be obtained locally at ATMs or a Casa de Cambio. - What is the time difference between Mexico and the UK?
The time difference between the UK and Mexico is GMT-6 hours; ;and -7 hours in Southern Baja California and the Copper Canyon.
- Do I need a visa for Mexico?
Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins.
If you are entering and/or leaving Mexico via a land border, you are required by the authorities to complete an electronic Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM) form via the Gobierno do Mexico portal on https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html#
We recommend doing this several days before crossing the land border, as you need to upload a scan of your passport to complete the process and print the form once completed. If you arriving by air and leaving by land, you can ask our local partners to assist you with this process once you are in Mexico.
Anyone with a different nationality should ensuire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application. - What vaccinations do I need for Mexico?
Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.
- What other countries combine well with Mexico?
A visit to neighbouring Belize, where there are luxury eco-lodges, superb diving and snorkelling all embraced in British Caribbean cultural heritage.
- What are the festivals, cultural and sporting events in Mexico?
Independence Day, 16 Sep Celebrations throughout the country.
Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, 1 – 2 Nov. Celebrated throughout the country.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Rosie embarked on a year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. She is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others.
Finn discovered his passion for travel on an extensive 18-month trip to Latin America, experiencing the vibrant Carnaval in Rio, the end-of-the-world city of Ushuaia, trekking the Andes and volunteering on the Galápagos Islands.
Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Gary discovered what he had been missing with his first foray into the wilds of Latin America. In his role as Product Manager, he combines this personal obsession with years of industry experience to help ensure that travellers will fall for the region every bit as much as he has.
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Take a memorable dip in one of the Yucatán peninsula’s distinctive turquoise limestone sinkholes and visit a hacienda brimming with colonial character.
Take a stroll through the historic plazas and boulevards of Mexico’s cosmopolitan capital, discovering the city’s Aztec foundations.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation. Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you will relax in utter comfort
Well-located hotel within a historic building, with a lovely roof terrace, stained glass ceilinged atrium and particularly helpful staff.
Small hotel set on a secluded Caribbean beach, with stylish rooms, a relaxing atmosphere and exceptional service.
Papagaio
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