Mexico City & the Yucatán

Promenade beneath rows of leafy palm trees as you watch ten lanes of traffic zip (or, more often, creep) by on Mexico’s answer to the Champs-Elysées. Emperor Maximilian built the Paseo de la Reforma, or “Reform Avenue,” to connect his house with the Palacio Nacional, and today it remains one of Mexico City’s most elegant and busy thoroughfares. Check out the golden angel on top of the 150-foot Independence Monument, one of the city’s most beloved structures and a favorite spot for wedding photos.

Crowds, cars, and cantinas. Twenty million residents clamoring all day long in the marketplaces and dancing all night long in the clubs. Few cities have the pure, tangible energy of Mexico City. Explore the past and present of this mammoth metropolis, built right on top of the capital of the Aztec empire. A licensed local guide will take you to the immense Plaza de la Constitución, the second largest square in the world after Moscow’s Red Square, whose unofficial name “el Zócalo” means “plinth” because of the never-completed statue in the center. Lining the square are the Cathedral and Palacio Nacional. The Cathedral was built between 1573 and 1813, and its architectural styles change, getting more and more ornate, as you go up. The Palacio Nacional still holds the president’s offices and a spectacular set of Diego Rivera murals — the artist depicted almost the full span of Mexican history, from the Toltecs and Aztecs to the Mexican Revolution, in amazing detail and striking, vivid colors. Nearby, the excavated Templo Mayor shows several layers of the chief Aztec temple. The Aztecs rebuilt their temples every 52 years, and there are at least seven separate structures (most of them now well below water level and not yet excavated) on this site.

See the rough woven cloak that miraculously generated a full-color image of the Virgin Mary. On December 9, 1531, resident Juan Diego, hurrying to find a priest for his dying uncle, saw a vision of the Virgin. She commanded him to build a basilica here and proved her divinity by curing his uncle and miraculously setting her own image into Juan Diego’s cloak. Since then she’s been busy performing miracles, ending plagues, and presiding as patron saint of the Americas. The basilica is now one of the most visited in Latin America.

The Aztecs named it “The Place Where Men Became Gods.” Get some divine inspiration yourself as your licensed local guide shows you this remarkable ancient town, so impressive that when the Aztecs found it in ruins, they assumed a race of giants had built it. At its height in the 7th century, the city had as many as 250,000 residents. The oldest structure, the Pyramid of the Sun, has a base as large as the Great Pyramid in Egypt. The long Avenue of the Dead leads to the smaller but more graceful Pyramid of the Moon. Clamber to the top for spectacular views.

Explore this beautiful old port town on Mexico’s Gulf Coast where pirates once preyed on the wealthy mercantile class during Colonial times. Join the locals in the tree-lined Plaza de las Armas to play dominos, buy local crafts and dance the danzón. See the expansive Municipal Palace, the impressive Virgen de la Asunción Cathedral as well as the craft market and old lighthouse in the port area.

Listen to the stories of bloody wars, foreign invasions and political imprisonments that all took place over the years at this large seaside complex of fortresses, prisons and a former palace.

Learn about the sea life and ecosystem of the great Gulf of Mexico. Wander through fresh water tanks with crocodiles and boas, salt water tanks with octopus and lobster, past an ocean tank which houses an entire marine ecosystem and a giant shark tank.

Watch as the bright turquoise mineral water of the Agua Azul Falls thunders over the rocks and trees, encasing them in a thick shell-like limestone casing. Surrounded by lush jungle, the falls make for a breathtaking sight.

This ancient Mayan city may be significantly smaller than some of the greater known archeological sites, but Palenque offers some of the best examples of architecture, sculptures and carvings ever produced by the Mayans. Explore the many temples, towering palace and impressive aqueduct that have been excavated at this Mayan site.

Visit this ruined Mayan city, thought to have been founded in 500 AD, to see examples of amazing Mayan temples, pyramids and even an ancient ball court used for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame.

Tropical flowers in fuchsia, yellow and orange. The dark green leaves of almond and tamarind trees. Couples dressed all in white, sitting on ornate stone benches ringing the central plaza or "xocolo". The capital of the state of Yucatán, this sunny city is also the perfect base for excursions to the ancient Mayan Empire. But check out the city's sights first with your Tour Director.

Add to the record books -- Playa del Carmen is now, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the fastest growing town in the world. Attracted by the gorgeous white-sand beach and stunning blue water, the town's newcomers maintain Playa's friendliness and vibrancy. Check out the beach or shop for souvenirs along the bustling main strip.

Ruins, ruins everywhere. Join a licensed, local guide for a visit to Chichén Itzá, one of the country's most famous Mayan sites. The city dates from around the 7th century AD (though there is evidence of farmers living here as early as the 4th century BC). A major trade and ceremonial center, Chichén Itzá is known for its huge, 365-stepped, four-sided, pyramid El Castillo, as well as other buildings, sculptures and carved murals.

Slip into the cool and shadowed world of the mystical Ikkil Cenote, where the turquoise water promises relief from the blistering heat outside. This underground cave was held sacred by the Mayans and has been a source of fascination for travelers since ancient times.

Spend an afternoon soaking up some vitamin D on the fine white sands of Playa del Carmen, named for the patron saint of Cancún. The turquoise waters offer ample opportunity to explore the marine life and reefs in the Caribbean Sea. So pack your snorkel and fins!