• F o l l o w:
  • When to Go: All year round
  • Price: from £2,399 pp from the UK. $3,469 pp from NYC
  • Ideal length: 8 nights
  • Flight Time: 12hrs from London. 5hrs 20 mins from NYC

WE ALSO QUOTE IN OTHER CURRENCIES AND BASED ON OTHER AIRPORT DEPARTURES, CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS

From wild silver mining towns, surrealist gardens and protected colonial cities: Mexico has so much more to offer than beach and booze, but where exactly should you go for an under-the-skin experience? This trip explores the history of inner Mexico and taking you far away from busy hotel pools, and under the skin of it’s cultural and artistic centre.

from cutting-edge city to pre-colonial pyramids

Starting in Mexico City, hole up at the cutting edge Condesa DF, where you’ll get a good dose of modern Mexico and rest from your flight. The next morning you’ll be collected by your guide (who’ll be with you throughout your trip), and taken to the incredible colonial city of Queretaro.

En route, you’ll stop at Bernal village, to admire the second largest monolith in the world. Once deep in the Queretaro valley, you’ll see the two-thousand year-old pre-colonial pyramid known as ‘El Pueblito’ (Little Town) or ‘El Cerrito’ (Little Hill). Pass the grand 17th century aqueduct on scenic walk through the city of Queretaro before heading to your home for the evening: Jalpan de Serra. Once settled in to the four star Hotel Mision Jalpan, explore the UNESCO protected Fransciscan Mission: a huge, red, baroque building covered in religious symbolism: the only one of it’s kind in the world, no less. Fray Junipero Serra built this Mission between 1751 and 1758, and used the model for the other four Sierra Gorda Missions.  Trying the local coffee is a must, as it’s grown nearby, and (depending on season) see the sugar cane scattered on the town’s roads as it is transported around the continent.

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exotic surrealism gardens and las pozas

Next, head to the mountains of the Sierra Gorda where you’ll arrive in Xilitla to follow in the footsteps of poet and artist Sir Edward James.

James fell in love with the romantic side of Mexico’s rainforests, where he decided to build his world-famous exotic surrealist garden. The 80 acres of cold natural waterfalls and pools dotted with towering surrealist sculptures are now open for you to explore. Head to this unique garden to see over thirty incredible concrete follies (think palaces, temples and pagodas) spread around beds full of tropical plants, including the oddly named ‘House on Three Floors Which Will in Fact Have Five or Four or Six’. Catchy, eh? Strolling the winding trails you’ll also come across collections of small casas, and pens home to exotic birds and wild animals from all over the globe. Get yourself lost in Las Pozas for hours, meandering along the steps, ramps, bridges and winding walkways through the valley, occasionally bumping into massive sculptures rising way above the canopy. A simply mesmerising, unique corner of Mexico. Tonight you’ll hole up in the Hotel El Castillo with vast panoramic views of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains. Perfect for a sunset you’ll never forget.

mining in real de catorce

After all this dreaming, romance and vegetation, it’s time for something more ruthless. The walled town of Real de Catorce is only accessible through a 2,300 metre-long tunnel: and for good reason. This spot, 2,750 meters above sea level, was discovered in 1779 to be a rich source of silver, and attracted crowds of miners and adventurers in search of fortune, who quickly unleashed a real silver fever. From it’s anarchic beginnings to today’s sleepy town, you’ll learn about the focus on money, power and the struggle to survive which has made Real de Catorce what it is today. If you’re lucky enough to be around in early October, head over for Saint’s Day celebrations, or visit the roman amphitheatre cock-fighting ring, the silent Ghost Town high above the Ogarrio Tunnel, and the old Concepción’s Mine. See the ruins of the old mine works, including mills and warehouses, among huge, unforgettable panoramas, and take an unforgettable walk through its alleys and pebbled roads.

san miguel de allende

And finally for some typically relaxed Mexican atmosphere. Once home to bohemian artists and poets, now a sought-after holiday destination for the local and international jet set, San Miguel de Allende is a must-see for anyone looking for some authentic Mexican flavour. As the whole town is protected by UNESCO, you won’t see a single new building or traffic light, and you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in time. Stroll through the winding alleys, stopping at the many art galleries, and see the picturesque red rooftops and domed churches of the San Miguel de Allende and San Francisco, before enjoying some classical music performances around town.
You’ll return home enlightened, educated and full of Mexico’s real flavour. And as for your photos? Not a single plastic lilo in sight.

 

Where to rest your head