In the second year of my MBA program I have even more opportunities to travel during our breaks. When a friend from Mexico planned a trip to visit Mexico City and Oaxaca over fall break I thought it was the perfect chance to explore a country with a local. Rather than visiting a resort on the beach our group wanted to see the more history and culture and we got plenty of it during our 7 day trip.

Mexico City

Our first 5 days were in Mexico City where we rented a massive Airbnb in the hipster neighborhood of Condesa. I was so surprised to see how safe, green and trendy the area was, full of coffee shops, trendy cafes and cute boutiques. We were able to walk to a lot of the main tourist attractions and great restaurants like Chapultapec Castle and the Anthropology Museum.

Cuoyocan– Our first full day in Mexico City we visited the former village and now outer neighborhood of Cuoyocan. Most known for housing the famous artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Here we visited their house which is beautiful and also houses some of their original artwork and furniture. We also explored some artisan markets and the town square before heading out to lunch.

Xochimilco– in the afternoon on our first day we visited Xochimilco which are canals located about 17 miles outside the city center. There rented a traditional tranjinera boat and floated down the canals. While on the canal you can buy elotes or a michelada or even hire a mariachi to serenade you with local music. We visited on a Monday so there weren’t many other boats on the canals but my Mexican friend told me on weekends there are so many boats that people just hop from boat to boat and the entire canal is one massive party.

Teotihaucan– On our second day we visited Teotihuacan, the most important and largest pre-Aztec city in central Mexico, located 30 miles outside of Mexico City. We decided to take a hot air balloon ride over the pyramids. We had to leave our airbnb at 5am into order to get to the tour company in time to lift off just as the sun was rising. Watching the sun come up over the pyramids and mountains around the site was truly a magical experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting! After the tour we grabbed breakfast and headed over to walk around the pyramid site. Here we solicited a tour guide and learned about the history and reconstruction of the site. It was fascinating to learn so much about the ancient culture that resided in this city close to 400 a.d. We didn’t get back to the airbnb until late afternoon on this day so afterwards we only had time to have dinner.

Chapultepec Castle, Anthropology Museum, Paseo de la Reforma – On our third day in Mexico City we visited a few of the more touristy sights in Mexico City. First we went to Chapultepec Castle which is located on a hill at the center of Mexico City with incredible views on all sides. The Castle is on a historic site that has been inhabited since the days of the Aztec Empire and was home to many important Mexican leaders including Emperor Maximilian and Porfirio Diaz. The Castle now serves as a National Museum of History. It was also used during the filming of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. Afterwards we walked over to National Museum of Anthropology which is the biggest museum in Mexico and was quite overwhelming for me to visit. There were more pre-Colombian artifacts of indigenous people than I could have ever imagined. We only had the endurance to walk around for a few hours so we had to skip many exhibits. I think seeing the whole museum could take all day! After the museum we decided to walk the Paseo de la Reforma, the most famous street in Mexico City to go to dinner. Originally build by Emperor Maximilian as a route from his residence at Chapultepec Castle to the National Palace in the city center, the street now has some of the most famous monuments in Mexico City as well as is home to modern skyscrapers.

Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Zocalo, Palacio de Bellas Artes– Our last day is Mexico City we decided to take a walking tour of the Zócalo, or main plaza. But before we started the tour we really wanted to stop by to see the famous Biblioteca Vasconcelos. Designed by Alberto Kalach, this library is famed for its suspended bookshelves that hold around 106,000 titlesThis plaza dates back to the Aztec period and we were able to see many of the ruins that were found under the buildings built by the Spanish. Today, the plaza houses many of the most significant buildings in Mexico City such as the Metropolitan Cathedral, Palacio Nacional and Federal District buildings. After the tour we tried to go inside the Palacio Nacional but unfortunately we needed to make a reservation in advance. We were however, able to visit inside the Palacio de Bellas Artes which houses some incredible murals by famous Mexican Artists such as Diego Rivera. The building was also has incredible art deco stylistic details on the inside.

Restaurants/Bars– since my friend planning the trip had lived in Mexico City for many years she was took us to some of the best restaurants in city. We were able to eat at much fancier restaurants than I typically visit because of the lower cost of living in Mexico. Below is a list of the my favorite places we ate and drank while in there.

Handshake speakeasy– Going to this place was a happy coincidence. We had an hour to kill before our restaurant reservations for dinner and looking at bars close by. Coming in at number 11, this bar is on you the World’s 50 Bars List. The place needs reservations but since we tried to get in right at opening the host was able to squeeze us in when another reservation canceled. The atmosphere was dark and welcoming and the cocktails were the best I have ever had.

El Moro – When in Mexico we had to have churros and the most famous place to get them in Mexico City is El Moro. With a few locations around the city its usually not too hard to find one after dinner but we did have to wait in line both the times we visited.

Terazza Chachacha– This chic rooftop restraurant has amazing food, drinks and a fantastic view of the Revolution Monument. While their vegetarian offerings were slim, the cauliflower appetizer with salsa macha and peanuts was one of the best things I ate while in Mexico.

Rosetta– Located in the trendy Roma neighborhood, this upscale Italian restaurant featured local Mexican ingredients. I especially loved the tortellini and dessert here.

Lardo– Located in Condesa this informal but nice restaurant had incredible food. We visited Lardo for brunch and every single dish we got was a hit. Don’t miss on tried the guava pastries can be bought in the adjoining pastry shop while you wait for your table.

San Angel Inn – Once Carmelite monastery this beautiful building is now a very upscale restaurant. While this place was a bit pricy the service and the ambience made it worth the price. If you visit I highly recommend trying the carajillo, a popular mexican cocktail with coffee and licor 43.

OAXACA

Oaxaca was the perfect follow-up to some action packed days in Mexico City. This colorful mountain town nestled in green hills let us slow down a little a enjoy the best parts of Mexican food and culture. We were visiting only a few weeks before Dia de Los Muertos, the Mexican traditional festival honoring family members who have passed away, and the city was in full preparation mode. Murals, festive flags and sugar skulls could be found at streets and markets. We stayed at the City Centro Oaxaca Hotel which was a 15 minute walk from the town and had a charming pink theme.

Street Art- Part of what makes Oaxaca so charming is the colorful buildings and incredible street art. We enjoyed just walking around the town

Food

Cooking Class – Since Oaxacan food is so well known and different we wanted to learn more about it. When I saw an airbnb experience to take a vegetarian cooking class I know it would be the perfect opportunity. The class as about $46 per person and lasted five hours. We started by visiting a local market to learn about and buy traditional seasonal ingredients. Then we went to an industrial kitchen where we prepared a full meal from scratch including several types of mole (sauces) and thick tortillas made from masa and ojo de santa.

Mercado 20 de Noviembre – I highly recommend checking out this market for lunch while you are in Oaxaca. We sat at the tables at the side and the server brought tortillas, Tlayuda (oaxacan pizza), salsa and meat for the non-vegetarians.

Casa Oaxaca– Overlooking main square this restaurant had terrific food and a wonderful ambience. I will remember the squash blossom appetizer for years.

Origen– Another excellent choice restaurant by my friend this traditional restaurant had phenomenal Oaxacan cuisine and a beautiful setting.

Day trip – We booked a taxi for the day to take us to some of the popular sites close to Oaxaca. We were able to visit Mitla, Hiere el Agua, Textile Workshops and a Mezcaleria all in one day.

Mitla – About a 45 minute drive from the city, Mitla was the Zapotec central hub. It is famous for the intricate geometric carvings and mosaics and was an important religious center.

Hierve el agua – After driving another 40 minute drive from Mitla is a natural mineral spring perched on top of a mountain. The spring dripping over the mountain’s edge over thousands of years has created mineral deposits into a “waterfall”. This site was a really cool geographic formation and the surrounding mountains were gorgeous. If we had more time I would have loved to do some hiking in the area.

Textiles – We visited El Arte Zapoteco where we could learn about the traditional way of making and dyeing wool for rugs, blankets and garments. It was very cool to learn about and try our hands at making yarn. The store with the handicrafts made by the local artisans was also incredible. Unfortunately I couldn’t buy more than a pillow cushion since I didn’t have space in my bag to fit more.

Mezcal – Our last stop was a local artisan mezcal shop to learn more about the process of making mezcal and do a tasting. Mezcal gets its smokiness from the process of cooking the heart of the agave plant in underground pits before fermentation. After the lesson on Mezcal making we went into the tasting room where we were able to try a few varieties of mezcal and mixed drinks made with it.

Pictured above is the amazing crew of women I had the pleasure of traveling through Mexico with. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better crew and really treasure all the time we spent together on this trip.