Itinerary - Mexico: Day of the Dead

Return flights to Mexico are not included which gives you full flexibility on when you fly and where you fly from. All of that is up to you! Check-in at a hotel in Mexico City and join the welcome meeting. This immense city is one of the largest in the world so if you feel a little disoriented, it's all normal. Give it some hours and the amazing food and the warmth of the people will make you feel at home.

You can't visit Mexico and miss an Aztec ruin! A few miles away from the capital we will visit Teotihuacan, a site that hosts the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon, one of the oldest Aztec buildings in Mesoamerica. These pyramids were built during the first three centuries AD but scholars do not yet know which civilization built the city - so there is a veil of mystery surrounding this place and its purpose (there is a rumor that it was a portal to space, maybe we will find some evidence to confirm it!).

The vibrant Mexican capital, which stands on the remains of the ancient Aztec capital Tenochtitlán, offers a unique mix of culture and modernity. In the late afternoon we start exploring the city from the Catedral Metropolitana all the way to the Constitution Square (El Zòcalo), center of Mexican national identity. We can also go to admire the splendid murals of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, quietly visit the Biblioteca Nacional and walk our way through the Museo Mural Diego Rivera, up to the Frida Kahlo House Museum in the colorful Coyoacán district. There are so many things to do it’s hard to keep track.

What about tonight? Don’t worry we’ll give you time to get ready for the welcome dinner!

Our road trip officially starts today! We get on board our minivan and move west - first stop? Cuitzeo del Porvenir, a town rich in colonial architecture overlooking Lake Cuitzeo, the second largest lake in Mexico. After a three hour ride we can finally stretch our legs by taking a walk in the center and then choose a restaurant overlooking the lake where we can munch some delicious traditional food – how about some gorditas and quesadillas?

After coming to terms with the fact that we’ll gain some weight here in Mexico with all this delicious food, we will travel the last miles that separate us from today's destination, Morelia. This UNESCO world heritage city, capital of the Michoacan region, is incredibly beautiful: in the streets of the historic center the Spanish colonial architecture blends perfectly with the pre-Hispanic one. Here we walk to the Morelia Cathedral, which is the beating heart of the city. We can also come here after dinner: in the evening the illuminated building rises majestically above the square – there will already be the first celebrations and we never say no to a good party!

We reach Pàtzcuaro, the beating heart of the traditional culture of the Dead and the festivities of el Dia de Los Muertos are just starting to begin. There is no better place in the world to get a feel for this festival and understand all its fascinating aspects. "La vida de los muertos està en la memoria de los vivos", the life of the dead remains in the memory of the living. The cemeteries come alive with vibrant yellow and orange made out of the cempasúchil (Indian marigolds). The tombs are surrounded by the altares de los muertos and decorated with ofrendas (offerings to the dead), families gather, the streets fill with decorations and markets where you can buy calaveritas de azùcar (typical sweets),  pan de muerto (a bread flavored with orange blossom), religious objects, calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls decorated with flowers that represent death) - all to celebrate life by remembering those who are no longer there.

A fundamental step to fully experience the day of the dead is Tzintzuntzan, a town overlooking the Lake of Pàtzcuaro that hosts the most folkloristic and authentic celebrations of the Dia de los Muertos in all of Latin America. It is far from the usual touristy towns and for this reason it will give us one of the most authentic experiences that we will have here in Mexico - we will also have the opportunity to visit the craft market and maybe buy some calaveritas.

At sunset the souls of the deceased come back from the underworld and visit the world of the living reuniting with their loved ones. Families sit around the graves carrying food, candles, fruit, sweets and they spend the whole night honoring and remembering the life of their loved ones. At sunset we will take a boat to reach the island of Janitzio, the largest one in Lake Patzcuaro. Here you can breathe a unique atmosphere: the breeze of the night, the candles that illuminate the streets and cemeteries, the tombs surrounded by flowers create a world of their own and make us feel involved in these ancient traditions. Let's enjoy every moment and honor the fact that we can take part in such a significant celebration.

Going back to everyday life will seem hard after experiencing these two days of full immersion in the local life, so we console ourselves … with food! We reluctantly say goodbye to Pàtzcuaro and reach Guadalajara for lunch - we are in the capital of street food and tequila, what can go wrong? After grabbing a pambazo or the locals' favorite dish, the tortas ahogadas, we get comfortable and enjoy the mariachi - musical groups that play traditional music, dressed in traditional charro costumes. Expect a lot of colorful sombreros!

In the afternoon we explore the historic center of Guadalajara starting - the majestic cathedral overlooking the Plaza de Armas immediately catches the eye. We then enter the alleys until we get to the San Juan de Dios market where we can indulge: there are three floors where we can find everything from leather shoes to aromatic herbs to Mexican wrestling masks. During the evening instead we look for a place where we can taste craft beers and fill ourselves with tacos!

What if we told you that today we are going to taste tequila... in Tequila? After an hour's drive we arrive in the town that gave its name to the famous distillate that gave all of us a bad headache at least one in our lifetime. And since we are here we visit a plantation of blue agave, the plant from which tequila is obtained: we will go through the production process and of course we will taste different types of tequila - will they also offer us salt and lemon?

We head to the south coast of Nayarit: in the bahía de Banderas region lies Sayulita, a small paradise enhanced by the beauty of the ocean. Just imagine, the force of the waves crashing on the cliffs, rivers and lagoons, estuaries full of marine life and placid white sandy beaches. If you ever imagined being Patrick Swayze in "Point Break", this is the ideal place to relive the movie: the waves are perfect for beginner surfers, so the area has the best surf schools in the region! We can assure you: it will be an unforgettable experience!

We get up early and head to an old fishing village that over the years has turned into a dreamy landscape! Various communities and projects were born in San Pancho with many different approaches: art, culture, social assistance, animal protection and rescue. We will walk through the Plaza del Sol where many cultures converge and then return to Sayulita before sunset. Relaxing beach time is guaranteed!

Imagine a cave, with a big hole in the ceiling, where a white-sand beach meets the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean hidden within a tropical island. Accessible only when the tide is low, the beach itself is a lovers’ paradise - although nowadays it is no longer a secret place as it once was! We will not be alone, but we will feel a million miles away from ordinary life.

This is the perfect place for nature lovers. We can decide to spend the day snorkeling, kayaking or paddle boarding! After an action packed day, we leave for Puerto Vallarta in the afternoon.

We arrive at one of the most famous beaches in Mexico for its authenticity and folklore. During late afternoon, the Malecón is the perfect place to observe the spectacular colors of the sunset. Let’s go get ready to toast and remember all the moments spent together at our farewell dinner!

Tonight we’ll get carried away by the energy of the lively nightlife in the different bars and discos.

Time to say goodbye: see you in your next WeRoad adventure!