MEXICO | From the Aztecs to the Mayans

13, 12, 11, 10 Days

On the eastern side of Mexico, thousands of years old monuments stand on white beaches with turquoise waters or surrounded by the sounds, smells and humidity of a dense jungle... It is the Mexico of the Mayans, with the living traces and descendants of the most brilliant civilization of pre-Columbian America, and with the signs of the colonial times giving a special, unique flavor to the impressive tourist infrastructure of recent years. Further west, in the center of the country, two and a half kilometers above sea level is the second largest city in the world, built on the ruins of civilizations that no longer exist. Canyons, caves, volcanoes, deserts, rocky and sandy shores invite you to explore them, while later the fire of tequila and a famous cuisine, full of its own fire and contrasts, await you.

1st-2nd Day | ATHENS – MEXICO CITY – MEXICO CITY TOUR
Gathering at Athens International Airport El. Venizelos and departure to Mexico City. Arrival the next day and after collecting your luggage at Benito Juarez airport, our local representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. We leave our luggage and start our tour of Mexico City: huge, cosmopolitan, colorful, troubled, modern and old together, built more than two kilometers above sea level – in other words unique. We will visit the historic center of the city, protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage of Humanity. We will start from its central square, officially called Constitution Square but known to everyone by the name Zócalo (Zócalo, meaning "base"), where we will visit the Cathedral and the Government Palace, built exactly on the site of the palace of the Aztec emperor Moctezuma II. We will then travel by coach along the city's most impressive boulevard, Paseo de la Reforma, and through the "Bosque de Chapultepec", a huge urban park with lakes, home to the city's zoo and many excellent museums. Return to the hotel and check into your rooms. Overnight.

3rd Day | SAINT GUADELOUPE & TEOTIHUACAN PYRAMIDS EXCURSION
Breakfast at the hotel and immediately we start our tour to the Square of 3 Cultures, where the past and the present meet. We will also visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  We continue to the impressive archaeological zone of Teotihuacan, to admire the monumental Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the temple of Quetzalpapalotl, the citadel and the avenue of the dead. Lunch and then return to our hotel. Free for the rest of the day.

4th Day | FRIDA KAHLO TRIP – XOCHIMILCO -COYOCAN
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for a very special neighborhood of Mexico City, the bohemian area of ​​Coyoacan. We will visit Frida Kahlo's house, which functions as a museum and is one of the most famous attractions in Mexico City, (CasaAzul) to experience the aura of the great artist up close. Then we will explore the neighborhood of Coyoacán, full of cafes and small markets, and continue with lunch food tour in a local market. We will then visit the nearby area of ​​Xochimilko, known for its canals, which were created by an extensive system of lakes and canals that connected the area to the Valley of Mexico. The retreat of the waters created these channels, along with the artificial islands, the "chinampas". The sight will impress you, since the cheerful Mexicans, dressed in colorful costumes and the well-known sombreros, drive their colorful gondolas, the "trajineras", decorated with fancy things, selling food and singing traditional songs! Return to our hotel.

5th Day | MEXICO CITY – FREE DAY
Free day to discover the unique atmosphere of Mexico City at your own pace. Beyond the main attractions of the classic tour, you can explore picturesque neighborhoods such as Roma and Condesa with their beautiful cafes, local restaurants and outdoor arts and crafts markets. Food lovers can try authentic street food, tacos and traditional Mexican cuisine in local cantinas and mercados. For shopping, there are many options from designer boutiques to traditional markets with silverware, souvenirs and local products. Alternatively, you can relax in the large Chapultepec park, visit the anthropological museum or enjoy the lively nightlife of the city with mariachi music, cocktail bars and rooftop views.

6th Day | MEXICO CITY – MERIDA
Breakfast at the hotel and free for shopping and activities in the city. You can visit the mercado de artesanias and the mercado flores, the Museum of Anthropology or the Santa Fe Shopping Center. We will then collect our things and transfer to the airport for our flight to Merida. Arrival and check-in at our hotel and a first acquaintance with this beautiful city.

7th Day | MERIDA – USMAL – MERIDA
Breakfast at the hotel and we begin our tour of the ancient city of Usmal (Uxmal – despite the x pronounced Usmal, with a thick s), perhaps the most impressive of all the archaeological sites of the Yucatan Peninsula, and certainly the most harmonious and peaceful.
Usmal in the Mayan language meant "thrice built", and in this particular case referred to the impressive Temple (or Pyramid) of the Magus, the best known of Usmal's buildings.
We will visit it, as well as all the other important buildings in the area.
At noon, after meal us, we will continue in the direction of the "white city" of Mérida, capital of the province of Yucatán.
Panoramic city tour. Relaxation. In the evening we are free to wander the streets of the city and experience its nightlife

8th Day | – CHICHEN ITZA – PLAYA DEL CARMEN (all inclusive)
Breakfast and departure to Chichén-Itzá, site of the most extensively studied of all the Mayan pyramids and one of the Wonders of the New World. We will also visit the Palace of a Thousand Columns, the observatory, the impressive, huge Sacred Well from which the site takes its name (Chichén Itzá means, roughly, Mouth of the Well of Itza) – and of course the stadium from whose land, according to a famous Mayan prophecy, on December 22, 2012, the warrior god Kukulcan would emerge in the form of serpent and would bring a definitive end to our world. Before continuing the journey we will have the opportunity to swim in one of the famous Selva Maya cenotes, where we will enjoy lunch us. Arrival, check-in at the hotel and free rest of the evening.

9th-10th Day | FREE DAYS – PLAYA DEL CARMEN (all inclusive)
Free days to enjoy one of the most beautiful and famous resorts in the entire Western Hemisphere. It is a paradise on earth. From the beach with its unique, white as powdered sugar, sand and its incredible turquoise waters, to the hotels with their endless suggestions for relaxation, sports, spectacle, entertainment and excellent food, it is certain that you will enjoy every moment of your day.

11th Day | CANCUN – ISTANBUL
Morning departure for our transfer to Cancun airport to catch the return flight to Athens

12th Day | CONSTANTINOPLE – ATHENS
Arrival in Kon/li and then on to Athens full of images and... unforgettable memories