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Trip Report

Central Mexico - A Foodie'sTour

10 days visiting San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City, and Oaxaca.

  • Oaxaca+ 14
  • San Miguel de Allende
  • San Miguel de Allende
  • Central Mexico - A Foodie'sTour
KBennett
by KBennett
About Me:"The world is big and I want to have a look at it before it gets dark" -John Muir read more

North AmericaMexico, United States10 days / April 2018

Highs & Lows

Sunset cocktails overlooking San Miguel

I would have spent more time in Mexico City

Itinerary Overview

Our trip was focused on the colonial cities and eating our way through the central part of Mexico which included San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City, and Oaxaca.

  • 4 Nights: San Miguel de Allende
    Exploring a colonial city
  • 3 Nights: Oaxaca
    Food, and culture
  • 3 Nights: Mexico City
    Art, food, sightseeing
San Miguel de Allende - Exploring a colonial city
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San Miguel de Allende Exploring a colonial city

San Miguel de Allende - Exploring a colonial city - null
San Miguel de Allende - Exploring a colonial city - null
San Miguel de Allende - Exploring a colonial city - null2+

The goal of the 1st part of the trip was to relax! San Miguel is a fairly small and very picturesque town about 3 hours from Mexico City. There are great boutiques for shopping, art, food, and of course the church. We also loved our hotel which is really a resort. I had a great tennis lesson on the red clay court, hung out by the pool, used the gym and had a massage. The food is incredible too. I could easily see making San Miguel de Allende a long weekend destination from the US (especially if you can get a direct flight to Mexico City). While tourists definitely make up a big part of the city, it still remain very charming.

Oaxaca - Food, and culture
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Oaxaca Food, and culture

Oaxaca - Food, and culture - null
Oaxaca - Food, and culture - null
Oaxaca - Food, and culture - null4+
We ate our way through Oaxaca which is known for food especially mole. Being a pescatarian, I shouldn't have been surprised to see meat being the star of many dishes given the region. We spent our days wondering the market, the town, then eating every few hours! We loved how super clean and friend the city is. Highly recommend to anyone interested in culture and food.
Mexico City - Art, food, sightseeing
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Mexico City Art, food, sightseeing

Mexico City - Art, food, sightseeing - null
Mexico City - Art, food, sightseeing - null
Mexico City - Art, food, sightseeing - null2+

We loved the charming neighborhood of Condesa and Roma and wondered the leafy streets. It was nice to stay in a neighborhood vs. the busy central district. 

On the 2nd day, we hit the sites: I highly recommend visiting the home of Frida Kahlo. Make sure you buy tickets online in advance as the line gets long.  It's a bit out of the main part of the city, but it's an easy cab/Uber ride. 

Next we visited the Palacio Nacional to see the vast panoramic Diego Rivera murals. 

We quickly stopped by to  The Palacio de Bellas Artes which is a beautiful building housing various works of art. 

While walking the central district, the main square is bustling with activity, and I highly recommend a stop into the massive Metropolitan Cathedra which I believe is one of the largest cathedrals in the world. 

Lastly - we walked through the The Bosque de Chapultepec which is apparently Latin America's largest urban park. 

 

Q & A

  • What would you have changed?

    I would have shorten San Miguel de Allende down by 1 day (3 nights total) and added 1 more day to Mexico City (4 nights total) as there is so much to see in do there.

  • Transportation Tips?

    We used Uber, and hired a private car to take us to and from Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende.

  • Tips you would give a friend?

    Mexico City has a great modern food scene, and Oaxaca is known for mole. Being a pescatarian, central mexico is very meat heavy but overall I didn't have any problems finding alternatives. Also - for the Frida Kahlo Museum, make sure to buy tickets online in advanced!

  • Packing tips?

    We only packed carry on which made moving around easy. San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City are at high elevation so the temperature was really moderate. I packed heels and NEVER used them as the cobble stone streets in Oaxaca and San Miguel would make it impossible to walk! Comfy shoes a must.

  • Any surprises?

    I was surprised at how exceptionally clean all the cities were and how charming Mexico City is. The weather was also mild during the spring. We had perfect weather the entire trip.

  • Restaurant recommendations?

    Baja Fish Taquito in San Migual is super casual but had our favorite fish tacos. In Mexico City, my friends had a long lunch at Pujol which is a michelin stared restaurant and loved it. Lardo in the Condessa neighborhood was charming for our first breakfast in Mexico City. Also in Mexicio City, we had dinner at Cedron which I would visit again. Casa Oaxaca is a special treat with beautiful views overlooking the main square in Oaxaca.

  • Booking details?

    We booked flights and most hotels direct. For Condesa DF Hotel, make sure you don't book the entry level basic room-- they are interior rooms with no windows!

Lodging