Mexico City: Journey South to the City of Palaces (10th–12th)
Dates: 3/30 – 4/6
Location: Mexico
Price Range: $5,200 – $5,700
Theme: Culture, Language, History & Art
Faculty Contact: David Kelly-Hedrick and Dana Albu
Join EPS for our first experience in one of the largest and most populous cities in the world. Over 20 million people call Mexico City home, and while the majority speak Spanish, there are 68 Indigenous languages spoken which also makes it one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. Food, music, dance, craft, city parks, ancient history, and modern art are all on the EPS agenda of activities and experiences. We also aim to meet and exchange with student peers and find out about their lives and interests growing up in this dynamic culture. From Aztec pyramids to palaces and caves to mariachis, we will pack in an amazing experience in Ciudad Mexico. Please note that Mexico City is located at a high altitude of 7,300 feet above sea level, and we will be walking a significant portion of each day on our adventures around the city.
Itinerary
Day 1: Travel from Seattle to Mexico City. Walking tour to get acquainted with the new city and high altitude of Ciudad Mexico (elevation 7,349 feet).
Day 2: We explore Zócalo, the historic center of Mexico City, including the National Palace, awe-inspiring Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor, former capital of the Aztec Empire. We finish the day at a churrería (churro factory) and learn to make the delightful desserts.
Day 3: We visit to the colonial neighborhood of Coyoacán, home to the bright-blue Frida Kahlo Museum, showcasing her life and work. We also explore the nearby Coyoacan market with artisan stalls filled with the sweet and spicy flavors of Mexican snacks. Visit to the Palacio Postal (Postal Palace) and the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) on our way to an evening performance of the Ballet Folklorico.
Day 4: We spend most of the day at Teotihuacán, an impressive city of 125,000–200,000 inhabitants by the 6th century, making it the first large metropolis in the Americas. We will climb pyramids which tower over the Avenue of the Dead, composed of ancient ceremonial grounds and the ruins of the powerful, thriving city. We then make our own piñatas in a playful and immersive workshop.
Day 5: A day of cultural exchange with students from a school in Mexico City. We will visit the school and spend time talking and interacting with peers. We will also attend a cooking class and combine ingredients with skillful techniques into a celebratory dinner.
Day 6: Tour of Chapultepec Castle, the only castle to house royalty in North America–Mexican Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota lived there in the 1800s. We also visit the National Museum of Anthropology, home to the 24-ton Piedra del Sol (“Sun Stone”). Night entertainment is a stellar mariachi show over dinner.
Day 7: A final day of shopping and sauntering before departure for the airport and the flight home to Seattle.