Need urgent help with Itinerary
 

Hi, guys:

I need help with an itinerary in Mexico starting and ending in Guanajuato (that's the city we will be flying into). I do plan to spend a couple of days in Guanajuato and do a day trip to San Miguel Allende. We also plan on spending some time in Morelia and Patzcuaro. I think that all of this will take up our first week, but I am not certain as to what to do during our second week. We will be in Mexico in late June and July which might be too hot for a beach vacation. Is that true? I was considering either Mexico City and the pyramids or Guadalajara and Zacatecas or Puerta Vallarta for the second week (permitting the weather). Please let me know if you have any other suggestions and which one of the two itineraries you would recommend. Perhaps, you also know of interesting day trips from any of these destinations. I do speak a little bit of Spanish but it is very rudimentary. We enjoy museums and theatre. And, I would like this to be a relaxing vacation.

Thanks for you input,

Julia

Hello!!
The first week I think its ok. On the second you could go to Queretaro, Mexico City & Puebla.
Driving from Mexico City to Puerto Vallarta will take you about 10 hours, maybe you should try Acapulco (4 hours)and of course that in summer will be too hot. what place in summer isn't?
Good Luck!

I am a big fan of Puerto Vallarta and normally would encourage any & everyone to visit, and sure it will be hot in summer, but I love a beach vacation. Having said that ...

Guanajuato is pretty smack dab in the middle of the country and getting to any coast (east, west, or south) is quite a distance for only 1 week (especially having to return to Guanajuato to fly out again).

I agree with megra's suggestions. San Miguel de Allende could be your first stop, not only as day trip. I would highly suggest the SLH Casa de Sierra Nevada which has two locations, try the one downtown. Also the restaurant is amazing.

In Morelia i suggest the Virrey de Mendoza hotel. If possible ask for a room overlooking the Alameda and the cathedral. Morelia has been recently arranged by the government, and it is a pretty city. You can vist Patzcuaro as a day trip and include Quiroga and Tzin-tzun-tzan, which has a little pyramid. If your plans are to overnight in Patzcuaro, i would highly recommend visiting Paricutin. This are the remains of and old church covered by the lava of the Paricutin volcanoe in the 40s. It is a bit difficult to get there, but it is worth it, specially during the sunrise or the early morning. You can arrange a tour in Patzcuaro or Morelia.

Mexico City, Queretaro and Puebla are three colonial cities. You can walk around downtown in the three cities leaving with a complete taste of spanish-mexican cities. In Queretaro you can try the Casa de la Marquesa hotel and restaurant.

Other option I would consider is Mexico City and Oaxaca. This is a 4hr drive in a recently toll highway, via Puebla. Oaxaca, i consider, is the most beatiful colonial city in Mexico. There you will have plenty of things to see and visit. It is hotter than Mexico City, but as hot as Morelia. The food in Oaxaca is fantastic, many diffent kind of mole (chilis, chocolate and seed sauce) archeological sites, small towns and you can really get a taste of the "indigenous Mexico".

Anyway, i hope this helps. Buen viaje!

Hi, Julia. It sounds like you've planned a trip similiar to mine. I'll be in Mexico for 2 weeks in June/July, and will be flying in and out of Morelia. My plan is Morelia/ Guanajuato/ Zacatecas/ Guadalajara/ Patzcuaro/ Morelia. According to my research, Zacatecas is a terrific destination, with lots to do in and around the city. It's also at a fairly high elevation, so the temperatures shouldn't be so high as in places like Morelia or the coast.

Zacatecas is an old, colonial, Mexican mining town, and is charming. There are not many tourists and it's a chance to see/experience a "real" part of Mexico. I use the term "real" as opposed to an ex-pat town (San Miguel) or a US beach town (Cancun) . . . in Zac, you'll see shops and restaurants that are not geared toward tourists but there is a lot to see/do.

The same is true of Morelia and Pátzcuaro . . . more old, colonial, charming towns.

I went to Morelia and Pátzcuaro this past Nov and to DF, Puebla, Oaxaca, San Miguel, Guanajuato, Zacatecas in the summer of 2001. I have written a travelog on both trips . . . I can email it if you're interested ([email protected]).

I've also been to Acapulco, Mazatlan, PV and much prefer them over the beach resorts on the east coast. The water is not as blue but the character of the towns and the chance to interact with Mexican families on holiday is the main drawing point there (but you have to stay downtown and not in the big maga- resorts to see this).

I'm a budget traveler and I'm trying to learn Spanish so my travels in Mexico (and Central/South America) are not geared towards relaxation and being pampered at some AI resort.

Mexico is huge and there is something for everyone, not matter what kind of traveler you are or what kind of vacation you want.

Buen viaje,
Sandy