Oaxaca Culture, Crafts & Cuisine Retreat

Today we’re venturing to a nearby village known as Matatlán – this scenic mountainous region boasts perfect conditions for Agave Espadin to grow. As a result, Mezcal distilleries were born and the village is now known as the heart of the Mezcal industry in Oaxaca. We’ll head to our local partner’s distillery and into the mountains to see where their Agave crops grow. We’ll head back to the distillery to witness the distillation process and then have a Mezcal tasting accompanied by farm-to-table dishes prepared at the farm. The entire experience will include five Mezcal tastings, a beer, and a Mezcal cocktail. Lastly, we’ll have a delicious fresh lunch prepared at the farm by our partners.

Next up – we’ll head to a nearby field to discover Pulque – a fermented honey from the Agave plant known for its health benefits. We’ll sip Agave, learn about the drink, and enjoy the sunset overlooking the Oaxaca mountains. After a drive back to Oaxaca City – we’ll have dinner together and have the rest of the evening free.

Get ready to see the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site that is Oaxaca City.

We’ll have breakfast at our hotel and depart at 8:30am for a walking city tour. Our local guide and culture expert will walk us through the city and show us significant landmarks, take us through vibrant markets, and introduce us to local foods all while explaining the cultural context and history of the region. We’ll cover the indigenous culture, the pre and post-colonial era, and modern-day traditions in the city. In between our tours, we’ll stop for lunch at the market to try the famous Oaxaca Tlayudas. Once our walking tour is over we’ll have the chance to shop at several of the city’s lively artisan markets. We’ll have some free time after the tour and end the day with dinner in the city.

This morning begins with breakfast at our hotel and some free time before heading to Oaxaca’s Botanical Garden. This agricultural center is home to a wide variety of plants from the region and is a stunning sight to see. We’ll have an hour tour here before lunch and our cooking class.

Ready to cook? Prepare your senses for an unforgettable day cooking with Vogue chef Mimi Lopez. We’ll head to Matadamas a nearby town famous for its culinary culture. Mimi, a local cook who has won awards for her Mole and Oaxacan dishes in Mexico will walk us through a cooking class where we’ll learn to use local ingredients and prepare regional dishes such as Memelas, Mole, Chilli, and more. This is no quick in-and-out class – we’ll spend hours together going through the process of making each dish, sipping Mezcal, and experiencing a traditional Oaxacan kitchen.

We’ll enjoy our dinner together at Mimi’s before heading back to the city for a free evening.

Get ready for a day of tapping into your creativity! Enjoy a delicious breakfast and be ready by 9am. We’re heading to Teotilan del Valle – a town surrounding Oaxaca City that is known for its Tapetes (rugs) made out of locally sourced wool and natural dyes. We’ll visit a local women’s cooperative working to empower their community to break societal norms, be self-sustaining, and preserve their weaving culture. Today we’ll learn about which plants/herbs create certain natural dyes, we’ll dye our own textiles and will learn about the foot loom weaving process. Lunch will be provided and we’ll have extra time to explore the town, shop for wool creations, and visit the textile museum.

We’ll return to Oaxaca City for dinner and can keep the evening going with drinks at one of the city’s many rooftop terraces or boutique bars.

Enjoy a free morning at the hotel (breakfast available) or explore the city before an afternoon visit to San Marcos Tlapazola, a nearby village known for its ceramic crafts. The act of turning earth into clay and transforming its properties with fire — is one of humankind’s earliest inventions. We’ll learn about these ancient techniques directly from master artisans during a hands-on workshop where we’ll immerse ourselves in the clay pottery process. After an afternoon with the artisans, we’ll have lunch and explore the town (the perfect time to shop for some ceramics) before heading on to Monte Alban.

Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site outside the city of Oaxaca and was only recently discovered in 1902 – shedding light on the Zapotec and Mixtec cultures that founded it in 500 B.C. The ruins display a ball game court, magnificent temples, tombs, and bas-reliefs with hieroglyphic inscriptions that give us insight to the pre-colonial times and cultures.

After an evening visiting Monte Alban, we’ll head back to the city for our farewell dinner together!

Our week-long cultural immersion wraps up today!

Breakfast will be served at the hotel until 10am and our checkout and trip conclusion takes place at 11am.

We’ll have airport transfers coordinated for everyone to get you to the airport in a timely manner.

I’m confident that by the end of the trip, you will have made new friendships and have been able to experience pieces of Oaxaca’s heritage that make it such a vibrant and special culture. You’re now a part of this travel community that goes deeper into the world through intentional experiences like this.

You are free to stay longer in Oaxaca/Mexico if you’d like at your own expense. We will be happy to help with suggestions/transport if so.