Overview & Highlights
Head for Oaxaca and observe Mexico’s biggest annual cultural event, the Day of the Dead celebrations
This eventful short holiday invites you to observe the colourful traditions and rituals leading up to the Day of the Dead, a festivity which is enthusiastically embraced in Mexico. You spend some time in Mexico City before moving on to Oaxaca which, with its airy patios and graceful arcades, is famed for its colourful market, serapes, crafts and dances. The celebrations are particularly animated in this region. Hotels fill up well in advance and early booking is essential!
The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) involves a traditional ritual, both vivacious and contemplative, during which Mexicans pray for and remember friends or family members who have passed away and assist them on their spiritual journey.
Death is not to be feared: this is a celebration of the lives of those who have died. The so-called Day of the Dead – actually three days – gets under way on Halloween, 31 October and extends into 1-2 November, coinciding with All Saints Day and All Souls Day in the Catholic calendar. Exuberant parades with rumbustious music, where participants wear ghoulish costumes and skull-masks in vibrant colours take place alongside calmer, quieter celebrations featuring anecdotes, many amusing, about the lives of the departed. Observe local families and learn about the fascinating Zapotec culture, an indigenous pre-Columbian civilisation which thrived in the valley of Oaxaca.
- City tour and Anthropology Museum in Mexico City
- Oaxaca: Explore the city, local markets and artisan towns
- Visit the Zapotec ruins of Mitla and Monte Alban
- Observe traditional Day of the Dead activities in Oaxaca city
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Outline itinerary
Day 1
26 Oct 2025: Arrive Mexico City.
Day 2
27 Oct 2025: Explore Mexico City with a guide.
Day 3
28 Oct 2025: At leisure in Mexico City with optional excursions.
Day 4
29 Oct 2025: Fly to Oaxaca: rest of day at leisure
Day 5
30 Oct 2025: Valley of Ocotlan, Coyotepec and Tilcajete.
Day 6
31 Oct 2025: Zaachila, Day of the Dead altar, Xoxo Cemetery
Day 7
01 Nov 2025: Day of the Innocents. Visit Teotitlan del Valle, Mitla
Day 8
02 Nov 2025: Day of the Dead. At leisure in Oaxaca. Excursion to Monte Alban.
Day 9
03 Nov 2025: Return to Mexico City
Things to do
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