mexico travel itinerary 1 week

Travel, Hiking, Food

One Week (7 Day) Mexico Itinerary: Things to Do in Mexico City and Central Mexico For First Timers

Only have 7 days in mexico and wondering what to do this one week in mexico itinerary and travel guide is perfect for a first time visitor to explore mexico city and central mexico to find the best things to do in mexico..

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Mexico is a fun and colorful country to visit and I wish I had done it sooner. Actually I can’t believe it took me so long to visit Mexico, especially since I used to live in California.

From the beach to the mountains to large metropolitan cities, Mexico’s diverse geography really appeals to all types of travelers. Coupled with its rich culture and amazing food, Mexico’s really got it all.

You probably know you can spend 3 months in Mexico and not see it all, but let’s just narrow it down to 7 days for your first trip to Mexico. And yes I know there are so many potential 7 day Mexico itineraries but this particular one will focus on Central Mexico and Mexico City.

This one week Mexico itinerary will also give you useful Mexico travel tips that I learned while on the trip so let’s get started!

Is one week in Mexico long enough?

One of the first thing you may wonder is if 7 days is enough for Mexico. Well the answer is complicated.

One week in Mexico is perfect for a taste of the country, especially if it’s your first time.

Yes there is so much to see and do in Mexico and one week cannot possibly cover everything (you will need at least 2 to 3 months I would say), but 7 days is great to explore a few places in Mexico to see how you like it.

Personally I cannot travel to a country for more than 2 weeks at a time, I just get…kinda bored and need a break. So I like to break up my travel into 7 – 10 days at a time. Since Mexico is so close to the United States, it’s so easy to just keep going back and explore different areas.

So essentially all I’m trying to say is that one week in Mexico is great for exploring a few places but you would need to keep going back to Mexico to visit other areas.

Where to go for the first time in Mexico?

So we’ve established that there is a lot to see in Mexico, so now let’s talk about exactly where you can go as a first timer in Mexico.

Mexico City

You literally cannot visit Mexico for the first time without going to Mexico City, the capital and largest city of Mexico.

Mexico City is a cultural and historical hub in Mexico. It has museums that are not only world renowned but also have historical and cultural significance.

There are numerous colorful and nice neighborhoods to explore in Mexico City. You will find some of the best restaurants and bars in Mexico City. The city is also a gateway to nearby archaeological sites like Teotihuacan.

Guanajuato is famous for its colorful colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, beautiful viewpoints and cultural festivals.

The city is home to the Diego Rivera House Museum, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, and the iconic Callejón del Beso. Its unique tunnels and silver mines add to its distinctive charm and historical significance.

San Miguel de Allende

This Central Mexico town is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is one of the cutest towns in Mexico. Its beautiful colonial architecture, narrow and hilly streets, art community and of course amazing food let it become one of the most popular cities for Americans to retire in.

This artsy city is another popular city to visit in Mexico. Known for its indigenous culture, art scene, lively markets, colorful streets, iconic architecture and amazing food, Oaxaca is a magical place to consider for your Mexico itinerary.

Located about 3 hours from Mexico City, Puebla is another city to add on your list, especially if you plan to visit Oaxaca as well (since it is located between the two).

This colonial town is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas. It is famous for its architecture, colorful streets, UNESCO historic center and it is very close to the Great Pyramid of Cholula.

If you are flying from the East Coast and love beaches and cenotes, then Yucatan would make a great one week Mexico itinerary.

Located in Southeastern Mexico, Yucatan is known for its natural landscapes and beaches. I’m sure you have heard of Cancun, Holbox, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Merida, the largest city in Yucatan.

If you are on social media, I’m sure you’ve also seen numerous photos and videos of cenotes and the instagram-famous Cenote Suytun.

I wish we could cover all of these places during one week in Mexico! But for the purpose of this first timer’s Mexico itinerary, we will be focusing on Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, and Mexico City .

General Mexico Travel Information

Before we jump into our itinerary, let me just give you some information to help you plan your trip to Mexico.

• Currency : You use Mexican Pesos in Mexico. The exchange rate to USD is 1 USD = ~15 pesos (sometimes higher, sometimes lower). It’s best to take out money from ATMs for the best rate (remember to pick local currency, not USD option). Get a Charles Schwab ATM card to get all ATM fees reimbursed.
• Outlet Plugs : You do not need a converter if you are from the US. If you are from Europe or Asia, you will need to get a converter .
• Money : While many large restaurants, cafes and hotels all accept credit cards, especially in Mexico City, you definitely want to have some cash with you to pay for street food and shopping at markets. You also need cash to pay for bathrooms!
• Best Apps : Google Translate, Google Maps, Uber and Didi are all good apps to have in Mexico. I would also recommend download the offline map from Google Maps just in case you have no internet. We found Didi more useful than Uber in San Miguel de Allende.
• Internet : If you are from the US and have T Mobile or AT&T, you should have free international roaming (depending on your plans I would say). Restaurants and coffee shops generally have wifi. You can also get an eSim or a physical sim card when you land in Mexico City.

Where to stay in Mexico in 7 days

Mexico has a wide range of accommodations, from budget hostels to luxury resorts. Therefore you will find something that fits your budget in all of the places on this itinerary.

There are many chain hotels, especially in Mexico City, but we really loved the smaller and more boutique hotels. We are not budget travelers so we picked hotels based on location, review, and if they could fit 3 people in a room (a lot of hotels only have king size beds).

Just as a summary, here are the hotels we stayed at during our one week in Mexico.

• Mexico City : Casa Decu in Hipódromo Condesa. We had an entire suit in this beautiful and safe neighborhood.
• Guanajuato : Casona Alonso 10 . This hotel is centrally located in the historic town with large and clean rooms (and 2 large beds!). We really loved staying here and would highly recommend it.
• San Miguel de Allende : Casa Mia Suites . Located only a couple of blocks from the main square, this hotel had a large living room and bedroom. It was super convenient and the courtyard is super cute.

7 Day Mexico Itinerary for Mexico City and Central Mexico

This one week Mexico Itinerary covers the following places:

• Guanajuato (1 day)
• San Miguel de Allende (2.5 days)
• Mexico City (2.5 days)

This does not include the travel day when we first arrived.

There are many places you can visit in Mexico for a week, so why did we pick these three cities instead of some of the other ones mentioned above?

For one, we wanted to visit Mexico City, so we wanted to stay in Central Mexico for ease of traveling. So the choices were either going southeast to Oaxaca or going northwest to Guanajuato and San Miguel and we chose the latter. Yucatan is too far away from Mexico City and deserves a separate trip by itself.

Day 1 of Mexico Itinerary: Fly into Mexico City + Bus to Guanajuato

Your first day will be a travel day, and a long one potentially.

Since the itinerary actually starts in Guanajuato (we will come back to Mexico City towards the end), you can either fly directly to an airport near Guanajuato (Leon Airport) or fly to Mexico City.

Depending on where you are flying from, there are some direct flights to Guanajuato/ Leon Airport from Texas and other parts of Mexico. You will need to take an Uber or taxi from the Leon Airport to your hotel in Guanajuato.

We decided to fly into Mexico City since we would have to transit in Mexico City anyway (no direct flights from New York City to Guanajuato unfortunately!).

If you land in Mexico City, you will need to take a 5 hour bus ride from the Northern Bus Station (Central de Autobuses del Norte) to Guanajuato and then take a taxi from the Guanajuato bus station to your hotel (not possible to walk there).

The best bus companies to Guanajuato are either ETN or Primera Plus . We took ETN because it was supposed to be the best and it was really nice! There’s a ton of leg room, your personal screen and USB charging. The bus costs about $50 USD one way.

Depending on what time your bus is, you can stop by Condesa or Roma (neighborhoods) in Mexico City to grab lunch. Since traffic in Mexico City is really bad, you should definitely give yourself at least 3 hours from when you land to when the bus departs.

Once you reach Guanajuato (again, depending on the time), you can grab dinner in town or just go to the hotel and rest.

Day 2 of 7 days in Mexico: Guanajuato

You have a full day in Guanajuato on your second day in Mexico.

Guanajuato is largely off the radar for foreign visitors (at least not as famous as Cancun or San Miguel de Allende). This little town was once one of the richest cities in Mexico thanks to its rich silver mines.

Known for its UNESCO World Heritage historic town, colorful buildings, cobblestone alleys, underground tunnels and historical significance, Guanajuato is the perfect place to start your trip to Mexico.

Start your day early, grab a coffee from a local coffee shop and head out to the Funicular. The funicular will take you to Monumento Al Pipila , an observation deck on top of a hill. You could walk there but I would suggest taking the funicular up and walking down.

After enjoying the view, walk back down to the town center. The historic town area is not very large and you can see it within a few hours. Some of the most noteworthy buildings, museums and square in Guanajuato include:

• Templo de San Francisco : a beautiful pink Catholic church that can be seen from the observation deck
• Museo Iconografico del Quijote : a museum dedicated to the story of Don Quijote
• Teatro Juarez : One of the most beautiful performance arts theaters in Mexico
• Jardin de la Union : a large local park with beautifully trimmed trees surrounded by restaurants and hotels
• Basílica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato : the most famous church in Guanajuato. It has the statue of Virgin Mary inside and it is featured in every photo of Guanajuato
• Callejón del Beso (the Kissing Alley) : a narrow alleyway with a tragic love story that draws couples to visit and exchange kisses
• Mercado Hidalgo : a vibrant indoor market selling fresh produce, cooked food, clothes, shoes, and other souvenirs and handmade crafts
• Plaza de San Roque : the cutest square in Guanajuato with tons of restaurants and some nice photo spots
• Museum of the Mummies : a museum displaying naturally mummified bodies from the cemetery next door

You will need to leave Guanajuato around 5pm to take the bus to San Miguel de Allende . San Miguel is about one and half hours away. After getting off the bus, take an Uber or taxi to your hotel.

San Miguel is super lively all day long. It is pretty safe to walk around the historic town center at night , grab some tacos from Andy’s Taco Truck (or eat at a sit down restaurant if you can get in). We found all the good restaurants to be fully booked in San Miguel so plan ahead and make reservations!

Check out my detailed one day Guanajuato itinerary for details.

Day 3 & 4 of One Week in Mexico: San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel de Allende is one of the most popular towns in Central Mexico among American tourists. It is obvious why it’s so popular.

From colorful colonial buildings to its vibrant nightlife to the amazing gastronomy scenes to beautiful sceneries to its hot springs, San Miguel de Allende is a haven for those seeking a relaxing vacation (or even retirement).

San Miguel de Allende has been voted as the best small city in the world by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast. That says a lot and it well deserves this recognition.

During your two days in San Miguel de Allende, you get to fully explore its UNESCO World Heritage historic town center, otherwise known as El Centro .

Compared to Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende’s historic town feels bigger and more refined, lined with gourmet restaurants and luxury boutique hotels. In fact most restaurants and hotels we walked by were so beautifully decorated and fully booked!

Some of the best things to do during your 2 days in San Miguel de Allende include walking around the historic town center.

Check out the famous pink Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel and all the street vendors and stores at the square. Or you can get breakfast on a rooftop bar overlooking the church to start your day.

A cool thing to do in San Miguel is to see all the beautifully decorated doorways , streets and eventually stop by Casa de los Soles , instagram famous for its courtyard decorated with hundreds of colorful suns (hence the name) before continuing to Mercado Ignacio Ramirez , one of the largest market in San Miguel de Allende.

Being the artsy town that is, you simply cannot leave without checking out the Mercado de Artesanías (an artisan market) as well as the art center Fabrica la Aurora . You will find art pieces, galleries, sculptures and other artsy stores here and can spend up to half a day there to see everything.

San Miguel de Allende is known for its food and rooftop bars , so you should definitely spend your time going to different restaurants and rooftop bars (keep in mind that many restaurants do have a rooftop terrace).

Some of the rooftop restaurants and bars I would recommend include Rosewood Hotel , Restaurant Cielo , Trazo 1810 , Quince , Zumo Rooftop Restaurant , Luna Tapas Bar just to name a few.

You need to make a reservation a few days in advance (at least) if you want to visit these rooftop bars/ restaurants, otherwise you probably cannot get in.

Lastly, if you want relaxation, be sure to check out the hot springs in San Miguel de Allende , such as La Gruta Spa , the Mayan Baths , Escondido Hot Springs, etc .

Day 5 in Mexico: San Miguel de Allende + Mexico City

If you want to spend more time in Mexico City and just feel like you saw enough of San Miguel, then take the bus to Mexico City in the morning. But if you still want to walk around San Miguel de Allende a little more, then take a noon or afternoon bus to Mexico City. You have a little more flexibility here.

We decided to walk around San Miguel a little more in the morning to get some more photos (if you haven’t noticed, I am very big on photos).

We found some really nice photo spots just in random alleys up the hill (and in front of our hotel actually). Grab a nice breakfast and take your iconic photo on Aldama street before heading out to the bus station.

The bus from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City North Station takes about 4 hours (depends on traffic conditions). Once you get to Mexico City, grab a Uber or Didi from the bus station to your hotel in Condesa or Roma, the two best areas in Mexico City.

Depending on what time you get to Mexico City, you should explore the Condesa neighborhood, check out Parque México , known for its beautiful architecture and flowers, grab tacos at Taqueria El Greco or Tacos Hola El Güero , stop by the cute art gallery Mooni , grab a drink at a local bar, and end your night at Lardo , an AMAZING Mediterranean restaurant in Condesa.

Day 6-7 in Mexico: Explore Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and it is on every first time in Mexico itinerary. You can spend a week in Mexico City by itself if you want to fully explore it. But in this 7 day Mexico itinerary we will spend 2-3 days to see the essential attractions in Mexico City and eat at some of the best restaurants (there are so many!).

First day in Mexico City

You can spend the first full day in Mexico City to explore Bosque de Chapultepec, a large city park featuring a zoo, museums and most importantly, the famous Chapultepec Castle . The castle itself houses the National Museum of History and has a sweeping view of Mexico City.

You can spend a few hours to even half a day at the park depending on what you like to do.

Once you are done, stop by two of the most colorful casas in Mexico City: Casa Estudio Luis Barragán & Casa Gilardi . These are must sees for anyone into architecture or just want those Instagram photos. Both require reservation at least a week or two in advance if not more.

In the afternoon, head over to Polanco , otherwise known as the Beverly Hills of Mexico City.

Polanco is an upscale and expensive neighborhood in Mexico City, known for its luxury residences, high end boutiques (think Chanel and Hermès), fancy restaurants, cafes and bars.

While in Polanco, don’t forget to check out Parque América for the view of St. Augustine Church, walk by Parque Lincoln , and stop by the famous bookstore + cafe, Cafebrería El Péndulo .

Second Day in Mexico City

During your second full day in Mexico City, you will be exploring Centro , a busy area with tons of museums, monuments and markets.

Some of the best things to see in Centro include Zócalo , the main square in Mexico City, Templo Mayor Museum , Metropolitan Cathedral . Be sure to not miss the CDMX sign at Zócalo.

Walk west and check out Palacio de Bellas Artes , one of the prettiest buildings in Mexico City. This building is best seen from the Finca Don Porfirio cafe on top of the Sears department store. Or if you want to go up an observation deck, go up the Mirador Torre Latino right across the street from Sears.

If you have time, stop by Palacio Postal , a super beautiful post office in Mexico City, as well as The House of Tiles for the architecture, mural and the restaurant inside. Also be sure to stop by the beautiful Gran Hotel for a quick photo of its ceiling.

If you want to spend the day in Centro, you can visit Museo Franz Mayer, a beautiful art museum nearby and also stop by Mercado de San Juan , a large indoor food market dating back to 1955 or the Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela , a large handicraft market with clothes, bags, and other art and handicrafts.

My suggestion would be to spend half a day in Centro, then head down to Frida Kahlo Museum (reservation required) to learn more about the life and work of Frida Kahlo at her former home. It is also a popular Instagram photo spot in Mexico City.

Lastly you can go down to the Xochimilco neighborhood, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and take a ride on its famous boats.

In fact you can do a fantastic tour that takes you to Xochimilco, Coyoacan, Frida Kahlo & UNAM all in one afternoon, saving you the hassle of getting multiple Uber rides back and forth.

Day 8 in Mexico: Teotihuacán (Optional)

I know I said this is a 7 day Mexico itinerary BUT if you do have one more day, then I would recommend that you take a day trip to see the pyramids from Mexico City in Teotihuacán.

Teotihuacán, meaning “birthplace of Gods”, was one of the largest and powerful cities in Mesoamerica. It is now a famous archeological site the Mesoamerican pyramids and ruins of other temples.

The most famous pyramids at Teotihuacán are the Pyramid of the Sun ( Pirámide del Sol ) and Pyramid of the Moon ( Pirámide de la Luna ) and you should also visit Quetzalcoatl Temple ( Templo de Quetzalcóatl ). Keep in mind that you cannot climb the pyramids at Teotihuacán anymore.

There are many tours that go to Teotihuacán from Mexico City (along with a few other sites), but you can also take this hot air balloon tour to fly over Teotihuacán before visiting the pyramids and temple.

Alternatively, you can take public buses from Mexico City North Station to Teotihuacán.

This would give you more freedom to explore the pyramids and temples, and also allow you to go to the beautiful restaurant La Gruta . The restaurant is all over social media due to its uniqueness; it is literally located in a cave lit by candles.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by La Gruta Teotihuacán 🔥 (@lagrutamx)

This concludes your awesome one week in Mexico trip! If you want to fit in the pyramids in 7 days, I would suggest spending less time in San Miguel de Allende in this sample itinerary.

Best (and Worst) Months to Visit Mexico

Mexico is one of those countries that you can visit all year round. It never gets too hot or too cold, at least in Central Mexico mentioned in this itinerary. There is not a “worst” time to visit Mexico but there is a rainy season in Mexico.

The warmest months to visit Mexico City and central Mexico are April and May, with temperatures going up to the 80s (keep in mind that Mexico City is higher in altitude so it is slightly cooler than Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende).

The most popular time to visit Mexico is in December during the holidays as well as the end of October to early November for the Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

June to September is the rainy season in Mexico. While it doesn’t rain all day everyday, you can expect thunderstorms if you plan to visit in the summer, especially in the late afternoon and at night.

When we visited in July, we had perfect weather in Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, but it did thunderstorm everyday in Mexico City starting at 5pm sharp. Although we did have rainy days starting at noon the last two days we were there (and my plane got hit by lightning upon taking off but clearly I am fine).

In summary, you won’t go wrong visiting Mexico any time of the year, but if you absolutely have to choose one, I would recommend visiting at the end of October and early November.

Getting Around During 1 week in Mexico

It was easy for us to get around Mexico during the one week we were there. As tourists, we used a combination of buses, taxis, and share ride services.

Flying in Mexico

Depending on where you want to go in Mexico, flying may be the fastest and easiest way to get around. For this itinerary, you could fly from Mexico City to Leon/ Guanajuato Airport for relatively cheap. I usually use Google Flights and Kayak to look for flight deals.

Taking Buses in Mexico

For mid – long distance travel in Mexico, it is super convenient to take a bus! As mentioned previously, ETN and Primera Plus are two really well reviewed bus companies. Mexico City North Bus Station (Central de Autobuses del Norte) is where many buses depart from, including the bus to Teotihuacán.

Besides the two companies above, there are many other bus companies to choose from. Once you get to the bus station, you will see ticket counters and buy your tickets there.

Bus travel in Mexico is generally safe, but definitely keep an eye on your bags and pockets, especially at the bus station and if the bus is crowded.

Note that if you are in Mexico City, there are local buses and subways you can take to get around. But most tourists do not take local buses and opt for Uber/ Didi instead. But if you speak Spanish, are on a budget and feel comfortable navigating the public transportation system then you can take those!

Taxi and Rideshare Apps in Mexico

If you are traveling to bus stations and airports, you will see a ton of taxis waiting for you right outside. While I generally am reluctant to take taxis since you don’t know if they are legit or not, during our 7 days in Mexico we didn’t have any problems.

In places like Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, it was a lot more convenient to grab a taxi instead of calling an Uber from the bus stations. We asked the hotels ahead of time how much we should be expected to pay for taxis, so we knew the price before talking to the taxi drivers.

Rideshare services are also a transportation option for you. I found that Didi (the Chinese ride-share app) worked better than Uber for us in San Miguel de Allende.

While an Uber would take 15-20 minutes to arrive, Didi came a lot faster. However keep in mind that you may need to pay cash for Didi (at least the app did not take my payments).

Other Questions You May Have about Traveling to Mexico for a Week

Is it safe to travel to mexico.

Mexico seems to have a bad rep when it comes to safety. In fact before my trip to Mexico so many of my friends who have never been to Mexico were worried and told me stories of someone their friends know got kidnapped or got mugged.

I felt Mexico was perfectly safe during our trip. However the places we went were known to be touristy and safe. If you follow this itinerary, go to touristy areas and cities, stay in the nice parts of Mexico City, don’t wander around late at night in bad neighborhoods or get into unmarked cars, I think you should be fine.

Do I need to speak Spanish to visit Mexico

Your trip to Mexico will be a lot more convenient and comfortable if you speak Spanish, even just some basic Spanish enough to check in with bus counters, restaurants, ask about reservation, and talk about prices.

If you really don’t speak Spanish, I would suggest you download Google Translate so you can use it offline. Also make sure you have the translate photo function so you can translate menus and signs!

I don’t speak any Spanish and my friends spoke some basic Spanish and we got around fine! There were blank looks a lot of times on our faces but we survived, so will you!

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When my partner and I told others that we were spending one week in Mexico City, some people seemed surprised. One entire week just in one place? Are there even that many things to do in Mexico City?

The answer is a resounding yes.

In fact, one week wasn’t actually enough, and we’re looking forward to visiting Mexico City again at some point. It’s the perfect place for when you want to be enveloped in culture and good food and relax without bumming it out on the beach.

Table of Contents

Top things to do in Mexico City

• Eat all the delicious food !
• Climb the ancient pyramids at Teotihuacan.
• Learn about Mexico’s long and diverse history at the National Museum of Anthropology.
• Explore all the food and crafts markets.
• Attend a lucha libre match.
• Taste more varieties of mescal than you knew existed — and pulque, too!
• Breathe in some fresh air in one of the world’s largest urban parks.
• Visit the home and studio of Frida Kahlo, one of the country’s most famous artists.
• Have a drink at one of the world’s best bars.
• Try your hand at cooking some authentic Mexican food.

A detailed itinerary for an efficient yet relaxing week in Mexico’s capital is incoming, but first, a few logistical things that you’ll want to know.

Can I get by with only English?

Mexico City is a major metropolitan city, so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of folks who speak English. Most hotels, museums, restaurants, and tourist institutions have someone who speaks some amount of English.

Of course, like all international traveling, it’s very useful if you know the local language. (For me, it was most useful in communicating what I wanted to eat to street vendors!)

Download Duolingo or another language-learning app and try to learn at least the basics. A little goes a long way!

If all else fails, make sure you have a translation app on hand. While Google Translates works, I find SpanishDict’s app to be more powerful and accurate.

Getting around Mexico City

Transportation in Mexico City is easy breezy.

The city is incredibly walkable with wide sidewalks. That said, Mexico City is also huge so there’s no way to walk everywhere unless you’re down to spend half your visit walking.

Uber is readily available and very cheap, with most rides being between $2-5 USD. There are also different types of taxis in Mexico City as well, though we chose to go with the more accessible app-based route. One place that we did consider taxis? The airport, where there is an official taxi stand just outside of the building.

Bike-sharing is also a good option for short distances if you feel comfortable riding on the road. EcoBici is Mexico City’s official bike-sharing program, though we also saw Jump Bikes and other bike rental options.

Public transit

If you’d rather take public transportation, Mexico City’s system is quite efficient. There are a couple of main options:

• The Metro, aka subway.
• The Metrobus, which has its own dedicated bus lanes.
• A local bus system.

The Metro operates like subway systems around the world and is definitely the easiest to navigate. The Metrobus requires a little more planning since there aren’t transfer paths like there is with the Metro.

My recommendation is to buy a rechargeable tarjeta at one of the stations since that can be used on both the Metro and Metrobus. You can also buy paper tickets for the Metro, but they aren’t usable on the Metrobus. We made this mistake and ended up with way more paper Metro tickets than we needed.

I would only use the local bus system is you have a good command of Spanish or know the city well since you’ll need to communicate where you want to go. Like the local bus systems of many Central and South American countries, many of these buses run without set schedules or set routes.

That said, yours truly got on a local bus in Colombia and stammered through Duolingo Spanish and still somehow got from the suburbs into the city center. (There weren’t easier options during that trip!)

Where to stay in Mexico City

The local government divisions of Mexico City are fascinating and way too complex to discuss here. High-level, there are more than a dozen boroughs (alcadias), which then have hundreds of neighborhoods (colonias).

Of those, a few are popular with tourists because of their location and availability of accommodations and tourist amenities. They include:

• Centro Historico

Roma, Condesa, and Polanco are known to be posh, posher, and poshest, in that order.

These neighborhoods have your fill of options for hotels, restaurants, and bars, and are the most popular among tourists and expats. They’re also within walking distance or a quick Metro or taxi ride away from the main attractions. We stayed at Stanza Hotel in a part of Roma called La Romita and thoroughly enjoyed our time.

Centro Historico, as its name suggests, sits at the center of everything. It’s not known to be the nicest area, but it does have more budget-friendly hostels than the other neighborhoods. Just be cautious about going out alone at night.

Further south are Coyoacan and San Angel . For those who want a more artsy bohemian vibe, these colorful neighborhoods are perfect. The neighborhoods themselves are incredibly walkable, but keep in mind that it takes a 20-minute drive to get from these neighborhoods to the main tourist attractions in Centro Historico.

Money and tipping in Mexico City

Mexican pesos is the country’s currency, marked by the $ symbol. Keep that in mind so you don’t have a temporary freakout thinking something costs a bajillion dollars. (I know I did!)

While credit cards are widely accepted at the bigger hotels and restaurants, you’ll definitely want to have cash on hand at all times, whether it’s for street vendors, transport, or when credit card machines are down. ATMs are widespread, so get yourself a fee-less debit card and withdraw away.

When you’re planning how much to budget for Mexico City, make sure to keep in mind that tipping is indeed a thing there. Here’s a quick guide for the most common situations:

• Restaurants with wait service: 10-20%
• Hotel housekeepers: 20-50 pesos per night
• Bellhops: 25-50 pesos
• Bartenders: 10-20 pesos per drink
• Half- or full-day tour: 10-20%

1 week in Mexico City

Okay, here’s the Mexico City itinerary you’ve been waiting for.

We had seven full days in Mexico City, almost exactly down to the hour. Here are our suggestions for what to do each day. For food and drink suggestions, check out this post of straight-up food porn .

Day 1: Learn about Mexico City

For your first day in Mexico City, I’d recommend exploring and checking out some sights in Centro Historico.

First and foremost on your list should be Templo Mayor , the ancient temple discovered smack dab in the middle of downtown.

Because the bulk of the site is outside and you’re not allowed to have any food or beverages with you, you’ll want to do this earlier in the day before the sun gets too strong (which is always since Mexico City is at a pretty high altitude!)

The Russian doll of pyramids at Templo Mayor gave us good foundational knowledge of the founding of Mexico City, while the Metropolitan Cathedral added to that history vis a vis the Spanish conquest period.

The cathedral, which is sinking on a regular basis because Mexico City is actually built on a lake bed (did you know that?!?) and the Zocalo , which is directly opposite the cathedral and is the third-largest public square in the world, are great places to sit and people-watch.

Another great spot for your first day? The National Palace , home of Diego Riveria’s epic murals, including the famous “The History of Mexico.”

Our less-than-acute state-of-mind led us to skip a tour guide, but if there was anywhere in Mexico City where I would’ve hired one, the National Palace was it. Even having studied many of Diego’s murals in art history classes growing up, I would’ve appreciated more artistic and cultural curation.

In addition to the murals that are in the spotlight, make sure to check out the other publicly-facing parts of the National Palace. There are old homes and offices of past leaders of Mexico, old constitutions on display, parliamentary quarters, a botanical garden, and more.

Day 2: Explore Coyoacan

Perhaps the most well-known attraction in Mexico City is the Frida Kahlo Museum , aka La Casa Azul, or the Blue House.

The museum is fantastically laid out and gives you a biography of Frida and a sense of her life and work without the stiff feeling some museums can give off. The grounds are also beautiful and make for a great place to relax for a moment.

Because of its popularity, I highly recommend buying your tickets online to avoid standing in hours-long lines outside the house. Foreign credit cards seem to have trouble being processed, but debit cards work seamlessly.

We got our ticket for 1 p.m. on our second day in Mexico City, so we chose to spend that day in Coyoacan, where the museum is located. In some ways, Coyoacan is to Mexico City what Brooklyn is to Manhattan. Still a part of the city, but hipper, less dense, and more colorful.

Mercado Coyoacan is a must-visit when you’re in the neighborhood. Like many other markets in Mexico City, this one has plenty of vendors selling everything from raw and cooked foods to textiles and clothes to toys and things you didn’t know existed. It’s a good place for both meals and souvenir shopping.

The park across from the market also hosts live music and weekend artisan markets. Sometimes there’s even a dance party as part of the festivities.

Another great place to get a good sense of local life is the main town square and park, of which the San Juan Bautista Church and the coyote fountain are focal points.

Sitting around and watching both folks enjoy their time off is such a nice way to feel more embedded in the local life. My favorite memory was of a teenager walking around with a sign that said something along the lines of “love poems written and recited on the spot.” A young teenage couple sitting on a bench across from us bought such a poem from him, and it was the sweetest moment.

If you’d rather get away from the crowds, I’d highly recommend the largely overlooked Frida Kahlo Park . The lush and serene escape has arches, mosaic murals, bushes shaped like butterflies, and of course, statues of Frida and Diego. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet moment in a big city.

Then, if you can, I’d suggest wandering even further away from the main Coyoacan haunts. Go explore the gorgeous Capilla de Santa Catarina , and walk along the rust brick walls around the area.

If you’re down for a longer walk, take Avenue Francisco Sosa all the way to San Angel. This street has countless beautiful doorways and photogenic buildings.

Once you get to San Angel, don’t forget to check out Parque la Bombilla with its towering Alvaro Obregon monument .

Day 3: Eat and drink your way through Mexico City

If you didn’t come to Mexico City ready to eat, you’re doing something wrong.

Mexico City’s food , especially its street food, is one of its main attractions. While you can certainly eat yourself silly on your own, do yourself a favor and book a street food tour to experience it with a local. (Believe me, John’s tour will definitely have you eating yourself silly.)

Once your bellies are full, I’d suggest taking in some of Mexico City’s many parks and markets so you can walk it off. Two great spots: Parque Alameda right there in downtown Mexico City and La Ciudadela artisanal market .

In the evening, get ready for some great drinks at either Limantour or La Clandestina, depending on your mood. Both spots are incredibly popular, so take your time enjoying whichever you choose and save the other spot for another night.

Limantour was ranked one of the world’s best 50 bars in 2019 and serves up a selection of delicious cocktails inspired by local flavors. This is definitely a spot where you want to stick with the cocktails instead of asking for anything on the rocks.

The vibe is upbeat and clubby without being an intense underground rager. There’s likely a line, but the process is organized and quick. Just don’t forget to give your name to the hostess when you arrive.

La Clandestina , on the other hand, feels a little bit like a neighborhood dive bar, laidback and unassuming. In this tiny bar, the gold is in the mezcal. Sure, get a cocktail or two as well, but don’t skip getting tasters of at least a few of the different mezcals on tap.

The whole seating and ordering process can be a bit chaotic at La Clandestina. Your best bet is to make a dinner reservation so you can get drinks along with food at the same time. If not, be patient but firm as you try to either snatch one of the few seats available or just order at the bar. (Whatever you do, don’t get rude and aggressive like some entitled tourists.)

Day 4: Climb the Teotihuacan pyramids

Like the Frida Kahlo Museum, the pyramids of Teotihuacan are a Mexico City must-visit.

Known as perhaps the most significant pre-Columbian Mesoamerican architectural site, Teotihuacan allows you to remove yourself from the hustle and bustle of Mexico City and enter a world from thousands of years ago.

You can go with a group or private tour, or you can visit Teotihuacan on your own. More to come later this month on how to visit Teotihuacan on your own.

No matter how you visit, make sure to have sensible walking shoes, sunscreen, water, and a healthy respect for sacred and ancient archaeological sites.

Day 5: Stroll through Mexico City’s urban lungs

Teotihuacan is magnificent and mysterious, but I won’t lie, it’s also really dusty there. So take time to refresh your lungs by spending it in Chapultepec park.

Known as Mexico City’s lungs, Bosque de Chapultepec is one of the world’s largest urban parks.

And it really is large.

The park houses the historic Chapultepec Castle , a free zoo, multiple museums, several manmade lakes, dozens of sculptures, and tons of playgrounds. You could literally spend multiple days in the park before you’re able to see every part of it.

Most people only visit the first section of the park that houses the castle, zoo, and the major museums, but I’d recommend going beyond that. You’ll find funky sculptures like Diego Rivera’s Fuente de Tlaloc , an amusement park, lakes with paddleboats, and more.

Your best bet for exploring as much of the park as possible? Walk for part of it and then get a rental bike for the rest.

Day 6: Spend time at the city’s museums

Perhaps you already got to it during your first trip to Chapultepec park, but if you didn’t, you must spend some time at the National Museum of Anthropology .

It’s arguably the most important museum in not just Mexico City but all of Mexico — and for good reason.

This huge museum is home to the most important archaeological and cultural artifacts of Mexico’s history. It’s also extremely well laid-out. The exhibits with historical artifacts are in chronological order, while the ethnographic exhibits about the peoples of Mexico are arranged by region.

We spent about three hours at the museum and honestly could’ve spent much longer there.

After you’ve absorbed all the wealth of knowledge and culture housed at the National Museum of Anthropology, head over to Centro Historico to check out some of the neighborhood’s gorgeous buildings.

Among them: the gilded Palacio Postal , the distinctive House of Tiles , and the showstopping Palacio de Bellas Artes . All three are in the same general area kitty-corner to each other.

You can visit the post office and the House of Tiles relatively quickly, but the Palacio de Bellas Artes will take a little longer. If you want to give your feet a quick break and your body an energy boost before heading into the building, consider stopping by Don Porfirio Cafe .

Perched at the top of the Sears building (yes, like the department store), this cafe is the to-go place for the best views of the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Sure, the drinks and food are a little pricey, but can you really beat this view?

Day 7: Experience Mexican culture

Obviously, you’ve been experiencing Mexican culture your entire time in Mexico City. But on your last day, make sure to absorb as much of it as you can.

This day’s itinerary goes a little later into the night than most, so take it easy in the morning. Enjoy a lengthy brunch or perhaps get some fluffy happiness in Parque Mexico where there are dog training sessions most mornings.

Then spend the afternoon getting hands-on and learning how to cook all the delicious Mexican food you’ve enjoyed during your trip. There are tons of different options on Airbnb Experiences and other platforms, from taco-specific ones to the pre-Hispanic, all-vegan class we took.

Once you’ve recovered from your food coma, it’s time for the funky, loud, and entertaining Mexican tradition that is lucha libre.

I’ve never been a huge wrestling fan. But the colorful wrestling masks and the animated theatrics of lucha libre were certainly interesting to me.

You can buy tickets on Ticketmaster ahead of time, or you can buy it at the ticket booth. Tickets range from $55 pesos for bleacher seats to $450 pesos for the first three rows (of course, with added fees if you buy online).

If you want really good seats, your best bet is to buy online. We attended a Friday night lucha libre match at Arena Mexico and the only seats available when we finally got up to the ticket booth (after snaking lines of confusion) were those in the peanut gallery.

But no fear, it was still really fun! You can see a surprising amount even all the way up in the bleachers.

We had randomly run into one of my partner’s friends who’s from Mexico City that night. He was going to the match with his extended family, so we hung out with them. We got giant beers, sat on the concrete steps, and tried our best to follow along with what was happening.

Is lucha libre something I would go out of my way to attend the next time I’m in Mexico City? Probably not, but I sure am glad that I witnessed it at least once. It was hysterical, rowdy in a family-friendly way, and all-around an amusing experience.

Other things to do in Mexico City

Like I mentioned at the beginning, one week in Mexico City isn’t enough! If we had more time, here are the top things we would’ve spent time on.

• Xochimilco – Known as the Venice of Mexico City, these canals and floating gardens are located in southern Mexico City. Groups often spend the afternoon drinking and partying on the gondola-like boats, visiting with vendors and mariachi bands that float past them. We thought this would’ve been a better experience with a group of friends, so we decided not to go on this trip.
• Hiking Iztaccihuatl – This volcano looked so cool! But we visited in the winter, so we didn’t want to have to pack snow trekking gear.
• Narvarte taco circle – Taco circle, you say? Yep, there’s a roundabout in the Narvarte neighborhood that’s got taco stands all around it. I really wanted to hit this up, but we ended up not having the time to do so.
• Pyramid of Ehécatl – It’s a pyramid discovered smack dab in the middle of the Pino Suarez Metro station. I’m a fan of the obscure, and this sounded really cool.

Hope this Mexico City travel guide has you all prepped for your trip! Pin it to share it!

14 thoughts on “ How to Spend One Glorious Week in Mexico City ”

[…] is so much to do in Mexico City, but this post isn’t about that. This is all about Mexico City food. Because if you’re […]

I love Mexico! It’s one of my favorite countries. I would love to go back and eat more of its delicious food!

I would love to explore Mexico City! So much history and beautiful architecture! Plus the food is probably delicious!

[…] one of the foremost pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological sites. It’s one of my favorite things to do in Mexico City because it combines culture, history, and archaeology with a whole lot of activity and […]

Mexico City is on my bucket list for the next time I visit Mexico. It seems so authentic and beautiful! Great guide! :)

Such a cool program! I haven’t been to Mexico yet, but I hope I can go there soon and your guide will be very useful! Thank you Rowena!

What an interesting city! The wrestling seems really fun. Thanks for the pics!

Aaah this looks so fun!! Can’t wait to visit Mexico someday :)

This is such an incredible guide! CDMX is one of my favorite places in the world. I definitely need to do a full street food tour next time I visit.

So much to see & do in Mexico City! I can’t wait to visit! Thanks so much for sharing your travel tips and experiences!

I have not been to Mexico yet. But, hey, your guide would be super helpful when I visit the city. Thank you for sharing.

Mexico City looks like it has so much to offer! I love that you included info about the different areas to stay – I will definitely keep that in mind.

What a fantastic guide to Mexico City! I haven’t had the chance to travel here yet unfortunately, but your photos make it very appealing and I like that there are so many things to see and do here to keep you busy for the week.

There’s so much to do in Mexico City. Haven’t visited Mexico, but this guide would be helpful when I plan. Thanks for sharing

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Travel Itineraries | Luxury Travel | Travel Tips

Mexico 7 Day Itinerary | The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Mexico in 1 Week

With ancient ruins, stunning beaches, vibrant cities, and incredible cuisine, Mexico has so much to offer visitors. Trying to the best of Mexico in just 7 days may seem daunting, but it’s possible to achieve this if you plan wisely, and follow the different recommendations and 7 Day Mexico Travel Itinerary , shared below. .

This 1 week Mexico itinerary will help you maximize your vacation and see some of the best attractions this diverse country has to offer. Whether you want to relax on the beach, explore ancient cultures, or experience Mexico’s famous nightlife, this guide has you covered.

PS – Before you head to Mexico and discover the beauty of the Top Mexico Sights and Attractions , during your 7 Day Mexico Travel Itinerary , as  listed below, check out these 20+ Travel Hacks and Resources , that will elevate your Travel experience to a different level all together.

Top Rated Attractions in Mexico City

Where to stay in mexico city, top attractions outside mexico city, where to stay in valladolid, where to stay in tulum, top things to do in oaxaca, day 6: monte albán, day 7: travel to puerto escondido, day 8: depart from mexico city, other can’t-miss destinations in mexico, how’s this 7 day mexico itinerary sound.

• Travel Tips for your 7 Day Mexico Itinerary 

Mexico 7-Day Itinerary FAQs

Share this:, 7 day ultimate mexico travel itinerary, day 1: arrive in mexico city.

The vibrant streets of Mexico City | Photo by Pyro Jenka on Unsplash

Kick off your trip in Mexico’s bustling capital, Mexico City. Fly into Benito Juárez International Airport and take an Uber or taxi to your hotel downtown, or book your airport transfer here.

Spend the afternoon exploring the Historical Center (Centro Histórico), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander the massive main plaza,  Zócalo , view the impressive Metropolitan Cathedral, and admire the ruins of the Templo Mayor , an Aztec temple discovered beneath the city streets.

Grab dinner at one of the city’s many taco joints before heading to an evening mariachi performance. Mariachi bands can often be found in Garibaldi Plaza, where you can soak in Mexico’s iconic music over a margarita or two.

Here are some interesting facts about Mexico – it boasts incredible biodiversity, is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world, and is known for mariachi music, tacos, and tequila!

• Metropolitan Cathedral
• Templo Mayor
• National Museum of Anthropology
• Chapultepec Park
• Frida Kahlo Museum

Mexico City, which is one of the Best Cities in Latin America , has accommodation options to fit any budget. For your first night, book a hotel near the Historic Center to be close to the action.

Mid-range options like Hampton Inn & Suites Mexico City – Centro Histórico and budget picks like Hostel Home offer excellent value.

Day 2: Teotihuacan & More Mexico City

Teotihuacan Archaeological Site | Photo by Alejandro Morelos on Unsplash

Rise early and take a day trip to the impressive Teotihuacan archaeological site , located about an hour outside Mexico City. It is one of the Top Iconic Attractions of Mexico . Walk the Avenue of the Dead and climb to the top of the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon for breathtaking views.

After exploring the ruins, head back to Mexico City. In the afternoon, visit Chapultepec Park and Castle and browse the world-class artefacts at the National Museum of Anthropology.

In the evening, indulge in delicious street food at a local mercado before hitting the trendy bars and clubs in the Condesa or Roma neighbourhoods. Try mezcal cocktails at a hip mezcaleria like Licorería Limantour.

• Pyramids of Teotihuacan
• Valle de Bravo

PS – If you have time on your hand, you can modify this 7 Day Mexico Itinerary, by adding another day or two in Mexico City, and covering other top sights in and around Mexico City, as recommended in this 3 Day Mexico City Itinerary.

Day 3: Travel to Chichen Itza & Valladolid

Chichen Itza – One of the Most Popular Sight and Attraction of Mexico

Take an early morning 1 hour flight from Mexico City to Cancun. Pick up your rental car and drive 2.5 hours west to the magnificent ancient city of Chichen Itza – One of the Most Popular Sight and Attraction of Mexico. Chichen Itza, is one of those Places that you should Visit Once in a Lifetime , and without visiting Chichen Itza, your Mexico Trip will be incomplete.

You’ll have ample time to explore El Castillo pyramid , the ball court, observatory, and other structures.

After, drive 30 minutes west to the laidback colonial town of Valladolid to spend the night.

• Casa Valladolid Boutique Hotel – mid-range bed & breakfast with pool
• TecnoHotel Valladolid – budget hotel in downtown
• Casa San Roque Boutique Hotel – splurge-worthy luxury option

PS – Useful Travel Resources to use while heading to Mexico to experience the Best of Mexico with this 7 Day Mexico Trip Guide

• Book your Rental Car in Mexico on Discover Cars and RentalCars.com
• Book the best  Mexico Tours at GetYourGuide or Viator
• Book your Accommodation in Mexico on Agoda or Booking.com
• Get an eSIM by Airalo to stay connected and Save on Roaming Fees
• Sign up for a Priority Pass before flying to Mexico, to enjoy premium Airport Lounge access.
• Sign up for a Travel Insurance to enjoy a hassle free vacation in Mexico.

Day 4: Cenotes & Tulum

The Beauty of Cenotes | Photo by The Free Birds on Unsplash

Wake up early and drive 25 minutes to Ik Kil or other famous cenotes near Valladolid for a refreshing swim. After, make the 1.5 hour drive east to Tulum. The best time to experience the true beauty of these cenotes in Tulum is when there are no crowds. October to April is the best time to visit Tulum , however be wary of the crowds and costs, as its also the peak tourist season of Tulum . So its better, to book all your accommodations and Tulum tours and excursions well in advance, and try to visit the cenotes in the mornings, before the crowds start pouring in.

Check into your beachside cabana and spend the afternoon relaxing on the sand. Wander Tulum’s shops and restaurants before grabbing dinner.

• Le Selva Appartments
• Hotel Diamante K – mid-range beachfront hotel
• Nest Tulum – upscale oceanview villa resort

Day 5: Travel to Oaxaca

Colourful souvenirs in Oaxaca, Mexico | Photo by analuisa gamboa on Unsplash

After a relaxing beach day in Tulum, take an early morning flight to Oaxaca City . You’ll have the afternoon and evening to explore Oaxaca’s charming colonial center, browse colorful markets, and sample its renowned cuisine.

Walk down Calle Alcalá to the Zócalo and browse the artisan goods at the Benito Juárez Market.

For dinner, try Oaxacan specialties like tlayudas, moles, chapulines (fried grasshoppers) and mezcal cocktails. Check into your hotel in Oaxaca and rest up for the days ahead.

• Walk Calle Alcalá and explore markets
• Try Oaxacan food like mole, tlayudas, and chapulines
• Drink mezcal cocktails
• Explore churches like Santo Domingo
• See cultural sites like the Rufino Tamayo Museum

Zapotec Ruins of Monte Alban | Photo by Matthew Essman on Unsplash

Dedicate this day to exploring the impressive Zapotec ruins of Monte Albán just outside Oaxaca City. Walk the expansive site and climb to the top of the pyramids for magnificent valley views.

After, head back downtown to visit sites like the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca and the Mercado 20 de Noviembre.

End your day sampling more top Oaxacan restaurants for dinner and drinks.

The beach town of Puerto Escondido | Photo by Lorraine Mojica on Unsplash

Catch a morning 1-hour flight or 6-hour bus ride from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido . Check into your beach accommodation and head straight to the sand.

Spend the afternoon relaxing on Playa Zicatela , taking a surf lesson, or browsing the shops and small restaurants in the laidback town center.

Watch the sunset while sipping a Pacifico beer beachside before enjoying a final fresh seafood dinner at a restaurant like El Cafecito.

The next morning, make the short flight back to Mexico City in time for your international departure.

While this 7 Day Mexico itinerary covers some of the best attractions in Mexico, there is so much more to see throughout Mexico. If you have extra time, also consider visiting:

• Isla Holbox
• Tulum & the Riviera Maya
• Chichen Itza
• Mexico City Day Trips like Puebla, Valle de Bravo, or Cuernavaca

Trying to see Mexico in just one week is ambitious, but this action-packed Mexico itinerary is designed to help you maximize your time.

You’ll get a taste of Mexico’s best offerings: culture, beaches, food, and nightlife. This route takes you from energetic Mexico City to charming Oaxaca and sunny Puerto Escondido, with a nice mix of must-see attractions of Mexico and relaxation.

With early mornings and late nights, you may feel tired by Day 7. But you’ll head home with an excellent introduction to Mexico’s diversity. This 7 Day Mexico Travel Itinerary can serve as a taster before you plan a longer trip focused on certain regions.

Have another destination in mind? You can easily adapt this template to craft the perfect week-long itinerary for many places, whether that’s Italy, Japan, Costa Rica or elsewhere.

Wherever you go, advanced planning lets you make the most of your limited time. Follow this strategy to ensure your next quick getaway feels like you were gone for much more than just 1 week!

Travel Tips for your 7 Day Mexico Itinerary  

• Book flights early  – With all the internal flights, book tickets 2-3 months in advance for the best fares.
• Pack light – You’ll be hopping around a lot, so pack a carry-on-size bag. Only bring essentials like swimwear, sun protection, walking shoes, lightweight clothes, and prescription medications. Refer to this what to pack for Mexico guide for more specific recommendations.
• Arrange airport transportation  – Pre-book shuttles or taxis to/from airports to make transfers smooth.
• Charge devices  – Many long travel days, so bring a portable charger and charge devices each night.
• Withdraw pesos  – Stop at ATMs when you arrive to take out cash for the week. Many vendors only accept cash.
• Learn Spanish phrases  – Locals will appreciate you making an effort to speak Spanish when possible.
• Pack medications  – Bring any prescription meds plus OTC pain/upset stomach relievers in case you don’t feel well.
• Wear sun protection  – The Mexican sun is strong. Wear sunscreen, hats, and cover-up clothes when outdoors.
• Stay hydrated  – Drink plenty of bottled water and hydrating drinks throughout your travels.
• Respect cultural sites  – When visiting ruins and churches, dress modestly and behave respectfully.
• Have small bills  – For markets, street food, and tipping, have plenty of 10, 20, and 50 peso notes on hand.
• Purchase travel insurance  – In case of any last-minute changes, travel insurance provides helpful coverage.

What are the must-see places in Mexico in 7 days?

The top destinations to see in a week in Mexico are Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Puerto Escondido, with options to also add cultural sites like Teotihuacan or beach spots like Tulum.

How many days do you need in Mexico City?

2 full days is ideal for seeing the main attractions in Mexico City like the Zocalo, Templo Mayor, museums, and experiencing the food and nightlife.

Is it better to fly or drive in Mexico for a 7 day trip?

With limited time, it’s best to maximize destinations by flying between major hubs like Mexico City, Oaxaca City, and beach towns.

What is the best route to see Mexico in 7 days?

A great 7 day Mexico route is Mexico City – Oaxaca City – Puerto Escondido – Mexico City. This covers top highlights from cuisine to culture to beaches.

What is the cheapest way to travel Mexico for a week?

To save money in 7 days in Mexico, take buses between destinations, stay in budget hotels or hostels, and eat street food and at mercados.

How should I prepare for a 7 day trip to Mexico?

To prepare, book inter-Mexico flights, arrange airport transfers, research top attractions, pack light, and brush up on Spanish phrases.

How much does it cost to travel Mexico for 7 days?

Expect to budget around $100 USD per day minimum, not counting flights. With mid-range choices, plan for $700-$1,000 total for 7 days in Mexico.

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1 Week In Mexico (7 days) - 6 Unique Itineraries

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Explore the enchanting realm of Mexico with our six unique week-long Mexico itineraries. Immerse yourself in the nation's rich history, savour its delectable cuisine, and embrace the vibrant culture. Unravel the secrets of ancient civilizations, bask in breathtaking landscapes, and revel in warm hospitality. From laid-back beach escapes to cultural city tours and untamed wilderness adventures, these six unique week-long Mexico itineraries promise an unforgettable journey.

Travel ideas for Mexico

Created by local experts

The Magic of the Yucatan and Mexico City

Explore the magic of the Yucatan Peninsula: from colonial towns like Merida to Archaeological sites like Uxmal and Calakmul, close to the Guatemala border, to beaches in Bacalar and Tulum, this itinerary shows you the real Yucatan before heading out to explore Mexico City.

Mexico City, Oaxaca & the Yucatan

Explore Central Mexico with its ever-busy capital Mexico City, visiting Teotihuacan and the famous museums in the city. Further on to Oaxaca City, the gateway to the Archaeological Site Monte Alban. Afterwards, continue to the white beaches of the Yucatan: Cancun and Isla Holbox await.

Fascinating Mexico: From Guanajuato to the Yucatan

Discover Mexico from fascinating San Miguel de Allende over busy Mexico City all the way to the Yucatan Peninsula. This itinerary combines public transportation with domestic flights to ensure you can make the most of discovering fascinating Mexico within two weeks.

Marvelous Mexico: From Yucatan to Mexico City

Your trip starts on the wonderful coast of Yucatan, exploring the beaches and archaeological highlights like Chichen Itza and Tulum. From there on continue the exploration to Palenque and Oaxaca before taking a flight to Mexico City - 3 days in the capital await your discovery.

Mexico's Highlands and Coast

Discover Mexico City's historic highlights and the wonders of sites like Teotihuacan, Campeche and Palenque before you jet off to the Central HIghlands. Discover archeological ruins and traditional tribal villages, then fall for the charms of Mexico's old colonial cities and glitzy Caribbean coast.

Mexico's Mayan Trail

Follow the Mayan Trail around Mexico on this archaeological adventure. Begin your journey with a refreshing taste of sea and salt air in the Yucatán Peninsula on one of Playa del Carmen's gorgeous Caribbean beaches before heading off to discover magical Mayan ruins and glorious colonial towns.

Itinerary #1: Authentic and Unique Mexico City

Explore the wonders of Mexico City in this 7-day itinerary that showcases the city's rich culture and attractions. Begin your adventure with a guided walking tour led by a former Lucha Libre wrestler, delving into the history of this iconic Mexican sport. Day two brings you to the UNESCO-listed Historic Center, accompanied by a local guide who reveals its historical significance and treats you to authentic Mexican cuisine from local stalls.

Day three unfolds with a guided exploration of the Museum of Anthropology's pre-Hispanic treasures and a visit to the Chapultepec Castle, offering panoramic views from its hilltop location. Experience the vibrant canals of Xochimilco on day four , riding a traditional trajinera and discovering the region's history and unique ecosystem.

Teotihuacan's archaeological wonders await on day five , with a local guide unveiling the mysteries of this ancient city, including iconic structures like the Pyramid of the Sun. On day six , relish in the freedom to uncover more of the city's gems at your pace, from museums to charming neighbourhoods.

Concluding on day seven , your transfer to the airport marks the end of an unforgettable Mexican escapade. Yet, the country's allure will linger, inviting you to return for more exciting adventures in the future.

Excited? You can customize this trip to your needs and book with us .

Basilica, Mexico City, @ Shutterstock

Palacio Bellas Artes @ Shutterstock

Itinerary overview

Check this overview of the 7 days Mexico itinerary.

• Arrive in Mexico City and Walking tour and Arena Mexico.
• Overnight in Mexico-city.
• Four-hour walking tour of Mexico City.
• Introduction to Mexican gastronomy.
• Five-hour guided tour of the Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle.
• Boat tour of the canals of Xochimilco.
• Exploration of Coyoacánin neighbourhood.
• Tour of the archaeological site of Teotihuacan.
• Free day in Mexico City.
• Transfer and departure.

Intrigued? Book this trip now .

Cochinita Pibil Tacos, Mexico @ Shutterstock

Itinerary #2: Baja: Pacific Coast Paradise

Discover the unspoiled paradise of Baja California in a 7-day journey . This off-the-beaten-track region boasts mountains, deserts, and miles of Pacific coastline. Your adventure begins at La Paz Airport, where you'll be transported to your hotel. Day one unveils the picturesque beaches of La Paz, including Balandra Lagoon and 'El Tecolote.'

Day two takes you to Loreto, the former Baja California capital. En route, explore the restored Jesuit mission "Mission de San Javier" and savour homemade tortillas. On day three , voyage to Coronado Island for diverse wildlife encounters and a city tour of Loreto's landmarks.

Day four's highlight is Espiritu Santo Island, known for snorkelling with sea lions. Day five explores coastal towns, El Triunfo, Los Barriles, and San Jose del Cabo. Day six features Todos Santos, famed for the Eagles' "Hotel California," and a boat trip to the Arch of Cabo San Lucas.

On the final day , enjoy breakfast and leisure before departing from La Paz Airport, concluding your unforgettable Baja California experience. This itinerary blends natural beauty and cultural exploration for a captivating journey.

Feeling enthusiastic? Tailor this journey according to your preferences and make your reservation with us .

San Ignacio, Baja, Mexico @ Shutterstock

Los Cabos, Baja, Mexico @ Shutterstock

La Paz, Baja, Mexico @ Shutterstock

• Arrival in La Paz.
• Overnight in La Paz.
• Loreto tour.
• Coronado Island Tour.
• Overnight in La Paz. 
• Espiritu Santo Island Tour.
• Baja California Sur Town Tour.
• Overnight in San Jose del Cabo. 
• Todos Santos Tour.
• Overnight in San Jose del Cabo.
• Departure for a return flight.

Fascinated by the itinerary? Don't wait and book this trip now .

Playa el Requeson, Baja, California Sur, Mexico @ Shutterstock

Itinerary #3: Mexico's Churros and Chiapas

Embark on an exhilarating 7-day Mexican adventure , beginning in Mexico City's historic charm before immersing in Chiapas' natural wonders and Mayan heritage.

Day one lands you in Mexico City, where you'll be escorted to your city-centre hotel near Zocalo Square. On day two , take a domestic flight to Chiapas. Explore Sumidero Canyon's grandeur and Chiapa de Corso's crafts. Settle in San Cristobal de las Casas amid its colonial allure.

Discover San Cristobal's treasures on day three , along with vibrant mountain communities Zinacantan and San Juan Chamula. Day four unveils El Ciflon's cascades and Montebello Lakes' splendour.

Day five unfolds at Agua Azul Waterfall's jungle-framed beauty, leading to the magnificent Palenque ruins. Day six ventures to Bonampak's iconic paintings and Yaxchilan via a river voyage.

Day seven concludes with breakfast, followed by a transfer to Palenque or Villahermosa airport. This itinerary fuses history, nature, and culture, creating an unforgettable Mexican experience.

Don't waste any time and book this trip now .

Cathedral San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas - Mexico @ Shutterstock

Mayan ruins in Palenque, Mexico @ Shutterstock

• Arrive in Mexico City.
• Overnight in Mexico City. 
• Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo Tour.
• Overnight in San Cristobal de las Casas. 
• San Cristobal de las Casas Tour.
• Cascadas El Chiflon and Montebello Lakes National Park.
• Agua Azul and Palenque Tour.
• Overnight in Palenque. 
• Bonampak and Yaxchilan Tour.

Aiming for unforgettable memories? Book this trip now to create unforgettable moments.

Mayan mural painting, Bonampak, Chiapas, Mexico @ Shutterstock

Itinerary #4: Mexico's Mayan Trail

Embark on this 7-day Mexico itinerary, an archaeological trip through Mexico. Commence your journey by relaxing on Playa del Carmen's Caribbean shores. Explore Mayan ruins and colonial towns on this enchanting route.

Day one starts with a transfer to your Playa del Carmen hotel from Cancun Airport. Enjoy leisure time in the city centre. On day two , visit Tulum's ruins and Bacalar Lagoon's beauty. Arrive in Chetumal with free time.

Day three introduces Chetumal's culture and the Mayan Museum. Explore Cojunlich and Becan ruins, then settle in Chicanna. Day four leads to Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, a vast protected area rich in wildlife. Return to Campeche.

Day five encompasses Campeche's city tour and Uxmal ruins, followed by Mérida's charm. Stay in the historic city centre. On day six , marvel at Chichen Itza's wonders, including the iconic pyramid. Discover Valladolid's colonial beauty and return to Playa del Carmen.

On day seven , explore freely before departing from Cancun Airport, concluding your remarkable Mexican expedition. This itinerary merges history, nature, and culture for an unforgettable adventure.

Are you into ancient ruins and sites? Book this trip with us .

Cancún, Mexico @ Shutterstock

Playa Norte at Isla Mujeres, Cancun © Shutterstock

• Arrive in Cancun.
• Overnight in Cancun.
• Tulum and Bacalar Lagoon Tour.
• Overnight in Chetumal.
• Chetuma, Kohunlich and Bekan Tour.
• Overnight in Chicanna.
• Calakmul Biosphere Reserve Tour.
• Overnight in Campeche.
• Campeche, Uxmal and Merida Tour.
• Overnight in Merida.
• Chichén Itzá Tour.
• Overnight in Cancun. 
• Departure from Cancun Airport.

Eager to explore? Do so and book this trip now .

Beach on Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Mexico © Shutterstock

Tulum, Mayan ruins, Mexico © DC_Aperture/Shutterstock

Itinerary #5: Mexico City to the Yucatán

One of the most popular 7 days Mexico itineraries is our Yucatan itinerary . Your adventure commences at Mexico City International Airport, transferring you to your downtown hotel on day one . Spend the afternoon exploring at your own pace.

Day two unveils Mexico City's history with visits to the National Palace, Zocalo Square, Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Anthropology Museum. Enjoy leisure time in the afternoon.

Day three explores Teotihuacan's archaeological wonders, including the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon, and the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe Shrine. Day four brings you to Playa del Carmen, where you'll explore the town.

Day five takes you to the Tulum Archaeological Site, featuring stunning Caribbean views, followed by Coba's highest pyramid and Yucatecan meal. Day six highlights Chichén Itzá's iconic pyramid and Maya architecture, before reaching Mérida for exploration and local cuisine.

Day seven grants your leisure to explore before transferring to Cancun Airport, concluding your extraordinary Mexican journey. This itinerary merges history, culture, and natural beauty for an unforgettable experience.

Feeling inspired? Book this trip with local experts .

Teotihuacan © Shutterstock

• Overnight in Mexico City.
• Historical Mexico City Tour.
• Teotihuacan Tour.
• Arrival in Playa del Carmen.
• Overnight in Playa del Carmen.
• Excursion to Tulum, Coba and Playa Paraiso.
• Chichén Itzá Tour and continue to Merida.
• Overnight in Merida. 
• Merida to Playa del Carmen and Departure.

Dreaming of exploring? Turn your dreams into reality and book this trip now .

Tulum Playa del Carmen beach, Mexico © Shutterstock

Itinerary #6: Mexico City Explored

Experience the allure of Mexico City with this captivating week-long itinerary that unveils its treasures and neighbouring gems.

Day one welcomes you at Mexico City International Airport, guiding you to your city centre hotel via shared transfer. Day two commences with a historic centre tour featuring Zocalo, National Palace, Metropolitan Cathedral, and Templo Mayor. Explore Chapultepec Park and the National Museum of Anthropology and History, followed by visits to Palacio de Arte and the Museum of Anthropology.

Day three joins a shared tour of the Basilica of Guadalupe and Teotihuacan's pyramids, blending cultural veneration and archaeological marvels. On day four , discover Cholula's churches and Puebla's UNESCO World Heritage sites, adorned with stunning architecture.

Day five explores the Frida Kahlo Museum and Jochimilco's "floating gardens." Discover University City, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site. Day six leads to Cuernavaca's eternal spring and Taxco's silversmithing heritage.

The journey culminates on day seven , bidding farewell as a shared transfer escorts you to the airport for your international departure. Hasta Pronto for now! This itinerary promises an immersive exploration of Mexico's rich culture and history.

Looks good? If not, you can customize this trip and book with us .

Day of the Dead altar is seen in Zocalo Square, downtown Mexico City, Mexico © Shutterstock

Mexico City, National Palace © Shutterstock

• Arrival in Mexico City.
• Historical Mexico City Tour and Anthropology Museum.
• Basilica of Guadalupe and Teotihuacan Pyramids from Mexico City.
• Visit Puebla and Cholula from Mexico City.
• Day Trip to Frida Kahlo Museum, Xochimilco and University City.
• Day Trip to Cuernavaca and Taxco.

Ready to embark on an adventure? Book your trip now .

Puebla, Mexico © Shutterstock

Taxco, Mexico © Shutterstock

For more inspiration for your trip to Mexico, see The Rough Guide to Mexico . Browse our customisable Mexico itineraries , talk to our local Mexico travel experts and find out how to get to Mexico .

Also, find tons of ideas for your Mexican adventure in our guide to the best vacation spots in Mexico .

The Rough Guides to Mexico and related travel guides

In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

Travel advice for Mexico

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for visiting Mexico

• Visa and entry requirements Mexico
• Crime and personal safety tips Mexico
• Eating and drinking in Mexico
• How to get to Mexico
• Getting around Mexico: Transportation Tips
• Travel Tips Mexico for planning and on the go
• Best time to visit Mexico

Find even more inspiration for Mexico here

• Nature & Wildlife
• Authentic Experiences
• History Culture Heritage
• Mexico City
• Inspiration
• See & Do
• Where to stay
• Local Guides

written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 06.06.2024

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Suggested Itineraries for One Week in Mexico

Jesse Kraft/EyeEm/Getty Images

Mexico has some of the  finest beaches  in the world, and its  colonial cities  offer a glimpse into a fascinating period, with attractions such as museums, historic monuments, handicraft villages, and archaeological sites. If you're taking a week-long vacation in Mexico, there's no need to feel you have to choose between the enriching experience of visiting a historic city or relaxing on the beach. A one-week itinerary is just enough to experience a range of what Mexico has to offer.

A great way to enjoy a week in Mexico is to combine a visit to one of Mexico's charming colonial cities followed by a few days on the coast. This allows you to experience some history and culture as well as enjoy some relaxing time at the beach to ensure that you return home refreshed and energized.

Check out these suggested Mexico itineraries that combine the best the country's history and coastal beauty.

Mérida and Cancun Itinerary

TripSavvy / Jamie Ditaranto

On this trip, you'll spend the first three days in Mérida , one day in  Chichén Itzá , and three days in Cancun . Admire the white stone buildings in colonial Mérida, and check out its many art and cultural events. Nearby are ruins and a National Wildlife Refuge that flamingos call home.

Between Mérida and Cancun, you'll stop at Chichén Itzá, one of the most significant Mayan archaeological sites. Once in Cancun—one of Mexico's premier resort areas—enjoy the resorts , delicious food , and beautiful  beaches where you can scuba or snorkel.

Oaxaca City and Huatulo Itinerary

Glow Images/Getty Images

This itinerary gives you four days to explore the state of Oaxaca and Oaxaca City and three days to relax on Huatulco on the Pacific Coast. In historical Oaxaca City, check out Zocalo, its town square, and admire the handicrafts of many talented local artisans. Foodies will be in heaven because the city is home to many outstanding restaurants. Once in Huatulco, snorkel in one of its ecological reserves, take a boat excursion or just hang out on the beach.

Related Articles

More related articles.

A First-Time Mexico Itinerary For a 100% Independent Trip

This Mexico itinerary is for everyone looking to have a well-rounded experience in the country. It’s a mix of culture, history, beaches, and many many opportunities for tasty tacos !

When thinking of Mexico, most people choose to only explore one of its features: the beaches.

But one of the essential things to know about Mexico is that it’s not only about Cancún , Acapulco , or Playa del Carmen . Mexico is actually a fantastic travel destination, with a lively and vibrant culture, delicious food, and centuries of fascinating history – how many countries pack all of these?

That’s why I’m sharing a full Mexico itinerary for travelers looking for more than “just” world-class beaches and go deeper into the local culture. 100% based on my own travel experience.

You’ll need at the very least 10 days to follow this journey.

Mexico Itinerary: Summary

Mexico itinerary daily plan.

In case you need a bit more detail, I’m sharing a day-by-day plan for this itinerary, based on my journey in Mexico.

• Day 0: Mexico City . Arrive and relax.
• Day 1: Mexico City . Centro Historico & Roma.
• Day 2: Mexico City . Day trip to Teotihuacán.
• Day 3: Mexico City . Chapultepec & Condesa.
• Day 4: Mérida . Early flight to Mérida and explore the city.
• Day 5: Mérida . Option of seeing Uxmal.
• Day 6: Valladolid . Early bus from Mérida, stop in Chichen Itza and explore Valladolid for the rest of the day.
• Day 7: Valladolid . Explore cenotes and Ek Balam ruins.
• Day 8: Tulum . Late bus to Tulum.
• Day 9: Tulum . Trip to Akumal, or Si’an Kaan Reserve, or Gran Cenote.
• Day 10: Tulum . Day trip to Coba just beach time if you’re feeling “ruined-out”.
• Day 11: Tulum . Beach time.
• Day 12: Tulum . Beach time.

Mexico Itinerary – Map

Things to know about this Mexico itinerary

• It starts at Mexico City and ends in Tulum . If possible, book an open-jaw ticket from Cancún or Cozumel airports so that you don’t have to go back to Mexico City to get your flight back home.
• The main stops have a bit of everything: the urban side in Mexico City , the colonial side in Mérida , the cultural Mayan heritage in Valladolid and some (well-deserved) beach time in Tulum . ( blue pins on this map ).
• In between, there’s plenty of options to visit Mayan ruins, natural parks, and other towns ( green pins on this map ).
• I avoided Cancún and Playa del Carmen on purpose. Nothing about it is the real Mexico .
• The intention was not to rally course Mexico. It’s a huge country and it tries to hit a balance between having a well-rounded time experience while keeping logistics and hassle to a minimum. If you have more time, find some more suggestions of places to go further below .
• You don’t need any tours or private transfers. To get around, I used am internal flight MEX-MID (with Interjet) and ADO buses .

Mexico City

Why is Mexico City worth to visit?

While I did prefer other places in Mexico, I honestly feel no Mexico itinerary is complete without Mexico City . It allows you to know the most urban and cosmopolitan side of Mexico and especially understand much better its culture and history.

Don’t overlook Mexico City or even skip it because of concerns with safety .

What to do in Mexico City

The largest city in the Western Hemisphere is bustling with life. From its top-notch museums to the hundreds (thousands?) of taquerías competing for the best tacos al pastor ; from the hip districts of Roma and Condesa to the massive pyramids of Teotihuacán , there’s a lot to wonder about here.

Don’t underestimate your time in Mexico City, I suggest three full days, at least. Read on to know more about how to plan your time in Mexico City .

Where to stay in Mexico City

In my opinion, the single most important decision you need to make when planning a trip to CDMX is where to stay. Staying at a safe and well-connected area is already a half guarantee you’ll have a hassle-free and efficient trip.

I recommend staying at Roma , Condesa , or alternatively at the El Centro districts.

• 👀 My favorite sight: day trip to Teotihuacán.
• 🗓️ My favorite activity: the cooking class with a Mexican mum .
• 🌮 My favorite place to eat: El Pescadito (I still daydream about those fish tacos).
• 🍸 My favorite place to go for a drink: Pulqueria Insurgentes .
• 📚 Read more: my Mexico City 3-day itinerary .

Why is Mérida worth to visit?

Known as the safest city in Mexico, Merida has plenty of reasons to be memorable: the friendly people, many of Mayan descent, the unique Yucatán cuisine, a fun nightlife.

Apart from a strong Mayan cultural appeal, one of Mérida ’s biggest draws is its architecture. The pastel colors of the houses, a gorgeous display of mints, pinks, and peach facades. The large central plazas dominated by towering cathedrals are natural meeting points for locals that come alive during weekends with local markets and cultural events. All of this adds to the colonial vibe of Mérida , which will put you in constant awe.

What to do in Mérida

All streets converge to the main square Plaza Grande boasting the imponent Catedral de San Ildefonso and the white limestone Iglesia de la Tercera Orden . This is the beating heart of the city.

The leafy Paseo Montejo – inspired by Paris’ Champs-Elysées – is a local’s favorite, as they flock here especially each Sunday morning when car traffic is closed.

Mérida is also a great place for gastronomy. Explore the vibrant Mercado Lucas De Galvéz and taste the local ingredients: chaya (similar to spinach), huaya (a type of lime only grown in Yucatán ) or – if you dare – the almighty habanero peppers. Indulge in the authentic Mayan food, including cochinita pibil , tender slow-cooked pork, and my favorite sopa de lima , a hearty lime-infused chicken soup.

In the surroundings, explore the Cuzama and San Antonio Mulix cenotes and the Uxmal archaeological site, just an hour southwest of Mérida.

Where to stay in Mérida

I stayed in Hotel Zamna. It was okay , from service to breakfast. Because we walked everywhere, I found it a bit too far away from all the action. For the same price range, I’m sure there are far better options.

Streets in Merida are numbered (even numbers run vertically, odd horizontally). Aim to stay in the center of the city, next to Plaza Grande , between Calles 45 and 69 – the yellow shaded area on the map below.

• ↪️ How to get there: by plane from Mexico City .
• 👀 My favorite sight: people-watching at Plaza Grande.
• 🗓️ My favorite activity: walking Paseo de Montejo on a Sunday morning and seeing all the locals biking, jogging, and having a great time.
• 🌮 My favorite place to eat: La Chaya Maya (very touristy but very good!)
• 🍸 My favorite place to go for a drink: La Negrita

Why is Valladolid worth to visit?

Even though Valladolid is in the route of the millions of tourists from Cancún on their way to Chichen Itza , the town manages to keep an off-the-grid vibe and remains beautifully faithful to its laid-back way of living. It’s an amazing opportunity to experience the authentic Mayan culture and history.

Valladolid is a breath of fresh air, you feel you are in the real Mexico. I don’t want to oversell it too much, but this was probably my favorite stop in my Mexico itinerary. I felt in the set of Coco movie all the time.

What to do in Valladolid

Located deep in Yucatán ‘s peninsula, Valladolid is a small town but packs a punch. Make sure you stay for at least a night or two to wander through its colorful streets, see the majestic Iglesia de San Gervasio beautifully lit at night, or hunt down one of the carts selling marquesitas (Nutella and cheese crepes) in the main square.

One of the best things in Valladolid are the numerous cenotes this region has to offer, including Cenote Zaci , right in the middle of the city!

If you run out of things to do in the city, rent a car or a scooter and venture out to the surroundings of Valladolid where there are awesome things to see such as Chichen Itza (you’ll easily get there before the crowds) or the less touristy Ek Balam ruins.

Where to stay in Valladolid

Valladolid is a small town, so aim to find near the main square and you’ll be in walking distance of the best restaurants, bars, and sights. Here’s a selection of hotels in the best area to stay .

The place I stayed – Colonte Hotel Origen – was definitely the BEST hotel I stayed in Mexico and one of the best ever. Could easily stay there for a month.

• ↪️ How to get there: by ADO bus from Mérida. Tip: you can leave Mérida early in the morning, stop in Chichen Itza (and Ik-Kil Cenote ) for a few hours and then continue to Valladolid . There’s luggage storage available.
• 👀 My favorite sight: although quite busy, Cenote Suytun .
• 🗓️ My favorite activity: swim at Cenote Zaci , a few steps away from the main square.
• 🌮 My favorite place to eat: Yerbabuena Del Sisal (at this point, my body was in need of non-mexican ingredients)
• 🍸 My favorite place to go for a drink: Conato (ask for a table at the terrace!)

Why is Tulum worth to visit?

The best way to end any one or two-week itinerary is with a few days at the beach. The good news is that there are a plethora of choices in the Riviera Maya area.

The bad news is that very few of them are not overrun by tourists. Honestly, the photos of megaresorts in Cancún and the huge shopping malls in Playa del Carmen gave me anxiety. I mean, how unauthentic can this place be?

We ended up choosing to stay a few days in Tulum , a chance to see an Instagram-ready millennial version of Mexico.

What to do in Tulum

The pristine beaches are undoubtedly Tulum ‘s major attractions. Keep in mind they can get a bit windy, which can be a blessing if you like to kitesurf or windsurf, for instance. Head to the public beaches Santa Fe , Pescadores or Las Palmas or directly to the beach sections in front of resorts and clubs, where you can rent out a day bed.

You can also go for a swim at one of the dozens of cenotes in the Tulum area; the most popular is Cenote Dos Ojos (get there early to beat the crowds!) Nearby, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere makes a great day trip, boasting a natural park with turtles, dolphins, and endless bird and fish species. The best snorkeling is done at off the beaten track seaside town of Akumal though.

But hey, there’s history in Tulum too! Tulum Ruins may not the best the largest or more impressive Mayan ruins in Mexico, but the spectacular location on a cliff next to the beach makes it a must-go. Coba is another archaeological site worth to go, with much fewer tourists than Chichen Itza and with the possibility of climbing the main pyramid!

Where to stay in Tulum

Tulum is divided into two areas, separated by a huge national park.

One on hand, Tulum Beach where all the posh and hip resorts are located. Expect Instagram high prices. Stay here if your budget allows (and by this I mean if you have a big fat wallet able to pay for $300/night resorts), stay at one of the seaside hotels by all means.

However, if you’re like me, you’ll want to stay at Tulum Town, where hostels, guesthouses, and other cheaper accommodation are located. It’s not exactly the prettiest of cities, but it has much better infrastructure, including affordable restaurants, shops, and supermarkets (after all, it’s where locals live too).

When looking for a place to stay in Tulum , ask them if they have bikes to make your daily commute to the beach easier. I’ve made a shortlist of places to stay with bikes available but you can also go with my choice:

• ↪️ How to get there: by ADO bus from Valladolid . You can also rent a car for this leg of the journey and stop on the Coba ruins on your way there.
• 👀 My favorite sight: the gorgeous Playa Las Palmas.
• 🗓️ My favorite activity: biking everyday from the main town to the beach.
• 🌮 My favorite place to eat: Antojitos La Chiapaneca (probably the best meat tacos I’ve had in Mexico!)
• 🍸 My favorite place to go for a drink: Mateos (aim to go at sunset if possible)
• 📚 Read more: I love this unhipster Tulum travel guide . After all, we can’t all be Insta famous.

Planning a trip to Mexico

How can i find the cheapest flights to mexico.

If you haven’t booked your flight yet, try Skyscanner to find the cheapest possible fare to Mexico.

Internally, I just took one flight from Mexico City (MEX) to Mérida (MID) . There are many airlines doing this route ( Interjet , Volaris , Aeroméxico , etc) so competition is high and fares are low. If you have more time though, you may want to take a bus and spend some days at Oaxaca and/or Campeche .

When is the best time to go to Mexico?

The best time to go to Mexico will depend on the places you’re going. In general, aim to visit between December and April. These are the “coolest months”, although temperatures can still reach averages of 28 degrees Celsius in some places.

The weather switches to the rainy season in May/June, lasting until October. This period will also include the hurricane season. Weather is impacted on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the Gulf Coast, and even the Pacific coast.

For Mexico City in particular, keep in mind December and April are the winter months and can get colder than you may expect. If you are susceptible to air pollution, you might want to consider coming during the wet season (between May and September).

What other places can I add to this itinerary?

I did miss out on a lot of places when creating this itinerary. To properly explore most of Mexico, you’ll probably need a month, at the very least.

Here are some other ideas of local and authentic places to go in Mexico, in case you have more time or are looking to do some detours.

• Guadalajara
• Puerto Vallarta

Let me know in the comments below which other places I should visit next time I’m in Mexico. Looking forward to your suggestions!

Have you used this Mexico itinerary on your trip? Please share your feedback below and let me know what is missing!

You might also like these articles 💬

3 Days in Mexico City: Full Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

Valladolid, Mexico: A Complete Travel Guide

Is Mexico City Safe? 11 Useful Tips For a Safe Trip

Destinations🌎

What to Do in Cancun for 7 Days – A 1-Week Itinerary

Posted on June 26, 2023 | Julie J. |

Wondering what to do in Cancun for 7 days?

Let me help you plan your 1-week Cancun itinerary! After having lived for over 2 years in the Yucatan Peninsula and having traveled the area extensively, I can recommend some of the best things to do in Cancun, hidden gems to see, and must-do activities!

Welcome to the breathtaking paradise of Cancun, a destination renowned for its stunning beaches , crystal-clear waters, and captivating blend of ancient history and vibrant culture .

Nestled along the turquoise shores of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun offers a mesmerizing escape where relaxation, adventure, and exploration converge. With plenty of romantic things to do for couples, kid-friendly excursions and activities , and fun things to experience with friends, Cancun is one of the best destinations in Mexico!

Whether you’re seeking to lounge on pristine white sands, unravel the mysteries of ancient civilizations, or immerse yourself in thrilling outdoor activities, this carefully curated 7-day Cancun itinerary promises an unforgettable experience that will leave you enchanted.

Pack your bags and get ready to embark on a 7-day journey through Cancun, where adventure, relaxation, and natural beauty intertwine to create an experience that will leave you spellbound.

Let the magic of Cancun unfold as you explore ancient ruins, indulge in beachside bliss, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

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Summary 7-day Cancun Itinerary

Day 1: arrival and beach time.

• Arrive in Cancun and settle into your accommodation.
• Head to the beautiful beaches of Cancun, such as Playa Delfines or Playa Tortugas, and spend the day relaxing under the sun.
• Enjoy a swim in the turquoise waters and take in the stunning views.

Day 2: Chichen Itza, Cenote , and Valladolid

• Take a day trip to Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Explore the ancient Mayan ruins, including the iconic El Castillo pyramid.
• Learn about the history and culture of the Mayan civilization.
• After visiting Chichen Itza, cool off by visiting a nearby cenote, such as Ik Kil or Cenote Hubiku, for a refreshing swim in the natural sinkhole.
• Stop by the colonial town of Valladolid.

Day 3: Isla Mujeres

• Take a ferry to Isla Mujeres, a charming island located just off the coast of Cancun.
• Rent a golf cart or bicycle to explore the island’s attractions, including beautiful beaches and the lively downtown area.
• Visit the Punta Sur ecological park, which offers stunning ocean views and a sculpture garden.
• Snorkel or scuba dive in the crystal-clear waters to discover the vibrant marine life.

Day 4: Tulum and Xel-Ha

• Take a day trip to Tulum, known for its well-preserved Mayan ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
• Explore the ancient city and learn about its history.
• Relax on the picturesque beaches of Tulum or visit one of the many beautiful nearby cenotes.
• In the afternoon, visit Xel-Ha, a natural aquatic park known for its snorkeling and water activities.
• Enjoy snorkeling in the cenotes and lagoons, float along the river, or try cliff jumping.

Day 5: Day of Adventure

• Embark on an adrenaline-filled adventure at one of the eco-parks in the area, such as Xplor or Xcaret.
• Enjoy activities like zip-lining, ATV rides, underground river exploration, and cenote swimming.
• Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the parks and experience the thrill of adventure.

Day 6: Beach, MUSA, and Nightlife

• Start your day by enjoying the beautiful beaches of Cancun, such as Playa Delfines or Playa Tortugas.
• Embark on an extraordinary underwater adventure at the Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA)
• In the evening, experience the vibrant nightlife of Cancun’s Hotel Zone.
• Visit the famous Coco Bongo for an unforgettable night of entertainment, or explore the bars and clubs along the strip.

Day 7: Relaxation and Farewell

• Take some time to relax and enjoy the amenities of your resort.
• Indulge in a spa treatment or take a leisurely swim in the pool.
• Head back to the beach for a final day of sunbathing and swimming.
• In the evening, savor a delicious dinner at one of Cancun’s renowned restaurants and reflect on your memorable Cancun experience.

Welcome to Cancun!

Once you’ve cleared customs and made your way to the transportation area, getting to your accommodation is a breeze. Cancun boasts a well-organized airport with a range of transportation options available, from shuttle services to taxis. Choose the option that suits you best and embark on the short journey to your chosen haven.

Travel Tips – If your hotel doesn’t offer airport pick-ups, you can take a taxi for around USD $45 at the airport. If you book online , you get a discount. If you’re on a budget, take an ADO bus to the bus station, then cross the street and take the bus to your hotel if you’re staying in the hotel zone, or cross the street and stop a cab if you’re staying downtown and it’s too far to walk (don’t take a cab in front of the bus station).

Once you’ve settled into your accommodation take the rest of the day to relax and unwind . Spend some time at your hotel pool or beach, sip on a cocktail, and enjoy the warm Caribbean waters.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, head out and explore some of Cancun’s top beaches . You can easily use the public bus to get around from beach to beach.

Most beaches in Cancun are public but many are only accessible through one of the hotels that line it.

One of the best public beaches in Cancun is Playa Delfines , you should definitely spend some time there. This beach is often considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Cancun . It offers breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea and has a laid-back atmosphere. It’s also known for its iconic Cancun sign , which is perfect for photo opportunities.

Playa Tortugas is another popular beach among locals and tourists alike. It offers a vibrant atmosphere with various water activities such as jet skiing, parasailing, and banana boat rides . It also has beachfront restaurants and bars.

Two other great beaches to visit, both situated in the Hotel Zone, are Playa Ballenas , a family-friendly beach known for its calm waters and gentle waves, and Playa Forum , a lively and vibrant beach known for its party atmosphere with beach clubs, music, and various water sports activities.

As the day unfolds, don’t forget to indulge in the local flavors and delights offered by beachside vendors or nearby restaurants . Savor the taste of fresh ceviche or sip on a refreshing margarita, immersing yourself in the culinary delights that Cancun has to offer.

Day 2: Chichen Itza and Cenote

On day 2, get ready to embark on a captivating journey into the ancient Mayan civilization. After breakfast, prepare yourself for a day filled with history, culture, and natural wonders.

Your first stop is the iconic Chichen Itza , one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As you arrive at this awe-inspiring archaeological site, prepare to be transported back in time. Explore the remnants of the once-mighty Mayan civilization, marveling at the intricate architecture and captivating structures. The towering El Castillo pyramid stands proudly, an impressive testament to the advanced engineering and astronomical knowledge of the Mayans.

As you wander through the ancient city, take a moment to soak in the profound historical significance of this site. Imagine the vibrant marketplace that once bustled with activity, the ceremonial ball courts where important games were played, and the sacred cenotes that held great spiritual value for the Mayans.

After immersing yourself in the wonders of Chichen Itza, it’s time for a refreshing and unique experience. Journey to a nearby cenote , a natural sinkhole created by the collapse of limestone bedrock , and let its crystal-clear waters beckon you for a swim. Whether it’s the enchanting Ik Kil or the serene Cenote Hubiku , you’ll find yourself surrounded by lush greenery and a sense of tranquility.

Dive into the cool, turquoise waters, feeling the thrill of connecting with nature in a truly special way. Swim amidst fascinating stalactites and stalagmites, and let the sunlight filtering through the openings above create a magical ambiance. Take a moment to appreciate the natural beauty that lies beneath the surface, with fish darting around in the depths below.

On your way back from Chichen Itza, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the colonial charm of Valladolid , a picturesque town that showcases the blending of Mayan and Spanish cultures. As you arrive in Valladolid, you’ll be greeted by colorful facades, cobblestone streets, and a vibrant atmosphere .

Stroll through the town’s historic center , and you’ll discover an array of architectural gems, such as the majestic San Gervasio Cathedral, which proudly stands as a symbol of the town’s rich history. The main square, known as the Zocalo, offers a delightful ambiance with its shaded benches, local vendors, and the sound of children playing.

As you wander the streets, you’ll find charming shops selling handicrafts, traditional clothing, and local delicacies . Indulge in a taste of Valladolid’s renowned culinary delights, such as the mouthwatering cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish seasoned with achiote and citrus flavors.

For a cultural experience, visit the stunning Convent of San Bernardino de Siena , an architectural marvel that dates back to the 16th century. Explore the cloisters, admire the intricate details of the facade, and learn about the fascinating history of the convent.

Practical information:

• Wear reef-safe biodegradable sunscreen ( like this one ) and natural mosquito repellent ( like this one ). Otherwise, you won’t be allowed in any cenotes.
• You can rent a car for the day and do this itinerary independently, in this case, try to be at Chichen Itza as early as possible to beat the crowds and the heat.
• Most Mayan ruins tours in Cancun to Chichen Itza will also include a swim in a cenote and a visit to Valladolid. I recommend booking this one for a private experience or this one for something more budget-friendly, both have hundreds of 5-star reviews.

Day 3: Isla Mujeres Exploration

On day 3, you’re off to discover the wonders of Isla Mujeres , a charming island located just off the coast of Cancun. Prepare for a day of island bliss, where turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and a laid-back atmosphere await.

After breakfast, make your way to the ferry terminal in Cancun. Hop aboard a ferry and enjoy a scenic ride across the Caribbean Sea, soaking in the panoramic views of the coastline as you approach Isla Mujeres.

As you step ashore, you’ll immediately feel the island’s relaxed and inviting ambiance. Rent a golf cart or bicycle to explore the island’s attractions at your own pace . Cruise along the coastal roads, passing picturesque beaches and swaying palm trees, as the refreshing sea breeze accompanies you.

Head towards the southern tip of the island, where the Punta Sur ecological park awaits. This natural haven offers breathtaking ocean vistas, dramatic cliffs, and a sculpture garden that pays homage to the Mayan civilization and local artists. Take a leisurely stroll along the walkways, capturing Instagram-worthy photos and immersing yourself in the beauty of the surroundings.

When it’s time to cool off, indulge in some snorkeling or scuba diving in the island’s vibrant reefs . Dive into the crystal-clear waters and discover the kaleidoscope of marine life that thrives beneath the surface. Swim alongside colorful tropical fish, graceful rays, and even the occasional sea turtle, as the underwater world comes alive before your eyes.

For lunch, venture into Isla Mujeres’ downtown area , where you’ll find a variety of restaurants offering fresh seafood, Mexican cuisine, and international flavors. Savor the flavors of the region, and don’t forget to try the local specialty, Tikin Xic , a delicious dish of grilled fish marinated in achiote paste.

After lunch, explore the island’s charming downtown area , where you’ll find vibrant shops selling handcrafted souvenirs, beachwear, and jewelry. Don’t forget to pick up a memorable keepsake to remind you of your time on the island.

Spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the island’s pristine beaches. Playa Norte , with its crystal-clear waters and powdery white sand, is a favorite among visitors. Unwind under a palm tree, take a dip in the gentle waves, or simply soak up the sun as you lose track of time in this tropical paradise.

As the day draws to a close, board the ferry back to Cancun.

If you were wanting to take a catamaran cruise while in Cancun , many tours head to Isla Mujeres for the day and include snorkeling, lounging on the boat, and some free time on the island. For a private experience, book this well-rated boat cruise – if you’re looking for a party cruise, book this one .

Day 4: Tulum Ruins, Cenote Exploration, and Xel-Ha

On day 4, get ready for a day filled with history, natural beauty, and adventure as you embark on a journey to the mesmerizing Tulum ruins and discover the mystical cenotes that lie hidden beneath the surface.

After breakfast, set out on a scenic drive south from Cancun to the coastal town of Tulum. As you arrive, you’ll be captivated by the breathtaking sight of the ancient Mayan ruins perched on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Step back in time as you explore the well-preserved structures of Tulum . Wander through the ancient city’s stone pathways and marvel at the architecture that once served as a thriving Mayan port.

Discover the secrets of El Castillo, the iconic pyramid that offers panoramic views of the turquoise waters below. Learn about the fascinating history and cultural significance of Tulum as you soak in the mystical atmosphere.

After immersing yourself in the allure of Tulum, it’s time to cool off and discover the enchanting cenotes that lie nearby. Cenotes are natural sinkholes filled with crystal-clear freshwater, forming a unique and mystical underground network. Visit Gran Cenote, Cenote Dos Ojos, or any of the other mesmerizing cenotes in the area.

Take a refreshing dip in the cool waters, snorkel through underwater caves, or even try your hand at scuba diving if you’re a certified diver. The cenotes offer a serene and otherworldly experience, allowing you to connect with nature in a truly extraordinary way.

After your cenote exploration, treat yourself to a well-deserved lunch at a local restaurant, where you can savor delicious Mexican cuisine or fresh seafood dishes. Located in the heart of Tulum, Hartwood is renowned for its farm-to-table concept and creative dishes.

The restaurant focuses on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create a menu inspired by global flavors. Make sure to try their wood-fired dishes and innovative cocktails.

In the afternoon, continue your journey to the nearby natural paradise of Xel-Há for an unforgettable afternoon of adventure and relaxation. Located just a short distance from Tulum, Xel-Há is a renowned eco-park that offers a unique blend of aquatic activities, lush landscapes, and serene beauty.

Upon arriving at Xel-Há, you’ll be greeted by a sprawling natural aquarium teeming with marine life. Dive into the crystal-clear waters and embark on an incredible snorkeling adventure , exploring the colorful coral reefs and swimming alongside a myriad of tropical fish. Marvel at the vibrant underwater world that unfolds before your eyes, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

After snorkeling, take a leisurely float down the tranquil river that winds through the park. Grab an inner tube and let the gentle current carry you along, immersing yourself in the breathtaking scenery. Admire the lush greenery, cascading waterfalls, and exotic flora and fauna that surround you, creating a sense of serenity and harmony with nature.

For thrill-seekers, Xel-Há offers a range of exciting activities . Test your bravery with cliff jumps into the refreshing cenotes, or zip-line across the turquoise waters for an exhilarating aerial adventure. Explore the park’s jungle trails , discovering hidden cenotes and ancient caves along the way, immersing yourself in the rich natural wonders of the Yucatan Peninsula.

When it’s time to refuel, indulge in a delicious buffet dinner at one of the park’s restaurants, savoring a variety of international and traditional Mexican dishes. Afterward, find a cozy spot to relax, whether it’s lounging in a hammock, sunbathing on a pristine beach, or enjoying a refreshing drink at one of the bars.

Note that the park closes at 6 PM.

As the day comes to a close, make your way back to Cancun.

If you have your own car, the road from Cancun to Tulum is lined with beautiful beaches and stunning cenotes where you can stop for a while.

You can also reach Tulum via public transportation. Take the bus to the bus station in Cancun, then take a mini-van (colectivo) to Tulum. Once there, you can get a cab to the cenotes or rent bicycles for the day. The ruins are within walking distance of where the colectivo drops you off. The collectivo also can stop near Xel-Ha, just ask the driver.

You can also take a tour from Cancun.

Get ready for an action-packed day filled with adrenaline and excitement as you embark on a thrilling adventure in Cancun. Here are a few exhilarating activities to consider:

• Ziplining and Jungle ATV Tour : Begin your day with an adrenaline rush by soaring through the treetops on a zipline adventure. Experience the thrill of flying above the lush jungles of Cancun, enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding nature. Afterward, hop on an ATV and venture into the dense jungle trails, traversing through rugged terrains and discovering hidden cenotes and ancient Mayan ruins along the way. ▶︎ BOOK your ATV and Ziplining Tour HERE
• Scuba Diving in the Great Maya Reef : Explore the mesmerizing underwater world of the Great Maya Reef, the second-largest coral reef system in the world. Dive into the crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant marine life, colorful coral formations, and submerged caves. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced diver, there are options available for all skill levels to discover the wonders of the ocean.
• Jet Skiing and Parasailing : Get your heart racing with a thrilling jet ski ride along the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Feel the rush of adrenaline as you speed through the waves, taking in the stunning coastal views. For a bird’s-eye perspective, take to the skies on a parasailing adventure, where you’ll be lifted high above the water, enjoying breathtaking panoramic vistas.
• Cenote Snorkeling and Cave Exploration: Explore the mystical cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula through a snorkeling and cave exploration adventure. Discover the hidden underground rivers, swim in the crystal-clear cenotes, and marvel at the spectacular stalactite formations within the caves. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty and tranquility of these unique ecosystems.
• Jungle Zip Bike and Canopy Tour : Experience a thrilling combination of biking and ziplining through the jungle on a zip bike tour. Ride a specially designed bicycle along suspended cables, zooming through the treetops with an adrenaline-pumping rush. Along the way, stop at platforms to take in the breathtaking views and enjoy the sensation of flying through the jungle.

Check out Viator or ask your hotel for the best activities in the area . You can also head to an adventure park for the day where you’ll get to do several fun activities within the day , most of these parks offer a buffet-style lunch and non-alcoholic drinks with the entrance. You’ll usually find all sorts of activities for all ages and abilities. Here are some great options:

• Xcaret Park: Located close to Cancun, Xcaret Park is a vast eco-archaeological park that combines adventure, culture, and natural beauty. Experience thrilling activities such as snorkeling in underground rivers, swimming with dolphins, and exploring the park’s extensive network of caves. Immerse yourself in Mexican culture with live performances, traditional cuisine, and visits to archaeological sites.
• Xplor Park : This adventure park is known for its adrenaline-pumping activities. Enjoy ziplining through the jungle, driving amphibious vehicles through rugged terrains, rafting in underground rivers, and swimming in cenotes. Xplor Park also offers a nighttime experience, where you can zip line under the stars and explore illuminated caves.
• Xel-Há Park : Situated along the Riviera Maya coastline, Xel-Há Park is a natural aquarium that combines adventure with relaxation. Snorkel in the calm turquoise waters, float down the lazy river on inner tubes, and cliff jump into cenotes. Explore the lush jungle surroundings, relax in hammocks, and indulge in delicious food and drinks at the park’s various restaurants and bars.
• Selvatica Adventure Park : Located in Puerto Morelos, Selvatica Adventure Park offers a thrilling canopy tour experience. Zip line through the treetops, test your skills on aerial bridges, and ride an exhilarating off-road Polaris vehicle. The park also features a cenote swim and a bungee swing for those seeking an extra dose of adrenaline.
• Aktun Chen Natural Park : This park is famous for its stunning underground cave system and cenotes. Embark on a guided tour through the cave, marveling at impressive rock formations and swimming in crystal-clear cenotes. Aktun Chen also has a zipline circuit and an animal sanctuary where you can encounter native wildlife.

After an exhilarating day of adventure, take some time to relax and rejuvenate. Indulge in a delicious dinner at one of Cancun’s many restaurants, and maybe get a massage at one of the many spas in town.

Day 6: Beach Bliss and Cancun Underwater Museum

Start your day by indulging in the beauty of Cancun’s pristine beaches. Choose a picturesque spot like Playa Delfines or Playa Tortugas to soak up the sun , feel the soft sand beneath your toes, and take refreshing dips in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

After enjoying a relaxing morning at the beach, it’s time to dive into a unique cultural experience at the Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA) . Hop on a glass bottom boat or join a snorkeling tour that will take you to this extraordinary underwater museum located in the National Marine Park.

The Cancun Underwater Museum is a collection of over 500 life-size sculptures submerged beneath the sea. These sculptures serve as artificial reefs, providing a habitat for marine life and promoting the growth of coral formations.

Snorkel or dive among these captivating sculptures , as well as the vibrant marine life that has made the museum their home. It’s a truly surreal and awe-inspiring experience that combines art, conservation, and natural beauty.

After exploring the underwater museum, you can return to the beach to relax and continue enjoying the sun , sand, and sea. Take leisurely walks along the shoreline, sip on refreshing drinks from beachside bars, or try your hand at beach games and water sports.

As the day progresses, relish in the stunning sunset views over the Caribbean Sea. Find a cozy spot on the beach and witness the sky transforming into a canvas of vibrant colors, creating a magical atmosphere.

In the evening, head back to your accommodation and freshen up for a delightful dinner in one of Cancun’s renowned restaurants. Whether you prefer seafood, Mexican specialties, or international cuisine, there are plenty of options available to suit every palate.

After dinner, you can choose to spend a relaxing evening strolling along the vibrant streets of Cancun’s Hotel Zone or venture into the bustling nightlife scene . Explore bars, nightclubs, and live music venues, immersing yourself in the energetic and vibrant ambiance that Cancun is known for.

As your incredible 7-day journey in Cancun comes to a close, take this day to relax, reflect, and bid farewell to the beauty and tranquility that has captivated your senses throughout your trip.

After breakfast, embrace the laid-back atmosphere of Cancun by spending the morning at your leisure. Whether it’s lounging by the pool, strolling along the beach, or engaging in a soothing yoga session, allow yourself to unwind and soak up the last moments of relaxation.

If you’re looking for some pampering and rejuvenation, consider booking a spa treatment or massage . Cancun offers a range of world-class spas where you can indulge in luxurious therapies that will leave you feeling refreshed and revitalized.

For those who want to explore a bit more before bidding farewell, take a leisurely walk through Cancun’s vibrant markets and shops . Discover unique souvenirs, handicrafts, and local treasures to bring back home as reminders of your incredible journey.

As the day progresses, find a cozy spot on the beach or by the pool to bask in the warm sunshine. Allow yourself to be mesmerized by the breathtaking views, the soothing sound of the waves, and the gentle sea breeze. Take this time to reflect on the adventures, the natural wonders, and the cultural richness that you have experienced during your stay.

In the evening, savor a farewell dinner at a restaurant that captures the essence of Cancun’s culinary scene. Delight your taste buds with a fusion of flavors, whether it’s fresh seafood, traditional Mexican dishes, or international cuisine. Raise a toast to the memories made and the new friends you’ve met along the way.

After dinner, take a final stroll along the beach, allowing the tranquility of the ocean to wash over you. Embrace the beauty of the starlit sky, breathing in the salty air and cherishing the moments of serenity before saying goodbye to Cancun.

Cancun Travel Tips and Things to Know

• Weather and Best Time to Visit : Cancun enjoys a tropical climate, with warm temperatures year-round. The peak tourist season is from December to April when the weather is dry and pleasant. However, visiting during the shoulder seasons of May to June or September to November can offer fewer crowds and more affordable prices.
• Currency and Language : The official currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN). While many places accept US dollars, it’s advisable to have some pesos for local transactions – note that you’ll usually get a terrible exchange rate if you pay in dollars. Spanish is the official language, but English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
• Safety: Cancun is generally safe for tourists, but it’s always important to take precautions. Keep your belongings secure, avoid isolated areas at night, and use reputable transportation services. Stay informed about local safety guidelines and follow any travel advisories.
• Transportation: Cancun has a reliable transportation system, including taxis, buses, and private transfers. Taxis should use a meter or agree on a fare before starting the ride. Buses are an affordable option for getting around the Hotel Zone and downtown area. Renting a car is also a popular choice for exploring beyond Cancun.
• Sun Protection: The Mexican sun can be intense, so pack and use sunscreen with a high SPF, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and light, breathable clothing. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, especially when spending time outdoors.
• Water and Food: It’s recommended to drink bottled water and avoid tap water in Cancun. Be cautious when eating street food and choose reputable restaurants with good hygiene practices. Enjoy the flavors of Mexican cuisine, but remember to check the spice level if you’re sensitive to heat.
• Excursions and Activities: Cancun offers a plethora of activities and excursions. Research and book in advance to secure your spot, especially for popular attractions like Chichen Itza, snorkeling tours, and eco-parks. Consider exploring nearby attractions like Tulum, Coba, and the cenotes (natural sinkholes).
• Travel Insurance: It’s always advisable to have travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and lost belongings. Check the policy details and ensure it meets your specific needs.

How much is a trip to Cancun for a week?

Overall, a rough estimate for a week-long trip to Cancun, including flights, accommodation, meals, transportation, and activities, can range from $1,500 to $3,000 per person.

The cost of your trip will depend on various factors such as the time of year, accommodation choices, dining preferences, activities, and personal spending habits.

Is 7 days in Cancun enough?

Yes, 7 days in Cancun can be enough to enjoy a fulfilling and memorable vacation. It allows ample time to explore the beautiful beaches, visit ancient ruins, indulge in water activities, experience the vibrant nightlife, and immerse yourself in the local culture.

However, the duration of your stay ultimately depends on your preferences and the activities you wish to engage in. If you want to explore more of the Yucatan Peninsula or have a more leisurely pace, you may consider extending your trip.

What’s the best month to go to Cancun?

The peak tourist season in Cancun is from December to April when the weather is dry and pleasant, making it ideal for beach activities and exploring the ancient ruins. However, this is also the busiest and most expensive time.

The shoulder seasons of May to June and September to November offer fewer crowds, pleasant weather, and more affordable prices. Just keep in mind that the hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk in September and October.

Should you go off resort in Cancun?

Yes, going off the resort in Cancun can enhance your vacation experience by allowing you to explore the local culture, attractions, and cuisine. Venturing beyond the resort grants the opportunity to visit ancient ruins, swim in cenotes, experience local markets, and engage in water sports or eco-adventures. Interacting with locals and sampling authentic Mexican food can enrich your understanding of the destination.

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1 Week Mexico Itinerary – Yucatán Road Trip Seeing A LOT in JUST 1 Week!

Categories Central America , Itinerary , Mexico

Want to know how to plan your Yucatán road trip with just 1 week in Mexico?? Here’s my exact Yucatan Peninsula itinerary where I visited 6 places in the Yucatán Peninsula, plus lots of Cenotes and yes, it did still feel like a holiday in Mexico!

Ideally, you would spend 2 weeks in Mexico on holiday, or even longer if you can, however sometimes, you can only get away for 1 week which is what happened to us and after seeing great flights to Cancun on Skyscanner we decided on Mexico which would be our first time in Mexico!

My husband loves hiring a car in new countries and I’d seen many of my blogger friends do a Yucatan road trip so I knew that it must be ok to drive in Mexico and it really was! The roads, at least in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, were generally really great and I’ll give more tips for driving in Mexico below!

We managed to visit Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Isla Holbox and 4 different Cenotes on our 1 week Yucatan itinerary.

Yes, we did feel a bit tired and it was rushed, but that’s kind of the point of a road trip… to see a lot! And we wanted to see as much as we could on our Yucatán peninsula itinerary. We ended it perfectly by having a few relaxed island days in Isla Holbox which made us feel like we had a real holiday in Mexico!

Yucatán Road Trip

Find What You're Looking For Easily Here:

Why do a Yucatán road trip?

First, let’s touch on WHY you should do a Yucatán road trip and why choose the Yucatán out of everywhere in Mexico to visit.

For us, and probably for you, the draw to travelling to the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico is Cancun Airport . Flights are often direct here from European Cities and because it’s on the most Eastern side of the country it’s the quickest place to get to from Europe , and North America!

Ready to look for flights?? I always use Skyscanner to search for my flights to find the cheapest & best dates and routes!

Another plus to visiting the Yucatán Peninsular is that the area is set up for tourism and that was a draw to us, especially with just one week in Mexico! We wanted to go somewhere we could visit many places in a short time without too much hassle and because tourism is so popular, this was definitely the case and our trip was full of ease.

The Yucatán Peninsular also offers so much . Many people may only know this area for the famous resort area of Cancun but there are so many incredible Beaches, Cenotes, Islands, Historic Sites and a range of accommodations. Plus, many of the hidden places in Mexico are here!

Finally, why a road trip around Yucatán ? If you are reading this post just to get a Mexico itinerary for 1 week but you’ll be using public transport, you can still follow this itinerary but relying on buses and tours does mean you might not be able to fit as much in and you will need to be more flexible with your time.

We decided to do a Yucatán Peninsular road trip because we’d seen that the roads are good for foreigners to drive on and navigate and it meant we could be flexible with where we visited, especially the Cenotes that are in what seems like the middle of no-where and we didn’t have to rely on tours.

Still need to book a flight??

I use Skyscanner to book all of my flights! I’m a huge fan of Skyscanner because I love how easy it is to compare different destinations and different dates for the best price and route!

For example, I type in ‘everywhere’ in the destination if I have fixed dates and want to find the best flights on those dates on Skyscanner .

And if I have a set destination I’ll look at the ‘month view’ to check the cheapest days to fly in that month!

Open Skyscanner by clicking here and search for the best flights as you read this post!

Driving in the Yucatán

Is it safe to drive in mexico.

We got on really well with driving in the Yucatán Peninsular!

I thought the driving in Mexico might be a bit crazy with limited signals and no attention to road markings like in many Asian and Arab countries, but at least in the Yucatan, locals drove well , there were so many signs and marking s that everyone paid attention to.

We used Google Maps the whole time on our phone and literally every journey time was exactly as predicated on Google Maps which was pleasantly surprising and made planning our Yucatan road trip easier!

We used Rental Cars to make our booking which searches all the top car hire companies. Search for car hire in Cancun from various pickup points here!

Roads in Yucatan Peninsular

All of the main roads, especially the road down the East Coast connecting Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum , were straight, well-paved and easy to navigate.

We also found driving from Tulum to Valladolid a total breeze, again, it was a fairly straight main road.

We did take a detour when travelling from Chichen Itza to Chiquila which is the boat port to Isla Holbox so we could go to a Cenote. We ended up driving country roads but they were still well-paved with a lot of space.

In fact, there are a few funny things about driving in Mexico , locals use their hazard lights as a warning that the traffic was slowing down in front which sometimes was handy, and sometimes was totally unnecessary but we thought it was funny, and we saw lots of people driving with balloons and statues on their cars for a local holiday which was interesting to see!

Hiring a Car from Cancun Airport

After we had booked our hire car from Cancun Airport, I read on a few Yucatan travel blogs to be wary of the car hire places in Cancun Airport and to instead rent a car from a car hire place in the city , for us, it was too late to change but we did get in a bit of an annoying situation so now I understand what they mean!

We hired a car from MEX Rent a Car which I would avoid if I was you and instead I would stick to the main, well-known international companies like Hertz, Europcar, and Sixt .

Scams when hiring a car from Cancun Airport

In a nutshell, when we went to pick up the car, the lady was saying we need to purchase more insurance and that the insurance we had already purchased wasn’t enough. This did seem strange to us, especially as we have hired cars in many countries around the world and had never had this issue.

It also didn’t help that we didn’t have a local sim card and their office wifi wasn’t working so we couldn’t double check the booking. And, as my husband was trying to get internet from the airport terminal nearby the lady was telling me a story of a French tourist who knocked into someone and was now in prison because the insurance they had didn’t cover them…

Thankfully, just as we were about to hand over an extra $120 because we thought ‘ok it’s weird but better safe than sorry’, plus, the lady at this point literally wouldn’t let us take the keys without paying the extra , a Polish couple came into the office shouting saying they had been ripped off 2 weeks ago by being told they had to buy extra insurance which wasn’t the case and telling us to be careful!

So we said, ‘yeah we were thinking this is strange’ and they filled us in on what happened to them which was the same as what was happening to us.

Because they caused such a scene by saying we didn’t need the extra insurance, the lady went quiet and gave us the keys .. which proved she had been lying by saying the extra insurance was mandatory!

Thankfully, this was the only scam situation we had in Mexico , I know other scams in Mexico happen and we found the rest of the Yucatan Peninsular to be very safe and honest, but it was a shame it happened within our first few hours there!

So, I would recommend hiring a car from Europcar or Hertz or another company you are familiar with as we think these international companies will be less likely to do this scam than MEX.

Also, look at hiring a car from Cancun City ( check our Rental Cars from Cancun City here! ) if you can instead of Cancun Airport which may reduce the scams too!

Yucatán Itinerary

Ok, let’s get into our Yucatán road trip itinerary. Here is a quick overview of how to spend 1 week in Mexico based on our itinerary:

Day 0 – Fly into Cancun Airport, landing in the evening

Day 1 – cancun to tulum drive visiting playa del carman on the way & activities, day 2 – full day in tulum, day 3 – tulum to valladolid drive & cenotes on way, day 4 – chichen itza in the morning, visit cenotes & drive to chiquila to get boat to isla holbox.

• Day 5 – Full Day in Isla Holbox Full Day
• Day 6 – Full Day in Isla Holbox Full Day

Day 7 – Boat back to Chiquila, drive back to Cancun Airport

1 Week Mexico itinerary

With 1 week in Mexico and 1 week in the Yucatan, you have to accept you can’t go everywhere !

We decided to do a bit of a circle to and from Cancun Airport . The furthest West we went was Chichen Itza… because we couldn’t visit the Yucatan and not visit this new Wonder of the World (and it was my final new wonder to visit actually!) and the furthest South was Tulum.

Although I would have loved to have visited Merida further West and Bacalar further South we just didn’t have time.

So I hope you find this a realistic one-week itinerary for Mexico because this is literally what we did and we loved it!

We landed early evening at Cancun Airport after leaving Manchester, UK in the morning. Be sure to check the best time to visit Cancun before planning this trip!

We didn’t hire the car when we landed because we thought it would be a waste of money paying for this day so instead, we got a taxi to our hotel The Westin Resort & Spa which wasn’t far away,

(However, we did get ripped off with the taxi price so in hindsight, it probably would have been worth paying an extra day for the car hire instead of taking 2 taxis to and from the airport!)

Because of the time difference, we were in bed by 9:00 pm which meant we were up with the sunrise the next day… which we actually loved!

If you want a budget place to stay really close to Cancun Airport , I found Villa Palmeras online which I nearly booked to end our trip.

We really liked staying at The Westin Cancun ! It’s right on the beach and it was a great place to wake up with the sunrise on our first day in Mexico! We got a room for a great price too, so I recommend checking out rooms at The Westin Cancun here for your trip!

We took a taxi back to the airport, picked up the car for 9:00 am and started our drive out of Cancun to Playa del Carmen. Read above if you missed the part about Cancun Airport car hire scams!

There are so many places to visit in the Yucatan Peninsular and Playa del Carmen is one of the busier tourist coastal cities.

I don’t think Playa del Carmen is to everyone’s taste and from what we saw, it was too busy for us , but there are plenty of things to do in Playa Del Carmen !

One of the things we found is a skydive! When searching for skydives in Cancun, all we could see were skydives in Playa del Carmen so we booked this in for 12:00 with Skydrive Playa and got a great look of Playa del Carmen from the sky!

We had lunch in the city of Playa del Carmen although we weren’t really a fan of the city, and started the drive to Tulum which wasn’t too far away.

When driving from Cancun to Tulum , there are many small beautiful beaches and cenotes you can stop at, and that’s the plus of having a car and doing a Mexico road trip after all, so I do recommend looking into beaches near Playa del Carmen and beaches near Tulum!

Accommodation in Tulum

There are many accommodation options in Tulum and many areas to stay in. I would recommend looking into where to stay in Tulum to see if the town or beach works best for you because Tulum is pretty big and places are not that close together.

We stayed in a newly built and up-and-coming area called Aldea Zama which is in-between the town and the beach area and we really liked it. We stayed at Suites at TreeTops Tulum . It wasn’t the best accommodation I’ve stayed in but it was nice and it was nice having our own little pool and lots of space. It was kind of like a villa.

Search for all hotels in Tulum on Booking.com here!

There are many things to do in Tulum ! We started our day by having breakfast at Botanica Garden Cafe ( google maps link here ) which had been recommended to me by a friend who had lived in Tulum and we really enjoyed it. I 100% recommend it to you too!

This is when we also realised just how far places are from each other in Tulum because this cool and hipster cafe is just in the middle of a residential street in the town!

Tulum reminded me of Canggu in Bali where things are quite far apart from each other, this was a real plus to having a car and not having to rely on taxis or bikes.

We then headed to one of the public beaches and chilled in a beach bar for a few hours.

Tulum has a section of beach with public beaches and another section with beach bars and you can only access the beach through the beach bar and being a paying customer.

For more cool places to eat in Tulum , check out Eat at Liefs , Tulum’s Vegan Van.

In the afternoon, we headed to Cenote Casa in Tulum.

In hindsight, we could have gone to a better Cenote as this one was on the same level as the ground and wasn’t a great introduction to Cenotes in the Yucatan, so I recommend looking at other Cenotes near Tulum here !

We missed the Tulum Ruins in the end but they do look really good so if you are wondering what to do in Tulum, you can visit the ruins from the cliff edge and you can take a boat trip from one of the men on the public beaches where you can see the ruins from the water and go snorkelling!

This was a great day on our Yucatan Road Trip!

We had breakfast at a cafe in Aldea Zama which is the area we stayed for 2 nights in and it’s a cool part of Tulum with lots of places to eat! Matcha Mama in Tulum was on my Tulum bucket list so we stopped there before we left!

Then we set off to our first Cenote stop – Cenote Suytun !

One REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE here is that there is a time difference when travelling from Tulum to Valladolid because you are changing states from Quintana Roo to Yucatán. You GAIN AN HOUR which was actually really good for us because it gave us more time this day, but we did lose an hour the next day when driving to Isla Holbox which meant we were more rushed!

Cenote Suytun is very ‘instagrammable’ and is where people get the photo standing on a platform as you can see below.

There are 2 Cenotes within the Cenote Suytun complex , you can swim in them both but we didn’t swim , we just walked in and got some photos as the water didn’t look great and wasn’t the ‘typical cenote’ I felt I had seen online and wanted to swim in.

Here’s more information on visiting Cenote Suytun , if you are doing this Mexico road trip with kids , I’d recommend coming here with them to swim!

Our next stop was Cenote Oxman which we really enjoyed and I really recommend when looking for Cenotes near Valladolid on your Yucatan Itinerary.

One of the things I loved about the Cenotes in Yucatan is that they have lots of facilities which makes getting changed into swimwear and out of wet swimwear before you start back on your road trip journey easy, but the ones we saw were not too commercialised either.

Cenote Oxman feels like one of the ‘classic Cenotes’ you want to see when in Mexico , especially on a first-time visit. It’s pretty deep and you enter via lots of steps in the ground.

It was a rope swing which is really fun and plenty of space to swim.

Many day tours go to Cenote Oxman, so I believe it can get busy , we were lucky and happened to go between a tour ending and another one arriving. We got there at about 3:00 pm.

Here’s a full guide for visiting Cenote Oxman .

We then drove the short 15 minutes to our hotel in Valladolid , relaxed and then headed out to see the city.

I booked for us to stay the night in Valladolid because it’s the closest city to Chichen Itza .

The centre is only small but it’s so worth a visit and was a highlight to our 1 week in Mexico actually because it was the only time we saw what felt like a ‘real’ Mexican city with a plaza, church, lots of colourful buildings and lots of shops for locals.

Accommodation in Valladolid

Valladolid is only small and if you are just having a quick evening stop as we did, I think it’s nice to stay central so you don’t need to get back in the car to see the city.

We stayed at Hotel Colonial Zaci which was very central. It wasn’t the most impressive accommodation but it was comfortable, a great price, in a great location and it was nice to see inside a traditional building.

Search for more accommodation in Valladolid on booking.com here!

Chichen Itza opens at 8:00 am and all the advice I had read about visiting Chichen Itza was to get there early!

Again, doing a road trip around Mexico and having your own car is a huge benefit to ensuring you can miss day tour coach crowds which is why you should get to Chichen Itza early to get the least crowds!

We got there at 8:30 am and although it wasn’t too busy yet, it was pretty busy! We didn’t buy tickets in advance and the queue wasn’t too long.

Chichen Itza is one of the new wonders of the world and,it was my last wonder to complete and we had a great time!

This was a busy day for us on our Yucatan Peninsular itinerary because we knew we would lose an hour from the time difference crossing back into Quintana Roo and we needed to drive to the port for Isla Holbox and get the boat over so although we could have spent longer at Chichen Itza.

We only stayed about 2 hours and if you are following this exact 1 week in Mexico itinerary, I recommend the same!

Day Tours to Chichen Itza

If you are following this Mexico itinerary but you are relying on taking tours and public transport, here are some tours to Chichen Itza!

Chiquila is the port to get the boat to Isla Holbox, the drive from Chichen Itza to Chiquila is 3 hours although again, we lost an hour crossing the border into Quintana Roo so we decided to go to a Cenote on the way.

There are so many Cenotes near Chichen Itza and Cenotes near Valladolid it was hard to pick which one to go to on Google Maps but I finally decided on Cenote Xcanche and it was an amazing choice !

Visiting Cenote Xcanche from Chichen Itza did add a detour on our trip to Isla Holbox but we had time and it was well worth it!

Cenote Xcanche was really quiet and I can’t imagine many tour groups going. Although it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere, there were quite a few facilities. The complex also contains the Ek Balam Mayan ruins so if you have time, you can visit these too.

We really enjoyed swimming in this open-top cenote , it had a rope swing and a zip line for an extra cost over the top too! It’s another Cenote that’s great for kids! It was easily a highlight of our Yucatan road trip!

Afterwards, we still had a chunky 2.5-hour drive from Cenote Xcanche to Chiquila , but again, the roads in this part of Mexico are so good we found that the drive wasn’t too bad.

We parked up in Chiquila, handed over our keys to the parking company (more on this below), jumped on a ferry and we managed to just catch the end of the sunset when we arrived on Isla Holbox! Another huge highlight of my 1 week in Mexico!

Where to park for Isla Holbox?

As we arrived in Chiquila, we saw lots of guys promoting their car parks . We decided to keep driving straight, right to the port and ticket offices and we found a car park called ‘Orange’ here. So many people drive to Chiquila and then get the boat to Isla Holbox so don’t worry about parking .

We then bought our ferry tickets. There are 2 companies with boats to Isla Holbox – Holbox Express and 9 Hermanos .

9 Hermanos runs on the hour and Holbox Express runs every half an hour.

When parking at Chiquila for Isla Holbox, you get charged per night . On our last day, we got the 6:00 am boat back to Chiquila and there was no one around to get our car until 7:00 am so if you plan to arrive back early or late , be sure to get timings or a contact number for someone so you can pick your car up.

The boat over to Isla Holbox is 30 minutes and we were greeted to island life by getting a golf cart taxi to our hotel… the only transport available on Isla Holbox.

Accommodation in Isla Holbox

We stayed at Villas Margaritas Holbox which was a great price and location.

The great thing about Isla Holbox is the range of accommodation at different prices. For example, you can stay in a cool hostel like Tribu Hostel or a 5* hotel like Aldea Kuká, a Luxury Eco Boutique Hotel for adults only .

Search for all accommodation options in Isla Holbox on Booking.com here! Remember, this is the holiday part of this intense 1 week Mexico itinerary!

If I was to visit again, I would opt for a beachside hotel because I found that along the main beach in Isla Holbox to get a sunbed you need to rent one for the day which is quite expensive, you can’t just buy a drink for example.

Plus, the sea and the beach are just so incredibly beautiful, it would be amazing to wake up and walk a few meters to see it!

• Highly Rated Beachside Hotels in Isla Holbox are:
• MADRE Holbox Apartments & Suites
• Amaite Beach Hotel
• Beach Guesthouse Holbox Apartments & Suites
• Blue Holbox
• Holbox Dream Beachfront Hotel
• Casa Iguana Holbox – Beachfront Hotel

Day 5 & 6 – Full Day in Isla Holbox Full Day

There are many things to do in Isla Holbox . One of the most popular is swimming with Whale Sharks which is possible between late May and mid-September.

You can spend your days relaxing on the beach and partying at night , or you can fill your days with going out on boat day trips like this …

Initially, we planned to leave Isla Holbx on night 6 to get back to Cancun Airport for a midday flight at 12:00 on day 7 (which was annoying brought forward from 17:00),

However, after driving around Mexico for 1 week and realising that the journey timings of Google Maps were always right and the roads were so good , we decided to stay an extra night in Isla Holbox which I’m so glad we did!

We got the 6:00 am ferry back to the mainland . Did the 2-hour drive from Chiquila to Cancun Airport from 7:00-9:00 am which gave us a good 3 hours before we flew at 12:00 and everything did go to plan!

I hope my 1 week Mexico itinerary has helped you plan your own Yucatan road trip!

More of my travel posts you might like:

• 18 TOP Things To Do In Ushuaia Before An Antarctica Trip!
• FULL Tenerife Road Trip Guide | Itinerary, Places To Visit in Tenerife, Car Hire!
• 3- 5 Day Norway Road Trip Itinerary! Bergen to Alesund & Atlantic Ocean Road.
• 21 Perfect Road Trips From London & Short Trips From London By Car!

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The Best Mexico itinerary for 7 days in 2024

Last Updated on May 9, 2024

How to spend one week in Mexico and make the best out of it? One week is too short a time to explore a country so vast and diverse.

The seat of the ancient Maya civilization, the country is rich in history, culture, and scenic beauty. From the bustling streets of Mexico City to the serene beaches of the Caribbean, one would easily need two weeks to experience Mexico.

But we don't usually get that long from our busy schedules.  So, here's a sample Mexico itinerary for 7 days, for the time-poor tourists to explore the best of Mexico in seven days with family.

Your itinerary will greatly depend on where and how you arrive (like if you are going on a cruise to Mexico ), as well as how long you are staying, but this 7 day itinerary will get you started! 🙂

Mexico Highlights

Palm-lined beaches, historic sites, lively cities, mouth-watering cuisine, and adventurous terrains await you in the South American country called Mexico.

The cultural diversity can be seen in the art, music, dance, and traditions that have a unique blend of the indigenous communities, Spanish colonialism, and modern America.

Mexicans are known for their hospitality. With a wide array of hotels and Airbnb's travelers are guaranteed a fulfilling experience in Mexico. 

The world's 13th-largest country is packed with incredibly exciting things to do. Here are the highlights of Mexico that you'd like to cover on your first trip.

• Rich History of Mexico: Mexico's history spans thousands of years, with many ancient civilizations leaving their mark on the country. From the Mayans to the Aztecs, it has a large number of archaeological and heritage sites to kindle the history buff in you.
• Exotic Beaches: Mexico has some of the most stunning beaches in the world, with turquoise waters, white sands, and verdant vistas. Some of the most popular beaches include Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Vallarta.
• Mexican Cuisine : Mexican cuisine is famous around the world for its delicious flavors, diverse ingredients, and unique spices. From tacos to mole to churros, there is something for everyone to try.
• Natural Wonders of Mexico : Natural wonders abound in Mexico, from the majestic Copper Canyon to the crystal-clear waters of Cenote Ik Kil. The country also has an abundance of wildlife, including whales, dolphins, and sea turtles.

 You may love to read: How to make your travels more meaningful

Mexico Itinerary- Summary

In this 1-week Mexico itinerary, we're going to cover the highlights along with some off-beat experiences away from the usual tourist crowd.

When planning a trip to Mexico it is important to note that there are over a hundred international airports in the country!

However, it's good to choose the busiest ones as there will be more options in terms of price and timing. For this itinerary, we choose to arrive at Mexico City International Airport and start our tour from there. 

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• We need at least two days to explore the major attractions of Mexico City.
• After this, we take a domestic flight to Cozumel. We have added a slight twist to the “path less followed” from here.
• From Cozumel, we sail to Playa del Carmen, a vacation island located in the Caribbean Sea far from the crowd of Cancun.
• We include day trips to the heritage cities of Tulum and Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen.
• In the end, we can book our departure from the Cancun International Airport.s the content

Mexico in 7 days – Day 1 & 2 in Mexico City

Day 1 in Mexico City

Arrive in Mexico City and spend the day exploring the highlights of the UNESCO world heritage site.

Visit the Templo Mayor, an ancient Aztec temple, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, a stunning Art Nouveau theater.

In the evening, take a stroll along the Paseo de la Reforma, one of the city's most famous avenues. Enjoy the street food of Mexico City.

Book a free walking tour of Mexico City covering all the top attractions.

Day 2 in Mexico City

Visit the National Museum of Anthropology to learn about the ancient civilizations that once inhabited Mexico, including the Mayans.

Then take a trip to the Frida Kahlo Museum and stroll in the historic neighborhood of Coyoacan.

If you want to travel offbeat, then explore the non-touristy neighborhoods of Mexico City in this walking tour.

End the day with a dinner at Roma or Condesa. Fly to Cozumel on the next morning.

Check out the best places to stay in Mexico City .

Mexico 7-day itinerary: Days 3 & 4 in Cozumel

Day 1 in Cozumel

Arrive in Cozumel and spend the day exploring the island's stunning beaches and turquoise waters. You can rent a bike to explore the island.

Visit the San Gervasio Mayan Ruins, the largest and most important archaeological site on the island. In the evening, relax on one of the island's stunning beaches.

Day 2 in Cozumel

Spend the second day in Cozumel snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters of Cozumel, which is known for its vibrant coral reefs and marine life.

Visit the Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park, where you can swim with dolphins, explore the botanical gardens, and relax on the beach. In the evening, enjoy a seafood dinner at a local restaurant.

Check out the places to stay in Cozumel .

7 Days in Mexico – Day 5 in Tulum

Take a ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen and drive to the Mayan ruins of Tulum, located on the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Have you tried driving in Mexico ? It's a bit… quirky, to say the least. LOL

Explore the ruins, which date back to the 13th century, and enjoy the stunning views of the Caribbean Sea.

You can also visit Rio Secreto – the Mayan underworld. Here you will find geological formations and one of the largest subway riverine systems.

Tulum is one of the best places to visit in Mexico for both history buffs and adventurers.

Spend the evening in Tulum and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Check out the places to stay in Playa del Carmen .

Mexico Itinerary for 7 days – Day 6 in Playa de Carmen

Explore the lively city of Playa del Carmen, known for its beautiful beaches, lively nightlife, and rich cultural heritage.

You can visit the Quinta Avenida, a pedestrian street lined with shops, bars, and restaurants. Another fascinating place is the Xcaret Eco Theme Park, where you can swim in underground rivers, learn about Mayan culture, and watch a traditional Mexican dance show.

This is a perfect experience for a family trip.

An excursion to Chichen Itza

Located 180 km away from Playa del Carmen is the Mayan city of Chichen Itza. You can reach there by an ADO bus. A day trip to this world-famous archeological site is a must for any first-time tourist. 

It is one of the most well-preserved archeological sites globally and is filled with Mayan marvels. Learn about the history and culture of the ancient Mayans and explore the stunning pyramids and temples. 

You can either stay at Chichen Itza at night or take the bus to Cancun after the day trip.  Bid goodbye to the beautiful country from the Cancun International Airport the next day.

Closing Thoughts

I hope this short blog about Mexico inspires you to book your trip to the beautiful country. For more detailed information about prices, places, food, and hotels I highly recommend the Lonely Planet Travel Guide . 

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Penang Itinerary – Explore The Best of Penang in 2 Days

In the North-West of Malaysia lies a small island called Penang that forms part of the namesake state. Explore the best of this quaint little island in two days with this expertly crafted itinerary

This is a perfect 7-day time-poor itinerary to Mexico. I’ve been to this lovely country 27x. However, I’ve never been to Mexico so appreciate the highlights when I do visit.,

Great list! I absolutely love Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.

Great guide! I’ve been to most of the places you’ve laid out in your itinerary and loved all of them. Cozumel is on my list for my return trip to Mexico! Saving this guide for later 🙂

Thanks a lot. This is a guest post and I’m looking forward to this trip too.

This is such a great itinerary for seeing a lot of Mexico in a short time frame. I haven’t been to Playa del Carmen and Tulum, but am visiting Isla Mujeres for a short time this summer! Great guide.

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The Ultimate Backpacking Mexico Itinerary

Posted on Last updated: June 11, 2024

Need a Mexico Itinerary? In this post, I’m sharing with you my ultimate Mexico backpacking route and fun facts about Mexico backpacking.

Having lived and traveled extensively in Mexico for 5 years I’ve put everything I know about my second home into this post. Although all of the information in this post is great for anyone traveling or backpacking in Mexico, it does contain a lot of information specifically for Solo females traveling in Mexico.

Thi post contains lots of general backpacking Mexico information and Mexico itinaries, but I’ve linked to lots of different more detailed blog posts that I have written so you can get even more information about traveling in Mexico. In this guide, you will find a 4 week Mexico itinerary and if you don’t have that much time I’ve also done a 3 week Mexico itinerary, a 2 week Mexico itinerary and even a 1 week Mexico itinerary.

Basically, If you are planning a trip to Mexico here on my blog you are going to find everything you need to backpack Mexico with confidence. And here are some epic Mexican quotes to get you excited about your trip.

Getting Around Mexico

Traveling around Mexico is actually pretty easy. As there isn’t a cross-country train service the two options are, bus or plane . The buses in Mexico are pretty cheap, very reliable, and easy to use. But it is a large country and so the journeys can be long. If you are pushed for time I recommend making some of the longer journeys by plane rather than by bus. I’ve made recommendations below, but just take a look at the map above and you can see the distances.

To help you decide where to go in Mexico, on the 4 week Mexico Itinerary I’ve tried to add in some stops between places so you could quite easily do this whole route by bus if you wanted to. That said you might prefer the comfort of flying. Flights are generally reasonable, so long as you book in advance. 

Quick Tip : I highly recommend booking all of your Mexico transportation with GottoGo . You can search for buses, shuttles, ferries, and Flights on their website. What I love most about them is their customer service. I know these guys personally from my time living in Guatemala and they look after their customers. If anything happens and you get delayed and miss your bus, you can just call them and they are always there to help. If you book through them you will pay a little more than if you book in person at the bus station. But it’s worth it for the ease and security. Click here to search for transportation in Mexico.

The Best Backpack Route Mexico

Ok so here it is, what you have all been waiting for my Mexico travel route to help you figure out where to go in Mexico.

As most people fly into Mexico City I’m going to start there. But you could also do this in reverse and fly into Cancun airport. Likewise, if you are traveling overland you can either cross the border from Belize up to Chetumal in Mexico.

If you do this then I’d start in Bacalar and then work your way around Yucatan before flying from Cancun to Chiapas, then continue the route from there. Or if you cross the border from Guatemala then you will arrive at San Cristobal de las Casas first.

From there you can pick up the route and go either way. 

• Mexico City (CDMX)
• Guadalajara
• Sayulita / Nuevo Vallarta / Riviera Nayarit
• Puerto Vallarta
• San Cristobal de las Casas
• Chichen Itza
• Isla Holbox
• Playa del Carmen
• Isla Mujeres

Yes, there are areas I’ve skipped, but you can easily add them to your Mexico backpacking itinerary if you have more time. For some recommendations of the best places to visit in Mexico check out this blog post .

The same goes for removing things if you have less time. This Mexico backpacking route is suitable for solo female travelers , I’m not advising you to go anywhere unsafe.

This Mexico travel route starts in Mexico City and ends in Cancun and I have it marked in on the map above in this direction. In this, I have included the best tourist places in Mexico as well as some Mexico points of interest that you should try and visit if you can.

Of course, it goes without saying that there are many incredible places to visit that aren’t considered tourist destinations in Mexico. So if at all possible try and leave some time in your schedule to get off the beaten track a little and explore some new places.

Quick Tip:  Book accommodation, tours, and transport ahead of time online to save money and stress.  Best Mexico Tours :  Click here to check out the top Mexico tours Best Mexico Accommodation: Click here to check out the best accommodation in Mexico Best Mexico Transport: Click here to book a bus, ferry, or train in Mexico

Mexico Adventure Travel Musts

If you are looking for some adventure highlights in Mexico there are a few things you should think about doing. One of my favorite fun facts about Mexico that surprises people is the country is fantastic for Scuba Diving . There are so many incredible diving adventures to have in Mexico that I wrote a whole blog post about them that you can read here . 

Another must-do while backpacking in Mexico is exploring some of the ancient ruins. Everyone knows about the world wonder that is Chichen Itza . But the Riviera Maya is teeming with ruins. You have Tulum , Coba , Ek Balam , and some off-the-beaten-track ruins . Then you also have Aztec ruins just outside of Mexico City Teotihuacan to be explored. Check out this hot air balloon tour over Teotihuacan . You can even check out the Calakmul Ruins hidden deep in the jungle too.

Some other Mexico highlights include:

• Taking a cooking class or doing a food tour
• Swimming with Whale sharks
• Diving with Bull Sharks
• Swimming in Cenotes
• Go to a yoga retreat
• Visit Sian Ka’an Biosphere  

QUICK TIP: Book your tours, rental cars, and transfers through my local contacts I’ve been working with Living Dreams Mexico for years and they are who I send all my family and friends to when they visit the Riviera Maya. I really can recommend them enough for private tours and experiences. They have solid 5* reviews on Trip Advisor and Google from almost 4000 reviewers! You can view all their tours here. If you’re looking for private airport transfers and rental cars then Vanessa and Oliver from Turismo Channel are personal friends of mine and I can 100% recommend them to make an inquiry click here and complete the form . Someone will be in touch within 24 hours.

Where To Go In Mexico | Mexico Trip Itineraries

It’s really hard to give you a one-size-fits-all best places to visit in Mexico travel itinerary , but I’m going to try. Of course, the more time you have the more places you can explore. My advice would be if you have more time to stop off at some of the smaller pueblos in between the main ‘tourist’ cities and pueblos. Less is more in Mexico so don’t try and cram in too much. Instead, take your time to get to know a place by staying a little longer.

On this where to go in Mexico trip itinerary, I’ve included the most popular places people visit and linked to more detailed helpful guides if I have them. This is not only a backpack route Mexico but will also suit other types of travelers too as it includes all of the main tourist attractions you will not want to miss while in Mexico. PS read these travel tips for Mexico before you plan anything.

Recommended Mexican Tour Companies These are companies I 100% recommend booking activities within Mexico.   Where Sidewalks End – One of my favorite Mexican based. companies offering boutique travel experiences you won’t find anywhere else.  Turismo Channel – If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen then I recommend booking through my friend Vanessa at Turismo Channel. You can check out their tours by  clicking here  and us code  claire10off  for 10% off group toursYou can also  send her a WhatsApp message  quoting the code to receive the discount.

One Month in Mexico

If you have one month in Mexico, this is the 4 week Mexico itinerary I would recommend you take time to see as much of Mexico as you can.

4 week Mexico itinerary:

Mexico City (3 nights) – 3 nights is the minimum I would personally recommend staying in Mexico City. If you can spare an extra day, then stay for 4. I wrote a full accommodation guide to help you decide where to stay in Mexico City. But wherever you stay, I use Uber to get pretty much everywhere as it is so cheap. Things I’d recommend are visiting Tenochtitlán and going to the Lucha Libre wrestling ! If you want, you can also figure out how to visit Las Grutas de Tolantango from here too!

Guanajuato (1 night) – From Mexico City take a bus to Guanajuato which is about a 6-hour bus ride, or a short flight away. Here you can enjoy the colonial architecture and soak up your first taste of a Mexican pueblo. To make the most of your time here I’d recommend doing this tour from Guanajuato City to San Miguel de Allende .

Guadalajara (1 night) – Take another flight or the bus is just over 3 hours to Guadalajara . I’d suggest exploring Guadalajara and then head down to Lake Chapala , this can also be done as a day trip easily if you don’t want to move around so much. T equila is also a short day trip if you have time. You can take the Tequila express train from Guadalajara and back in a day. 

Chapala (1 night) – From Guadalajara , you can easily take a bus, or rent a car and drive to Lake Chapala. Spend at least 1 day here, more if you can as there are other places around the lake to explore. I love neighboring Ajijic oh and try to visit the Thermal Spa. If you spend the night in Chapala I highly recommend staying in Villa 1927 Arthotel Boutique right on the lake.

Puerto Vallarta (2 nights) – Time to hit the beach! The flight here from Guadalajara / Chapala is 50 minutes and the bus is just under 6 hours, so it’s all going to depend on time. Puerto Vallarta is a popular Mexican coastal town, but not as ‘gringoed’ as the Riviera Maya . It’s also a super nice drive if you want to rent a car . If you drive on the northern road you can hit up Sayulita and anywhere else in Nayarit first. Or if you go on the southern road then go to PV first and head to Nayarit after.

Sayulita : From Puerto Vallarta, if you have time I would also strongly recommend paying a visit to Sayulita. You can read all about how to get to Sayulita here . There are so many things to do in Sayulita you can easily stay here a few days or weeks if you have the time. Number 1 thing to do of course is surfing ! Wondering where to stay in Sayulita , don’t there are many amazing properties, you will be spoilt for choice! You can book a surf trip in Mexico with Thermal

Oaxaca (2 nights) – You are going to need to fly this leg of the journey unless you don’t mind a 20-hour bus ride! But you can’t skip Oaxaca. If for nothing else, this is where you are going to be eating some of the best Mexican food . Plus Oaxaca city is beautiful and full of brightly colored colonial buildings. If you have some more time then head to the beach town of Puerto Escondido for some chilled beach and surf town. I’d strongly recommend trying to fit in at least 2 nights here if you can!

Veracruz (2 nights) – To get here by bus it’s likely to take 6 hours, or you can fly but as there are no direct flights it will take you just as long. Like most places on this list, you are going to want more than 2 days here, but if it’s all you have then it will do. In Veracruz, you will find mountains, volcanoes, Magic Towns , rivers, the ocean , forests, amazing waterfalls , archeological sites , and a lot of good seafood! I have so many friends from here and all they talk about is how amazing the food is!

San Cristobal de las Casas (2 nights) –  Oh how I love San Cris if it didn’t get so cold here during the winter and there was a beach close I’d move there in a flash! Ok so to travel here by bus from Veracruz will take about 8 hours. So if you need to save time then skip Veracruz and just come directly from Oaxaca. But whatever you do, don’t skip San Cris. There is a lot to do here and you could easily spend a week or more here hiking, chasing waterfalls , and shopping for textiles and precious gems at rock bottom prices. 

Palenque (1 night) –  I’ve added in a stop at Palenque to break up the long-ass bus journey from San Cris to Campeche (if you want to take the bus. If you are planning on flying, then just fly direct from Tuxtla airport (just outside San Cris) to Merida and skip Palenque and Campeche. If however, you are interested in learning more about Mayan Culture then I recommend visiting Palenque. It’s about a 7-hour bus ride, or you can fly direct on a small plane here. 

Campeche (1 night) – The bus ride from Palenque to Campeche takes just under 6 hours on a direct bus. Campeche is often forgotten about by visitors to Yucatan. Most people skip over it in favor of Merida. But if you can I’d recommend stopping here for at least a night. UNESCO named it as a model of a colonial baroque city planning. Not only is it a World Heritage Site because of its beautiful colonial architecture, but it also has 17 archaeological sites including Calakmul, which is the largest Mayan city that has been discovered.

If you like this Ultimate Mexico backpacking itinerary and fun facts about Mexico backpacking, save it in your  Stipple trip planner  where you will find destinations, things to do, and accommodation all in one place without juggling between several apps.

Merida (2 nights) – Merida is the capital of Yucatan and it is brimming with culture! It can get very hot in the summer months, so be sure to book accommodations with AC if you can. As well as exploring the city from here you can easily access Chichen Itza . So you could save time by skipping Valladolid and spending a night at Chichen Itza and just see Chichen as a day tour. Then you can head directly to Holbox , or to Playa del Carmen by bus.

Chichen Itza (1 night) – If you have the time I recommend spending the night at Chichen Itza to see the light show ! Then get up early the next morning and explore during the daylight before all of the tour buses turn up! Or if you really want to save time then you can fly to Chichen Itza with Fly Cozumel.

Valladolid (1 night) – This is a place you can skip if you need to make up time. But it’s a nice little pueblo that can help to break up the journey if you have time. Buses run directly here from Merida, and Colectivos run from Chichen Itza . Both are frequent and the journey is short. 

Isla Holbox (2 nights) – To get to Holbox from Merida or Valladolid is a direct bus to Chiquila and from there you will need to take a boat out to the Island. Click here for a full breakdown of how to get to Isla Holbox . Holbox is where I go on vacation. If I need a weekend away from work and need to go somewhere I can completely relax and get offline, I come to Holbox . Be warned you will not get hardly any signal here, and wifi is inconsistent at best. But it’s about as close to paradise as you can get. Want to do some activities while on the island? Take a read of my guide to Holbox here .

Playa del Carmen (2 nights) – Yes, I know I may be biased as I lived here for a few years. But once you arrive in the Riviera Maya, Playa really is the best place to base yourself. It’s cheaper and easier to navigate than Tulum and Cancun and you can walk pretty much everywhere. Plus it’s easy to take colectivos to Cancun , Puerto Morelos , Tulum , and even to Bacalar (although I’d recommend taking the bus). Plus it’s just a short ferry ride to Cozumel .  You can take a bus or colectivo direct from Chiquila to get here. There is so much to see and do 2 days can easily become 2 months… or in my case 3 years haha.

Tulum (1 night) – One night is enough to check out Tulum. Arrive early and visit the Tulum ruins then spend the rest of the day exploring Tulum , or just chill on the beach. If you can spare a few extra days head to Coba ruins and go diving in some Cenotes . If you have time I’d also highly recommend trying to do a tour of Sian Ka’an . It’s not cheap but so worth it! You can either take an ADO bus here from Playa or hop in a colectivo .

Bacalar (2 nights) – It’s going to take you the best part of a day to get here from Tulum , but it will be worth it for the view. Bacalar is beautiful and here you can chill for a couple of nights and reflect on the amazing time you have had exploring Mexico! You can take an ADO bus from Tulum , or a colectivo. Personally, I’d choose the bus for comfort unless you are on a very tight budget. 

Cancun / Isla Mujeres (1 night) – Time to start making your way back to the airport! It will take you most of the day to get from Bacalar to Cancun . You can either stay at a hotel close to the airport or if you have more time skip Cancun and stay in Isla Mujeres… This won’t work if you have a morning flight. but if you have an afternoon or evening flight I’d recommend it so you can check out one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!

3 Week Mexico Itinerary

Only have three weeks in Mexico? No problem. You won’t be able to see the whole of Mexico during this time, but with this itinerary, you can make the most of your 3 weeks in Mexico.

3 week Mexico itinerary

• Mexico City (3 nights)
• Guanajuato / Guadalajara/ Tequila (2 nights)
• Puebla (2 nights)
• Oaxaca (2 nights)
• San Cristobal de las Casas (2 nights)
• Merida (1 night)
• Valladolid / Chichen Itza (1 night)
• Holbox (2 nights)
• Tulum (1 night)
• Bacalar (2 nights)
• Playa del Carmen / Cozumel (3 nights)

2 Week Mexico Itinerary

Got two weeks in Mexico? Then use this Mexico itinerary to help you make the most of your short vacation. I’m not going to lie, 2 weeks in Mexico is nowhere near enough time, but you can see a few of the most popular places and get a feel of the Country. You will need to fly between some places if you want to make the most of your time. But in some places, you can catch a bus and it won’t take longer than half a day.

Mexico 2 week itinerary:

• Merida (2 nights)
• The Riviera Maya (3 nights)

Two Weeks in Yucatan

I’ve created this 2-week road trip itinerary for Yucatan as in reality 2 weeks in Mexico just isn’t a lot of time. Personally, I’d visit half as many places as I’ve added to this list. But if you do only have 2 weeks and want to fit in as much as you can, then this is what I would recommend doing. 

Yucatan 2 week itinerary:

• Holbox (3 nights)
•   Merida (1 night) 
• Campeche (1 night)
• Valladolid (2 nights) to visit Chichen Itza
• Bacalar (2 nights) – or 1 night in Mahuale and 1 in Bacalar
• Playa del Carmen (3 nights) or 2 nights and one night in Cozumel to go diving. Make sure you rent a car in Cozumel and do a lap of the Island!

1 week in Mexico

1 week in Mexico is really not enough time. But if it’s all the time you have, then it’s all the time you have. You can make the most of your time by flying from place to place, otherwise, you will be wasting 3 days on a bus. I’d strongly recommend only packing hand luggage as the budget Mexican airlines like to charge a lot of money for baggage ! 

See my Ultimate Mexico packing list on Amazon !

Although you could easily spend 7 days in any one of these places If you want to cover as much ground as possible in your 7 days in Mexico then with this you will be able to visit 3 very different places in Mexico to give you a real feel for just how diverse and wonderful a country Mexico really is.

1 week Mexico itinerary:

• Mexico City (2 nights)
• Riviera Maya (2 nights)

On this Mexican itinerary, you will fly into Mexico City and then fly out of Cancun . If you are backpacking and coming up from Guatemala then I recommend taking a bus from Guatemala to San Cristobal and then heading to Oaxaca for a night or 2 before traveling to Cancun . 

I’ve not specified where you should visit in the Riviera Maya, because that really is up to you. Personally, I would choose Playa del Carmen and Tulum over Cancun . But then there is also Holbox , Isla Mujeres, and Cozumel to choose from. If you want to explore, choose Playa del Carmen as it’s pretty central. If you just want to crash on a beach for a few days, choose Holbox or Isla Mujeres.

Did You Get Travel Insurance Yet? The Insurance companies I recommend are  Hey Mondo and Safety Wing Hey Mondo  is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single-trip cover, annual multi-trip cover, and long-term travel cover. Safety Wing  is great value, with monthly coverage starting at $45.08. It’s super easy to use, and it just renews each month. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy. Read my full  travel insurance post  here, where I go into detail about all companies. 

The Best Hostels in Mexico

I’ve listed all of the best hostels in Mexico here on this page . However, I do also have more detailed accommodation guides for Mexico City , Cancun , Playa del Carmen , Cozumel , Holbox , and Tulum .

Other Important Things to Consider When Backpacking in Mexico

There are some other common questions people ask about when traveling to Mexico so I’ve tried to answer them as best I can here.

If you are wondering what to pack I have some great packing guides you can read:

The Ultimate Packing List For Mexico

Other than that there isn’t much you really need. Most countries can enter Mexico on a tourist ‘visa’ which is good for 180 days. After 180 days, you will need to leave the country. If you want to return you will need to stay away for at least 3 days before re-entering. If you enter overland then make sure you tell them you will be in Mexico for longer than a week and make sure you pay the fee for the full 1890 day visa. If you don’t they will only give you 7 days to transit. If you fly into Mexico the cost is covered as part of your ticket, so you don’t need to worry.

Quick Tip : View my full Mexico packing guide here including a downloadable checklist. And check out my Mexico Essentials shopping list here .

Mexico Travel Guide Planning

🧳 Any recommendations on what I should pack for Mexico?

Yes! I have created a whole packing guide to Mexico which you can read here and you can also check out my packing list for Mexico on Amazon here .

🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation while I’m in Mexico?

I strongly recommend using GottoGo . You can book almost all transport in the major Mexican tourist destinations through them online. They don’t just cover buses they also cover shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.

🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours in Mexico?

First and foremost check out all of the amazing Mexico tours Where Sidewalks End has. They are a small local company and they have some really special experiences.

For everything else I recommend either Viator  or GetYour Guide . 

If you are traveling to Cancun you can use GoCity and save up to 55% of the initial cost of entrance tickets to various museums, tours, and attractions!

If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen then I recommend booking through my friend Vanessa at Turismo Channel. You can check out their tours by clicking here and using the following discount codes for the best prices clairecaroff (car rental), claire10off (for 10% off group tours), claireprivate (for a discount on private tours). You can also send her a WhatsApp message quoting the above codes to receive the discount.

👩‍⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?

I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat. For Digital Nomads check out SafetyWing  digital nomad insurance.

I have also written a blog post covering all my recommended travel insurance here

✈️ Any flight recommendations?

WayAWay offers you cheap flights with cashback. You can use this code CLAIRE22 to get 10% off. Otherwise Skyscanner or Expedia are my go-to flight searching platforms.

📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?

I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I wrote a full review of the top travel WiFi devices you can read here . I personally use GlocalMe  as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.

With regards to my phone connection, I use e-sims while traveling, so rather than having to swap out my regular sim card I can download the app and buy a virtual sim card. I recommend using either Airhub or Alosim . Both have great coverage of multiple countries and are very easy to use.

🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?

The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com , Hotels.com , and Expedia  They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.

🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?

I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here . I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack. 

Solo Female Travel Mexico

Looking for solo travel Mexico information? I personally traveled to Mexico solo and had no issues at all. I’m not denying that there are some safety issues you need to take seriously, however, if you are planning a trip to Mexico alone I have a few guides you can read that will help you get prepared.

Is it safe to travel to Mexico alone? Absolutely! Do you need to be prepared? YES

Fun Facts About Mexico Backpacking: Final Thoughts

And that’s it! My where to go in Mexico ultimate Mexico backpacking route! I hope it has been of use to you as you prepare for backpacking in Mexico. Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions that I don’t answer on this Mexico blog!

Tuesday 29th of March 2022

Thank you so much for the extremely insightful article! I do have question, would you recommend pre-booking all buses? :)

Moon Palace

Thursday 1st of July 2021

Mexico is wonderful, has a lot to know and gives a great cultural experience to the visitor who dares to travel alone. Besides, Mexicans are very kind and friendly people wherever you go and they will make you feel as if you were in your own country.

© 2023 Claire’s Itchy Feet  

Mexico 1 Week Itinerary

So you want to experience some of Mexico's highlights but are short on time?

This can be a daunting prospect, as Mexico is a huge country and also there are quite a few safety concerns in certain areas. 

Below I share the itinerary I did where you can see the 3 different sides of Mexico in just 6 days. No really, you can see various different places in less than a week!

This was a solo trip to honor my parents’ memory who visited México for their honeymoon in the late 70’s and I include some of my Cancún, Merida and Mexico City bucket list items which you really need to check out.

Let’s do this...

Day 1. Cancun

I arrived into Cancún on straight flight (3 hours) from Puerto Rico in Volaris which was better than expected for an economy airline.

If you have never been to Mexico before, you should visit Cancun. This city is not for everyone, think huge resorts on beautiful beaches, its relaxing, but not authentic Mexico.

A lot of people spend a week or two relaxing here, but as I wanted to see as much as possible I just booked one night. You could just aclimatise or spend the day on the beach or at your hotel pool, or there is the option to wander around the old town for a local experience.

If you do want to stay longer there are some great day trips from Cancun.

Day 2. Playa del Carmen

I took an ADO bus to Playa del Carmen (1 hour) where I stayed for 1 night. Playa del Carmen is much smaller than Cancun with a pretty beach, shops, restaurants, bars and clubs.

Day 3. Tulum

From Playa del Carmen I took another ADO/Mayab bus to Tulum (1 hour). ADO bus service is very reliable, clean and they have a decent website. 

Breakfast at Campanella Cremerie because I am a fool for dulce de leche waffles. Traveled early (before 10am) by taxi to Gran Cenote (you can also do bicycles).

I had to take a shower before going in the water to take off any perfume, creams, insect repellent or sunblock. I enjoyed this beautiful cenote with blue water, fish, turtles and nature. 

Got to the Tulum ruins in taxi and walked this in about an hour and then walked to Paraíso beach to relax. You can eat at a restaurant at the beach or from a hotel or carry a little picnic with you, I decided to do the fish tacos on the beach thing in Pancho Villa Restaurant. 

By night I walked around and had dinner and margaritas at La Coqueta Mexican Food. 

* Tulum prefers cash over cards.  

Day 4. Tulum to Mérida (Yucatán Colonial side)

Ate at Caffé del Borgo Tulum and enjoyed great conversation with the Italian owners before taking an ADO to Mérida (4 hours).

I checked in at Hostal Catedral just next to the Cathedral in Plaza Grande and spent the afternoon exploring the historic center and had linner (late lunch/ early dinner) at Apoala in Santa Lucía Park.

Merida is beautiful and also one of the top places to scuba dive in Mexico . To prepare for the next day I brought snacks and a big water bottle and went to rest.

If you're looking for recommendations, you might want to check out an influencer de Monterrey for local insights.

Day 5. Mérida/ Chichen Itzá

I took advantage of the hostel breakfast and then took an ADO bus to Chichen Itzá (2 hours), snacks, water, sunblock and hat ready to walk and enjoy all the history (2-3 hours).

Be aware there are a LOT of vendors outside and inside the facilities, bathrooms, souvenir store and a restaurant. To get back I took ADO Oriente with more time options that take longer but leave earlier than ADO regular.

At night, I went to Paseo Montejo and had a sublime dinner experience at Rosas & Xocolate Restaurant.

* Mérida has some uber drivers but not very reliable.

Day 6. Mérida to Ciudad México (City Side)

Early Volaris flight to the city and traffic to Stayinn Barefoot at Condesa neighborhood to leave my bags and then embark on 2 metros and 1 “light” train (tren ligero) to Xochimilco floating gardens.

This is where I recreated a picture my parents took in front of one of the colorful boats (tinajeras). Had a Mexican beer while I took my ride and by the time I was back to Condesa I was ready for dinner.

At La Xampa I tasted a cocktail with mezcal and champagne, yes, together.  

Day 7. Ciudad México/ Teotihuacán

6am at the Ángel de la Independencia to get picked up for a …hot air balloon ride over the pyramids in Teotihuacán with Vuelos en Globo MX.

It’s about 1 hour each way and then 1 and ½ between coffee and tea breakfast, balloon ride and a champagne toast afterwards. Got back and saw some of Polanco and Paseo de la Reforma and then went to Mercado Roma for a variety of dishes and artisanal beers.

I had a power nap and enjoyed Condesa, ate at Cedrón Restaurant and even met the pastry chef. 

Every minute counts so I took an uber (which is great in this city) to the Plaza de la Constitución to explore the historic center.

I walked around and took pictures of the huge flag in the middle of the plaza, there was an expo on all Mexican cities that I visited until I had to leave and pray in traffic that I would get to the airport in time. It all worked out and I even did some souvenir shopping and tequila tasting at the airport.

Mexico 7 Day Itinerary

This is a really quick itinerary if you are lacking time and want to see as much of Mexico as possible.

Whether you are looking for a trip or  gap year in Mexico to mix beaches, temples, history and culture, the places featured on my list are amazing.

Another option is to book  Mexico group tours , there are lots of trips and itineraries available. Or if you di visit and want to stay longer, you can find paid work in Mexico for foreigners .

¡Que Viva México! 

By Nicole Rivera  Rivera

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Mexico Itinerary: 1 Week in Playa Del Carmen

If you only have a week in Mexico, I recommend spending it in the Playa Del Carmen area. It’s not quite as touristy as Cancun, but there is still plenty to do and is actually closer to many of the popular attractions in Mexico. Find out how to spend 1 week in Playa Del Carmen with this comprehensive Mexico itinerary!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Find more information about affiliate links on our policy page .

• Things to Note

Day 1: Travel Day / Relax

Day 2: chichen itza & cenote, day 3: tulum, snorkel, & cenote.

• Day 4: Rest Day

Day 5: Rio Secreto Underground River

Day 6: cozumel day trip, day 7: travel day / relax, where to stay in mexico, a couple of things to note.

I want to preface this itinerary by stating that this trip was very different from all the other trips I’ve taken and all the other itineraries you’ll find on this website.

Our trip to Mexico was the first time I ever booked through a travel agency. I typically take care of all the travel arrangements such as booking the hotel and flight. However, we ended up in Mexico because we found an amazing deal on Groupon, so we figured, why not?

Also, I was personally not comfortable renting a car in Mexico. For that reason, we booked guided tours for all of our activities that included hotel pick up and drop off. This is also unusual for me because I prefer self-guided tours.

With all that said, every activity on this itinerary can be done on your own without booking a guided tour or going through a travel agency if that is what you prefer. However, we just felt that going through a travel agency and guided tours was the most stress-free route. As such, some of the things I mention may be specific to the guided tour.

1 Week Mexico Itinerary

Depending on what time your flight lands, you may have a lot of time or very little to explore during your first day in Mexico.

Once you land in Cancun, you’ll need to get to Playa Del Carmen, which will take about an hour depending on how you to choose to go. Since we booked our trip to Mexico through the travel agency Vacation Express, we were also able to use them to book a shuttle from the airport to our hotel in Playa Del Carmen. If you do not book your trip through a travel agency, you can check to see if your hotel offers a shuttle. If not, Cancun Airport Transportation offers private shuttles.

Chichen Itza, a compound full of Mayan ruins, is an absolute must-do while in Mexico. Here, you’ll be able to learn about about the Mayan culture such as how they studied to sky to learn about weather and seasons. The nearby cenote (a sinkhole with water at the bottom) known as Cenote Ik Kil is also breathtakingly beautiful.

Chichen Itza is about a 2 hour drive from Playa Del Carmen one-way, so expect this trip to take most of the day. However, you’ll still likely be back in time for dinner, so you’ll have time to just relax on the beach or around your hotel in the evening.

You can find out more information about what it’s like to visit Chichen Itza and Cenote Ik Kil in my Chichen Itza review .

The Tulum ruins aren’t quite as spectacular as Chichen Itza but, being right on the Ocean, they have their own sense of beauty. Honestly, I was more interested in the Tulum area for the snorkeling. Right off the shore of the Tulum Ruins is the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef — the largest reef in the Western Hemisphere. Here, we were able to have a school of fish blow past us, swim with some sea turtles, and even see some sting rays! We ended our day at Cenote Caracol, which has both a “dry” and “wet” portion. Instead of being a sinkhole similar to Cenote Ik Kil, Cenote Caracol was actually an entire cave system that we were able to explore.

You can find out more information about what it’s like to visit the Tulum Ruins and Cenote Caracol in my Ocean Tours Mexico review.

Day 4: Rest Day / Shopping

When I travel, I like to go, go, go. I want to experience everything possible with the limited amount of time I have in the area. However, it’s also nice to have a day where you can just relax and enjoy your vacation. Day 4 of this Mexico itinerary is designed for you to do just that. This way the day that we took full advantage of the hotel pool and swim up bar.

However, “relaxing” doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to sit around all day… It just means that you have a day where you have absolutely nothing planned and can do whatever looks interesting. Our resort offered daily activities, one of which was salsa dancing. I absolutely love line dancing back home, so I figured why not give salsa dancing a try?

Also during our “rest day,” we headed down to 5th avenue, a famous shopping street in Playa Del Carmen. It’s closed off to cars, so you can walk down the center of the street and check out all the restaurants and shops along the way. If you’re looking to pick up some souvenirs, this is a good place to do so.

If you do nothing else this day, make sure you visit 500 Gramos and Be Ocean.

By the 4th day of our Mexico itinerary, we were a bit tired of the food at our hotel and ended up stumbling upon 500 Gramos when wandering around 5th Avenue.

We were surprised to find that the owners of the restaurant – a married couple named Maury and Josie – were our waiters. How often do the owners of a restaurant actually wait on you? We struck up a conversation with them and ended up getting to hear their story…

They had been in Mexico on vacation visiting Josie’s sister, and the place where their restaurant currently is located had been really run down. Her sister made a comment about them opening a restaurant there. Later, when Josie and Maury where relaxing on the beach, Maury told Josie that they should open the restaurant, and that they should do it right at that moment because if they didn’t do it then, they would never do it. Sure enough, a few days later they had all their paperwork in order. They came to Mexico on vacation, and then just never left.

They were amazing to talk to, and their food was even more amazing (if that’s possible). Even if you can’t visit the restaurant on day 4, I definitely recommend finding one night on your Mexico itinerary to stop by this amazing restaurant.

Be Ocean is a swimming suit shop and is actually located a couple of streets over from 5th Avenue. It’s run by the fiancé of our tour guide from Ocean Tours Mexico. Victor was one of the best tour guides I’ve ever had, so when he told us that his fiancé ran a shop off of 5th Avenue, we decided to check it out.

After talking to her a bit, we learned that Victor was actually the one who taught her how to sew, and she spent the past couple of years practicing. Now, she rand the Be Ocean store and makes all the bathing suits by hand. She had the biggest smile on her face when she was telling us how she made the bathing suits and was telling us how she was super excited (like a kid in a candy store) when the delivery truck brought her favorite avocado print fabric. You could tell it was something she truly had a passion about. Plus, she pays some of the other women in town to help her with some of the tasks, and even though the store doesn’t make her millions, she was super proud of the fact that she could give work to people.

If you’re in need of a new bathing suit, I definitely recommend supporting this local shop.

As the name implies, Rio Secreto is an underground cave system that has a river running through it. Tours through Rio Secreto allow you to hike and swim through this stunning cave system and admire the various stalactites and stalagmites along the way.

It’s also worth noting that there are several different routes through the cave system, so each group gets to have their own unique experience of the cave without feeling like it was crowded with tourists. Plus, it means that you can go back again and again, and have a different experience each time.

It also means that Rio Secreto can either be a half-day or full-day excursion. So, if you are feeling recharged after resting the day prior you can do the full-day excursion. Otherwise, if you would prefer to just relax, you can choose the half-day excursion and be back at your hotel in time for lunch.

You can find out more information about what it’s like to visit in my Rio Secreto review .

Visiting Cozumel was sort of something we decided to do last minute, but was totally worth it. However, I felt our guided tour was what made the experience. More specifically, my favorite part of our Cozumel day trip was just enjoying the wind in my face and water on my feet as the catamaran zipped across the open. That’s not something I would have been able to do if we had decided to visit Cozumel on our own.

On our tour, we took a catamaran out to a popular snorkeling spot where we were able to snorkel for a little while before heading over to a sand bar. Here the water was perfectly crystal clear. I don’t think I’d ever seen ocean water so beautiful and clear. We ended our tour at Playa Mia, a large resort and water park.

You can find out more information about what this tour is like in my Cozumel day trip guide .

If you have time before catching a shuttle back to the airport, I recommend just relaxing — lay on the beach, swim at your hotel, or do whatever it is you do to relax. Soak everything in and enjoy this beautiful country before heading back home to reality.

The travel package we purchased through Groupon / Vacation Express included accommodation at Reef Coco Beach All Inclusive Resort. Was it the most luxurious all-inclusive resort in Playa Del Carmen? Definitely not? Was it a nice play to stay? I’d say so. Would I stay there again? Probably.

Honestly, our biggest complaint — the smell — was something that was completely out of the control of the hotel. When we went, Playa Del Carmen (and many other areas of Mexico) were having trouble with the ridiculous amounts of seaweed. It would pile up on the beach, and people were literally using construction equipment to remove it. That’s how much seaweed there was. The unpleasant smell that often filled the hallways of the hotel came from the seaweed on the beach. I have a feeling our hotel wasn’t the only one dealing with this issue.

The staff, on the other hand, were phenomenal. They always had a smile on their face and were happy to help in whatever way they could. Best of all, it was a legitimate smile. It wasn’t a fake smile that they wore because they were told they had to smile at customers. I don’t know that I’ve ever had such fantastic customer service at a hotel before.

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Guanajuato State Itinerary: Ultimate One Week Adventure in Mexico

Posted on Published: June 26, 2023  - Last updated: July 30, 2024

Categories Blog , Mexico , Road Trips , Transportation , Travel Guides

Guanajuato is a fascinating region of Mexico with magical towns, delectable food and drink, and an intriguing history. On this one week in Guanajuato itinerary, I’ll highlight cultural activities, outdoor adventures and so much more. Guanajuato’s slogan is “Live Great Stories” and I am certain that you’ll come away with amazing memories to remember for the rest of your life.

Guanajuato is a state in central Mexico (and Guanajuato is also the name of a city there) with one popular destination that you’ve likely heard of, San Miguel de Allende. While I highly recommend including San Miguel on every Guanajuato itinerary, it’s also a great idea to explore as much of the state as you can. There’s so much more to see and do outside of San Miguel de Allende .

This article contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you.

If you’ve traveled to Mexico, you’ve likely visited popular coastal destinations like Puerto Vallarta , Playa del Carmen , or the Riviera Maya . Next time you visit Mexico, venture inland to experience more of this beautiful country’s wonders. This Guanajuato travel guide will take you on a journey around the state.

Table of Contents

Getting There and Getting Around

If you aren’t within driving distance of Guanajuato, the best way to reach Guanajuato State is by flying to the Guanajuato International Airport in Silao, Mexico. There are direct flights from Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City, Cancun and others. If you’re visiting from a different city, you may connect through one of those destinations. You can compare flight prices here to find the best rates to Guanajuato, Mexico.

Once you’re there, I highly recommend renting a car to take a road trip around Guanajuato. For the destinations featured in this Guanajuato itinerary, it’s easiest to reach each place by car. Once you’re settled in Guanajuato City or San Miguel de Allende for the day, you can walk around and reach many places by foot. But, to get from point A to point B, it’s best to venture around by car.

Then, pick up your rental car from the Guanajuato International Airport, also known as the Del Bajio Airport. I love using Discover Cars when I rent a car abroad. You can easily compare rates between car rental companies to find the best price. Check out car rentals in Guanajuato here.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 1: Guanajuato City

It’s day one of this 7 day Guanajuato itinerary and we’re starting the trip in Guanajuato City. In total, we’ll spend two days in Guanajuato City before moving on to our next destination in the state. The UNESCO listed city of Guanajuato is absolutely stunning. There are colorful buildings everywhere you look and postcard perfect rolling hills lining the horizon.

Take a Guided Walking Tour

When arriving in a new city, I always suggest going on a guided walking tour. You’ll be able to see some of the main highlights of the destination, and it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with a new place. A knowledgeable and expert local tour guide will take you around the city. They’ll also share historic facts and insights about the local culture that you may not learn about otherwise. Book this three-hour walking tour of Guanajuato.

Continue to Walk Around and Explore

While you may see quite a bit on your walking tour, I recommend continuing your stroll around town on the first day of your Guanajuato itinerary. Guanajuato has many cheerful and colorful little laneways and side streets. Don’t miss the “Alley of the Kiss”, a narrow alleyway where the balconies of two young lovers were so close together, they could secretly share embraces even though the girl’s father did not approve. Wander around these narrow alleyways until you reach the city center.

The city center of Guanajuato is pedestrian-only so you’ll be able to walk around freely without worrying about any traffic or cars. It’s pretty fascinating that Guanajuato has a network of tunnels beneath the city for automobiles and traffic. While the tunnels were originally built to protect the city from flooding (by the nearby Rio Guanajuato), they’re now used to keep the traffic away from pedestrians. It’s one of the most walkable cities for this very reason.

One of the most iconic structures in Guanajuato is the Basílica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato, also known as the Basilica de Guanajuato. It’s the vibrant yellow church within the main city square.

Ride the Funicular

Guanajuato has a funicular that transports people up and down one of the local mountains. It’s an easy way to get to the top of the hill and see the Monumento Al Pipila. From the top of the mountain, you’ll have one of the best views of Guanajuato from the viewing platform, too.

One of the best times of day to ride the funicular is at sunset. You won’t be able to see the sunset venture below the horizon, but the entire landscape will be painted in pastel colors and a glowing hue. Admire the city down below and the surrounding hills.

The lower station is located behind the Juarez Theatre and the upper station is near the Pipila Monument. To ride the funicular, it is 30 pesos one way (60 pesos round trip). Tickets are only valid on the day you purchase them. I suggest riding the funicular to the top and walking back down.

Where to Stay in Guanajuato City

While there are many beautiful properties in Guanajuato, I suggest staying at the Casa del Rector Boutique Hotel . It’s a 5-star hotel in the perfect location, just steps from the Union Garden and the Alley of the Kiss. There’s an outdoor swimming pool, an onsite restaurant (where it’s easy to request vegan menu options!), a terrace with gorgeous views, and stunning rooms. This historic property was built in the 19th century, and it retains those old charms with modern touches. Book your stay here.

You can also use the handy map below to browse all accommodations in Guanajuato City. Enter your travel dates for more precise information. Click on each property to learn more and book your stay.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 2: Guanajuato City

It’s day two of our 7 days in Guanajuato itinerary and we’re going to spend more time exploring the city. Take your pick of any of Guanajuato’s insightful museums. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the silver mines that put Guanajuato on the map. For those who love outdoor adventures, take a hike in Guanajuato and you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular panoramic view.

Visit a Museum in Guanajuato

Guanajuato is an ideal place to visit for museum lovers. Spend your morning in Guanajuato at a museum to learn more about a particular topic that’s prominent within the city. One bizarre museum in Guanajuato is the Museum of the Mummies (Museo de las Momias). It’s a very unique museum for those who love dark tourism.

At the mummy museum, there are mummified remains on display where the relatives of the mummies did not keep up with payments for their burial plots. Therefore, the mummies were taken from burial plots of the local city cemetery and placed on display at the museum.

If that’s a little too strange for you, there are many other museums in Guanajuato that may appeal to your interests. Check out the Don Quixote Iconography Museum (Museo Iconográfico del Quijote), a restored 19th century home with 600 works of art devoted to the book, Don Quixote.

There’s also Diego Rivera’s House Museum (Museo y Casa de Diego Rivera). The childhood home of the artist and muralist, Diego Rivera, is transformed into a museum dedicated to him. You’ll learn more about the trials and tribulations of his life as an artist from Guanajuato City.

Discover the Silver Mines

The silver mines are one reason why the historic town of Guanajuato is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In the 18th century, Guanajuato was the world’s leading silver-extraction center. The wealth from the mines resulted in the construction of the town’s fine Baroque and neoclassical buildings. In turn, this influenced the architectural style across central Mexico.

Visit the Museo Mina Valenciana 1791, the most famous mine in Guanajuato. On this tour, you’ll descend down into a silver mine and you’ll learn about the horrific working conditions back in the day. You’ll also learn about different ores and gems, and there’s a gift shop on site. As the tour on site is only conducted in Spanish, I suggest booking a private tunnels and mines tour in English with a professional guide.

Hike to the Top of Cerro de la Bufa

To end your day, embark on an incredible adventure around the hills that surround Guanajuato City. You’ll climb mountains on a hiking trail that leads to the top of Cerro de la Bufa. It’s one of the best places in the city to admire panoramic views and stunning landscapes.

A knowledgeable and helpful guide will accompany you on this hiking trip, detailing the best route and providing many great insights. You’ll witness flora and fauna of the region, as well as impressive rock formations. Book your hiking tour here.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 3: Dolores Hidalgo

On day three of this one week Guanajuato itinerary, we make a day trip to Dolores Hidalgo. After two days in Guanajuato City, we will begin our road trip around the state of Guanajuato. After spending the day in Dolores Hidalgo, we’ll drive to Mineral de Pozos to settle in for the evening.

Visit the National Independence Museum

Dolores Hidalgo is known as “The Cradle of Independence” in Mexico. It’s a very important place to visit in terms of Mexican history. On September 16th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla uttered the Cry of Independence that spurred the battle for independence from Spain. It’s only fitting to visit the National Independence Museum, which illustrates the events leading to the Mexican rebellion from Spanish rule.

If you have time to see more museums in Dolores Hidalgo, you can also check out the José Alfredo Jiménez Museum. It’s the childhood home of the famous mariachi musician.

See the Central Plaza and its Church

If you’re visiting the small colonial town of Dolores Hidalgo, I suggest going for a walk around this peaceful town and its historic center. It’s an incredibly charming place to visit without many tourists. Wander around the colorful buildings and witness the main square, the parish church, and the local shops. Dolores is famous for its Talavera ceramic pottery and you’ll be able to purchase tiles, vases, and pots.

The town center is also home to several ice cream vendors featuring some very bizarre flavors. Some of these “nieves” contain no dairy, so you’ll need to inquire as to which ones are dairy-free if you’re vegan like I am. For instance, there’s a zapote sorbet and other fruit sorbets to sample. There are some rather strange flavors like cactus, sweet corn, and shrimp. You’ll have to see how adventurous you feel when you travel to Dolores Hidalgo.

Visit the Hidalgo Market

I love visiting local markets. They’re a great place to experience local culture and delicious food. The Mercado Hidalgo (Hidalgo Market) was built in 1910 to celebrate Mexico’s 100th year of independence. You’ll be able to sample local food, see the beautiful architecture of the market, and go shopping for some souvenirs and trinkets.

Wine Museum in Dolores Hidalgo

Love wine? You need to make a trip to the Guanajuato Wine Museum (Museo del Vino de Guanajuato). There are five interactive rooms where you’ll learn more about wine production in Guanajuato, as well as the history of wine in this region. Naturally, there’s a wine bar on site where you’ll be able to taste the wine, too. Overall, this is the perfect place for wine lovers and a must visit on any Guanajuato itinerary.

Where to Stay in Mineral de Pozos

If you’re looking for a fabulous hotel in Mineral de Pozos, stay at La Casona Minera . It’s a five-star sustainable property with a garden, shared lounge, a terrace and restaurant. The hotel rooms have many modern amenities and you can rent bicycles at the hotel if you’d like to go for a ride. Book your stay here.

You can also use the handy map below to browse all accommodations in Mineral de Pozos. Enter your travel dates for more precise information. Click on each property to learn more and book your stay.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 4: Mineral de Pozos

On day four of this Guanajuato itinerary, we’re spending one full day in Mineral de Pozos since arriving the night before. It’s a magical town that’s officially declared as one of Guanajuato’s “Pueblos Magicos” for its historical significance. Once a prosperous mining town, Mineral de Pozos became known as a ghost town before being resettled and abandoned once again after the Mexican Revolution.

Walk Around the Ghost Town

Like most places that I visit, I always recommend going for a walk around the city streets to observe the buildings and daily life there. There is a pretty white church in the middle of town and some other colorful structures as well.

In fact, many of the buildings in Mineral de Pozos remain just as you would have found them in the 19th century. The designation of “Pueblo Magico” means that the homeowners must maintain the historic integrity of their homes without making any drastic changes. Mineral de Pozos is much smaller than many of the other towns on this list, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth a stroll!

Explore the Mine at Los Hornos

Just a short 15 minute drive outside of Mineral de Pozos in Santa Brigida, you can visit Los Hornos. It’s one of the deactivated old mines that brought the town into prosperity. Los Hornos is best known for its three intriguing pyramid-shaped furnaces that are the emblem of Mineral de Pozos.

It’s the oldest mine in Guanajuato and was once used to extract minerals, such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and mercury. The furnaces were used to melt down metals and separate the minerals from the rocks. You can visit Los Hornos for a small admission fee.

Visit the Beautiful Lavender Farm

How can you resist the delightful aromas of lavender? Take a stroll around the lavender farm that’s about 15 minutes from Mineral de Pozos’ downtown core. You can learn about the production of lavender, take a walk in the lavender fields and purchase things made from lavender.

Relax at the Beer Spa

Have you ever been to a beer spa? I’ve seen beer spas in the Czech Republic, at home in Canada, and you can also visit one in Mineral de Pozos, Mexico. Located at La Casona Minera Boutique Hotel (where I suggest you stay overnight!), you can soak in beer-infused waters while drinking a locally produced beer, too!

There are also additional spa treatments available at La Casona Minera, so you may just want to make an entire spa day out of your trip there. You’ll quickly see why La Casona Minera is worth visiting, whether you stay the night here or simply visit the spa.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 5: San Miguel de Allende

On day five of this 7 day Guanajuato itinerary, you’ll travel to the magical town of San Miguel de Allende. You’ve likely heard of San Miguel de Allende as it continually tops lists of the best destinations in the world by notable publications like Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Travel .

In recent years, San Miguel de Allende is one of the most popular destinations to visit in Mexico, particularly for expats to call a home base. A trip to Guanajuato wouldn’t be complete without visiting this jewel known for its Spanish Colonial architecture and colorful facades.

Cañada de La Virgen Pyramid Tour

On your way to San Miguel de Allende, make a stop at the Cañada de La Virgen Pyramid. This is a Mesoamerican complex and recently uncovered archaeological find from the site’s 2004 excavations. If you love ancient ruins, check out my article about the top 50 Maya ruins you need to visit. For history lovers, this is one of the best things to do in Guanajuato.

You can book a tour with an archaeologist who helped discover the original site. You’ll walk the same path as the ancient residents did, enjoying impressive landscapes and structures on the way. It’s even possible to climb to the top of the pyramid, which is a forbidden activity at many other Maya ruin sites. Book your tour here.

Guided Walking Tour of San Miguel de Allende

When you arrive in San Miguel de Allende, I recommend taking a walking tour of the historic district with a professional local guide. This two hour walking tour takes you to prominent sites, like the central square, important churches, and historical monuments.

Discover the charming hidden narrow streets of this beautiful city and visit the must see attractions. Your private tour guide will answer any questions you might have and share what it’s like to be a resident of such a beautiful place. Book your tour here.

Visit El Jardin

El Jardin is San Miguel de Allende’s central public square and the heart of the town (also known as Jardín Principal or the Main Garden). It’s a lively place that’s the center of all the action in town. I suggest spending a bit more time there to absorb the atmosphere of San Miguel de Allende.

This is where many people meet to hang out, as well as a place to go for street food or ice cream. You can also watch folkloric dance or take in a local concert.

Where to Stay in San Miguel de Allende

My top pick for where to stay in San Miguel de Allende is the Casa del Tio Hotel Boutique . It’s located within the historic city center and just 200 meters from Jardín Allende, the city’s main square. There are two terraces with amazing views of the town, and you’re within walking distance of most of the town’s major attractions. The rooms contain many modern amenities, including a Nespresso machine. Book your stay here.

You can also use the handy map below to browse all accommodations in San Miguel de Allende. Enter your travel dates for more precise information. Click on each property to learn more and book your stay.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 6: San Miguel de Allende

It’s day two in San Miguel de Allende and there’s still so much more to see and do here. You can check some items off your bucket list, like taking a hot air balloon ride and relaxing in Mexican hot springs.

Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride

There’s nothing like taking a hot air balloon ride over one of the most beautiful places in the world. You’ll wake up bright and early to embark on a hot air balloon ride in San Miguel de Allende. Take flight on a 45 to 60 minute balloon ride over downtown San Miguel de Allende and its pastoral surroundings.

Marvel at the natural landscapes and the brilliant colors of the sunrise as the world awakens. Admire endless panoramic views off towards the horizon. You might even see a few other hot air balloons making an appearance across the vast scenery. Book your tour here.

Check out the Local Markets

Checking out local markets is one of the best ways to partake in the local culture and gastronomy, and San Miguel de Allende has several tempting markets to visit. San Juan de Dios is one of the main markets in San Miguel de Allende with both an indoor and outdoor section. You can sample authentic eats and purchase local fruits and vegetables, too.

For handcrafted wares, visit the Mercado de Artesanias (Artisan Market). You’ll find locally made jewelry, hand painted ceramics, food stalls and more. Tianguis Organico is a Saturday market featuring local organic traders selling organic produce, prepared food like tamales and guacamole, chocolates and condiments.

Visit the Mask Museum

Here’s another unique museum in Guanajuato, Mexico: the San Miguel Mask Museum . The owner and curator, Bill LeVasseur, has spent over 25 years collecting a vast array of 500 Mexican ceremonial masks. He acquired the masks through his personal visits to remote indigenous communities where he observed their dance ceremonies.

In addition to the wide assortment of masks are photos, texts and videos from over 40 dance ceremonies. This offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the traditional cultures of Guanajuato. All proceeds from the entrance admission benefits the Casa de los Angeles Day Care Center in San Miguel de Allende.

Relax at Nearby Hot Springs

La Gruta , or The Grotto, are the best hot springs in San Miguel de Allende. After a day of touring around, it’s time to soak and relax at the natural hot springs. There are contrasting hot and cold springs to soothe your aching muscles and benefit your entire body.

The cave is a man-made sauna with just the right amount of beneficial heat and steam. There’s also a spa on-site with professional massage services, as well as green spaces for everyone to enjoy. With a restaurant at the location for breakfast, brunch, and dessert, you may be tempted to spend the whole day here.

Guanajuato Itinerary Day 7: Ruta del Vino

Did you know that Guanajuato has its own wine route? The Ruta del Vino in Guanajuato features more than 25 wineries where you can tour the vineyards, have a small food pairing, and of course, taste the wine. The Ruta del Vino meanders from Dolores Hidalgo down to San Miguel de Allende.

While it is a relatively new wine region that emerged in the 1990s and 2000s, the high altitude and cool evenings of the area makes it ideal for growing grapes. Many of the wineries are organic and focus on creating high quality wine without any additives or preservatives.

I suggest spending your last day on this one week Guanajuato itinerary visiting a few of the wineries on the Ruta del Vino. If you’re departing from San Miguel de Allende, you can visit these wineries on your way back to Guanajuato City and Leon.

It’s also a good idea to spend another night in San Miguel de Allende. After your wine tour, you can relax back at your accommodation for the night or savor another magical evening in town. It’s also possible to take an Uber from San Miguel to the wineries so you don’t have to drive. Of course, if you drive yourself, your driver won’t be able to partake in the wine tastings, so it might be a good idea to Uber around.

Need Travel Insurance? You should never leave home without travel insurance! Check out the best rates to make sure you’re covered in case of an emergency or accident.

This blog post is brought to you by Guanajuato State Tourism .

Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren. She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 50+ countries around the world. Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers. She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel, eco and sustainable travel, and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns.

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My 1-Week Maui Itinerary

Last Updated on September 17, 2024

Maui is always a good idea, whether you’re into outdoor adventure or beach bumming. Here I’m sharing my 1-week Maui itinerary and details of our trip on this Hawaiian paradise.

Spearmint water fringe the coast, misty waterfalls tumble over lush green rockfaces and massive volcanoes loom over quaint beach towns — Maui is the Hawaiian island that most people dream of.  Despite being the second largest island in Hawai’i, Maui still has a laidback feel, with pockets of nature and villages with the aloha spirit. 

As I discovered on my trip to Maui, there’s plenty of adventure to be had on this Hawaiian island  — from hiking up a volcano to paragliding , scuba-diving and many more. I’m sharing our 1-week Maui itinerary that will show you the other sides of the country allowing you to enjoy more than just a stroll on the beach.

Table of Contents

Maui Itinerary Map

Maui itinerary day 1: wailea beach, maui itinerary day 2: haleakala, maui itinerary day 3: kula, maui itinerary day 4: molokini, maui itinerary day 5: hana, maui itinerary day 6: drive back south, maui itinerary day 7: prepare to head home, how to get to maui, by rental car, taxis and ridesharing apps, by bike, scooter or moped, best time to visit maui, driving in maui, is it safe to visit maui, what to pack for maui, enjoy your maui trip, the ultimate maui itinerary & guide.

With only 1 week in Maui, we managed to explore quite a bit of the island and pack in a few exciting adventures. You’ll have enough time to relax on beautiful beaches, go on a few hikes, drive the scenic route to Hana and experience a traditional Hawaiian luau. Even though Maui is spread out, it only takes about three hours to drive from one end of the island to the other. So, you’re never too far from your next waterfall hike, beach day, or poke bowl pit stop.

NOTE: Certain areas of Maui, including Lahaina, have been devastated by wildfires in 2023. Please be sure to double-check whether places are open and accessible and be even more kind, respectful, and patient with the land and the locals than you generally would be.

Here’s a map of my Maui itinerary. Click to see it on Google Maps.

How to use this map : Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations, then click on the locations to display further information. To open a larger version in a new tab, click on the top right corner of the map. Star the map to save it to your own Google Maps.

Download my Maui itinerary on Google Maps.

1-Week Maui Itinerary

Our 1-week Maui itinerary started on the western part of the island; we based ourselves on Wailea Beach, where some of the best hotels in Maui are located. Wailea Beach is around a 35-minute drive from Kahului Airport.

After a long flight to Maui, we took the day to rest and just enjoy Wailea Beach. This wide, sandy haven offers spectacular views of Kaho’olawe, Molokini, and Lana’i (I heard that during the winter, you might even spot whales offshore). The rocky outcroppings at each end of the beach are excellent snorkeling spots when the ocean is calm. 

And there is also something for history buffs too. Wailea means “the water of Lea”, the goddess of canoe makers. Prior to resort development, this beach was called Kahamanini, and the name Wailea referred only to the rocky point defining the south end of this beach. The only drawback to Wailea Beach is the bustling crowds but it’s completely free in early the morning. However, you can escape into the water with a Guided Sea Ski Snorkeling Tour and snorkel using an underwater scooter!

Hop on a Hawaiian Sailing Canoe 

The Hawaiian sailing canoe holds a special place in Hawaiian culture, deeply intertwined with the community’s way of life and its history. The construction of a canoe was not just a practical endeavor but a significant communal event involving priests, craftsmen, laborers, and helpers from the village. For Hawaiian kings and chiefs, canoe building also symbolized the strength of their armies and the islands’ power.

This revered tradition continues today, and you can experience the ancient Hawaiian seafaring way by hopping on a canoe. We booked this guided tour and had an excellent guide who shared all the history of the canoe; its construction, sailing, and traditional navigation methods.

For a touch of nostalgia, the canoe is launched from the beach using age-old techniques. This was one of our favorite experiences in Maui.

Hike la Perouse

Located at the end of Makena Alanui Road is La Perouse Bay, where you can go on a short but scenic hike. The bay was shaped by a lava flow from around 200 years ago when molten rock oozed from a split vent near the Haleakala volcano. The volcanic activity created the jagged shoreline and natural bay we see today. Most hiking trails in Hawaii mandate that you make reservations before setting off on a hike. La Perouse has no such limitations.

The La Perouse Bay trails wind through rugged lava fields and offer spectacular ocean views. With swimming, snorkeling, and surf opportunities along the way, these trails invite a sense of adventure and freedom for those who prefer more spontaneous explorations. However, it’s worth noting that the facilities here are limited. There are only two portable toilets and a small parking area, so plan your trip to avoid any inconveniences.

Chill at Big Beach

Also known as Makena Beach or Oneloa Beach, Big Beach is a secluded alternative to the busier shores of Kāʻanapali and Lāhainā. Despite its growing popularity, Big Beach rarely feels packed (maybe that’s down to its rather generous size). Located south of Wailea, Big Beach stretches over half a mile and has an impressive width, providing ample space to relax without feeling crowded.

However, you should be aware of the beach’s significant on-shore break, which can be hazardous during large south swells. This is not a safe spot for small children or inexperienced swimmers but there are always lifeguards in place.

On a lighter note, I loved it because it’s easy to grab a bite at more pocket-friendly prices. There are several food vendors, often operating from trucks around Makena Park.

Where to Stay Near Wailea Beach  

Luxury: wailea beach marriott resort & spa.

Staying here is like having a front-row seat to the mesmerizing ocean and Hawaiian sunsets, all while enjoying a perfectly crafted mai tai. Found between two secluded sandy beaches on Maui’s southern coastline, this hotel offers unparalleled access to lush golfing greens and exceptional shopping.

The resort is a playground for all ages, featuring an array of engaging activities and interactive spaces. There are three championship-level golf courses, a nearly 10,000-square-foot spa, and a lively luau. Check out the rates here .

Luxury: Sheraton Maui

Staying at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa offers a quintessential Hawaiian experience. Found at Puu Kekaa on Kaanapali Beach, this resort combines adventure, romance, and family fun. While here, you can immerse in indigenous Hawaiian cultural activities, unwind on the white sandy beach, and take in breathtaking Pacific views. Check out the rates here .

On Day 2 of your Maui itinerary, you will drive along State Highway 378 (Crater Road) to Haleakala National Park – one of the Best National Parks in the USA . The national park is about 1 hour east of Wailea Beach but the road there isn’t quite straight-forward. Your journey will lead you north through a couple of small towns (Maalaea, Waikapu, and Kahului) before heading southeast to the park.

Drive up to Haleakala Crater

The next day, rise early and drive to the Haleakalā Crater for sunrise. As the third largest volcano in Hawaii, Haleakalā rises majestically to 10,023 feet, covering about three-quarters of the entire island. The volcano is located within the Haleakalā National Park and is one of the best road trips I have ever taken.

You’ll ascend to the summit via the Haleakalā Highway, a ten-mile stretch from the main park entrance to the upper craters and viewing areas. The drive is slow and winding, with numerous pull-offs that offer stunning vistas. This scenic route is not just a drive but an immersive experience, showcasing the grandeur of the beautiful Haleakalā. Witness the sunrise from the summit of Haleakala on this unforgettable tour.

Enjoy a Farm Tour at O’o Farms Kula

I have always made it a habit to do a food tour whenever I visit a new destination. A friend recommended O’o Farms Kula and I was really glad we chose their 3-hour farm-to-table lunch and farmer field tour.

We started our tour in the lush green fields of the farm, where we met our knowledgeable guide. As we strolled along the slopes, we learned about regenerative farming practices and the diverse crops grown here. The breathtaking 3500-foot elevation offers panoramic bi-coastal views and a refreshing upcountry climate that enhances the experience.

After that, we settled into the rustic communal dining area under reclaimed wood pavilions, and tucked into a delectable four-course meal prepared with fresh ingredients sourced from the farm and supplemented by local, sustainably sourced products. Each dish was served family-style, accompanied by stories of its creation and the farm’s practices, all while sipping on O’o coffee.

Tours are held Monday through Friday, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Get more information on the tour here .

Dinner at Nick’s Fishmarket

For dinner, head to Nick’s Fishmarket. The seafood restaurant’s menu offers mouth-watering fresh Hawaiian fish cuisines like opakapaka, mahi mahi, and ahi. Steak enthusiasts will relish the perfectly cooked filet mignon. Under the guidance of Chef Maka, every dish celebrates the island’s most exquisite products and supports local producers. Get more information about the restaurant here .

The third day of this Maui itinerary leads to the beautiful town of Kula, 30 minutes from Haleakalā National Park. To reach the town, you’ll drive back along Crater Road for about 13.9 miles.

Go Paragliding at Kula

Kula, the upcountry region of Maui, is one of the best places to paraglide in the world because of the predictable weather conditions. The trade winds that come through Maui help stabilize the wind direction and create conditions suitable for paragliding. 

I flew with Proflyght Paragliding, one of the oldest paragliding schools in the world, having been around for 50 years. No experience is needed for a tandem experience. There is no age limit either (Proflyght has flown with passengers aged 3 to 98 years old).

The price for a 3000-foot descent is $185 (10-15 minutes), and the 1000-foot descent (3-5 minutes) is $95. The take-off spot is near Paia area. Here’s my paragliding experience in Maui, Hawaii.

Hike in Waihe’e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge

In the afternoon, we eased into a more relaxing experience, at the Waihe’e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge . This 277-acre protected area, managed by the Hawai’i Island Land Trust, offers a peaceful escape into Hawaii’s rich natural and cultural history.

Once home to ancient villages, a large fish pond, and sacred heiau, the refuge is now a haven for endangered Hawaiian birds and native plants. The 2.4-mile trail meanders past the former Waihe’e Dairy and other historic buildings, hugging the coastline to the point where Waihe’e Stream meets the ocean.

You can return along the coastal route or opt for a more secluded inland trail through the shaded woodland. While exploring, it’s essential to respect the sacred land, cultural sites, and fragile ecosystems. You can do so by staying on designated paths and not disturbing the structures, rock formations, and heiau that hold deep significance to the Hawaiian people.

Lunch at Mama’s Fish House

After the hike, we went to Mama’s Fish House for a tasty lunch. This iconic restaurant on Maui’s north shore is one of the best in Hawaii and also one of the toughest reservations to get. (Be sure to make a booking in advance!)

The restaurant specializes in fresh, locally caught fish, with prices typically ranging between $65 and $90. Despite its somewhat isolated location, many make the drive out to get a taste of its unique cuisines. Read reviews here.

Day 4 of this Maui itinerary will take you to the idyllic Molokini located a few miles off the coast. The underground crater is a beautiful spectacle and to get there, you need to hop on a boat. Luckily, there are so many snorkeling and scuba diving companies that offer daily trips to the area.

Scuba dive or Snorkel off Molokini

Molokini had been on my bucket list for some time, and I finally had the chance to dive there on my Maui trip. I was excited to explore the area, so I connected with Pauline Fiene, an experienced diver and co-owner of Mike Severns Diving . That morning, Pauline and dive master A.J. took the time to chat with everyone individually to understand our skills and preferences, making sure we felt safe.

As we plunged into the waters, we were greeted by a stunning vertical wall of volcanic rock that dropped nearly 300 feet into the dark abyss below. Vibrant angelfish and pufferfish darted among the coral caves and rock tunnels, while patches of green and pink corals bloomed against the rugged, dark grey slopes.

The reef here is one of the healthiest in Hawaii, thanks to its remote location three miles from the shore. So, if you want an unforgettable snorkeling experience or scuba dive, Molokini is the perfect spot to do so in Maui. Read about our Maui scuba diving experience here. I highly recommend booking this tour.

Sunset Sailing Cruise

In the evening, prepare for a magical experience as you cruise along the coast of Molokini at sunset. As the sun dips toward the horizon, the sky transforms into a vivid canvas of hues, reflecting off the calm waters surrounding the ancient volcanic crater. The serene atmosphere is perfect for unwinding, with the gentle sway of the boat and the warm breeze brushing against your skin.

On my trip to Molokini, I joined this guided tour from Maalaea and it was a beautiful experience. Our trip was accompanied by soothing live music and an assortment of beverages. As we glided past the crescent-shaped Molokini, we spotted dolphins and sea turtles frolicking near the beach.

Experience a Hawaiian Luau 

A Maui luau is a vibrant and culturally rich celebration that offers a glimpse into the traditions and history of Hawaii. Set against the stunning backdrop of beaches, lush gardens, or oceanfront resorts, a luau is a sensory feast of music, dance, and authentic Hawaiian cuisine. Luau are festivities deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture, often held to mark significant family milestones like a baby’s first birthday, a graduation, or a wedding.

On my trip, I went to the legendary Feast of Lele for their famous luau, which combines gourmet interpretations of traditional dishes with curated wine pairings. We feasted on Hawaiian delicacies like kālua pig cooked in an imu (earth oven), haupia (coconut pudding), and poi. Sadly, the Feast at Lele location was destroyed by the Lahaina fires and remains closed today.

Other luaus with great reviews include the Myths of Maui Lūʻau at the Royal Lāhainā Resort, Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt Regency, and the famed Old Lāhainā Lūʻau. 

Day 5 of your Maui itinerary will lead through one of the island’s most beautiful roads. The drive along the 65-mile road is a staple for adventurers, groups, and families visiting Maui. Your trip will culminate in Hana, a beautiful town in the eastern part of the island.

Drive the Road to Hana

If there was ever a time to truly embrace the journey as much as the destination, this is it. The Road to Hana is a 65-mile journey that winds from the charming town of Pāʻia to the remote eastern tip of Maui. With over 600 hairpin curves, 59 bridges, and some pulse-quickening one-way stretches, the road snakes through lush rainforest landscapes straight out of a dream.

Along the way, you’ll encounter waterfalls, hidden jungle hikes, fruit stands, black sand beaches, and even roadside vendors selling delectable snacks. The drive to Hana is an experience packed with stunning scenery and more things to do and taste than you could possibly fit into a single day. I suggest booking the Road to Hana Adventure Tour with Pickup for a more personalized small group experience.

Stop for a Coffee at Paia Bay Coffee

You’ll need a pick-me-up coffee ahead of your long drive to Hana. The best place to grab one is Paia Bay Coffee & Bar in Paia Town. The café feels like a secret oasis, set amidst a lush tropical garden.

This vibrant spot is a favorite among locals, yogis, surfers, as well as road-trippers going to Hana. The chic café serves some of the best coffee in Maui and their snacks are delicious. I recommend you try their chicken sandwiches on your visit. Check out the reviews here .

Visit the Twin Falls

The Twin Falls are the first easily accessible waterfall and pool on the Road to Hana. This serene spot features a scenic road that meanders for nearly a mile alongside Ho’olawa Stream, leading you through a lush jungle. The well-maintained, graded, and graveled path splits into two footpaths after about half a mile, directing you towards the two main tributary streams.

If you plan on visiting these falls, please be mindful of potential high water or flash-floods after heavy rains. Beyond the stunning waterfalls, there’s a delightful food truck near the entrance, where you can enjoy refreshing popsicles with actual sugarcane sticks. The truck also sells fresh home-grown fruits, smoothies, cane juice, and homemade baked goods. Visit the Twin Falls on this tour.

Go Surfing at Ho’okipa Bay Beach Park

Often hailed as the “Mecca” of the windsurfing world, Ho’okipa Beach Park is a legendary destination for windsurfing enthusiasts. Professional windsurfing competitions are held here regularly, and on most windy days, you can watch pros effortlessly glide and perform breathtaking maneuvers. The beach isn’t just a haven for watersport lovers; it also offers an incredible natural spectacle.

The exposed reef running along the shoreline, frequently attracts Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Honu). Many of these can be seen bobbing just beyond the waves. For those looking for a closer encounter, a few turtles can be found lounging on the sand near the lookout cliff.

These blend in so well with the surrounding boulders that it’s easy to miss them. At sunset, the scene is even more magical, with turtles and admirers gathering at the shore for a tranquil evening rest.

Check Out the Black Sand Beach at Waiʻānapanapa State Park

Waiʻānapanapa State Park is one of the must-sees on your way to Hana. The breathtaking park is a natural wonder with nearly 360-degree panoramic views of the surroundings. The iconic Black Sand Beach is one of the most dramatic and one of the highlights of the park.

Although, it is more like small black pebbles than fine sand here. While the beach is not ideal for sunbathing, its striking beauty makes it feel like a living postcard. Despite its popularity, the beach rarely feels crowded, as most visitors often take a quick look and drive off.

Where to Stay in Hana

Luxury: hana kai maui.

Hana Kai is a quintessential retreat with 17 beautifully furnished vacation condominiums that provide breathtaking views of Hana Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Each studio, one-bedroom, and deluxe condo is uniquely decorated and features a fully equipped kitchen and a spacious ocean lanai, or ocean-side balcony.

While here, you’ll enjoy panoramic oceanfront views from many of the condos, perfect for witnessing stunning sunrises and enchanting moonlit nights. Check out the rates here .

Luxury: Hana-Maui Resort

Located along Maui’s breathtaking eastern shore, this stay offers an unparalleled retreat that harmoniously blends Hawaiian tradition with modern luxury. As part of the Destination by Hyatt collection, this secluded paradise invites guests to embrace the serene beauty of Hana.

The resort’s accommodations range from spacious oceanfront bungalows to elegant garden suites, each thoughtfully designed to ensure comfort and tranquility. With no televisions or clocks to disturb the peace, you’ll disconnect from the outside world and fully immerse in the town’s natural splendor. Check out the rates here .

After a glorious road trip on one of the island’s most picturesque stretches of tarmac, you will continue south on day 6. Like on day 5, you’ll make multiple stops along the way to enjoy some of Maui’s most explosive experiences.

Stop at Waioka Pond

Waioka Pond (Waioaoaka which means “open mouth of fresh water”) is a stunning gem along the Hana coastline. This pristine pool is not for the faint of heart; reaching it requires a combination of scrambling, climbing, and off-trail hiking. However, the effort to get there is well worth it.

Once you navigate the rugged trails and reach the pond’s edge, you’ll be greeted by a breathtaking scene. Here, you’ll see the blue ocean crashing against the rocks nearby and the dramatic, rugged landscape all around. For those adventurous souls, there are several hiking trails down the cliffs.

The easiest is right at the mauka end of the pool. Please wear sturdy shoes with good grip to avoid any slips on these challenging trails. Please be advised that the area is prone to flash floods, particularly during the rain season. On this self-driving audio tour of the Road to Hana, you’ll make a stop at Waioka Pond.

Hike the Pipiwai Trail

The Pipiwai Trail is the quintessential hike for those seeking a blend of dramatic natural beauty and diverse landscapes. Spanning just 1.8 miles, this easy trail meanders beside a series of pools and waterfalls, each framed by the vibrant greenery of a tropical rainforest. The scenery evolves as you progress, transitioning from lush foliage to a serene bamboo forest that feels like stepping into another world.

It culminates at the base of the magnificent Waimoku Falls with a sheer cliff face. While the Pipiwai Trail offers a visual feast and a range of experiences, it’s worth noting that it’s one of the most crowded in Maui. So, be prepared to share the trail with other hikers.

Check Out Ke’anae Peninsula

The Ke’anae Peninsula is a brief detour off the Hana Highway. The peninsula offers breathtaking views of the ocean crashing against jagged lava rock, making it a must on your Maui itinerary. As you approach, the peninsula’s dramatic landscape will have already captured your attention from various lookouts along the road.

Grab a Quick Bite at Sunday’s Banana Bread

As you’re leaving the Ke’anae Peninsula, be sure to stop by Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread. The snack stand is located on the left side of the road near the church. It is renowned for its warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven banana bread, baked daily with the perfect blend of sweetness and a hint of nostalgia.

At this point, you’re probably feeling a bit hungry, and there’s no better way to satisfy those cravings than with a slice of this iconic banana bread. Besides their delicious bread, the stand also sells other goodies like chili dogs, Kalua pork sandwiches, and smoothies, among others.  Check out the reviews here .

It’s time to drive back to the airport. It takes around 2.5 hours to drive to the Kahului Airport from Hana. However, most flights don’t leave Maui until the afternoon, so you have plenty of time to get there. But if you love traveling on your terms then chartering a private jet with Air Charter Service is a no-brainer.

Maui Travel Guide

To get to Maui, most people fly into Kahului Airport (OGG), the island’s main airport and primary entry point. To get here, you’ll likely arrive via a connecting flight from Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. It’s Hawaii’s main airport with nonstop flights from major US cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, and others.

Direct flights to Maui are also available from select locations, and round-trip tickets from New York begin from around $450, depending on the season. If you’re planning on staying on Maui’s west side, the small commuter Kapalua Airport (JHM) is a wonderful alternative, especially if you’re planning to book a private plane .

For those planning to stay on the east side, Hāna Airport (HNM) offers flights to and from Honolulu but lacks public transport, so a car or prearranged shuttle is necessary. Regardless of where you enter from, Maui is easy to navigate and you only need a couple of hours to get from one end to another.

Search for flights to Maui Kahului Airport here.

How to Get around Maui

As the second-largest Hawaiian island, Maui is a blend of breathtaking scenery and rural charm. To truly experience its charms, renting a car is your best bet—trust me, you’ll want the freedom to explore Maui at your own pace. And while the allure of a 4×4 Jeep or a sleek Mustang convertible might be tempting, the truth is you don’t need either here.

Sure, they do look great in photos but often come with a hefty price tag because they are in high demand. The good news is that you don’t need a high-clearance vehicle for 99 percent of Maui’s roads, including the famous Road to Hana.

A sedan or SUV will do just fine, comfortably cruising from sandy beaches to volcanic peaks without missing a beat (or draining your wallet). For car rentals, we always use Discover Cars , as they consistently offer the best rates and customer service, with rentals typically starting from as low as $42 per day.

Search for car rentals in Kahului here!

Taking a rideshare or taxi cab is also an effective way to get around Maui but requires a little patience and planning. While you’ll easily find Uber and Lyft on the island, don’t expect the rapid response you’d get in a bustling city like New York. Rideshare drivers here are fewer and often elusive, especially during peak hours or at night.

Taxis are also widely available but come with some challenges. If you plan on staying in remote areas of the island, you should know that getting a cab is just as hard. Also, taxis charge around $3 per mile and given that Maui is deceptively large, trips across the island could cost more than you might expect.

Also keep in mind that while your driver might be able to drop you off at a remote beach or trailhead, getting picked up again isn’t guaranteed. So, plan with your driver or get their contact if you are to use this mode of transport. Also, here’s a list of the travel apps I use to simplify my trips.

Taking the bus is the most pocket-friendly way to get from point A to point B in Maui. The island’s bus service covers all routes across the island. A one-way ride costs just $2, but for greater flexibility, you can purchase an unlimited day pass for $4 or opt for monthly passes if you’re staying longer.

The bus is particularly effective for journeys along the west coast, servicing popular areas like Kaʻanapali, Lāhainā, and Kīhei with ease. However, be prepared for a slower pace; while buses are generally on time, they can occasionally run late and make frequent stops. You can easily track the live locations of the buses here . You might also want to book a bus ticket online here.

For a fun and nostalgic way to get around Maui, why not hop on a trolley? Two charming routes cater to shopaholics: the West Maui Shopping Express and the South Maui Shopping Express. Both routes have trolleys running daily and offering a breezy, scenic way to hop between the island’s best shopping spots.

If you’re staying in the Kaʻanapali area, the free trolley makes it easy to explore, with stops at hotels, shops, and golf courses. If you need to get between Kaʻanapali and Lāhainā, there’s a nearby shuttle that runs daily from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. It costs just $2 each way, making it easy to enjoy both areas.

Seeing Maui on the back of a scooter or bicycle is an experience you’ll never forget. Maui’s spread-out layout means that cycling and scootering are more effective for getting between two nearby towns. However, the biking culture here is rather downbeat, so don’t expect the same vibe you’d find on Oʻahu.

You can rent a bike or e-bike from local shops in Lāhainā, Kīhei, or other beach towns. Rental prices are affordable and practical, with many shops starting from about $75 a week for a laid-back beach cruiser to $250 for an electric bike. For bike rentals, I recommend Boss Frog’s and West Maui Cycles .

If you’re up for a bit more speed and flair, scooters or mopeds are a fun alternative, especially along the coast where they really shine. Rentals start at around $60 a day or $350 a week. For moped or scooter rentals, please check out Island Motion .

The best time to visit Maui depends on what you’re looking for, but you really can’t go wrong any time of year. Temperatures in Maui are consistently pleasant, ranging from the high 70s to the mid-80s. While Maui’s rainy season is typically from November through April and the dry season from May through September, these aren’t set in stone.

So, don’t be surprised when you see rain in June. For the whale-watching season, plan your trip between November and May. During that window, you’ll likely spot North Pacific humpback whales grace the island’s waters.

If you’re looking to avoid crowds and high prices, consider the shoulder seasons of April through May and September through November. These windows offer lovely weather without the heavy influx of summer and winter travelers. The hurricane season in Maui runs from June to November, with the highest activity typically in July, August, and September.

Driving in Maui is pretty easy and straightforward. You won’t find a lot of traffic or rude drivers. Road users here are much calmer and no one really pointlessly hoots. It’s not a big island, so you can easily drive from one end of the island to another in about three hours. Just download the Maui map on Google Maps to access it offline.

I rely on DiscoverCars.com for car rentals around the globe. Their search engine compares rates from all major providers, consistently offering the best deals and services. Find car rentals in Maui here!

Maui is generally considered safe for travelers. The locals here largely depend on the thriving tourism industry, so they never do anything to comprise it. I’ve been to the Maui a couple of times, and never had anything bad happen to me.

However, I still recommend that you practice common-sense safety measures, like safeguarding your items and being aware of one’s surroundings for a safe trip.

For this trip to Maui, you’ll be spending most of your time outside, so definitely pack lots of sun-proof gear. KEEN footwear or normal sandals are also really useful for walking on beaches strewn with seashells or corals.

Snorkel mask and fins will come in useful as you’ll be using them a lot here. Also, be sure to bring your spinning reels or other gear that you might not be able to find on the island.

Packing List for Maui:

• SPF 70 Sunscreen
• Mosquito repellent
• Snorkel mask and fins
• UPF50+ rash guard swim shirt
• Quick-dry towels
• KEEN covered sandals
• GoPro for waterproof photos/videos
• Quick-dry t-shirts

Are you ready to explore Maui? Hope you found my 1-week Maui itinerary useful! Feel free to bookmark this Maui itinerary on your phone and refer it to it as you go along. Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. Read more of my articles to get ideas for your next trip:

• Best Caribbean Islands for Families
• 28 Things to Do in Trinidad and Tobago
• St Kitts: The Caribbean Without the Crowd
• Climbing La Soufriere Volcano on St Vincent
• Dominican Republic with Kids
• 24 Things to Do in Curacao
• Curacao Travel Guide
• Costa Rica with Kids
• Best Beaches in Curacao
• Best Places to Visit in Jamaica

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links i.e. I’ll get a small commission when you book anything through my links, at NO extra cost to you. I only recommend companies I have personally used and enjoyed.

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Nellie Huang

Nellie Huang is the founder of WildJunket. Originally from Singapore, Nellie has traveled to over 150 countries across 7 continents. As an accomplished travel writer, she has written for BBC Travel, CNN and Rough Guides . She is also the author of five travel books, including the latest Lonely Planet's Mexico guidebook. Read more about her here and follow her on Facebook and Instagram .

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The thrill of adventure. The awesomeness of hostels. Get ‘em both on these immersive small group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travellers.

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As the leader in small group travel for 30 years, we know how to do it right: flexible itineraries, freedom to roam, safety, peace of mind, and locally based guides.

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Together with our non-profit partner, Planeterra, we ensure local communities touched by our tours benefit from our visits in as many ways possible.

Trees for Days

Leave your destination even greener than you found it! For every day on tour, we’ll plant a tree in your honour and ensure that our forests get to live their best lives.

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Mexico Family Journey: The Heart of the Yucatán

8 days, playa del carmen to playa del carmen.

• Full itinerary
• Tour details

The Yucatán Peninsula is the perfect destination for explorers of all ages. Full of marine life, Maya ruins, and wildlife-packed jungles, this 8-day journey through some of Mexico’s must-see historical sites–small towns, cenotes, and reserves, offers the perfect educational experience for the entire family to share. Go on a jeep safari on the island of Cozumel, visit the remarkable wildlife in Celestún, marvel at the largest pyramid at Chichen Itza, visit a small Maya community and enjoy some ice cream in Izamal. The perfect blend of cross-cultural connections, history, and exploration that will provide a lifetime of memories for your whole family.

Playa del Carmen to Playa del Carmen

Is this tour for me, travel style: national geographic family journeys.

Trips for adventure-loving families in search of a meaningful way to discover the world together.

Service Level: Upgraded

Quality accommodations and more inclusions than on other G Adventures tours, like meals, private transport, and activities.

Physical Rating: 2 - Light

Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.

Trip Type: Small Group

Small group experience; Max 20.

Age requirement: 12+

All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Check Your Visa Requirements

Before booking, use our handy entry requirements tool so you know which documents you need to enter and travel through the countries on your trip.

See how your trip uplifts communities

In a number of impactful ways, your adventure directly benefits the local people and places we visit.

Help us spread love around the world with Trees for Days. Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.

Trees planted for this trip: 8

Places visited

Itinerary notes.

There are new Health & Safety Protocols for National Geographic Journeys tours. Please see here for full details and up-to-date requirements as they may change.

Family Journeys are designed for groups traveling with children between the ages of 7 and 17. Your group must include a child in order to book, and anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Day 1 Playa del Carmen

Welcome to Playa del Carmen –your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Day 2 day trip to cozumel.

Your adventure-filled day begins with a ferry ride to the island of Cozumel. Protected by offshore reefs, Cozumel was sparsely populated, but pirates and trading ships often sought shelter and replenished their supplies here. During the Mayan period the island was used as a commercial and ceremonial centre, making it home to several small archaeological sites with deep historical significance. Travel by jeep on an island safari while learning about the land and efforts to protect the nearby reefs. Swim in the clear waters, enjoy lunch with a view, and listen to stories of the ancient Maya. Return to the hotel in Playa del Carmen where dinner will be at your leisure.

Meals included:

Day 3 playa del carmen/mérida.

After breakfast, begin the journey to Merída. The first stop along the way will be to Chichen Itzá. National Geographic has ranked Chichen Itzá as the best Mayan ruin to visit in Mexico. This significant archaeological site is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, and houses 26 ruins in one location. Join an expert guide who will teach you about the site, including the pyramid, known as El Castillo or El Caracol. You’ll also see the largest Maya ball court in the Americas–Tlachtli.

Day 4 Mérida

Head into the jungle and marvel at the cenotes, giant holes in the earth filled with clear blue water. Considered sacred to the ancient Maya, cenotes have been studied by National Geographic Explorers like Dr. Guillermo de Anda extensively. Dive in with your family and channel your inner archeologist while exploring these waterways. Santa Barbara is home to 4 different pools to choose from, offering truly unique swimming experiences with the bonus of using a colorful small train as transport between. Return to Merída in the early evening for a free evening.

Day 5 Celestún Biosphere Reserve / Merida

Spend part of the day observing wildlife in the Celestún Biosphere Reserve with knowledgeable local guides. In the reserve there are over 200 species of birds that migrate or live here year-round. The area also serves as a hatching ground for endangered sea turtles. During winter the wetland boasts flocks of thousands of flamingos, offering quite a sight. Be sure to remain on the lookout for other wildlife like herons, ducks and pelicans. This immersive experience offers a wonderful opportunity to learn about and appreciate diverse wildlife in their natural habitat. The afternoon back in Merída will be free to explore as you choose.

Day 6 Mérida/Playa del Carmen

Ascend the pyramid steps of Kinich Kak Moo, Izamal’s Mayan pyramid and witness the excitement on your kids’ faces as they conquer the ancient steps and take in the panoramic views from the top. Spend time here amid the buildings of uniform yellow and enjoy some ice cream before the drive back to the coast and white sand beaches of Playa del Carmen. Return to the hotel and relax with a swim in the pool or take advantage of some of the hotel’s many amenities to unwind after your day’s journey.

Day 7 Playa del Carmen

Enjoy a day on your own, taking advantage of the optional activities in the area, lounging by the hotel pool, or building sandcastles on the beach. You can also choose to pre-book a visit to the Mayan city of Tulum, the only Mayan city built on a coast and one of the few protected by a wall of limestone. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for an included farewell dinner where everyone can swap stories and reflect on a week of fun and engaging exploration.

Day 8 Playa del Carmen

Depart at any time.

What's Included

• Your G for Good Moment: Yaxunah Community Visit & Tortilla Making
• Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
• Your Family Journeys Moment: Family Tour of Chichén Itzá with an Expert Guide, Chichén-Itzá
• Your Family Journeys Moment: Santa Bárbara Cenotes, Mérida
• Your Discover Moment: Playa del Carmen
• Complimentary arrival transfer
• Day tour of Cozumel with ruins, snorkeling, and beach time
• Celestún Biosphere Reserve visit with a boat ride on the river and free time at the beach for water activities
• Visit Izamal’s Mayan pyramid and climb the many steps
• Enjoy an ice cream before the drive back to Playa del Carmen
• All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodations

Hotels (7 nts).

7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner Allow USD220-290 for meals not included.

Transportation

Private vehicle, boat, walking.

Staff & experts

Two CEOs (Chief Experience Officers) throughout, local guides.

Price Options

• From $ 3699 USD Per Adult
• From $ 3499 USD Per Child

Make it a private tour

Interested in a private departure with your own CEO and all the benefits of a National Geographic Family Journeys group tour? Our Private Travel team can make this happen for you. Click above to start your private journey.