Touch down in Oaxaca and settle into our home for the week, a beautifully renovated 18th century mansion in the colonial heart of the city. The kind of place that sets the tone immediately.

That evening, we gather for our welcome dinner on a rooftop with sweeping views of the city below. The food here is artful and bold, rooted in Oaxacan tradition with a creative spirit. If you are feeling adventurous, the chapulines - locally harvested grasshoppers, a Oaxacan staple - are not to be missed.

We begin the morning with a walking food tour led by a local culinary guide… tasting, exploring, and learning the stories behind one of Mexico's most celebrated food cultures. Oaxaca's cuisine is ancient and layered, and this is the perfect introduction.

The afternoon is yours to wander freely… follow your instincts, explore the markets, find a café, get a little lost.

That evening, dinner at one of Oaxaca's most beloved restaurants, where traditional technique meets genuine soul.

After breakfast at the hotel, we visit Oaxaca's Textile Museum — a rich, beautifully curated look at the weaving traditions that have shaped this region for centuries.

Late afternoon brings one of the most intimate meals of the trip: a home-cooked lunch prepared with heart and deep culinary roots. The kind of food that reminds you why you travel.

The evening is yours for dinner on your own, and later, we reconvene for a mezcal tasting. Oaxaca is the spiritual home of mezcal, and this is a proper introduction.

We set out early for Monte Albán, the extraordinary ancient Zapotec city perched high above the valley, and one of the most significant archaeological sites in all of Mexico. We'll bring a simple packed breakfast to enjoy along the way, arriving as the morning light settles over the ruins.

Back in the city, the afternoon brings a temazcal ceremony, a traditional pre-Hispanic steam ritual that is equal parts grounding, cleansing, and deeply restorative.

That evening, dinner in a traditional smoke kitchen where the flavors of the southern Sierra come alive over open fire. Primal, elemental, and completely unforgettable.

This morning is one of the highlights of the entire trip. We begin with a market visit, then make our way to a family home for a hands-on cooking class with a local chef and his parents. Their custom-built teaching kitchen is filled with quirky art, beautiful handmade dishes, and a great deal of laughter. The parents speak only Spanish, but warmth and humor, it turns out, need no translation.

The afternoon is free… time to revisit a favorite shop, pick up any last treasures, or simply sit somewhere beautiful with a coffee.

Dinner that evening is in an open-air space that feels like Oaxaca at its most magical — co-created by some of Mexico's most celebrated culinary voices, and surrounded by the kind of beauty that makes you want to linger long after the meal is over.

We leave the city this morning for Teotitlán del Valle, a Zapotec village with a weaving tradition that stretches back thousands of years. Here we visit a ninth-generation rug weaver where we learn the process of natural dyeing and see the beautiful hand woven rugs. We also stop at a candle-making workshop, where we learn about this elaborate tradition.

Lunch is a casual affair at a local village restaurant before we continue to a 16th century Dominican church built directly atop ancient Zapotec ruins. Few places make Mexico's layered history quite so tangible. If time allows, we'll visit a nearby ancient tree, one of the largest living organisms in the world.

Our farewell dinner that evening is nothing short of enchanting. A fitting send-off for a week like this one.

A final breakfast together before we check out and make our way to the airport… full, inspired, and already planning our return.