New Oaxaca excursion: Oaxaca crafts & cuisine
By Condor Verde Mexico • 12 November 2024
We will dive into the artistic and gastronomic heritage of Oaxaca. We start our day by visiting two wonderful family workshops, one that produces the famous Oaxacan black pottery, and one that creates beautiful red clay ceramics. We then continue to an alebrijes workshop. Oaxacan alebrijes are surreal, dream-like creatures carved out of the wood of the copal tree, which only grows in Oaxaca. Then it is time for an open-air lunch. We will enjoy a delicious spread of local Zapotec cuisine. We continue to the distillery of one of Oaxaca’s pioneering producers of mezcal. Not only does it stand out for the quality of liquor that is produced, but the whole production is based around organic and sustainable methods. Return to the hotel. Duration: 9.5 hours.
New Oaxaca excursion: Monte Alban, pottery studio, Michelin lunch, & Museo de las Culturas
By Condor Verde Mexico • 12 November 2024
Oaxaca was once the center of the Mixtec and Zapotec civilizations. Spectacularly situated on a levelled mountaintop above the Oaxaca Valley is Monte Alban, the greatest of the Zapotec cities. After exploring the impressive ruins, we continue to the village of Atzompa, where we will visit the pottery studio of a wonderful local artist who mixes traditional Zaapotec elements with modern touches. Back in Oaxaca, lunch awaits us on the shaded rooftop terrace of restaurant Tierra del Sol, awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide. The views are spectacular, and chef Olga Cabrera serves traditional Mixtec dishes from her childhood. After lunch we will visit the gorgeous Museo de las Culturas, laid out in a series of galleries around the old Santo Domingo monastery. Duration: 8.5 hours.
New Oaxaca excursion: Hot chocolate-making workshop in Tlacolula
By Condor Verde Mexico • 12 November 2024
In Oaxaca, hot chocolate has been prepared for millennia. Ancient cultures drank hot chocolate at sacred rituals and as a show of wealth. Oaxacans still have a deep connection to the drink, and culinary traditions have been passed down for centuries. We will drive to the village of Tlacolula, where our first stop is the market. Here we find the ingredients for hot chocolate, including cacao, cinnamon, sugar, and almonds, as well as the traditional pastries that accompany it. At the village mill, the cacao will be transformed into chocolate bars. The chocolate bars are then dissolved in hot water or milk, and the mixture is made frothy with a wooden whisk. We can then sip the delicious, ancient drink out of a clay cup while hearing the fascinating stories surrounding it. Duration: 4 hours.
Our Habitas hotels in Tulum, San Miguel de Allende and Bacalar
By Condor Verde Mexico • 12 September 2024
The Our Habitas group of sustainable hotels has three wonderful "laidback luxury" properties in Mexico: Our Habitas Tulum, Our Habitas San Miguel de Allende, and Our Habitas Bacalar. Ask us for net rates.
Our Habitas Tulum (video top left) is made up of 32 canvas tents set on the beach or in the jungle on elevated wooden platforms, with private porches and topped with palapa roofs. The outdoor showers, surrounded by low palms, are stunning. There is a holistic spa, a yoga studio, and bikes that you can take out for the day. The restaurant serves hearty-yet-healthy meals, and the bar prepares cocktails and fresh-pressed juices for those sunbathing by the infinity pool or on loungers on the beach.
Our Habitas San Miguel de Allende (video top right) is located 10 minutes from the colonial city center of San Miguel de Allende, and the hotel offers a free taxi service to whisk you back and forth. If you want to stay put, you can enjoy the amazing views of the countryside from any of the 60 freestanding terracotta cabins with private deck, and join daily activities such as yoga, salsa-making classes, or horseback riding.
Our Habitas Bacalar (video bottom left) is located 220km south of Tulum and 350km southeast of Merida, on the long and narrow Bacalar Lagoon with its vivid shades of blue. The 34 A-frame tented rooms sit on raised platforms and face either the lagoon or the jungle, and all of them combine boutique-hotel stylishness with safari-camp proximity to the outdoors. A wide variety of outdoor adventures are available, including many ways to experience the gentle waters of the lagoon, beginning with a sunrise paddle board excursion.
New excursion in Merida:
Mezcal tasting at Casa Lecanda
By Condor Verde Mexico • 12 September 2024
The colonial-style boutique hotel Casa Lecanda is the perfect setting for a mezcal tasting. Mezcal is the traditional Mexican spirit made from the agave plant. A maestro mezcalero will take us through its fascinating history and production process, followed by a tasting of 9 artisanal mezcals, paired with artisanal cheeses, cured meats and cold cuts, assorted fruits and vegetables, a variety of Mexican snacks, quince paste, marshmallows with chocolate, and yes, even maguey worms and grasshoppers. Duration: 1.5 hours.
Hotel Kimpton Virgilio
in Mexico City
By Condor Verde Mexico • 9 July 2024
Boutique hotel group Kimpton Hotels, part of IHG, has opened Kimpton Virgilio in the stylish Polanco neighbourhood, steps away from Bosque de Chapultepec and Paseo de la Reforma. The hotel features 48 modern rooms, a Spanish tapas restaurant, and a rooftop bar and lounge area with a small pool. There are complimentary bikes and a gym.
Hotel Maison Mexico Roma
in Mexico City
By Condor Verde Mexico • 9 July 2024
Located in charming and centrally located Colonia Roma, this just-opened boutique hotel features 25 modern rooms, a rooftop bar, and restaurant Octavia led by Michelin-starred chef Jonatan Gomez Luna.
Hotel Casa Cleo by Viadora
in Mexico City
By Condor Verde Mexico • 9 Julio 2024
La Condesa, located near Bosque de Chapultepec and Paseo de la Reforma, is filled with 1920s architecture, lush parks, and a variety of trendy eateries. Located here is Casa Cleo, featuring 11 rooms distributed between the original historic house and an attached modern building. The hotel has a rooftop terrace perfect for relaxing.
Hotel The Amsterdam by Viadora
in Mexico City
By Condor Verde Mexico • 9 Julio 2024
Located in the heart of La Condesa on Avenida Amsterdam - the oval-shaped avenue that was once a horse racing track in the 1910s and 1920s - is The Amsterdam. The boutique hotel features 14 modern rooms. There is a rooftop terrace perfect for lounging and a gym.
Mexico's Leading Destination Management Company
By Condor Verde Mexico • 9 Julio 2024
For the second year in a row, Condor Verde has been voted Mexico's Leading Destination Management Company at the World Travel Awards 2024.
The Mexican taco stand that just got a Michelin star
By Condor Verde Mexico • 15 May 2024
On May 14, the first-ever Michelin Guide to Mexico was revealed. In all, 157 restaurants were included in the guide. Famous Mexico City eateries Pujol and Quintonil were both awarded two Michelin stars. 16 restaurants were awarded one Michelin star, including Tacos El Califa de Leon, an unassuming 3-metre by 3-metre taqueria in the San Rafael neighborhood of Mexico City. The essence of its taco is beef fillet so tender it need not be sliced into pieces. It is simply seasoned with salt and cooked with a squeeze of lime on a sizzling grill, before being wrapped in a fresh tortilla and served with green or red salsa. Condor Verde will be happy to include a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant in your Mexico itinerary.
Full list:
Two-starred restaurants:
- Pujol, Mexico City
- Quintonil, Mexico City
One-starred restaurants:
- Taquería El Califa de León, Mexico City
- Animalón, Baja California
- Cocina de Autor Los Cabos, Baja California Sur
- Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo
- Conchas de Piedra, Baja California
- Damiana, Baja California
- Em, Mexico City
- Esquina Común, Mexico City
- HA’, Quintana Roo
- KOLI Cocina de Origen, Nuevo León
- Le Chique, Quintana Roo
- Levadura de Olla Restaurante, Oaxaca
- Los Danzantes Oaxaca, Oaxaca
- Pangea, Nuevo León
- Rosetta, Mexico City
- Sud 777, Mexico City
Hotel Taller de Juan, San Cristobal de las Casas (Southern Mexico)
By Condor Verde Mexico • 30 April 2024
Taller de Juan ('taller' means workshop) is perfectly located within walking distance of San Cristobal's main sights. The hotel features 8 stylish suites set around an inner courtyard, as well as a laid-back lounge and restaurant. Artist Juan Martinez Parente was invited to decorate every corner of the hotel and even the room keys are miniature works of art. The beautiful ancestral textiles were created by local women's cooperatives.
Get in touch for a tailormade Southern Mexico itinerary, including Sumidero Canyon, San Cristobal de las Casas, Palenque, Campeche, Merida, Chichen Itza, and Riviera Maya.
Ruta de los Molinos mountain biking tour (San Cristobal de las Casas)
By Condor Verde Mexico • 7 May 2024
We will explore the picturesque countryside around San Cristobal de las Casas on a guided mountain biking tour. Along a 22km circuit, we will climb uphill and sail downhill on dirt roads and paved roads. We will stop at historical wheat mills dating from the 18th to 19th centuries that where strategically established on the Fogotico and Amarillo rivers, enter the unique cave formations of El Arcotete, visit the 17th century hacienda Quinta del Obispo used by bishops as a place to rest and reflect, and explore the dark and mysterious Mamut and Kin'vo caves with their stalactites and stalagmites.
For this thrilling adventure passengers must be reasonably fit. Duration: 5 to 6 hours. Includes mountain bike, helmet and head torch for caves.
Hotel Paradero Todos Santos, Southern Baja Peninsula
By Condor Verde Mexico • 30 April 2024
If you are looking for a lazy beach stay, this is not the place. Located 50 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas near the town of Todos Santos, Paradero Todos Santos is all about the activities, which are included in the stay.
The 35-suite desert-hued hotel is set around a palm tree oasis about 20 minutes from the beach, and features an infinity pool, spa, and excellent restaurant.
Activities include hikes and bike rides through beautiful landscapes and small villages and up steep hills overlooking the ocean. There are also surfing lessons at nearby Playa de Los Cerritos, cooking classes with freshly caught fish and vegetables from the onsite organic garden, and an art walk in Todos Santos.
New destination: Town of Espita (Yucatan Peninsula)
By Condor Verde Mexico • 18 March 2024
The town of Espita is perfectly located in the center of the Yucatan Peninsula, near the archaeological sites of Ek Balam and Chichen Itza. The town is full of charm, with its rich colonial history and warm-hearted locals, descendants of the Xppitha Maya. Espita's small size makes it easily walkable. The picturesque main plaza is bordered by the lovely Franciscan Saint Joseph church, the pretty colonial-style City Hall, and the lively municipal market. The town's vibrant evening atmosphere can be enjoyed while eating typical Yucatecan snacks and having a conversation with the friendly locals, who are dedicated to preserving the town's heritage and culture.
Espita is located:
35km from Ek Balam, 50km from Chichen Itza, 50km from Valladolid, 70km from Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, 80km from Izamal, 150km from Merida, 150km from Tulum, 180km from the Riviera Maya, 195km from Cancun.
Google Maps
New boutique hotel: Casona Los Cedros in Espita
By Condor Verde Mexico • 18 March 2024
Casona Los Cedros, located in the charming town of Espita, is the project of French-born architect and designer Laura Lecué. She renovated and transformed an old colonial cantina abandoned for more than thirty years, and created - using only local craftsmen and traditional techniques - a beautiful boutique hotel with 9 modern and spacious rooms. The hotel has a gourmet restaurant, where chef Jorge Ildefonso works with organic products from local producers. The outdoor pool and seating area, embedded in a lush garden, are the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring the Yucatan Peninsula. The hotel also has bikes.
2024 Total Solar Eclipse
By Condor Verde Mexico • 18 March 2024
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, 14 U.S. states and southeastern Canada. Condor Verde will welcome hundreds of astronomers in Torreon, northern Mexico, where the total solar eclipse will be visible for 4 minutes 27.8 seconds. We are very excited about this event!
New day-tour from Merida:
Uxmal and Maya village of Mani
By Condor Verde Mexico • 26 January 2024
In the morning we will drive to the archaeological site of Uxmal, located one hour south of Merida. Uxmal is considered the finest and most extensively excavated example of Puuc architecture, which embraces such details as ornate stone mosaics and soaring vaulted arches. We will explore the wonderful site, before driving 50 minutes east to the ancient village of Mani, deeply rooted in Maya traditions. It is here where in 1567 the Spanish missionary Diego de Landa burned some 5000 Maya statues and Maya books. We will visit the former Convent of San Miguel Arcangel, one of the most important centers of Franciscan activity in the sixteenth century. A few steps away is the sacred cenote (natural sinkhole) Xcabachen, steeped in fascinating legends. We then visit the Lool-Ha bee farm, which produces honey from the native stingless melipona bee, cultivated by the Maya more than 3000 years ago. The farm is run by a group of women for whom nature is sacred. This is why before extracting honey from the hives we will join in a traditional Maya ceremony. We will enjoy a traditional lunch at restaurant Tuuch Kaj before returning to Merida.
Hotel Antelar in Merida
By Condor Verde Mexico • 26 January 2024
Centrally located only a 12-minute walk from Merida's main square, the beautiful hotel Antelar features 7 spacious rooms set around an inner courtyard with a pool. Antelar has wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces perfect for lounging, and a restaurant and bar.
Xbatun village traditional Maya cooking, near Valladlid
By Condor Verde Mexico • 15 December 2023
At this cooking workshop in the village of Xbatun, just outside of Valladolid, we will spend time with the Cen Canche family. Mother Irma and her daughters will cook with us some of their Maya ancestors' recipes. After a smilingly warm and authentic welcome and a refreshing drink, we will gather in the open kitchen around a large communal table for some mixing and chopping. We can visit their garden, where herbs and edible plants are grown, and relax in a hammock under the shade of endemic trees. It is also possible to stay the night in one of their three guest bedrooms. Through their business, the Cen Canches are helping to preserve their ancestral roots, create jobs and raise awareness of the Maya culture.
The St. Regis Kanai Resort on the Riviera Maya
By Condor Verde Mexico • 15 December 2023
Located 15km north of Playa del Carmen, the resort's innovative architecture is inspired by the constellation Pleiades, with curvaceous buildings hovering above a sea of lush green mangroves. Guests access the restaurants, pools, spa and gym via a network of elevated wooden walkways that don't distrub the ecosystem. The 124 spacious rooms are decorated with rich natural materials that nod to Mexican and Maya traditions. 
World Tourism Organization names Best Tourism Villages 2023
By Condor Verde Mexico • 12 December 2023
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced its list of Best Tourism Villages 2023. The accolade recognizes villages that are leading in nurturing rural areas and preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions. Among the 54 villages selected this year, three are from Mexico:
- Omitlán de Juárez (2h 20min north of Mexico City) (photo left)
- Jalpa de Cánovas (1h 30min west of Guanajuato) (photo right)
- Higueras (1h 20min northeast of Monterrey)
New: Numu Boutique Hotel, San Miguel de Allende
By Condor Verde Mexico • 6 November 2023
Ideally located a 10-minute walk from San Miguel de Allende's main square, in front of the Rosewood hotel, Numu features 44 modern rooms, a restaurant, spa, gym, and a rooftop sundeck and pool with sweeping views of San Miguel de Allende. Numu is part of Hyatt's The Unbound Collection.
New: Hotel Otro Oaxaca
By Condor Verde Mexico • 18 October 2023
Located directly across from the Church of Santo Domingo, Otro Oaxaca is a beautiful, contemporary hotel hiding behind a historic façade. The architecture takes inspiration from the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mitla, and the brick walls and limestone rooftop terrace, complemented by raw concrete and reclaimed wood, reference those of the Church of Santo Domingo. Everything from the furniture to the linens in the hotel's 16 rooms was handcrafted by local artisans. Meals can be enjoyed in the ground-floor patio or on the rooftop with panoramic views over Oaxaca City. There is also a rooftop pool and a basement spa.
New: Hotel Omun near San Miguel de Allende
By Condor Verde Mexico • 23 June 2023
Hotel Omun, located among vineyards, lavender fields and olive trees just 20 minutes outside of San Miguel de Allende, features 5 large and luxurious tents, a sun deck with a small pool, a bar, and a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner (included). On-site activities include yoga, archery, wine and tequila tasting, horseback riding, and stargazing! Omun is also the perfect base to explore nearby San Miguel de Allende.
Condor Verde nominated for two World Travel Awards
By Condor Verde Mexico • 21 May 2023
Condor Verde has been nominated in two categories in this year’s World Travel Awards: “Mexico & Central America's Leading DMC” and “Mexico's Leading DMC”.
400 dolphins in Mexican tourist spots to be set free
By Condor Verde Mexico • 28 March 2023
Dolphins at dozens of tourist attractions in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo - which encompasses the Riviera Maya from Cancun to Tulum - are set to be freed. The decision has come as the result of federal legislation banning zoos and aquariums from exhibiting and offering interactions with wild animals. The dolphins are to be released into the Bay of Campeche, where a protection area has existed since 1994. The legislation is a first positive step towards protecting marine mammals in all of Mexico, following countries such as Costa Rica, Chile, Canada, India, and France.
Mexico offers wonderful opportunities to see animals in the wild: being surrounded by fluttering Monarch butterflies, spotting whales in Baja California, swimming with gentle whale sharks, admiring huge flocks of flamingos on the Yucatan Peninsula, or helping endangered sea turtles find their way to the ocean.
After-hours Museum of Anthropology
By Condor Verde Mexico • 2 March 2023
During this new activity passengers can enjoy exclusive access to the Museum of Anthropology after-hours, when it is closed to the public, with a private guided tour. Who knows what can happen during a Night at the Museum...
The Museum of Anthropology is home to the world's largest collection of ancient Mexican artefacts, and some of the most iconic treasures of the Mayans, Aztecs and beyond can be discovered here.
New excursion: Sima de las Cotorras in Chiapas
By Condor Verde Mexico • 18 January 2023
Located 60km west of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the Sima de las Cotorras is a dramatic 160m-wide sinkhole that punches 140m down into the earth into a crater thick with rainforest. At sunrise, a green cloud of screeching parrots spirals out for the day, trickling back before dusk. With binoculars we can see a series of red pre-Hispanic rock paintings that decorate one side of the cliff face, and we can also hike or rappel down into the hole.
Catrina photo shoot (all year round)
By Condor Verde Mexico • 1 December 2022
Mexico's elegantly dressed skeletons - the female "Catrina" and the male "Catrin" - are not a Halloween costume, but a tradition with pre-Hispanic roots that nurtures a direct relationship between the living and the dead.
We will drive to the floating gardens of Xochimilco, where we will get the chance to transform into a Catrina or Catrin. A professional photographer will take wonderful photos while telling us all about Xochimilco and its traditions. Once the photo shoot is over, we will explore the labyrinth of canals on board a typical “trajinera” (barge). We then drive to the Coyoacan neighbourhood - where Frida Kahlo lived all her life - with its narrow colonial-era streets, pretty cafes, and decidedly bohemian atmosphere.
Silver Route by jeep
By Condor Verde Mexico • 7 November 2022
The historic Camino Real de Tierra Adentro or Silver Route - stretching along 2600km between Mexico City and Durango - was actively used as a trade route for silver and mercury for 300 years.
We will drive by Jeep along 49km of this historic path and UNESCO World Heritage Site, from Dolores Hidalgo to Santa Rosa de Lima. Over mountains and through rivers, we will get the chance to try some off-roading ourselves. We will also enjoy a wonderful lunch, surrounded by the arid, mesmerizing scenery. Duration: 6 hours. This excursion can be done from San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato.
Opening November 1st: Casa Chablé in Sian Ka’an Unesco World Heritage Site
By Condor Verde Mexico • 17 October 2022
Casa Chablé, located 1h 30min south of Tulum, will open this November. Featuring 10 rooms, this beach villa property can be reached by car or boat through the lush mangrove forests. Casa Chablé will use renewable solar and wind energy while filtering water using reverse osmosis and “biodigester” technology.
One of the last undeveloped stretches of coastline in North America, Sian Ka'an was declared a wildlife reserve and a Unesco World Heritage Site in the 80s. The 1.3 million acre reserve encompasses freshwater lagoons, mangroves, savannah, tropical forest, and a barrier reef.
Nine wonderful luxury beach hotels on Mexico's Riviera Maya
By Condor Verde Mexico • 7 September 2022
The Karisma Hotels & Resorts group - which operates 16 luxury properties in Mexico - has signed an agreement with Condor Verde for special net rates at 9 wonderful and highly sought-after properties on the Riviera Maya (map):

- Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Cancun
- Azul Villa Esmeralda
- Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya
- Generations Riviera Maya
- El Dorado Royale
- El Dorado Casitas Royale
- El Dorado Maroma
- El Dorado Maroma: Palafitos Overwater Bungalows
- Margaritaville St. Somewhere Holbox Island
Ask us for net rates!
The 10 best cities in the world
By Condor Verde Mexico • 21 July 2022
The best cities in the world, as voted by Travel + Leisure readers, are chosen by their hotels, restaurants, rich cultural heritage, top attractions, friendliness, and, in recent years, COVID-19 protocols.
This year, three Mexican cities are in the top 10. I mean, it comes as no surprise to us...
1. Oaxaca, Mexico
2. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
3. Ubud, Indonesia
4. Florence, Italy
5. Istanbul, Turkey
6. Mexico City, Mexico
7. Chiang Mai, Thailand
8. Jaipur, India
9. Osaka, Japan
10. Udaipur, India
(12. Merida, Mexico)
Guardians of the Lacandon jungle
By Condor Verde Mexico • 21 June 2022
The Hach Winik, or Lacandon Maya, number around 800 and live in Mexico's Lacandon jungle on the border with Guatemala. They are the only Maya people who were never conquered by the Spanish. They lived in the last free Maya strongholds near Tikal, and when the region finally fell to colonial armies, some chose to retreat into this rich tropical jungle, well supplied with water, fish, game, and fertile soil. Today, the Hach Winik still maintain ancient practices, such as cultivating dozens of crops at the same time. They are notoriously healthy and many live past 100. We will visit the community of Lacanja Chansayab, near the ruins of Bonampak. A Hach Winik guide will take us through the jungle and point out the incredible diversity of medicinal plants and forest animals.
Let's talk about the state of Oaxaca!
By Condor Verde Mexico • 8 June 2022
- Oaxaca City: Oaxaca was once the center of the Mixtec and Zapotec civilizations. After the Spanish conquest, the city quickly took on a Spanish flavor, with ornate buildings and charming plazas. Yet despite its colonial heritage, the city remains Indian at heart.
- Monte Alban: Spectacularly situated on a levelled mountain top above the Oaxaca Valley is Monte Alban, the greatest of the Zapotec cities.
- Oaxaca for foodies: Oaxacan cuisine is famous for its refinement and complexity, and the city offers famous restaurants, amazing street food, and delicious cooking courses.
- Craft villages: South of Oaxaca is a string of craft villages, including San Bartolo Coyotepec with its gorgeous black pottery, Ocotlan with its whimsical figurines fashioned from red clay by the Aguilar family, San Martin Tilcajete with its animal woodcarvings called "alebrijes”, and Teotitlan del Valle with its weaving tradition since Aztec times.
- Hiking Pueblos Mancomunados: Perched high atop the Sierra Norte mountains, the Pueblos Mancomunados (“united villages”) are a cooperative of eight Zapotec Indian villages. Hiking paths meander between the villages, and local guides take visitors through the beautiful wilderness, along canyons and waterfalls. This unique project helps develop schools, roads and health posts in the region.
- Oaxaca Pacific beaches: Oaxaca’s Pacific coastline – from Huatulco to Puerto Escondido – is home to near-empty golden beaches, beautiful hotels, and lagoons full of wildlife. There are turtles (this is a major global sea-turtle nesting area), dolphins and whales, plus diving, snorkeling, and some of the best surfing swells.
Like diamonds in the sky...
By Condor Verde Mexico • 13 May 2022
From mid-June to mid-August, thousands of fireflies gather in the pine and oak forests of Nanacamilpa - 2 hours east of Mexico City - and light up the sky. Every night from 8:30pm, for about an hour, the endemic fireflies look for mating partners. Individually they are yellow points of light wandering crooked paths, rhythmically blinking. As a whole they are a swirling mass of light, like fairies just out of reach.
We can stay the night at Octli Glamping (see photo) near the firefly sanctuary, or continue for an hour to Puebla and stay at a nice boutique hotel. The next day we can explore Puebla, visit a chile ligueur factory and make a stop in Cholula, before returning to Mexico City (route map).
Visit the Ancho Reyes chile liqueur factory in Puebla
By Condor Verde Mexico • 13 May 2022
In 1920s Puebla, the cantinas of the Barrio del Artista bustled with artists and intellectuals who gathered to exchange ideas over original homemade liqueurs known as menjurjes. One especially popular menjurje was handcrafted from the ancho chile.
At the Ancho Reyes factory, the story and production process of their liqueur born in the Mexican post-revolution will be shared with us, and of course at the end of the tour we'll have a tasting!
New excursion from Merida:
Mayan villages of Ticul, Santa Elena, and Calcehtok
By Condor Verde Mexico • 4 May 2022
We will drive to Ticul, 80km south of Merida, best known for its "huipil" (native dress) embroidery and manufacture of women's shoes, as well as much of the sienna-colored pottery that can be seen all over the Yucatan Peninsula. Many descendants of the Xiu Dynasty, which ruled Uxmal until the conquest, still live here. We will visit a pottery and a shoe workshop, before driving 15km to Santa Elena. Here, perched on a hill, is a beautiful colonial cathedral and a small museum with 18th century mummies. At the Maya home of Don Hernan and Doña Asaria we will learn how to make tortillas. We then head back north, and after stopping en route for an early dinner we arrive at the Grutas de Calcehtok. They comprise the longest dry-cave system on the Yucatan Peninsula and were used by the Maya as shelter during wars. The main entrance is an impressive 30m in diameter and in the evening thousands of bats fly out in search of food. After this spectacle we drive back to Merida. Duration: 9 hours.
New activity in Mexico City:
Aura cooking class with market visit
By Condor Verde Mexico • 30 Mar 2022
Our culinary adventure will begin at the Aura cooking studio, in the charming Roma Norte neighbourhood, with a welcome "agua fresca" or Mexican coffee, and an introduction to Mexico's gastronomic history. We then walk to the traditional neighbourhood market Mercado de Medellin, where we get to taste delicacies such as mamey fruit and grasshopper. Back at the studio our hands-on cooking class begins. We will prepare a 4-course menu from scratch, including street appetizers with Mexican salsas, prehispanic "mextlapiques", a traditional "mole blanco" dish, and corn cake as dessert. Sitting around the large table, we can enjoy the delicious food accompanied by artisanal mezcal, Mexican craft beer or Mexican wine. Duration: 4.5 hours.
New hotel on the Riviera Maya: Conrad Tulum
By Condor Verde Mexico • 16 Mar 2022
The newly-opened, oceanfront Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya offers 349 nature-inspired rooms with balcony and relaxation tub, five restaurants and six bars, five swimming pools, a Spa, and meeting and events spaces including a magnificent outdoor terrace. The Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya has a perfect location on the Caribbean coastline, 20km north of Tulum archaeological site and 40km south of Playa del Carmen. Exciting activities such as Catamaran sailing to Isla Mujeres or swimming in Mayan underground caves are within easy reach.
New excursion in Yucatan:
Travel the "Royal Road" from Campeche to Merida
By Condor Verde Mexico • 3 Mar 2022
The road from Campeche to Merida, known as the "Camino Real" ("Royal Road"), passes through a region full of culture and traditions. Built in colonial times with contributions from the Spanish crown, this 200 km long road was used in 1865 by Carlota, Empress of Mexico, to explore the Yucatan Peninsula - hence its name. Leaving from Campeche, our first stop is Pomuch, where we can taste its delicious bread made in wood ovens. We continue to Hecelchakan, where we can enjoy its famous "cochinita pibil" dish and visit the market. Next comes Dzitbalche, the ideal place to buy Yucatan's typical embroidered clothes. Our last stop before Merida is Becal, famous for its workshops where Panama-type Jipijapa hats are woven by hand inside limestone caves.
Route map
New hotel in Mexico City:
The Ritz-Carlton opened its first hotel in Mexico City
By Condor Verde Mexico • 3 Mar 2022
TheThe Ritz-Carlton opened its first hotel in Mexico City
Towering 58 stories above the iconic Paseo de la Reforma, the recently-opened Ritz-Carlton Mexico City has 153 rooms, a Spa, an indoor pool, a restaurant and bar, a fitness center, and meeting and event spaces. The hotel's interior design celebrates Mexican art history and maximizes the hotel’s striking glass façade, offering expansive views of Chapultepec park and castle.
New hotel near Merida:
Hacienda San Antonio Hool
By Condor Verde Mexico • 2 Feb 2022
The recently opened Hacienda San Antonio Hool - a beautifully restored 17th-century plantation - features 8 luxurious rooms, a restaurant, and a swimming pool, all surrounded by large gardens. It is located 15 km from Merida, and a wonderful stop on a Yucatan Peninsula itinerary.
Recommended hotel in Mexico City:
Brick Hotel
By Condor Verde Mexico • 2 Feb 2022
In the early 20th century, Sir William Newbold, president of the Bank of London and Mexico, travelled from England to Mexico on a ship that used yellow bricks as a counterweight. These bricks were then used in the construction of his home, a beautiful English-style mansion at 95 Orizaba Street in Colonia Roma, now the Brick Hotel. Colonia Roma is a beautiful neighbourhood, known for its parks, eclectic architecture, and lively restaurants and coffee shops. The hotel features 17 rooms, restaurants, and a wonderful roof terrace, ideal for a sunset cocktail.
New excursion in Mexico City:
The Unknown Diego Rivera
By Condor Verde Mexico • 2 Feb 2022
Condor Verde's new excursion "The unknown Diego Rivera" includes a visit to the Museo Mural Diego Rivera, which houses the controversial mural "Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en el Parque Alameda", and a visit to the Carcamo de Dolores in Chapultepec Park, a waterworks building from the 1940s. For its inauguration, Rivera experimented with waterproof paints, covering the collection tank, sluice gates and part of the pipeline with images of amphibious beings and workers involved in the project. The murals were submerged for many years, but can now be admired without the water. Outside the building is another one of Rivera's extraordinary works, Fuente de Tlaloc, an oval pool inhabited by a huge mosaic-skinned sculpture of the Aztec god of water, rain and fertility.
New Flights between Cancun and Guatemala
By Condor Verde Mexico • 2 Feb 2022
These new flights from TAG Airlines are ideal for a Mexico & Guatemala combination itinerary:
Cancun (CUN) - Flores (FRS)
CUN - FRS, 07:40 - 08:30 (daily)
FRS - CUN, 17:50 - 20:40 (daily)
Cancun (CUN) - Guatemala City (GUA)
CUN - GUA, 14:40 - 15:10 (daily)
GUA - CUN, 11:25 - 13:55 (daily)
TAG Airlines has also announced the routes Merida - Guatemala City, and Oaxaca - Guatemala City (start of operations to be confirmed).
