Día de Los Muertos in Oaxaca

After arriving at the hotel, checking in, and getting your room, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax.

At the hotel restaurant. Dinner will be saved for those arriving late to the hotel.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the days ahead.

At the hotel restaurant.

Orientation: 8:30 a.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. An instructor conducts classroom sessions, a certified expert will lead field trips, and transportation will be via bus unless specified otherwise. We will provide suggestions for restaurants and on-site visits for personal independent exploration and some of the meals on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice. Group Leader can offer suggestions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Our first lecture will begin with a presentation at the hotel given by our Study Leader on Day of the Dead and how it has been celebrated through time. The holiday combines the beliefs of the indigenous people with the Catholic Spaniards that arrived in the 15th century. Indigenous peoples believed that each year, the souls of the dead return to eat and drink with the living as they would have before their deaths. This belief was combined with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. We will then walk with our expert to the historic district and visit the Santo Domingo church and museum. Once the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, founded by the Dominican Order, the rooms that constituted the monastery now house the Cultural Center of Oaxaca. Began in 1570 and constructed over a period of 200 years, it underwent a complete restoration that was finished in 1999.

At a local restaurant.

We will then walk with our local expert to the famous Mercado Benito Juárez where we’ll feast our eyes on the rich colors of the fruits and vegetables, the smells of the aromatic herbs and exotic spices, the sounds of the vendors calling out “Tortillas! Tamales! Chocolate! Chapulines!” Right in the middle of it all, we’ll take in the hustle and bustle of the local chefs picking ingredients for their evening masterpieces of culinary delights, browse the high-quality leather bags and sacred hearts of hammered tin or beaded jewelry, and watch artisans weave rugs, put finishing touches on pottery, and create amazing paintings. After these visits, we will return to the hotel for a social hour and a great opportunity to get to know fellow Road Scholars.

At a local restaurant.

We will continue celebrating Día de los Muertos as we walk downtown and attend presentations sponsored by different cultural organizations.

At the hotel.

Our field trip then takes us to Monte Albán, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico with the most spectacular views. One of the greatest Mesoamerican cities, it served as a political and economic center for the Zapotec from roughly 500 BCE to around 500 CE. One of the most defining features of the city are the carved monuments or “Danzantes” lining the Main Plaza. After the site visit, we will walk into the Monte Alban Site Museum with an opportunity to observe many of the artifacts excavated from the area; one of the highlights is the collection of the Danzantes.

We will drive to a restaurant outside of Monte Albán.

After our visits, we will return to the hotel and assemble at our private meeting room for a lecture with our Study Leader. We will build on our knowledge of Oaxaca and its history stretching back 3,000 years.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Oaxaca. Offering over 100 establishments to choose from, there is sure to be something for everyone.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

Setting out from the hotel, we will start our day with a visit to the town of Coyotepec, meaning “many tigers” in the Zapotec language. The town is known for the black pottery that is produced there. For many centuries, black pottery has been produced with a dull finish, but when Doña Rosa Real Mateo started polishing and giving the pottery a shiny finish, they became more attractive and the industry grew. Our local expert will explain about the process in which they work the clay. Our field trip will continue to Ocotlan de Morelos. We will visit the Dominican church and convent founded in the 16th century and observe how one side of the chapel opens to the main central nave. We will get to see some of the local artwork, including some from famous local artists.

At a restaurant en route.

Visiting the last town along the Ocotlan Route, we will stop in Jalietza where we will receive a demonstration on belt weaving. The townsfolk are known for their handmade embroidered cloth and leather belts. Following the demonstration, we will return to Oaxaca.

A short ride away, we will dine at a local restaurant featuring a variety of small plates from the region of Ismuths.

We will walk from the restaurant to the performance site and we will experience La Guelaguetza, an event celebrating indigenous culture with dancing, costumes, and parades. More than half of Oaxaca’s populations are indigenous people, and their culture remains as an important part of their identity.

At the hotel.

We will depart to Santa Maria del Tule, home of the widest tree in the world with a diameter of almost 40 feet. Santa Maria del Tule used to be marshland filled with bulrushes, which the Aztecs called “tulle” and cypress trees. At the town’s center is El Árbol del Tule, a 2,000-year-old Montezuma cypress tree. Continuing along, we will visit Mitla Archaeological site, the most important site for the Zapotec culture. It is unique among other Mexican sites due to its intricate geometric and mosaic work that cover everything from friezes to entire walls. Well preserved thanks to the dry climate, Mitla was the residence of the high priest, whom the Spanish likened to the Pope, and served as the main religious center for the Zapote.

At a local restaurant just outside Mitla Archaeological Site.

Our exploration continues at Teotitlán del Valle, where we will learn about this small village best known for its handmade textiles from local materials.

At the hotel.

We will continue celebrating Dia de los Muertos by visiting one of the many cemeteries and observe the rituals associated with this important celebration.

At the hotel.

After breakfast, we assemble at our private meeting room for a lecture on The Magic Hands of Oaxaca. Our instructor will expose us to a visual appreciation of some of these unique representations of culture and labor which exist nowhere else in the world. Additional visual material will be used during the presentation to help us identify some of the ethnic, geographical, and artistic factors that result in these works of art developed from as many as 35 different media, that are in effect a small fragment of the soul of Oaxaca. Then, aboard our bus with a local expert, we will ride to Xoxo Cemetery in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán. It is just one of the many cemeteries that are filled with decorated graves with flowers of cempasuchitl – marigold flowers referred to as “flor de muerto” – dedicated to deceased family members. We will walk in the trail of the cemetery admiring all the altars and decorations that families dedicate to the deceased relatives. We will continue to Arrazola, a quiet town outside of Oaxaca that is the birthplace of alebrijes, or brightly painted folk art sculptures of creatures limited only by the imagination. When woodcarving was introduced to the area in the 1950s, this art form took on a life of its own and has become internationally renowned.

At a local restaurant.

Our day continues with a visit to the town of Cuilapan de Guerrero, where we will visit the Cuilapan Monastery. Once a formidable city with a population of over 40,000, the Spanish built the Monastery to convert the Zapotec and Mixtex populations. After decades of population decline, the monastery slowly deteriorated to its current state. Today, it is a national monument under the care of the National Institute of Anthropology and History. After these visits, we will return to the hotel.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Oaxaca.

We’ll continue celebrating Día de los Muertos as we walk downtown and attend presentations sponsored by different cultural organizations.

At the hotel.

In our meeting room at our hotel with our instructor, we’ll hear a lecture on the legends and traditions of Oaxaca. Thanks to Oaxaca’s large indigenous populations, the state is incredibly heterogeneous because each group has their own language, culture, and traditions.

On your own to taste the local fare.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At a local restaurant.

We will conclude our celebration of Día de los Muertos with a visit to another local cemetery, observing the rituals associated with this important celebration. Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!