On day 7 of our 13-day trip, our Gate 1 Travel group got up early for breakfast, and then we were off to the Palenque Archaeological Site. The city was founded during the Late Pre-Classic period and was one of the most important cities in the Mayan region from 250…

Hotel Villa Mercedes, Palenque, Mexico
After visiting La Venta Park in Villahermosa, our group continued to the town of Palenque. We arrived at the Hotel Villa Mercedes at about six in the evening and had the night free. Some people scrambled to find massage availability at the hotel’s spa, others chilled by the pool, and…

La Venta Park, Villahermosa
As we mentioned in a previous blog, our itinerary included a visit to this park, but they had slightly changed the day’s activities. They had decided to take us to the Anthropology Museum in Xalapa and said we may not have time later to squeeze in the park. As you…

Pineapple Plantations and Barbacoa
After seeing the Olmec heads and the Museo de Antropologia in Xalapa, we were off to Villahermosa and La Venta Park to learn more about the Olmecs. Along the way, we made a quick pit stop and then a second stop for lunch. Both included foods that are…

The Olmecs And Their Heads
Our adventure on Day 6 took us from Veracruz to Palenque. Our first stop of the day brought us to the Museo de AntropologÃa de Xalapa. The tour was originally scheduled to go to La Venta Park, where they have three of the colossal Olmec heads. Our tour manager said…

Valentine’s Day in Veracruz
After a fantastic afternoon at the Hacienda de Pacho, we made our way to the waterfront city of Veracruz. We were just there overnight; what we have to admit was plenty. The city of Veracruz is a massive port on the Gulf of Mexico and one of the oldest ports…

Visiting Hacienda de Pacho
After a visit to Puebla, which was way too short and warrants a return visit, our Gate 1 Travel group headed off to the port city of Veracruz. The drive is just a few hours and about 280 kilometers. Our tour had a stop scheduled at Hacienda de Pacho that…

Mole Tasting at El Mural de Los Poblanos
As you read in the previous blogs of our 13-day Mexico Road Trip, day 4 brought us to Puebla. After the morning drive and lunch, we toured the city, and we had a free night to explore the city’s impressive culinary scene. We did not make any plans for dinner….

Exploring Puebla City
After settling into our hotel, we explored the city of Puebla. The Basilica Cathedral of Puebla The first stop was a quick visit to the cathedral known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. It’s one of the most iconic buildings in Puebla’s city center, a UNESCO…

The Quinta Real Puebla Was Once A Convent!
We arrived at our hotel in Puebla City after having a delicious lunch and exploring the Uriarte Talavera pottery studio. The hotel was the iconic Quinta Real Puebla. But it’s a hotel with a past. And the convent was just part of its history. Quinta Real Puebla The hotel is…