We Are a Group Travel Company for Women Focused on Learning Vacations. Vacations with Fun and Captivating Workshops. MexicaChica Getaways is dedicated to providing inspiring, high-quality tours that incorporate fun and interesting workshops to help women reawaken their passions.

Day 1- Welcome!

MexicaChica Getaways takes you to Merida, Yucatan, also known as The White City. From ancient Maya temples to charming haciendas full of history, we celebrate the diversity that this region has to offer. This is a state rich in natural wonders and exciting adventures.

Join MexicaChica Getaways for a 7 day, 6 night trip that embraces the exuberant tapestry of Mexico. You will be met at the airport by a private transfer and will be taken directly to a five star boutique hotel known for its impeccable service, beautiful courtyard and famous gift shop and bakery. This will serve as our home base for the week as we delve into our creative activities and explorations of the area.

Once at the hotel, we will be greeted with welcome cocktails and appetizers followed by a brief orientation with Claudette. You will have time to explore before and after our delicious dinner in a beautiful Merida restaurant.

Our timely arrival could not be better orchestrated since that night we will play witness to one big authentic Mexican fiesta with live music, food and local crafts. Take the time to explore the city by night on one of the charming horse drawn carriages found only steps away from our hotel.

Meals- Welcome Drinks and Appetizers, Dinner Included.

Day 2- Central Mexico Cuisine and City Bus Tour

Our day begins with a delicious breakfast at the famous Tala restaurant and bakery within our hotel. The city´s main market will be our first adventure this week with Chef Brent Marsh as our guide. He will be teaching us about the history of the dishes we will prepare, as we shop for the freshest ingredients we can find. You will learn how to pick them and what to look for. This fascinating visit to the market offers a glimpse into the bustling center of activity that is at the heart of every Mexican city.

After our shopping, the real fun begins when we arrive at our gorgeous colonial home that will serve as our classroom. Today we will be preparing a Central Mexican favorite- tacos! These are no ordinary tacos. You will never look at a taco the same way again as you sample a wonderful combination of flavors not known to many outside of Mexico. Please see our menu section for more details.

The afternoon is a time for your to explore on your own or take an afternoon siesta in your hotel hammock. Our group reunites later that day to embark on a city wide tour on a charming colorful open bus known as the gua gua. The gua gua will take us on a delightful tour of the city´s most important avenues where we will be able to appreciate the finest examples of French, Spanish and Moorish architecture this colonial city is famous for.

This day ends with a trip for your senses as we visit the beautifully restored Xcanatun hacienda for dinner.

Meals-Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3-Coastal Cuisine and Liquor Tasting Tour

After our breakfast at the hotel, we will head to our favorite colonial kitchen with Chef Brent. Today we will spend our morning learning about and preparing fare from the coastal regions of Mexico. Please see our menu tab for more details. An afternoon  break will be taken after our meal in the home's lush courtyard.

We will reunite to venture off to a local liquor producing hacienda. Enjoy a lively and interesting presentation from our guide as we learn about the history and processing of the liquors. Many varieties are made including tropical fruit flavored ones and even Mayan chocolate.  The cacao tree was first grown in Mexico and was widely used by the Mayas of the region.

We will provide some useful suggestions for dinner and explorations on your own this evening.

Meals- Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4-Maya Archeological Site and Puebla Cuisine

We head off to the stunning archeological site of Uxmal (Oosh-mahl), Built Three Times. Most of the city's major construction took place while Uxmal was the capital of a Late Classic Mayan state around 850-925 AD. Uxmal holds some of the most complex and beautiful examples of the regional Puuc-style architecture, and its magnificent pyramids and structures make it a must see destination.

We will enjoy a gourmet pic nic lunch on site before returning to the city for some rest and an evening cooking class.  The menu today will include specialties from the Puebla region of the country.  Please see our menu for full details.

Meals- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5- The City of Three Cultures

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we will head out of the city to a magical little town about 45 minutes away. Izamal, The City of Three Cultures, brings together elements of the Prehispanic, colonial and contemporary eras. The town is known for its distinct  yellow color that decorates a large portion of the town,  creating a very charming and unique effect. Numerous Prehispanic constructions, some currently under restoration, are located within the city, providing a contrast next to the remains of the colonial era.

We will take a guided tour of the notable Franciscan monastery before an opportunity to explore on your own. You will be provided with many useful suggestions for lunch and sightseeing.

Our evening cooking session will take place in the famed Kinich restaurant known for its lush surroundings, impeccable service and authentic Yucatecan food. Chef Jose Luis will guide us in this evening´s class. Kinich employs traditional methods of preparing Yucatean food apparent in its impressive standards to quality and authenticity. Most are surprised to know that Yucatecan cuisine is a fusion of Mayan influences, Spanish and Caribbean.

This evening we will spend the night in a wonderfully restored colonial private villa within the city of Izamal.

Meals- Breakfast and Dinner

Day 6-Class, Artisan Cultural Center and Farewell Party

Today we will be preparing a delightful treats from the Yucatan region of Mexico. Please see our menu for additional details.

After enjoying our fruits of our labor, we will leave the kitchen to visit a cultural center founded with the intent of helping rural artisans promote and sell their goods.  Their vision of promoting the artisans and handcrafts of the region and Mexico as a whole through the Fomento Cultural Banamex, you will find eleven rooms of incredible, breath taking handcrafts from all over Mexico.

Stone, paper, clay, wood, silver, textiles, vegetable fibers and bull horn are the mediums in which the incredible crafts are worked.

Our evening festivities will take place in an unforgettable setting within the private villa that has been our home the last two days. This will be a time to share our learned experiences and toast to our most recent accomplishments.

Meals- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7-Adios!

Please note that this is a sample menu and just a guideline for the type of dishes we can prepare during our tour.  We are always sure to offer seasonal dishes appropriate with the time of year our tour is given. This is done to ensure we use only the freshest ingredients available to us.

Day 1: Arrival and Welcoming Day

Day 2:Flavors of Central Mexico

A morning of communal activities where students work together to prepare a selection of traditional small dishes. Through this, guests are introduced to common Mexican ingredients and techniques and their importance in the history and culture of Mexico.

The walking tour of the central market will include the selection and purchase of a few key items to be used in class.

Today our main dish will be:

Tacos with:

flor de jamaica with requeson or crema

queso oaxaca and pumpkin flowers

chicken

arracherra

Handmade tortillas and various salsas too!

Day 3:Coastal Cuisine

A morning of fresh seafood dishes representing coastal regions of Mexico. Guests will learn how flavors are combined in Mexican dishes – where each flavor shines individually while simultaneously harmonizing with others. Emphasis will be placed on the balance between the
Mexican flavors of sour, heat, salt, sweet, and fat.

Appetizers Include:

Jicama with lime and chile

Guacamole in a molcajete

Today our main dishes will be:

Two kinds of Ceviches
Chiles rellenos stuffed with fish and shrimp
Two ceviches- One of octopus and one of fish
Shrimp aguachile

Drinks:

Aguas frescas with seasonal fruit

Day 4- Oaxaca

Tlayudas
Chicken with mole negro
Black beans and rice

For dessert:

Flan

Drinks:

Tamarind Margaritas (demonstration by chef and optional prep by students during dinner)

Day 5: Yucatecan Cuisine

Chef Jose Luis will lead us on this day's journey into the Yucatecan kitchen. The flavors of this region will be sampled through various delicious dishes including:

Sopa de Lima
Panuchos
Queso Relleno

For dessert, we will learn to prepare:

Cremita de Coco

Drinks:

Agua de Chaya

Day 6: Yucatecan Cuisine

The Yucatecan cuisine is an extensive fusion of Mayan, Spanish and Caribbean influences. Today guests will learn to prepare:

Papadzules and this region's famous dish, Cochinita Pibil. This a banana leaf wrapped pork cooked in an earthen pit.

For dessert we will enjoy:

Dulce de Papaya

Drinks:

Lime Margaritas

Day 7: Buen Viaje y Adios!

Meet the Chefs

Chef Brent Marsh

Merida Chef

Upon leaving his native New Zealand at a relatively young age, Brent was delighted to discover that there was more to dinner than meat and potatoes. With a natural flair for gastronomy and bursting with curiosity, he dove head-first into the international world of culinary arts: studying the classic rules of cooking in Europe; learning to innovate and break them in California; and encountering a parallel universe of culinary traditions in the far-flung corners of East Asia.

Brent spent many years admiring the spirited cuisine of Mexico from afar, and it was only upon moving there in 2006 that he truly began to appreciate its many nuances.  An initial year in Guadalajara provided an ample course in the fiery dishes of Jalisco and the pacific coast.  An additional year in the nation’s capital allowed him to devour the intricacies of central Mexican fare. Currently based in Merida, Brent has spent the past couple of years experimenting first-hand with the flavors that make Yucatecan cuisine so utterly delicious.

With an infectious enthusiasm for food, Brent’s eventual foray into cooking instruction seemed like the most natural of progressions. He has considerable experience in leading both one-on-one cooking sessions and small, intimate classes. Over the years Brent has shared his wealth of culinary knowledge on topics ranging from essential kitchen skills like the ‘art of chopping’, to the execution of 11-course extravaganzas.

Chef Jose Luis Rodriguez

Izamal Chef

Mexico City native, Jose Luis Rodriguez is a service industry professional with many years of experience. His degree in Tourism has served him well as the Director of a restaurant, hotel and tourism consulting firm called Decatur Consulting in Mexico. His extensive knowledge has been invaluable as a respected trainer for SECTUR Mexico, Mexico's government agency of tourism. Jose Luis has collaborated in the openings of twenty two restaurants which has included everything from menu design to work flow and systems design in order to promote efficiency and cost effectiveness. He currently serves as the lead chef at Kinich restaurant in Izamal.  We are pleased to have Jose Luis lead our groups as we learn about Yucatecan cuisine in a professional restaurant kitchen setting.

Classes with Jose Luis are held in Spanish with the translation of a MexicaChica tour leader at all times.

Our Inspiring Location

Mérida is the Grande Dame and cultural center of the Yucatan state in Mexico. Renowned as the most peaceful and safest city in Mexico, Mérida is a sophisticated and cosmopolitan beauty with theaters, concerts, museums, parks and numerous cultural events occurring throughout each week. The historical center is preserved for it’s architectural legacy of Spanish and French colonial styles. Mérida is only 30 minutes to the Gulf coast beaches of Progreso and sits at the top of the peninsula making for a short international flight from the US.

It is a city of about one million people and is a wonderful mixture of colonial city and a cosmopolitan destination. With Mérida as our home base, we will visit cathedrals, Mayan archaeological sites and historical haciendas. This region has traditionally been isolated from the rest of the country by geography, creating and preserving its unique traditions. Yucatan is a cultural delight with year round warm sub tropical weather and is a truly inspirational destination for our fun week long workshops.

Be sure to view the brief video below to sample the essence of the Yucatan. Video courtesy of the Tourism Board of Mexico.

About the Classroom

Merida is full of beautifully restored colonial homes and our classroom will be no exception. Our workshop will be taking place in a tranquil and luxurious setting complete with a plush tropical garden as a view. Get inspired as you work and learn within a spacious abode.

Accommodations in Merida

Hotel Casa San Angel is a place designed to rest and to indulge in the best of what Yucatan has to offer. Unique in its design, you will find a seductive environment, hand crafts, books, excellent food, home bakery, the best coffee in town and as always, a smile. Allow yourself to be pampered with its plush amenities, modern comforts and excellent service.

Casa San Angel sits at the base of the city´s most stunning and important avenue said to be a recreation of Paris´ Champs Elysee.
The hotel is a beautifully and carefully restored historical building that once was the home to a notable mathematician. Today Hotel Casa San Angel is home to 15 beautiful rooms that offer soothing comfort to our guests. You will also find two exclusive gift shops with the finest Mexican handcrafts from all parts of Mexico in one, and uniquely decorated elegant silk accessories in the other. Wake up and get ready for your day of adventures with the delicious breakfasts served in the Tala Bistro.

The hotel offers a cozy and quiet respite from the bustling city just outside its doors. There are several common areas to relax and unwind. Among the Hotel's facilities and amenities, guests can find a serene pool, wi-fi internet, high quality mattresses, mini split air conditioners, a safety deposit box and a hammock in each room. Each guest room has water filtered through three different methods.

Accommodations in Izamal

The last two days of our culinary adventure will be spent in the magical pueblo of Izamal, this city of three cultures is only an hour drive from Merida.  We will stay in one of three beautifullly restored colonial private villas.  Each combine residential privacy with 5 star comfort and service.  

Each villa has been restored to  express its personality by conserving the same spirit that its former and original owners gave to it. In some areas, the restoration of buildings brings together both contemporary and traditional aspects and the new spaces and elements serve above all to highlight the artistic and architectonic value of the house original features.

Your splendid private villa will be the perfect place to unwind during our two day stay in Izamal.

2011 Travel Dates and Rates

Jan. 22nd-28th  $2,100

COED Feb. 19th-25th   $4,200

(Sold as a package for two people)

March 12th-18th  $2,100

July  16th-22nd  $2,100

Aug.  13th-19th  $2,100

Dec.  13th-19th  $2,100

¨My Own Room Supplement¨ +$600

Traveling Solo? You go girl!

Embarking on a trip by yourself does not mean you have to be alone. Plenty of our travelers join our trips solo. With MexicaChica Getaways you have two options:

No Single Supplement- You can be paired with another fabulous gal to share a room with. This means you save money.

'My Own Room' Option- Sometimes, its just more comfortable to have your own room. Look for the 'My Own Room' option in the chart above and in the in the reservation form. You can choose to pay to guarantee yourself a single room.

COED

We are pleased to offer one COED culinary tour this year. Why not! Lets get our men to join in on the fun too!

IMPORTANT: This tour is sold as a couples package/ as a two person shared room package.

COED Tour offered Feb. 19th-25th 2011.