Journeys: Mexico's Day of the Dead in Oaxaca

Take a cooking class and learn that there's more to mole than meets the eye (and mouth). In fact, in Oaxaca, there are at least seven different versions of this popular made-in-Mexico sauce cooked with ground chili, chocolate, and sesame seeds. Black, red, yellow, green – the list is endless. Take a guided trip to the local market and let your senses get lost in the spices, colours, and smells. Following your cooking class, sample your tasty creation.

Begin the tour by travelling to Hierve del Agua. This stunning natural formation consists of a series of mineral pools near the edge of a cliff. Over thousands of years, the heavily calcified water has flowed over the cliff, leaving mineral deposits as it does. The result is known as a "petrified waterfall" – nearly white rock formations that resembles a cascading fall. Enjoy time to explore the area and go for a swim in one of the mineral pools. Then, visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mitla ,38km (24 mi) from Oaxaca. Its name derives from the Nahuatl language, meaning “Place of the Dead”. Occupied from 900 BC by the Zapotecs and then the Mixtecs, the ruin features five groups of structures on either side of the Mitla River. Look for ancient cut-stone mosaics and intricate stone carvings throughout. Finish up with a Mezcal Factory tour. The Valley of Oaxaca is renowned as the birthplace of mezcal. Not to be confused with tequila, this distilled liquor is made in small batches from a variety of species of agave (spiky green plants that look like the tops of pineapples). Sample different types, including white unaged mezcal (often sold with an agave larva inside), along with “reposado” and “añejo” (aged) batches. Grab a slice of orange that's coated in salt and mixed with chili and ground worms. Now, it’s time to sip and enjoy.

The Zapotec site of Monte Albán dates back to 500 BC and features platforms, pyramids, plazas, and a ball court sitting on a leveled mountaintop some 10km (5 mi) from Oaxaca. Enjoy the 360-degree views, see Olmec carvings, and be sure to visit the museum to see artifacts and stele excavated in the early 20th century.

Begin the tour by travelling to Hierve del Agua. This stunning natural formation consists of a series of mineral pools near the edge of a cliff. Over thousands of years, the heavily calcified water has flowed over the cliff, leaving mineral deposits as it does. The result is known as a "petrified waterfall" – nearly white rock formations that resembles a cascading fall. Enjoy time to explore the area and go for a swim in one of the mineral pools. Then, visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mitla ,38km (24 mi) from Oaxaca. Its name derives from the Nahuatl language, meaning “Place of the Dead”. Occupied from 900 BC by the Zapotecs and then the Mixtecs, the ruin features five groups of structures on either side of the Mitla River. Look for ancient cut-stone mosaics and intricate stone carvings throughout. Finish up with a Mezcal Factory tour. The Valley of Oaxaca is renowned as the birthplace of mezcal. Not to be confused with tequila, this distilled liquor is made in small batches from a variety of species of agave (spiky green plants that look like the tops of pineapples). Sample different types, including white unaged mezcal (often sold with an agave larva inside), along with “reposado” and “añejo” (aged) batches. Grab a slice of orange that's coated in salt and mixed with chili and ground worms. Now, it’s time to sip and enjoy.

Take a cooking class and learn that there's more to mole than meets the eye (and mouth). In fact, in Oaxaca, there are at least seven different versions of this popular made-in-Mexico sauce cooked with ground chili, chocolate, and sesame seeds. Black, red, yellow, green – the list is endless. Take a guided trip to the local market and let your senses get lost in the spices, colours, and smells. Following your cooking class, sample your tasty creation.

The Zapotec site of Monte Albán dates back to 500 BC and features platforms, pyramids, plazas, and a ball court sitting on a leveled mountaintop some 10km (5 mi) from Oaxaca. Enjoy the 360-degree views, see Olmec carvings, and be sure to visit the museum to see artifacts and stele excavated in the early 20th century.

Begin the tour by travelling to Hierve del Agua. This stunning natural formation consists of a series of mineral pools near the edge of a cliff. Over thousands of years, the heavily calcified water has flowed over the cliff, leaving mineral deposits as it does. The result is known as a "petrified waterfall" – nearly white rock formations that resembles a cascading fall. Enjoy time to explore the area and go for a swim in one of the mineral pools. Then, visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mitla ,38km (24 mi) from Oaxaca. Its name derives from the Nahuatl language, meaning “Place of the Dead”. Occupied from 900 BC by the Zapotecs and then the Mixtecs, the ruin features five groups of structures on either side of the Mitla River. Look for ancient cut-stone mosaics and intricate stone carvings throughout. Finish up with a Mezcal Factory tour. The Valley of Oaxaca is renowned as the birthplace of mezcal. Not to be confused with tequila, this distilled liquor is made in small batches from a variety of species of agave (spiky green plants that look like the tops of pineapples). Sample different types, including white unaged mezcal (often sold with an agave larva inside), along with “reposado” and “añejo” (aged) batches. Grab a slice of orange that's coated in salt and mixed with chili and ground worms. Now, it’s time to sip and enjoy.

Take a cooking class and learn that there's more to mole than meets the eye (and mouth). In fact, in Oaxaca, there are at least seven different versions of this popular made-in-Mexico sauce cooked with ground chili, chocolate, and sesame seeds. Black, red, yellow, green – the list is endless. Take a guided trip to the local market and let your senses get lost in the spices, colours, and smells. Following your cooking class, sample your tasty creation.

The Zapotec site of Monte Albán dates back to 500 BC and features platforms, pyramids, plazas, and a ball court sitting on a leveled mountaintop some 10km (5 mi) from Oaxaca. Enjoy the 360-degree views, see Olmec carvings, and be sure to visit the museum to see artifacts and stele excavated in the early 20th century.

Begin the tour by travelling to Hierve del Agua. This stunning natural formation consists of a series of mineral pools near the edge of a cliff. Over thousands of years, the heavily calcified water has flowed over the cliff, leaving mineral deposits as it does. The result is known as a "petrified waterfall" – nearly white rock formations that resembles a cascading fall. Enjoy time to explore the area and go for a swim in one of the mineral pools. Then, visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mitla ,38km (24 mi) from Oaxaca. Its name derives from the Nahuatl language, meaning “Place of the Dead”. Occupied from 900 BC by the Zapotecs and then the Mixtecs, the ruin features five groups of structures on either side of the Mitla River. Look for ancient cut-stone mosaics and intricate stone carvings throughout. Finish up with a Mezcal Factory tour. The Valley of Oaxaca is renowned as the birthplace of mezcal. Not to be confused with tequila, this distilled liquor is made in small batches from a variety of species of agave (spiky green plants that look like the tops of pineapples). Sample different types, including white unaged mezcal (often sold with an agave larva inside), along with “reposado” and “añejo” (aged) batches. Grab a slice of orange that's coated in salt and mixed with chili and ground worms. Now, it’s time to sip and enjoy.

Take a cooking class and learn that there's more to mole than meets the eye (and mouth). In fact, in Oaxaca, there are at least seven different versions of this popular made-in-Mexico sauce cooked with ground chili, chocolate, and sesame seeds. Black, red, yellow, green – the list is endless. Take a guided trip to the local market and let your senses get lost in the spices, colours, and smells. Following your cooking class, sample your tasty creation.

The Zapotec site of Monte Albán dates back to 500 BC and features platforms, pyramids, plazas, and a ball court sitting on a leveled mountaintop some 10km (5 mi) from Oaxaca. Enjoy the 360-degree views, see Olmec carvings, and be sure to visit the museum to see artifacts and stele excavated in the early 20th century.

Begin the tour by travelling to Hierve del Agua. This stunning natural formation consists of a series of mineral pools near the edge of a cliff. Over thousands of years, the heavily calcified water has flowed over the cliff, leaving mineral deposits as it does. The result is known as a "petrified waterfall" – nearly white rock formations that resembles a cascading fall. Enjoy time to explore the area and go for a swim in one of the mineral pools. Then, visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mitla ,38km (24 mi) from Oaxaca. Its name derives from the Nahuatl language, meaning “Place of the Dead”. Occupied from 900 BC by the Zapotecs and then the Mixtecs, the ruin features five groups of structures on either side of the Mitla River. Look for ancient cut-stone mosaics and intricate stone carvings throughout. Finish up with a Mezcal Factory tour. The Valley of Oaxaca is renowned as the birthplace of mezcal. Not to be confused with tequila, this distilled liquor is made in small batches from a variety of species of agave (spiky green plants that look like the tops of pineapples). Sample different types, including white unaged mezcal (often sold with an agave larva inside), along with “reposado” and “añejo” (aged) batches. Grab a slice of orange that's coated in salt and mixed with chili and ground worms. Now, it’s time to sip and enjoy.

Take a cooking class and learn that there's more to mole than meets the eye (and mouth). In fact, in Oaxaca, there are at least seven different versions of this popular made-in-Mexico sauce cooked with ground chili, chocolate, and sesame seeds. Black, red, yellow, green – the list is endless. Take a guided trip to the local market and let your senses get lost in the spices, colours, and smells. Following your cooking class, sample your tasty creation.

The Zapotec site of Monte Albán dates back to 500 BC and features platforms, pyramids, plazas, and a ball court sitting on a leveled mountaintop some 10km (5 mi) from Oaxaca. Enjoy the 360-degree views, see Olmec carvings, and be sure to visit the museum to see artifacts and stele excavated in the early 20th century.