Yucatán with Katsuji Tanabe

Day 1

Bienvenidos a Mérida! This is the glorious heart of the Yucatán, with its French-inspired colonial homes and wrought-iron balconies overlooking streets bursting with open-air music. Mérida is often called the New Orleans of Mexico; and like the Big Easy, it’s not hard to fall in love with Mérida’s historic central district.

Katsuji will lead the way as we weave through traditional markets and grab a lunch of local street-food favorites: salbutes topped with shredded meat, cabbage and pickled onions; cochinita pibil marinated in citrus and spiced with achiote paste, wrapped in a banana leaf; and pavo en relleno negro, simmering in a rich sauce of black recado and cabbage with a hardboiled egg.

In the afternoon we’ll get a Mayan history lesson at the city’s epic Gran Museum, followed by cocktails at our hotel, a luxurious spot built in an old artist’s gallery. Dinner tonight is at one of Mérida’s culinary highlights, in the historic center, where we’ll toast our time together over a meal of the finest Yucatecan dishes.

Day 2

After breakfast, we go back in time at Mexico’s most famous Mayan site: Chichén Itzá. The 5th-century, jungle-clad expanse of mighty pyramids, temples and ball courts connected by ancient roads is a World Heritage Site. We’ll explore and learn about the recent discovery of a hidden pyramid within the iconic Kukulkan, the step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichén Itzá.

In the afternoon we’ll explore colonial Valladolid, a flaneur’s dream town brimming with cafes, shops and leafy parks. Over cocktails we’ll sample an array of botanas, the small-plate snacks that Valladolid is noted for—everything from beets with lime juice and cilantro, to pigs knuckles and pureed pumpkin seeds—before heading back to Mérida to relax back at the hotel, or maybe to dive into Mérida’s vibrant nightlife.

Day 3

Our final morning in Mérida begins with a breakfast to remember, at a ‘morning only’ taqueria. Papadzules sauced with pumpkin seeds and chiltomate, panuchos and salbutes, and polcanes bursting with the flavors of suckling pig, relleno negro and huevos motuleños, all bringing the essence of traditional Mayan cuisine to our lips.

Next stop: tranquility. Just an hour away, our jungle-clad hacienda sits behind brilliant coral walls, the perfect retreat for our souls. The afternoon is ours to wander the pristine grounds, take a dip in its on-site cenote or grab a drink poolside. This evening, we’ll meet back up with Katsuji for a full-on Mayan cooking workshop and private dinner.  

Day 4

Today we experience Yucatán culture through an artist’s eye. We start in the village of Maní, exploring its magnificent 16th-century Church of San Michael Arcangel, and meet local weavers who hand-embroidered blouses synonymous with Mayan style. Next we’ll meet, and learn alongside, a master at his home and studio, where he produces his highly prized works rooted in ancient Mayan techniques.

Lunch today is a serious treat. We dine at humble, legendary El Príncipe Tutul Xiu in Maní, one of the region’s most storied kitchens, for their signature poc chuc: charcoal fired with grill-roasted onions, a sharp marinade, a dash of roasted habanero salsa. After lunch, we’ll take a dip in a pristine cenote, where ancient tree roots and imposing stalactites hang like an upside-down world. When we return to our hacienda, we’ll be full of inspiration and ready to relax for the evening.

Day 5

The beauty is in the details. And today we’re getting up close and historical with Yucatan heritage, beginning with arguably the region’s best Mayan site, Uxmal. Here we see the ornate Puuc-style carvings adorning the gated temple walkways and bulbous pyramids that inspired Frank Lloyd Wright. Afterwards, we have a feast we won’t soon forget—the local cochinita pibil—pit-roasted, smoky and succulent, prepared just for us.

We return for a peaceful afternoon at our hacienda, but hopefully not too full! This evening, dinner is an equal treat: a farewell feast prepared by Katsuji to celebrate his love of Yucatán and Mexico, and of our time together.

Day 6

Alas, our time together is done. After a final breakfast we pack up and say K’a’ak’ate to the wonderful hacienda, our new friends, and especially Katsuji. We’ll transfer you to the Mérida Airport for flights home. Till next time!