Mar
March 15-22, 2025
During “Art and Eat” you will cook traditional Oaxacan dishes with Chef Ana in a beautiful home in charming section of Oaxaca called San Felipe del Agua. Meet the top Oaxacan chefs like Alex Ruiz and cook alongside him in his country retreat. Purchase intricate wooden alebrije sculptures or have a lunch at the famous Tlacolula “pasillo de humo.” Visit a environmentally sustainable and socially-conscious Mezcal company run by sisters. Join us for an incredible trip into the colonial heart of Mexico!
ART AND EAT OAXACA ITINERARY
March 15-22,2025
IMPORTANT: This schedule is posted to give the guest a general idea of our schedule on a normal week. We are constantly improving our experiences and this itinerary may change as we find better and more interesting things to do. *Please check your package details for included elements. The schedule and lineup of dishes may change to take advantage of seasonal dishes, ingredients or the interests of our guests. LVB reserves the right to modify the activities in this schedule and the dishes contained therein at any time.
Saturday – Make yourself at home!
Guests arrive at OAX (Xoxocotlán International Airport) with airport pickup included. The trip takes about 30 minutes to the fabulous Casa Ana and Casa Framboyanes, and guests will be greeted upon arrival with a delicious homemade cocktail such as Chef Ana’s famous Mezcalita made with her own Calamondine Orange liquor as well as snacks such as embarradas, empanadas, cheeses, home-made salsa, and tortilla chips.
Later that afternoon/evening guests will enjoy Chef Ana’s 4-course chef’s table gourmet dinner made from primarily local ingredients. Chef Ana will explain her dishes to the guests and also discuss how the week will unfold.
Sunday – Prehispanic Tianguis Market in Tlacolula, Chocolate, Pasillo de Humo, Traditional Weaving Demo, 1600 year old tree and Cooking!
The day starts with Chef Ana’s famous big breakfast with fresh fruit, biscuits, homemade jams and jellies along with a new traditional Mexican main dish each morning. Today is a day to take a step back into time as we visit a traditional pre-hispanic market called a “tianguis” in Tlacolula. We will see how traditional markets work and the wonderful local products that people bring to the market to sell, trade, and barter. Guest will take a tour of the famous market with Chef Ana to select the best ingredients from local providers and bring them back for your first cooking session. Tlacolula is also known for its “pasillo de humo” or the smoke aisle. This is a wonderful world of wood-fired grills with meats such as tasajo, chorizo and cecina enchilada. Here they cook everything at the moment. Then you apply your fresh salsas, radishes, avocado and chiles de agua. This is an unique experience that must be done when visiting Oaxaca. We will have lunch after walking the market, seeing how chocolate is made from local producers and purchasing ingredients for the week.
Then on our way back we will stop by Maestro Nelson’s weaving studio in Teotitlan del Valle to see how traditional weaving is done with an oppportunity to purchase his heirloom rugs and tepestry. And we will also visit the legendary workshop of candlemaker, Viviana at Casa Viviana to see how her intricately decorated candle work has been done for over 70 years! And it that weren’t enough we will stop to the Tule tree (a 1600 year old cypress tree) and have a traditional ice cream.
We will come back and cook sopa de guia (or squash runner soup) a Oaxacan delicacy for dinner. Chef Ana will teach us about the “nixtamalization” process as well as testing out our tortilla-making technique using red, white or blue masa made from Oaxacan ancestral corn varieties produced locally and make your own tortillas and place them on the comal with Mari your “ama de llaves” during your stay. Many of you know Mari, Ana’s faithful assistant.
Monday: Cook with the most famous chef of Oaxaca at Portozuelo, his country retreat.
You have seen Alex Ruiz on CNN’s Searching for Mexico with Eva Longoria or his many television series. Chef Alex is the king of Oaxacan cuisine and we have arranged an exclusive opportunity that no one else has to cook in his “cocina de humo” at his country estate called Puertozuelo. But first we will take a tour of the byzantine “central de abastos” or the main wholesale market in Oaxaca. Alex grew up in this market and we will meet his life-long friends and providcers. Then we are off to Puertozuelo to cook in his traditional smoke kitchen and enjoy a Oaxaca meal like no other. Because of Chef Ana’s close relationship with Chef Alex, this is an opportunity only offer to La Villa Bonita guests during this week.
Tuesday: Mezcal Palenque, Artisan Shopping, Alebrijes!
It is time for an excursion day! Today we will visit Palenque Real de Minas and learn about Mezcal. We will learn about the only Mezcal producer run by a family of women. When the father died, there were no sons in the family and the daughters decided to run the company themselves. The company has been transformed in a modern way to be socially and environmentally conscious. We will try their Mezcals and see how they produce one of the finest Mezcals in Mexico. After that we will have lunch at they wonderfully colorful Almu: Cocina de Humo and we will also visit the studio of the incredible wood animal sculptures and alebrije artisans. Later we will have dinner at the house.
Wednesday – Oaxacan Coffee Visit, Mercado de la Merced, and Time to Cook Oaxacan Delicacies in Casa Ana
Today after breakfast we will take a tour of a local coffee operation in Oaxaca called Cafe Brujula. This local coffee company produces its own coffee from different parts of Oaxaca and we will meet their direct of operations to see their facilties, and of course taste test their wonderful coffees while learning about the coffee business. The we will walk to the quaint Mercado de Merced to pick up incredients to come back and cook a fabulous dish for Oaxacan wedding celebrations called “Estofado de Fiesta” or “Party Stew.” Ana learned this dish on a recent chef’s trip to rural Asuncion Ixtaltepec to learn from the 90-year-old MASTER of this dish Na’ Alicia. The main dish will be accompanied with squash flower empanadas, molcajete salsa, a green Oaxacan salad with crisp pepitas, and a dessert of Mamey Mousse with Pixtle.
Thursday – Visit to pottery artisant at Atzompa and Cooking with Chef Ana
Today we will also visit workshops of the most incredible clay artisanal work which Atzompa is known for. Then we will come back and cook up a storm making Itzmeno Shrimp Empanadas, Manchamanteles with Chicken (one of the 7 Oaxacan moles), Guayabas in simple syrup, Agua Fresca.
Friday: Your day, your way
After your delicious breakfast, you have a day to enjoy on your own. Since we have done things as a group, now is the opportunity to have a day to yourself. Take a walk in the downtown, go to the ruins of Monte Alban, enjoy the artisan market, go out for lunch or just relax. We will assist you in putting together the perfect plan (additional fees may apply depending on what you would like to do). Today is a day to do whatever your heart desires and we will help send you in the right direction . . .
Then we will regroup for our farewell dinner later that evening!
Saturday: Departure
After breakfast, we will organize our return to the Oaxaca airport and count the days until we see each other again for a new culinary adventure.
The city of Oaxaca de Juarez or Oaxaca City is the capital and largest city of the Mexican State of Oaxaca. It is located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro de Fortin. Cultural, culinary and heritage tourism makes up and important part of the city’s economy and it has many colonial-era structures as well as important archeological sites of the Zapotec and Mixtec cultures. The most well-known site is Monte Alban which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The city is also known as “la verde antequera” or the green antequera which was the name given to it by the Spanish because of structures that were built with green colored stone. The name Oaxaca is derived from the Nahuatl name Huaxyacac which was converted by the Spanish into Guajaca and later converted to its current spelling of Oaxaca. In 1872 “de Juarez” was added in honor of Benito Juarez who became the first indigenous president of Mexico from 1852 to 1872.
Casa Ana and Casa Framboyanes are located in the village San Felipe del Agua which is just a few miles away from downtown Oaxaca. San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca, boasts a charming blend of colonial architecture, scenic landscapes, and cultural richness. Nestled amidst lush greenery, it offers a tranquil environment ideal for relaxation and exploration. The town’s picturesque streets invite leisurely strolls, revealing vibrant markets, quaint cafes, and historical landmarks. San Felipe del Agua’s allure lies in its serene atmosphere, authentic local experiences, and proximity to natural wonders like waterfalls and hiking trails. Visitors are drawn to its traditional charm, friendly community, and opportunities for cultural immersion through festivals, artisanal crafts, and culinary delights. Overall, it’s a captivating destination for those seeking a peaceful retreat infused with cultural authenticity.
Oaxaca Art and Eat Adventure
March 15-22, 2025
Double occupancy – $2599 USD plus tax per person.
Single occupancy – $3599 USD plus tax per person.
This package includes accommodations with private bath in the Casa Ana or Casa Framboyanes, breakfast on all days, 4 cooking classes with lunch and all tours mentioned in the itinerary. There will also be “unscheduled” meals and cocktails not mentioned in the itinerary. Don’t worry. You will never go hungry or thirsty at La Villa Bonita. Packages includes pickup and return to the OAX airport. It does not include tips for the staff, personal spending and shopping, nor does it include the expenses of eating out. The kitchen in the house is stocked for your use at any time and our staff will be on hand to make drinks and snacks whenever you would like. Alcoholic beverages are also included as well as some delicious Mezcal!
La Villa Bonita No-Change-Fee Guarantee!
We want you to enjoy your vacation at La Villa Bonita and we know that things may come up that preclude you from joining us. While we do not accept cancelations or refund payments, if you need to change your reservation for any reason you can do so once without penalty and subject to availability. You will receive a credit towards that you can apply to a different date or different experience. If you choose a more expensive experience you will need to pay the difference. Please contact us for further details.
Payment Options and Sales Tax
Payment is in full upon making your reservation. We will send you an invoice by email that you can pay online or you can call us and we will receive your payment information. Prices do not include 16% sales tax which will be added to the final price of your package. Tips for the staff are not included.
Welcome to you home for the week – Casa Ana and Casa Framboyanes. Both houses offer flexible bed accommodations. Some rooms have king, some rooms 2 queens, some have 1 queen. But all rooms have en suite bathrooms and the common areas are really incredible with original Mexican art and interesting architectural touches
The house is located in the tranquil village of San Felipe del Agua which is located 15 minutes from the downtown of Oaxaca. This sleepy town is the perfect setting to relax and enjoy little town life but close enough to Oaxaca City that is a short ride. We have vans that can take you into town in your free moments or we can grab you a taxi if you want to explore.
PersnicketyPT - Scottsdale, Arizona
"Once Again, The Best, The Best, The Best!"
ivey1982 - Montreal, Canada
"Chef Ana is an amazing host and guide to the culinary world of Mexican cuisine and passion for life, food and her culture."
mymexicotours - Santa Cruz, California
"We all had a great time together during our days in the kitchen with Ana preparing some wonderful traditional dishes."
UMysGMo - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
"The experience provided by Chef Ana and her husband Robb is truly amazing."
- Included
- Not Included
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Contact Info
Start your Mexican culinary adventure now! Dates available year-round. Contact us for the most up-to-date availability.
+1 (631) 994-3436 // US
email: [email protected]
