Our day will begin with delicious Oaxacan specialty coffee to give us energy for the adventure that awaits! Then we will jump in the van and drive 40 minutes to the area of Xoxocotlan, where the Salgados family will welcome us to their silver jewelry workshop. For over three generations, the Salgados have elevated Oaxacan jewelry design to a national level. They will provide a glimpse of the process that goes into their work, offering the option to help design and create your own custom pieces.

From Xoxo we will head further down the road to San Martin Tilcajete, where we will visit the only workshop in Oaxaca where women are in charge of crafting Alebrijes (carved and painted wooden animals). They explain and demonstrate the process, enlightening us on what it means to be a woman in a predominately male-run creative field. In the same town, we will stop at “Del Comal a la Mesa,” a traditional comedor set in a garden surrounded by plants and trees. Sample memelitas and quesadillas, meat and vegetable platters.

Our last stop of the day is just a few minutes away in the town of Ocotlan, where a maestro sombrerero awaits us. Here we will learn the craft of hat making and you’ll have the opportunity to find a sombrero that is just for you, one which will last a lifetime. If you don’t find one amongst the hundreds already made, you may have one made for you in the style you prefer.