Exploring Textiles and History in Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico - December 1-5, 2026

Puebla and Tlaxcala are two of Mexico’s most unexpectedly rewarding states to visit for history and craft — rich in pre-Columbian ruins, colonial heritage, and living textile traditions that stretch back centuries. Heritage by Hand invites you to join us December 1–5, 2026 for an immersive journey into textiles and history.

In Puebla, we’ll explore the oldest library in Latin America, tour UNESCO World Heritage sites, visit stunning museums, and discover the city’s celebrated Baroque heritage. In Tlaxcala, the focus is on craft: we’ll spend a full day with master artisans Ignacio and Pedro Netzahualcoyotl — 8th generation weavers — watching them dye wool using traditional natural dyes and weaving on hundred-year-old looms, and traveling the famous Ruta del Serape in Contla to visit the personal homes and studios of artists where generations of families have kept traditional weaving alive. We close the trip at the archaeological site of the largest pyramid in the world in Cholula before returning to Mexico City.

This extension is the perfect complement to the Original Textile Fair trip in Mexico City, November 27–December 1 — continue straight from Mexico City into Puebla and Tlaxcala for a seamless textile journey. It can also be taken as a standalone experience.

About Ignacio Netzahualcoyotl

Ignacio (Nacho) Netzahualcoyotl is a Tlaxcalan weaver from Contla de Juan Cuamatzi, a Nahua indigenous community in the state of Tlaxcala. He works out of the Taller Netzahualcoyotl — a studio his grandfather established a century ago — weaving on hundred-year-old looms using processes from the 17th and 18th centuries. He and his brother Pedro are 8th generation weavers, inheritors of a craft lineage of extraordinary depth.

While Ignacio’s most important focus is to continue creating traditional Saltillo designs and serapes, much of his work has stretched the boundaries of traditional Tlaxcalan textiles. In 2013, he was named a Living Legend by the Grand National Prize for Popular Art. In 2021, he received the Grand Masters Award of the Craft Heritage of Mexico. He has exhibited internationally and been recognized as one of the world’s top 50 textile artists at the VIII Biennial of Contemporary Textile Art WTA in Spain.

The excellence of the Netzahualcoyotl family runs deep. Several of Ignacio’s siblings — including his sisters, who are accomplished weavers in their own right — as well as many artisans working in the Taller have also received Grand Masters Awards and regional awards for their work. It is a family and a studio where mastery is not the exception but the tradition.

So many days of disasters, of droughts inside me, left my rivers dry and me without a desire to breathe, but I am of strong roots that cling rather than perish, of traditions in a constant struggle. — Ignacio Netzahualcoyotl

Itinerary

Monday, November 30 — Arrival in Mexico City
Participants joining only the Puebla and Tlaxcala extension arrive in Mexico City and settle into apartments in the Hipodromo/Condesa neighborhood by Parque Mexico. Those continuing from the Original Textile Fair trip are already in place. Lodging recommendations will be provided upon booking.

Tuesday, December 1 — Mexico City to Puebla
After breakfast at our apartments in Parque Mexico, we depart together for Puebla — arriving around noon for check-in. After lunch at a nearby restaurant with a focus on contemporary Mexican cuisine, we spend the afternoon exploring Puebla’s magnificent historic center — the central plaza, the Cathedral, and the surrounding streets of one of Mexico’s finest colonial cities. We return to the hotel for a rest before dinner together in the evening.

Wednesday, December 2 — Puebla: History, Architecture & Museums
After breakfast at a beloved local bakery across the street from the hotel, we spend the morning on an extensive walking tour of downtown Puebla — visiting the oldest library in Latin America, important colonial churches, and the Museo Amparo, one of Mexico’s finest history and art museums, before lunch at a historically significant local restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the Baroque Museum — a stunning showcase of the ornate artistic tradition that defines Puebla’s architectural identity — and, if time allows, walk through the tunnels beneath the downtown area. We return to the hotel for a rest before dinner in the evening.

Thursday, December 3 — A Full Day in Tlaxcala with the Netzahualcoyotl Family
The heart of the trip. We drive to Contla de Juan Cuamatzi in Tlaxcala to spend the day with Ignacio and Pedro Netzahualcoyotl — 8th generation weavers whose Taller Netzahualcoyotl has been operating for a century. We spend time in their family workshops watching the ancient dyeing and weaving processes firsthand, travel the Ruta del Serape to visit other artisan families along the way, and share lunch with the family before returning to Puebla in the afternoon. Hands-on participation in the dye studio is welcome but entirely optional.

Friday, December 4 — Cholula & Return to Mexico City
After breakfast and checkout, we drive to Cholula to visit the archaeological site of the Great Pyramid of Cholula — the largest pyramid in the world by volume, topped by a colonial church and surrounded by one of the most remarkable archaeological landscapes in Mexico — and its excellent local museum. After lunch in Cholula, we depart for Mexico City, arriving at Parque Mexico by approximately 4 PM.

General Information

What the program fee covers: All ground transportation between Mexico City, Puebla, and Tlaxcala, workshop fees with the Netzahualcoyotl family, entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites, and speaking fees for artisan visits.

What participants cover independently: Lodging in Puebla (recommendations will be provided so the group stays together), most meals, and airport transfers if not connecting from the Original Textile Fair trip. Participants arriving independently should plan to arrive in Mexico City on the evening of Monday, November 30th. The itinerary begins Tuesday morning.

Pricing

$1,200 per person
Deposit: $600 due upon booking
Final payment: $600 due August 30, 2026
Maximum 11 guests. Trips typically host 6–8 participants.

Cancellation Policy

• Cancel before August 30, 2026: full refund
• Cancel after August 30, 2026: no refund

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Health and Activity Levels

There will be a moderate amount of daily walking (10,000+ steps), and participants should be aware of that. Both Puebla and Tlaxcala are at high altitude — participants with altitude sensitivity may want to arrive one day early to adjust. The Cholula archaeological site involves some uneven terrain. Please keep your physical abilities in mind when booking.