3 Unique Airbnb Experiences To Try in Mexico City For Less Than $40

During our time in South America at the beginning of this year, we used Airbnb experiences for the first time. They’ve been around for awhile, but I had never really looked into the types of things they’d offered. But we really enjoyed both of the ones we did — a cooking class with a chef in Quito when other other plans for the day fell through, and a tour of Comuna 13 in Medellín.

Our first Monday in Mexico City was Memorial Day — a holiday for most in the American corporate world. But many of Mexico City’s top attractions like museums and parks are closed on Mondays. Wanting to make the most of our day off, I turned to Airbnb to find some unique experiences that we wouldn’t forget.

While I didn’t book them all for one day, their budget-friendly nature made me feel that I didn’t have to choose just one. So here are the three Airbnb experiences under $40 we tried in Mexico City.

1. Mezcal and Pulque Tasting in Mercado San Juan

Experience link: Mezcal & Pulque Tasting at my Local Market Stall – Airbnb
Neighborhood: Colonia Centro
Cost: $20.42

While we may be more likely to think of tequila when we think of Mexico, mezcal is actually the king of Mexican liquors. (And anyway, tequila is a type of mezcal.)

We picked up on this fact quickly during our first few days in the city, noticing how we’d receive a tiny glass of mezcal after dinner, or that most cocktails at the bar next door were mezcal-based. Matt told me it wasn’t his favorite because he wasn’t a fan of the smoky flavor. But then I saw this opening line on the Airbnb experience:

“Not all the mezcales are smoky. Want to learn more and try 10 different mezcales?”

We were intrigued. So we booked it.

The experience host, Ho, communicated with our small group in the Airbnb app, telling us where to meet for the mezcal tasting — underneath the Mercado de San Juan sign, where he then led us to their market stall. At each of the seven seats, there was a paper placemat with three empty shot glasses and a bottle of water. The seats faced into the “bar,” where Ho and his colleague, Aremy, explained the importance of mezcal in Mexico, how it’s made, and information about each of the different mezcals we were trying.

Along with each different mezcal — there were 10 in all! — they served a different snack that was meant to pair with it. From mangoes to grasshoppers and “chicatana” ants, it was truly a culinary experience. We definitely gained a new appreciation for mezcal and learned it can be so much more than just smoky!

The experience, while slated for an hour, lasted more like an hour and a half. But Ho and Aremy didn’t seem to mind. They were both extremely sweet and extremely passionate about their work. Their English was great, so don’t worry if you don’t speak Spanish. And they were so happy to chat with us, answer all of our questions, and even pour second helpings of our favorite mezcals.

I expected to enjoy this experience, but it was actually somehow even better than I’d anticipated. I left the experience with a smile, feeling the warmth from human connection and the mezcal shots.

2. Discover and Paint Your Aztec Protector

Experience link: Discover and Paint yr Aztec Protector – Airbnb
Neighborhood: Independencia, Benito Juarez
Cost: $35.74

If you’ve followed me here for a while, you might know that I started a travel gallery wall in my home office last spring — when I wasn’t able to actually do any traveling. I arranged pieces of art that I’d collected while traveling over the years, so I could at least look at them while I was working from home.

Now that I’ve been traveling again, I’ve been thinking about expanding it. I bought some art from local artists in Puerto Ayora and Madrid, so I was on the lookout for something unique I could take home with me from Mexico — and would be small enough to fit in my backpack, which was all I brought on the trip.

While browsing Airbnb experiences, I found something that really interested me: “Discover and Paint Your Aztec Protector.” On top of collecting art, I also like making art. And what could be more unique than making my very own Mexican painting for my gallery wall?! Matt claims he isn’t very artistic, so I signed up for this one alone. Which I was happy to do, thanks to my years of solo travel.

When I arrived at Fernanda’s place, I was a bit early — I wasn’t sure how long the Uber would take. But she welcomed me inside and asked what I wanted to drink while we waited for the other two participants, who had told her they would be late. She made a pitcher of a blended coconut horchata concoction (delicious) while we chatted in Spanish.

And finally, we took a seat at her table, where she explained the ancient Aztec calendar and their codices. (In English, as the other two participants didn’t speak Spanish.) As we told Fernanda our birthdays — day, month, and year — she told us each of our three spiritual protectors and birth symbols. Fernanda, an artist, created these stamps representing each of the “deities,” printed them on amate paper, and then allowed us to choose one to paint.

But before we got started painting, Fernanda taught us about the red pigment used by pre-Hispanics. Grana is a type of bug that grows on cacti. When collected and dried, it can be crushed into a very fine red powder. Fernanda showed us how mixing the powder with more acidic or basic water (using baking soda, citric acid, and alum) can change the hue — dark purple, orange, red, and more.

Just like the mezcal experience, this painting experience lasted longer than planned. But Fernanda was in no rush to see us go. We could have continued talking with her for hours, and her love for art and pre-Hispanic history was contagious. I’m so excited to have such a unique piece of artwork from my time in Mexico City.

3. Drink, Smell, Taste, and Feel Day of the Dead

Experience Link: Best Rated- Drink, Smell, Taste, and Feel Day of the Dead – Airbnb
Neighborhood: Coyoacán
Price: $35.17

Back during high school Spanish, my teachers taught us a lot about Mexican culture and celebrations such as Day of the Dead. But it’s been a pretty long time since I’ve reviewed any of that information. When I came across an Airbnb experience called “Drink, Smell, Taste, and Feel Day of the Dead,” while in Mexico City, I felt like maybe I shouldn’t pass up this chance to “experience” the celebration for myself.

And this Airbnb experience was rated an impressive 5.0 stars on 50 reviews. I knew it had to be good!

An hour before our experience was scheduled to begin, we got a message from the hosts, Andrés and Manuel, telling us to meet them at the main square in Coyoacán. “As a sign, one of us will wear a Skull mask.” I was expecting a simple skull face mask… but when we finally found them, there was little doubt that they were our hosts. I won’t spoil the surprise. 🙂

Though we hadn’t booked a private experience, and there can be up to six guests, Matt and I were the only ones signed up during our timeslot. Which was pretty cool because it felt even more personal and intimate. Andrés and Manuel started by telling us some history about the Coyoacán neighborhood. And then they led us into a historical building, where the experience took place.

After climbing a few floors, we found ourselves in a dimly lit room covered in marigolds, large papel picado displays, and a huge, intricate ofrenda, or offering/altar, off to the side. As we took our seats, the hosts explained the different aspects of the altar, which was set up in honor of “José Calavera,” a Lucha Libre wrestler.

Next up, they gave us some mezcal and traditional pre-Hispanic snacks — chapulines, or the roasted grasshoppers, made another appearance! They were bigger than the one I’d tried at the mezcal tasting experience. But I ate one anyway. (Travel makes me brave.) After that, they let us sample some crema de mezcal, which seemed a lot like Bailey’s Irish Cream. I definitely prefer that to regular mezcal.

And then it was time for part two of the experience. We walked down a hallway lined with “skulls” and into a small theater. In this unique “immersive experience,” elements of an ofrenda come to life while narrated by José Calavera himself. And this is where the “drink, smell, taste, and feel” part really comes into play. We got to smell traditional incense and try a few different types of mezcal creams, an Aztec chocolate drink, and pan de muerto, or Day of the Dead bread. The pan de muerto is only baked during October and November, so this is your best opportunity to try it if you’re not here during the actual celebrations.

It’s truly amazing to think that Andrés and Manuel put this whole experience together themselves — and they just opened in January of this year. One of the best ways we can connect with others is by sharing and celebrating in their cultures, and I felt honored to have had the opportunity to do just that with this experience.

 

Thank you so much to Ho, Aremy, Fernanda, Andrés, and Manuel, the hosts of our Airbnb experiences! He disfrutado mucho y tengo muchas ganas de compartir todo con mis leedores. 

Which of these Airbnb experiences would you be most interested to try, or which one would you like to know more about? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

Originally Published on June 29, 2022.