Mexico is a land of paradisic beaches and colorful colonial towns, and last month I experienced the best of both worlds in a week-long culinary immersion to Puebla and Mayakoba. On this dream destination, my girlfriends and I packed our bags and flew into Mexico City, where we kicked off our #RpsewoodGirlfriends trip with a two-hour road trip south-east towards Puebla, a UNESCO city steeped in Spanish tradition and an eyeful of regional wonder.
We checked into Rosewood Puebla, a property centrally located in Puebla’s town square which overlooks several of the municipal’s parks and churches. The hotel, a historical structure re-vamped with modern amenities, was our first entry point into the city. Through the warm interiors and welcome drinks, our first impression offered us a taste of the region’s rich colonial heritage.
Our first adventure in Puebla was a visit to a Talavera de la Reyna, a pottery process that is completely unique to the region. Talavera is a ceramic tradition that stemmed from Spain’s colonization of Puebla which over time has locally adapted to the region. Talavera’s distinctive feature is its naturally sourced glazes, which come in pigments of blue, yellow, orange, green, black and mauve.
One highlight of our walk through town was a stop at Calle de Los Dulces, a street which is storied to be the Candy Row of Puebla. The Avenida is lined with dulcerias, where glass cases packed with a confection of traditional candy and baked goods glisten in an arrangement of colorful blocks. I took home povloron: my favorite childhood snack, which is best described as a sweet, crumbled soft bread best devoured in hand-picked bites.
Right before lunch we visited La Pasita, the oldest cantina in Puebla which served and sold hand-crafted liquours. By local tradition we took an aperitivo, a shot of sweet raisin liqueur served with a toothpick with cubed cheese and a shriveled grape. 
After lunch we strolled the antique markets of Los Sapos, inhaling the warm winter air infused with notes of spices that the street cart vendors sold along the sidewalks. 
Happy hour strikes at 6 pm in Puebla, and as the sun descended we initiated our evening with a round of drinks at Bar Los Lavaderos, where the perfectly crafted Mezcal cocktails teemed with flavors of spice and smoke.
After a few cocktails things got a little blurry – and we tested our own skills behind the bar.
Thank you to Rosewood for an introductory trip to Puebla. This post was created in collaboration with Rosewood. All views are my own.