Oaxaca City Travel Guide

Oaxaca City consistently appears on lists of the best cities in the Americas to eat in, and the hype is justified. But it’s not just the food: the city has some of Mexico’s finest colonial architecture, the major archaeological site of Monte Albán on the hill above town, and a living indigenous culture — particularly Zapotec — that shapes everything from the crafts to the cooking.

The city centre

The Zócalo (main square) is surrounded by colonial-era arcades and is the social heart of the city. Two blocks away is the Templo de Santo Domingo, a Dominican church with one of the most ornate baroque interiors in Mexico. Adjacent to it is the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca, which houses remarkable Zapotec artefacts including a complete gold tomb assemblage from Monte Albán. The Mercado Benito Juárez and Mercado 20 de Noviembre are side by side, a few blocks south of the Zócalo — essential for food.

Food

Oaxacan cuisine is one of Mexico’s most distinctive. The seven moles (negro, coloradito, amarillo, verde, chichilo, rojo, manchamanteles) are the benchmark. Tasajo (dried beef) and chapulines (grasshoppers, usually served with lime and salt, often on tacos) are local staples. The Mercado 20 de Noviembre has a row of charcoal grills where vendors cook tasajo and chorizo over open fires — it’s one of the most atmospheric eating experiences in Mexico. For mezcal, the village of Matatlán (30 minutes southeast) is the world capital of mezcal production; the distilleries are small and visits are informal.

Monte Albán

The ancient Zapotec capital is 9 km west of the city on a levelled mountaintop with views over the valley. Founded around 500 BCE, it remained occupied for over a thousand years. The main plaza, ball court, and observatory building are well-preserved. A collective taxi from the city centre takes about 20 minutes. Allow 2–3 hours on-site.

Day trips

Hierve el Agua (75 km southeast) is a series of petrified waterfalls — mineral-rich springs that have built up calcite formations over thousands of years, with natural pools above the cliff edge. It’s one of the most unusual landscapes in Mexico. The Tlacolula Valley on Sundays has one of the largest indigenous markets in the country.

Craft villages

The villages around Oaxaca are known for specific crafts: Teotitlán del Valle for hand-woven rugs on traditional looms, San Bartolo Coyotepec for barro negro pottery (the distinctive black clay), Arrazola for alebrijes (painted wooden animals). Each is within an hour of the city.

When to go

The valley sits at 1,550 m — the climate is mild year-round. Guelaguetza (July) is Oaxaca’s most important cultural festival, with indigenous dances from across the state; accommodation books up months in advance. Día de Muertos (1–2 November) is celebrated with particular intensity here — candlelit cemetery visits and elaborate altars.