Oaxaca de Juárez (or simply Oaxaca) is the capital city of the State of Oaxaca. Oaxaca preserves one of the most beautiful historical city centres of Mexico and is famous all over the country for its excellent cuisine and mezcal.
Oaxaca lies by Sierra Madre del Sur, one of the main mountain ranges in Mexico. On the other side of the Sierra lies the coast of the State of Oaxaca (with a beautiful and still not overcrowded beach destination: Puerto Escondido).
Oaxaca city centre is UNESCO World Heritage since 1987, thanks to its outstanding and well-preserved colonial architecture and urban plan.
If you think its architecture, culture and cuisine are not enough to include it in your trip to Mexico, Monte Albán, one of the most interesting ancient sites in Mexico, is just outside of the city. It was the centre of the of the Zapotec culture and one of the first urban civilisations in America.
In Spanish, the “x” in Oaxaca (or in México) is pronounced like a “j” (i.e. a harder “h”, from the throat). This is due to legacy spelling and consonant changes in the Spanish language in the 17-18th centuries. So Oaxaca is roughly pronounced [waháka]. Its name is an adaptation of Huāxyacac, given by the Tenochtitlan mexicas after its conquest in the 15th c.
Arriving in Oaxaca de Juárez
Oaxaca de Juárez lies 460 km SE of Mexico City (around 6 hours by car) and 340 km from Puebla. Upon entering the State of Oaxaca, you leave the motorway for a mountain road that delivers a breathtaking landscape.
By bus: operator ADO runs frequent buses from Mexico City. We recommend you taking the top class buses. The price difference is small and they are very comfortable. This is important for a 7 hour bus drive from Mexico City to Oaxaca. We paid MX$437 (US$20) per person.
By plane: Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX) lies 10 km South of Oaxaca city centre.
There are several daily flights from Mexico City to Oaxaca, operated by Aeroméxico, as well as by low-cost airlines Volaris and Viva Aerobús. There are flights to Oaxaca from other Mexican cities too, such as Mérida, Cancún or Monterrey. There are also direct flights to cities in the Southern USA, like Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles.
Flights are not expensive, but if you check in a bag, they are considerably more expensive than buses.
Moving around Oaxaca
Oaxaca has a population of 300.000 and its old town is very walkable – its roughly a square of 1.5 x 1.5 km (20 minutes walking from side to side).
The old city follows a square grid plan, typical of Spanish colonial cities, so orientation is pretty straightforward. Most streets are one way only, and a few central ones are pedestrian.
If you are travelling by car or you plan rent one to make some trips outside Oaxaca, parking in the city centre is free and it’s quite easy to find a place.
Is Oaxaca safe?
Oaxaca city centre is very safe, or so we felt it. You can walk outside at night without any problem, and we don’t think you should take any special measures.
Seismic alert!
What is not so safe in Oaxaca are earthquakes, because this is a high-intensity seismic area. The ancient Zapotecs knew it already, as their monumental city of Monte Albán is made of robust, low buildings.
So don’t worry so much, the city is well prepared against earthquakes and it has a seismic alert system. If you here the alarm, stay calm, go outside and walk to a place as open as possible. If you are already outside, it’s better not to walk too much.
The good thing about Oaxaca is that there are no tall buildings in the city centre, unlike in Mexico City (where we lived a seismic experience). Still, if you have to time to go outside, stay below a doorsill or under a table.
Guelaguetza: local song and dance festival
If you are lucky enough to visit Oaxaca during the second half of July, you can’t miss Guelaguetza. This festival was traditionally associated to the god of maize and is celebrated during the third and fourth Monday of July. There is a specific auditorium for this festival in Cerro del Fortín, overlooking the historical town.
People from all the villages of Oaxaca Valley take part in Guelaguetza, singing and dancing to traditional music with their typical costumes. Book in advance!
What to see in Oaxaca de Juárez
Oaxaca is a city made to wander around, get lost in its picturesque streets, full of history, and markets. You also have to enjoy its wonderful cuisine and its vibrant cultural scene – museums, street art… and mezcal!
During our trip, the State of Oaxaca had some of the greatest COVID-19 restrictions in Mexico: night pubs and mezcalerías were closed and restaurants only served alcoholic drinks until 9 pm. And all museums were closed!
There are some places you really can’t miss in Oaxaca, while you wander around. With the walking tour we show you now, you will be able to visit all of the unique places in Oaxaca city centre.
But it’s not only about beautiful and historical architecture. You can’t miss Oaxaca’s markets! Check out our foody recommendations in one of the best cities to eat in Mexico – from street food to elegant restaurants.
Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is the most beautiful and important church in Oaxaca, and one of the city’s symbols.
What used to be the monastery building now hosts the Museum of Cultures (Museo de las Culturas), the most interesting museum in Oaxaca, and the Ethnobotanical Gardens.
Construction of the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Guzmán started in the 16th c. but works were slow, so it was not finished until 1666. It is located in a nice open square with agaves and palms that sometimes hosts public events.
In 1724, a chapel with a red dome called Capilla del Rosario was added on the right of the main façade.
Its early Baroque exterior is quite massive, vaguely resembling a castle. Its carvings and domes covered in tiles are the highlights outside.
The statues on the main façade represent St. Dominic and St. Hippolitus holding a temple, from which the Holy Spirit emerges. Other saints of the Dominican order line of the sides.
You really can’t miss the interior of the church (free entrance, open every day), one of the most wonderful Baroque masterpieces in Mexico.
Upon entering, look at the ceiling. You will see the marvellous gilded stucco relief that represents the family tree of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (above).
Then, the single nave opens. It’s all richly decorated in Baroque style, with intricate stucco mouldings and frescoes in medallions that represent scenes from the Bible.
Museum of Cultures
The building of the former Monastery of Santo Domingo now hosts the Museum of Cultures, the most interesting in Oaxaca.
The cloister of this 17th century monastery is actually worth a visit by itself, but the museum exhibits a very interesting collection of prehispanic art and objects from the region of Oaxaca.
The real highlight of the museum is the treasure of Tomb 7 in Monte Albán. It was unearthed in 1932 and it is made of over 500 golden and stone objects, that were laid on the corridor to the tomb of a high-ranking official. It is the most important treasure in America, something like the Tutankhamon’s tomb of Mexico.
Ethnobotanical Gardens
What once was the monastery garden is now the Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca.
The idea of this garden is to grow several species of all seven regions of the State of Oaxaca, to illustrate how different the climates and flora in each region are.
Andador Turístico & Calle 5 de Mayo
Two monumental streets run parallel from Templo de Santo Domingo to Oaxaca’s main square (Zócalo): Macedonio Alcalá and 5 de Mayo.
The central section of Macedonio Alcalá street is known as Andador Turístico, literally “touristic walkway”. Full of elegant Baroque palaces and handicraft shops, it is also home to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Oaxaca (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca – MACO) and the Oaxaca Institute of Graphic Arts.
Apart from the main landmarks of Oaxaca, Andador Turístico is probably the street with the most monumental architecture in Oaxaca. However, it’s not the best place to eat or feel the city vibes.
The parallel street, calle 5 de Mayo, provides an interesting contrast. 5 de Mayo is more about small colourful houses of colonial aspect than large palaces.
5 de Mayo is usually quite lively – and with a long line of cars going South. Here you will also find handicraft workshops. One of the most famous is Maro-Mujeres Artesanas de Oaxaca.
Macedonio Alcalá Theatre
Follow 5 de Mayo street until it crosses Av. Independencia – there you will find Macedonio Alcalá Theatre.
This theatre opened in 1909 and designed in French art nouveau style is one of the most important of Mexico and a symbol of Oaxaca. It even hosted boxing events!
If you are wondering who is Macedonio Alcalá – he was a prominent violinist, pianist and composer from Oaxaca. His famous vals Dios nunca muere is considered the anthem of Oaxaca.
Oaxaca Cathedral
Now, turn right and take Av. Independencia from the theatre. Two blocks later this avenue arrives at the Cathedral and Alameda de León, a small tree-lined square. Opposite to the Cathedral is the Museum of Oaxacan Painters (Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños – MUPO). Zócalo lies on the other side of the Cathedral and Alameda.
Construction of Oaxaca Cathedral started in 1535 and it took nearly 200 years to finish. Actually, it wasn’t consecrated until 1640.
The Cathedral is built in the green stone typical of Oaxaca and like other buildings in the city, it’s robust and not tall for a cathedral, to ensure it’s earthquake-proof.
Its Baroque façade is elegant but sober, with some statues and carvings.
Entrance is free, but you don’t really miss so much if you skip it.
Paradoxically, the Cathedral is the least interesting of the main churches in Oaxaca, especially inside.
Oaxaca Main Square (Zócalo)
While Oaxaca is the neatest and cleanest city we visited in Mexico, its Zócalo is quite the opposite. It seems like they are happy enough with the order and beauty of the rest of the city that they don’t care much about the appearance of their main square and they let it be an urban bustling space.
A side wall of the Cathedral closes the northern side of the square. On the western and eastern sides, there are some porticoed buildings – they are nice, but they don’t really make up an ensemble like you would expect to find in the main square of an elegant city like Oaxaca.
Zócalo is very interesting, though. Here you can feel the rebellious side of Oaxaca city and region. When we visited it, there was a protest camp in front of the Government Palace of the State of Oaxaca, that occupies all the southern side of the square, with huge banners. They were asking about people who had disappeared or been murdered.
Very close of the southwestern corner of the main square, you will find the Jesuit Church (Templo de la Compañía de Jesús), with an original mixture of plateresque and baroque and red domes.
South of Zócalo, Oaxaca is a completely different city. The postcard stately city gives way to a bustling market city.
Along these streets are the main markets of Oaxaca, as well as many street vendors. A completely different experience that you shouldn’t miss!
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
But before living the market experience, we finish our tour of Oaxaca city centre visiting the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, in Plaza de la Danza (Dance Square).
This basilica was built, along with its monastery, by the end of the 17th century. Its baroque façade with statues of saints is probably the most elegant in Oaxaca.
Its interior is worth visiting (free entrance). It has some paintings and a typical baroque gilded moulding decoration.
In Plaza de la Danza there are some food stalls and benches.
Opposite to Basílica de la Soledad, is another beautiful baroque building – the former monastery of St. Joseph (ex Convento de San José), now School of Fine Arts of Oaxaca University.
The history of this monastery started in the 16th c. but after suffering heavy damage in two earthquakes it was completely rebuilt around 1730. After that, it worked as a nunnery until it was confiscated by the State in the 19th century (by the Reform Laws).
Markets of Oaxaca
As we were saying, Oaxaca has many interesting facets. After admiring its wonderful colonial architecture and its elegant streets, you have to get to know its lively markets. There you will find handicrafts, locally produced hats, a lot of food products and more.
Everywhere, especially by the entrance to the markets, you will see a very typical delicacy in Oaxaca, that many Europeans can’t even think of eating – chapulines (grasshoppers) are sold like a snack. In Oaxaca they are usually sold in three different sizes!
Mercado Benito Juárez
We started in Benito Juárez Market, just two streets South of Zócalo. Its the largest market in Oaxaca city centre.
In Benito Juárez Market you can find many different products – fashion, local quality hats at good prices, handicrafts, flowers… but also chillies, spices and more food products. There are also places to eat, mostly for people who work in the market.
Benito Juárez Market makes up a whole block – you can enter from calle Flores Magón (directly from Zócalo), or from calle 20 de Noviembre, parallel to the former, and wider.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Leaving Benito Juárez by Calle 20 de Noviembre, you will find 20 de Noviembre Market just one block further.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre is a food market. There is bread, mezcal, vegetables, chocolate and good ready-made moles for sale… but the best thing to do here is eat some delicious tlayudas or other cheap and fast Oaxacan specialties.
The tlayudas in María Alejandra are among the most famous in Oaxaca. It’s a classic you can’t miss! We will tell you more about tlayudas and other Oaxacan dishes later.
Mercado de Artesanías (Handicrafts Market)
The Handicrafts Market (Mercado de Artesanías) is just two blocks away from 20 de Noviembre Market. This market doesn’t open until noon, much later than the others.
As you can imagine, this market is only about handmade products from the Oaxaca area: T-shirts and huipiles (traditional dresses), bags… and fine carpets at better prices than in Teotitlán del Valle (a village famous for its carpet production and a usual stop in the trip from Oaxaca to Mitla).
Jalatlaco
East of Oaxaca old city lies Jalatlaco quarter. Its picturesque narrow cobbled streets, around its baroque church, make it the most bohemian quarter in Oaxaca.
But it doesn’t end there – lately Jalatlaco has become famous for its street art. Wandering through its streets you will see several grafitti murals, with many references to death (as you would expect in Mexico), and even classical nahuatl poetry, from Texcoco’s king poet Nezahualcoyotl (above).
Jalatlaco is also a great place to enjoy cantinas and mezcalerías with nice terraces away from the bustling city centre.
Xochimilco Aqueduct
North of Oaxaca old city lies the quarter of Xochimilco. It’s another pleasant area to walk, with small colourful houses.
The neighbourhood’s landmark are the Xochimilco Little Archs (Arquitos de Xochimilco), what’s left of an 18th-century aqueduct that supplied water to Oaxaca city until the 1940s.
Where to eat in Oaxaca
Oaxaca is one of the best foody destinations in Mexico. In Oaxaca you can enjoy a lot, from street food (tlayudas, and more) to very complex moles and elegant restaurants.
Street food - tlayudas
Tlayudas are the signature street food of Oaxaca, main character of a chapter of Netflix’s Street Food Latin America.
Tlayuda is a very thin corn tortilla, more flexible than usual, well toasted over a comal. Tlayudas are the largest tortillas in Mexico, with a diameter of 30 metres or more. It can be served folded in half (more common), or open, looking a bit like a pizza.
To make a tlayuda, first you spread some asiento de puerco (burnt pork belly fat) on the tortilla and later you add refried beans and Oaxaca cheese. Traditionally, tlayudas are served with tasajo or cecina de res (dried beef), but we personally prefer them with pork ribs or chorizo.
We could try a few tlayudas in Oaxaca, and we can tell you our favourite was that from Tlayudas El Negro. We also tried the famous one from María Alejandra in Mercado 20 de Noviembre, open and also very recommendable.
As tlayudas are so big, it’s better to order just one. If you still have some space and you’re in Oaxaca old city, you should try some tacos de lechón (piglet) in El Lechoncito de Oro. We recommend tacos de lechón con chicharrón (belly with very crispy meat) more than con pierna (leg).
Insects
Oaxaca is well known for its taste for insects: chapulines (grasshoppers), chicatana ants and gusanos de maguey (agave worms) are the most common. Even if you are repulsed by the idea, seriously, give it a try! They are crunchy and have a subtle taste, you will be surprised!
In Casa Oaxaca they serve an insects toast to get you started with the 3 classics!
If you really can’t cope with the idea… try them in a sauce! Seriously, they work marvellously as a “secret ingredient” in sauces based on tomatoes and chillies. Our favourite was the chicatana sauce (made of ancho chillies and chicatanas), fantastic with boiled maize!
Our favourite restaurants in Oaxaca
In Oaxaca, like anywhere in Mexico, you can’t just try tlayudas, tacos and other street food, as delicious as they may be. There are beautiful stews and more serious dishes.
The Seven moles of Oaxaca are famous all over Mexico – negro (black), amarillo (yellow), coloradito (reddish), verde (green), chichilo, rojo (red) and estofado… You must try some of them while in Oaxaca!
We recommend you two restaurants to try delicious authentic Oaxacan food. Moles, insect dishes and tortilla specialties made on a comal.
Las Quince Letras (calle Mariano Abasolo x Av. Benito Juárez, in the old city) provides the best value for money. It’s not as pretentious as some of the super famous restaurants in Oaxaca, but in Las Quince Letras they serve authentic and high-quality Oaxacan cuisine. Price range: 350-400 pesos (€15-17 / US$16-19) per person.
Their menu includes recipes from the seven regions of Oaxaca and six different moles (including a few of the classics). But as we visited them for dinner, we went for something lighter.
That was probably a mistake as their moles looked incredibly good. Anyway, we loved their chiles stuffed with mushrooms and maize (Suspiros de Oaxaca) and their banana molotes…
But our favourite were the garnachas istmeñas directly from the comal – this is a specialty from the South-East of Oaxaca State that consists of a tortilla with beef, red onion, cotija cheese topped with a beautiful sauce.
Casa Oaxaca is one of the most famous restaurantsin the city – so if you want to go, book a table (especially for dinner). It is located just opposite of Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán (calle Constitución) and it has a very pleasant rooftop terrace.
If you are travelling on a budget, maybe you can’t to think it twice before eating at Casa Oaxaca. You will pay at least 700 pesos (€30 / US$33) per person. That said, the foody experience is worth it. If you love mezcal, they have a very complete menu… but if you drink too much, your bill will skyrocket (like anywhere in mexico, same if you order wine).
First, they offered us a sauce made in molcajete (traditional volcanic stone mortar) of tomatoes, tomatillos, mild chillies, grasshoppers (chapulines) and mezcal. A delicious sauce to taste with blue maize tortillas to wait for our order.
We started with the insects toast, house specialty with chapulines (grasshoppers), chicatana ants and gusanos de maguey (agave worms), with some guacamole and sauces. The gorditas (“fatties”, a kind of tacos with thicker tortillas) with marinated pork ribs.
As main dish, we went for the king of traditional moles, mole negro with turkey. This black mole is the most complex of the seven moles of Oaxaca: it takes over one day to prepare it and it contains over 30 ingredients, including chocolate, several kinds of chillies, fresh and dried fruits and nuts.
Cooking classes in Oaxaca
Mexican cuisine is recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO and Oaxaca is famous for its cuisine… so we thought it would be a great idea to take a cooking class in Oaxaca!
You can find many options online, the pity is they are mostly oriented to foreign (actually, US) tourists and more about having a nice time than learning about Oaxacan cuisine.
We finally chose the classe in Casa Crespo, one of the most renowned restaurants in Oaxaca. You can book it following this link.
First, they took us to the local market and then you cook several dishes in a group of around 10 persons: tortillas (the dough was already made), tamales, a soup, a green mole and a caper mole (mole caparrado).
We had a nice time, but it was a bit disappointing. In the end, you cook so much in so little time than you can barely grasp anyhing. Furthermore, the moles we cooked were fast to prepare but not the most interesting or tastier…
In conclusion, it is a fun thing to do in Oaxaca if you have enough time to visit the city and around, but don’t have too high expectations.
Around Oaxaca
You must save at least one full day in Oaxaca to visit some places outside of the city. We rented a car to visit in one day the archaeological sites of Monte Albán and Mitla, visit the legendary tree árbol del Tule and taste the stone soup, and end our day in Arrazola, the village where they make alebrijes, a great souvenir.
If you don’t have enough time for this full trip, what you really cannot miss is Monte Albán. Don’t worry if you can’t rent a car, Monte Albán is 5 km away from Oaxaca and there are buses that take you from the city centre.
Monte Albán is one of the most important archaeological sites in Mexico, and by itself a good reason to travel to Oaxaca. Its buildings are not as tall as in other sites (more resistant to earthquakes), but the ensemble is a real wonder of Zapotecan architecture, where you can also feel the influence of Teotihuacán.
The first buildings in Monte Albán date from the 7th c. BC, but the zenith of this civilisation started in the 4th c. AD. From this era, known as Monte Albán III, are most of the buildings we see today.
So we started our day outside Oaxaca in Monte Albán – there was no other way, as there was a maximum daily capacity due to COVID-19. We actually had to queue inside our car for around 30 minutes to get inside the site.
We spent around 3 hours in Monte Albán, exploring its imposing structures, especially its harmonious ceremonial area, that features the famous Dancer’s carvings and the Observatory.
Soon we will publish a post only about Monte Albán, where we will tell you a lot more about this wonderful place!
After leaving Monte Albán, we went directly to Mitla. We had no time to lose, because they only opened until 3 pm and they also had a maximum daily capacity.
What was quite surprising is that before entering the archaeological site there was a “disinfection area” – where you had to get down the car so they could spray everything with an alcohol solution.
Mitla is not as large and impressive as Monte Albán, but it’s nevertheless highly recommended. In Mitla you can admire a very original façade decoration style – xicalcoliuhqui, shapes similar to meanders made with mosaics of tiny tesserae.
The zenith of Mitla started around the 8th c. AD, and Monte Albán’s decadence probably contributed to it. But this style, so characteristic of Mitla, is actually from the last era before the Spanish conquest (13th-16th c.). This style is explained by the influence of a Mixtec noble class that imposed its rule over an indigenous Zapotec popluation.
The classical trip continued East up to Hierve el Agua, a marvellous group of rocky formations that resemble stone waterfalls. These dominate an area of natural pools.
Unfortunately, the authorities have decided to close Hierve el Agua to visitors permanently to preserve it from accelerating damage.
So we drove back towards Oaxaca from Mitla. First, we stopped in Teotitlán del Valle, a village famous for its handmade quality carpets. They make some beautiful carpets, although in Oaxaca you can find cheaper ones.
Very close to Oaxaca city lies Santa María del Tule, a village famous for the Tule Tree (árbol del Tule), a tule (kind of cypress) that is over 1200 years old (some estimate its age as 3000 years).
It is 42 metres tall and 58 metres in perimeter and it has certainly witnessed the rise and fall of quite a few kingdoms and empires!
A few minutes along the road, you will find the restaurant Caldo de Piedra (in a village called Tlalixtac de Cabrera, but really on the right side of the road). It’s the only place where the authentic caldo de piedra (stone soup), an old Chinantecan recipe.
It’s basically a fish broth, to which they add some vegetables, a jalapeño pepper and (optionally) prawns… but it’s cooked in a very original way! All the ingredients are mixed in a bowl and then they add 2 or 3 red-hot stones!
It’s a very fast way of cooking – it’s ready in less than 5 minutes!
For those who don’t like fish soups, there are also good tlayudas, empanadas de mole amarillo (yellow mole with chicken) and other specialties from the comal.
We finished our trip in Arrazola, a village famous fot its alebrije handicrafts. Arrazola is West of Oaxaca, on the same side as Monte Albán.
The alebrijes from Oaxaca are copal wood handicrafts that represent fantastic animal-like figures, painted with bright colours. Alebrijes are an invention of Pedro Linares López, a cartonero (papier-mâché artisan) from Mexico City. Alebrijes were representations of fantastic animals he had seen while in a coma.
Contrary to what we imagined, very few tourists go to Arrazola, and it’s usually not included in tours. The road to reach the village is quite bad and bumpy.
The good thing of this is that the artisans are very friendly and they don’t try to trick you (some shops are also workshops). We recommend you to go to Arrazola while in Oaxaca and buy a very cool and original handicraft to take back home, making a contribution to the local economy, and to the artisans, without intermediaries.
And thus finished our trip in Oaxaca. We flew to Cancún the next day. There, we rented a car to explore the Yucatán peninsula for 9 days! Soon we will tell you what we discovered about ancient Maya cities, their culture, cenotes, cochinita pibil and other beautiful Yucatec dishes… and the famous (but disappointing) Riviera Maya.
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