- The seven moles, tlayudas and memelas in the markets
- Chapulines (grasshoppers) and chocolate de agua at Benito Juarez
- Mezcal tasting rooms on the Andador; book a palenque tour for the real thing
Oaxaca City Travel Guide
The church of Santo Domingo de Guzman, Oaxaca city. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Oaxaca de Juarez is the colonial city travellers love most: a UNESCO-listed center of green-stone churches, the great baroque church of Santo Domingo, and markets that many call Mexico's best food destination. The zocalo's cafes and the Andador Turistico pedestrian street set the pace.
The city is the base for the valleys: Monte Alban, Mitla, Hierve el Agua and the craft villages are all day trips.
What to do in Oaxaca City
Historic center
- 1
Santo Domingo de Guzman The baroque church with its gold interior and the regional museum in the convent. - 2
Zocalo and Andador Turistico The main square and pedestrian street: cafes, galleries and people-watching. - 3
Mercado Benito Juarez and 20 de Noviembre The great markets: moles, chapulines, chocolate and the famous pasillo de humo grills. - 4Jalatlaco The colourful old barrio of cobbled streets behind Santo Domingo.
Day trips
- 1
Monte Alban The Zapotec mountaintop capital, 20 minutes away. - 2
Hierve el Agua The petrified waterfalls and natural pools. - 3
Mitla The greca mosaics of the city of the dead. - 4
Teotitlan del Valle The weaving village of the valley.
Oaxaca City Hotel Guide
How to choose the best places to stay in Oaxaca City. Verified properties below; for the full list, search live availability on Booking.com.
Budget-friendly
Hotel Parador San Miguel Oaxaca
Colonial courtyard hotel near the markets.
View on Booking.comWhere to eat
Getting there and around
Oaxaca International (OAX) takes flights from Mexico City, the US and Canada. ADO runs overnight buses from Mexico City (6 hours). The valley day trips run from the zocalo agencies or by colectivo.