10 Top Things to Do in Oaxaca, Mexico

From the infinitesimal I archetypal arrived, Oaxaca held a peculiar spot successful my heart. Its vigor and excavation conscionable synched. I’ve lone grown to emotion the destination much with each consequent visit. I adjacent ran tours there.

Matthew Kepnes successful Oaxaca

Oaxaca is simply a metropolis of colorful buildings, scenic rooftop restaurants and bars, ornate murals and thoroughfare art, historical assemblage churches, and picturesque parks. It’s besides 1 of the gastronomic centers of Mexico and a hub for mezcal. 

As you program your ain visit to Oaxaca, this question usher volition assistance you spot the champion sites, bash the champion activities, and devour astatine the champion restaurants.

Things to Do successful Oaxaca

1. Wander the historical downtown

Explore connected foot

This is the cleanable spot to research iconic landmarks similar the Zócalo (the plaza successful beforehand of the National Palace), the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, and the Santo Domingo Cultural Center.

Spend immoderate clip wandering to instrumentality successful the vibrant colors and historical architecture of each the buildings.

2. Explore Mercado 20 de Noviembre

This covered market, 1 of the biggest successful town, is location to each kinds of delicious thoroughfare nutrient arsenic good arsenic section produce. Be definite to effort immoderate of the astonishing grilled meats present (a section favorite).

3. See Monte Albán

View from Monte Albán

The pre-Columbian UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte Albán, located conscionable 15-minutes extracurricular Oaxaca city, was founded successful the sixth period BCE.

The must-see humanities and archaeological attraction is 1 of the apical places to sojourn successful Oaxaca and afloat of past Zapotec pyramids that span respective miles. Be definite to get a guide, since there’s not immoderate signage here. 

4. Try a street-stall hamberguesa

The hamberguesa is a delicious, must-eat repast here. I cognize it’s weird to suggest “eating a hamburger,” but this a quintessential Oaxacan invention (meaning it’s not made for tourists) and is much than conscionable a burger.

It’s a burger topped with a blistery dog, sliced cheese, Oaxaca cheese, ham, pineapple, lettuce, tomato, and jalapeño! Cangreburguer adjacent Santo Domingo sells 1 of the best.

5. Learn astir Mezcal

Oaxaca is the main halfway of mezcal accumulation successful the world. If you privation to larn much astir this fashionable drink, Rambling Spirits runs the champion tours successful Oaxaca. Its guides person heavy cognition and bully connections, truthful they tin instrumentality you to places the bigger tours can’t. 

Additionally, you tin popular into 1 of the galore Mezcalerías successful municipality to larn more. My favorites are Los Amantes Mezcalería, Mezcalogia, Tres Hermanas, Mezcalería In Situ, and Comere.

6. See the Templo de Santo Domingo

Templo de Santo Domingo. Image by depositphotos.com

This Baroque Roman Catholic religion was started successful 1572, though it wasn’t completed until 1731. Originally utilized arsenic a Dominican religion and monastery, Temple de Santo Domingo was transformed into a depository successful the 1970s.

It is present location to each kinds of spiritual and pre-Columbian artifacts, including celebrated ones from Tomb 7, which had the astir intact Zapotec artifacts ever found. It is 1 of the champion attractions successful Oaxaca. You’ll larn a lot. 

7. Wander the Botanical Garden

Ethnobotanical garden. Image by depositphotos.com

These gardens span implicit 2 acres and diagnostic plants from crossed the authorities (Oaxaca is 1 of the astir biologically divers regions successful the country).

Self-guided tours are not allowed, truthful you’ll request to spell with a guide. There is lone 1 English circuit disposable per day, truthful get determination aboriginal arsenic it is archetypal come, archetypal served.

8. Take a nutrient circuit

One of the champion ways to get a consciousness of the section nutrient country is to instrumentality a guided nutrient tour. I highly urge doing 1 present since Oaxaca is specified a halfway for gastronomy, with 1 of the astir divers selections of dishes successful Mexico.

Oaxaca Eats runs respective tours; you’ll get to illustration 20+ dishes depending connected the tour. I similar its tours the best, due to the fact that they spell to immoderate unsocial spots.

 9. Meander the Sunday marketplace

Mercado Tlacolula is 1 of the astir fashionable markets successful the region. It’s fundamentally been successful cognition for centuries and is simply a bully spot to bargain section crafts, produce, food, and everything successful between.

It’s located 45-minutes extracurricular town, truthful you’ll request to thrust determination oregon instrumentality the bus, but it’s perfectly worthy the journey. 

10. Celebrate Day of the Dead

Popular vacation successful Mexico. Image by depositphotos.com

Día de Los Muertos is simply a large solemnisation successful Mexico. Locals overgarment their faces, sojourn cemeteries, and springiness offerings to grant the dead.

Oaxaca hosts 1 of the biggest festivals successful the country, and determination are tons of events and parades throughout. It’s an unthinkable experience. 

Best Restaurants successful Oaxaca

Oaxaca is considered 1 of the gastronomic centers of Mexico. There’s a batch of unthinkable nutrient here. Here are immoderate of my favourite restaurants: 

• Los Danzantes – This is the champion edifice successful each of Oaxaca, serving a modern instrumentality connected Oaxacan nutrient successful a beauteous courtyard. You person to devour here. Try the tuna tostados and the mole platter. 
• Las Quince Letras – A accepted Oaxacan edifice serving unthinkable mole. 
• Casa Taviche – This edifice changes its paper depending connected what is successful season, but it’s consistently bully food. 
• Boulenc – A bakery and brunch spot with fantabulous breads, pizzas, and sandwiches. Get determination early, due to the fact that determination is ever a line. 
• Taquería El Padrino – This nutrient motortruck successful El Llano Park has immoderate of the champion tacos successful town. 
• Tastavins – This inexpensive spot serves inexpensive tapas and Italian nutrient on with large wine. The much vino you drink, the bigger your tapas get. It’s got a bully vibe and is truly popular.

In summary

Jalatlaco, Oaxaca’s artsy neighborhood

Oaxaca is an unthinkable destination. It’s a vibrant spot and afloat of life, similar thoroughfare parades and vendors and euphony successful the parkland each time of the week. If you emotion food, history, and mezcal, past you person to visit. Even if you don’t, a travel present volition marque you emotion each three. 

For the champion places to enactment successful Oaxaca, cheque retired this station connected the champion hostels successful Oaxaca if you’re looking for determination cheap.