Mexicans travel to this beautiful city rich in culture to enjoy its food, travel to nearby natural attractions, experience the art of making mezcal, and enjoy some of the local traditions.
Oaxaca is a constant celebration; in July there’s the Guelaguetza festival with parades around the city and dance and arts presentations, whereas in October and November no other city celebrates Día de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — with as much enthusiasm as they do here.
Exploring the city on foot is a must. You can start by visiting the church of Santo Domingo — an architectural gem — and then get engaged with the cultural center that surrounds it that shares the history of indigenous communities.
Next to it is the Jardín Etnobotánico which preserves native plants and has a program to prevent indigenous languages from becoming extinct.
As you move towards the Touristic Walkway you’ll get to see craft stores and art galleries where you can buy traditional pieces like alebrijes, or you can also enter one of the Mezcalerías and learn about the process of preparing mezcal, have a tasting, and choose your favorite to take home.
Perhaps one of the most exciting things to do is explore the food. There are some top restaurants with exquisite creations, like Casa Oaxaca and Criollo, but for those who are looking for a more “local experience,” there’s nothing like the markets. At the Mercado 20 de Noviembre you can find all the food you can imagine, there’s an aisle dedicated just to meat — you can eat there or take something home with you — and then there’s another dedicated to chocolate.
Some stands have more exotic options like grasshoppers to have on top of tlayudas (the iconic dish of Oaxaca) or just as snacks, and then there’s dessert, either a refreshing fruit sherbet, like mango or mamey, or a tejate drink made of maize and cacao.
There aren’t big hotels or resorts here, it’s mostly quaint boutique hotels like Casa Oaxaca, Hotel Azul or Hotel Los Amantes, where visitors get pampered with wonderful service.
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