14 Greatest Issues to Do in Oaxaca Metropolis, Mexico

Oaxaca Metropolis (Oaxaca de Juárez) is without doubt one of the prime locations in Mexico to go to, and for superb purpose. It’s creative, and stuffed with tradition—from historical ruins to mezcal tastings, and has a few of the finest Mexican meals in all the nation. After spending nearly a month within the metropolis, that is my record of my absolute favourite issues to do in Oaxaca. And they’re good to your first go to. 

1. Wander By way of the Road Artwork Districts

There are two neighborhoods you should see in the event you’re into avenue artwork: Xochimilco and Barrio de Jalatlaco. Every is walkable (Jalatlaco is flatter, whereas Xochimilco has some incline), and each are full of colourful murals, cool cafés, and little artisan retailers.

We took a free strolling tour of Jalatlaco with Oaxaca by Locals, which I extremely suggest—it added a lot which means to the artwork when the tales behind it. For Xochimilco, we adopted a self-guided strolling map and it was tremendous simple to navigate.

2. Lucha Libre at Enviornment Oaxaca

Each Sunday at 6:30 PM, Enviornment Oaxaca hosts Lucha Libre—Mexico’s iconic, high-energy wrestling occasion. It’s a mixture of acrobatics, drama, and humor, with “Rudos” (unhealthy guys) battling the “Técnicos” (good guys). Sit front-row for the total expertise (however keep alert—the wrestlers typically fly into the group!). 

There are 5 matches with 3 rounds. Every match will get progressively higher, so make sure that to remain till the top! For those who loved the match, throw cash (or paper pesos) on the mat to indicate your appreciation. You possibly can maintain greater payments near the ring for the prospect for a wrestler to return get it personally (that’s what I did).

➞ Tip: Deliver further money for souvenirs (like Luchador masks), snacks (like nachos and cheese puffs), and suggestions. Tickets can be found on the door, however exhibiting up early or shopping for upfront on the enviornment will assist you skip the very lengthy line. We went just a few hours beforehand.

3. Jardin Etnobotanico 

Don’t let the small view of Jardin Etnobotanico you get  from the road idiot you—this botanical backyard is very large and crammed with native Oaxacan flora. You possibly can solely go to on a guided tour, supplied in Spanish for 50 pesos. Even in the event you don’t communicate the language, it’s nonetheless value it! Plus, there may be usually any individual attending the backyard tour who speaks Spanish and English so it’s possible you’ll overhear individuals translating.

➞ Examine the web site for tour hours, usually supplied at 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00 and 17:00. Excursions final about an hour, simply stick with the group and keep on the trail.

4. Take a Wooden Engraving Workshop 

Wooden engraving (typically seen in Oaxaca’s paste-up posters) is a conventional Mexican artwork, and you may attempt it your self in a hands-on class. I took a 3-hour class at Galería 20-20 and completely beloved it. We realized engraving methods, practiced on a pattern board, then created our personal design to print and take dwelling. 

➞ Suggestions: come ready with a design thought—selecting one on the fly is more durable than you’d suppose. Additionally, your piece will want about 8 hours to dry, so permit time to select it up later. I made reservations by sending a message by Instagram.

5. Cooking Class Dos Corazones

This was hands-down the most effective experiences we had in Oaxaca. Chef Aubrey welcomed us into her dwelling with heat hugs and tales of her grandmother’s recipes.

The category started with Oaxacan sizzling chocolate and regional fruit tastings (zapote negro and pineapple mango!), adopted by snacks after which a lot of cooking. We ready chileajo, chile relleno with hen picadillo, and two sorts of salsa. Aprons, mezcal, beer, and laughs had been included! Aubrey and her husband made us really feel like household.

➞ You possibly can ebook the precise class I took right here: Conventional Oaxaqueña Cooking with Grandma’s Recipes

6. Day Journey to Hierve el Agua

For those who’re in search of an unforgettable day journey from Oaxaca Metropolis, this one’s received all of it—nature, tradition, mezcal, and one very large tree! We began with a fast cease at El Tule, dwelling to one of many widest bushes on the planet, then headed to Hierve el Agua, the place chilly spring swimming pools sit on the sting of a cliff with insane views. There’s a brief hike down (and a more durable one in the event you’re feeling daring), so convey water, a swimsuit, and a hat.

After soaking within the views, we toured Mitla, an historical Zapotec website nicknamed the “land of the tombs,” and grabbed a buffet lunch at Restaurante Donaji (go for the memelas and tlayudas!). We wrapped up with a comfortable mezcal tasting at a small family-run palenque and watched artisans create handwoven rugs at a textile workshop. It was a jam-packed day, however completely value each minute!

➞ That is the tour I took and suggest: Hierve el Agua Guided Full Day Tour

7. Go to a Mezcal Palenque

Positive, you’ll be able to pattern mezcal in Oaxaca Metropolis, however nothing compares to visiting a palenque within the countryside. You’ll get to stroll by agave fields, see how mezcal is made, and style it proper from the supply.

You may make your option to a palenque by yourself, however I opted for a tour. We  visited two palenques on separate excursions: The Mezcal Journey took us to a big manufacturing unit with a cease in Mitla for lunch, whereas the second was a small family-run spot included within the Hierve el Agua tour. Each had been worthwhile, however the smaller one felt extra intimate.

8. Store the Markets

For those who actually need to take in the center and soul of Oaxaca, head straight to the markets. There are three main ones within the metropolis, and every affords one thing a little bit totally different—so sure, I’m formally providing you with permission to go to all of them.

20 de Noviembre Market

20 de Noviembre Market is most well-known for the Pasillo de Humo (“Smoke Corridor”)—a hall lined with meat distributors grilling up all the pieces from tasajo to chorizo. Images normally present it crammed with dramatic plumes of smoke, however full disclosure: it wasn’t all that smoky on any of my visits. (Actually, the model at Central de Abastos was smokier and extra atmospheric.)

Nonetheless, that is the place to go in the event you’re craving conventional Oaxacan eats. Seize a seat, order some meat to be grilled on the spot, and pair it with all the perimeters (don’t skip the grilled onions and salsas!).

Benito Juarez Market

Situated simply throughout the road from 20 de Noviembre, Benito Juarez Market is extra of a combined bag. You’ll discover a handful of meals stalls (together with the most effective spots for nieve—extra on that in a sec!), nevertheless it leans extra towards souvenirs. Suppose: embroidered baggage, salsa bowls, keychains, and sure, even reside animals.

I picked up a cute woven market tote for $10, handmade salsa bowls for $2 every, and a generic model of my favourite fragrance for simply $7 an oz..

Central de Abastos de Oaxaca

This one’s large—and means much less touristy. If you wish to see the place locals actually store, that is it. I first visited on a gastronomy tour with Etnofood (which I extremely suggest—extra on that beneath), after which got here again later simply to discover and store.

You’ll discover all the pieces from recent produce and mole pastes to handmade pottery and furnishings. Critically, you would get misplaced right here for hours. And I type of hope you do.

9. Seize a Cocktail (or Two!)

For those who’re into cocktails, Oaxaca has some severely spectacular bars, and Sabina Sabe is without doubt one of the finest. It’s even been named one of many prime 50 bars on the planet—so anticipate a wait, however belief me, it’s value it. I beloved the Paloma Margarita (tequila, Campari, Aperol, orange liqueur, and grapefruit juice—howdy, scrumptious!) and the Guayabo Verde, which was mild, natural, and so refreshing. Plus, there’s a bit of artwork inside that absolutely captivated me. You’ll realize it if you see it—let me know if it will get you too!

If you wish to hold the cocktail crawl going, try Selva Cocktail Bar, a higher-end spot with a stunning vibe and inventive drinks, or swing by La Cueva, which is tiny, informal, and feels a little bit like being in a cool cave (therefore the identify!).

10. Eat Conventional Oaxacan Meals

For those who’re something like me, then meals is half the rationale for touring—and Oaxaca completely delivers! Whether or not you’re wandering by native markets, taking a avenue meals tour, becoming a member of a cooking class, or eating in one of many metropolis’s many eating places, you’ll haven’t any bother tasting your means by the area’s most iconic dishes. Listed here are just a few you have to attempt:

Nieve (Conventional Oaxacan Ice Cream)
Nieve isn’t your common ice cream—it’s extra like a fruity, refreshing sherbet and sometimes made with regional substances like mezcal, burnt milk, and even grasshoppers. My favourite place to pattern it was La Oaxaqueña Nevería at Jardín Sócrates, the place I attempted a sampler of seven flavors (passionfruit was the winner!). You can even discover unimaginable choices at Chagüita inside Benito Juárez Market (stall #27), the place locals line up for flavors like tuna (prickly pear), donají (lime & mezcal), and beso oaxaqueño (a tropical fruit combine).

Memelas
These thick, handmade corn tortillas are grilled and topped with substances like black beans, asiento (unrefined pork lard), cheese, and salsa. They’re easy however so flavorful, and normally eaten for breakfast or as a avenue snack. Casa Mook makes some nice ones!

Tlayudas
Referred to as Oaxacan pizza, tlayudas are outsized, crispy tortillas layered with refried beans, meat (normally tasajo or chorizo), cheese, lettuce, avocado, and salsa. You’ll discover them at avenue stalls and eating places, typically grilled over charcoal for that impossible to resist smoky taste. The most well-liked place to get them is on the Tlayudas La Chinita meals truck.

Mole
Oaxaca is known for its various kinds of mole, wealthy and sophisticated sauces made with all the pieces from chili peppers to chocolate. Mole negro is probably the most iconic, typically served over hen or tamales (I beloved those at Zandunga!)—and sure, it takes hours to make (or days!), so savor each chew.

11. Scope Out a Gallery or Museum

Oaxaca is a creative metropolis, from avenue artwork to excessive finish galleries, and all the pieces in between. Listed here are a few cultural locations that basically stood out to me:

Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca

Housed in a former monastery subsequent to the Santo Domingo Church, the Museum of Cultures is without doubt one of the most necessary cultural websites within the area. Inside, you’ll discover artifacts from Monte Albán, pre-Hispanic treasures, and rotating displays that give actual perception into Oaxaca’s wealthy historical past (plus, the views from the home windows are gorgeous!).

Galería Taller La Máquina

This workshop-gallery hybrid homes a uncommon 8-ton electrical lithography press from 1909, made in Paris by J. Voirin. It’s not only for present—the press continues to be utilized by native artists as we speak. The combo of old-world equipment and up to date Oaxacan artwork is wonderful.

Need extra? Cease by:

12. Take a Meals Tour

The meals tour with Etnofood isn’t your common touristy taco crawl. We explored the huge Central de Abastos market, the place we had been actually the one guests who didn’t reside there. It felt like stepping behind the scenes of Oaxacan day by day life.

What made it even higher? We didn’t simply eat—although we did that so much—we really realized the historical past and which means behind every dish. From constructing our personal taco campechano with substances we picked out ourselves, to sipping tejate, a pre-Hispanic cacao and maize drink, each chew got here with a narrative. We tried enmoladas drenched in wealthy mole, quesadillas from Comedor Conchita, chapulines (sure, the well-known grasshoppers), and a bunch of native fruits like mamey and pineapple with honey. We even sipped on conventional fermented drinks like pulque and tepache.

➞ You possibly can ebook the identical tour as me right here: Immersion Tour and Oaxaca Markets

13. See Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

You can’t go away Oaxaca with out stepping contained in the Templo de Santo Domingo. This gorgeous Baroque-style church is dripping in gold leaf, marble, and complex element. It’s particularly magical within the late afternoon—which was round 4:00 PM in February—when the daylight hits good and the gold virtually glows.

Sure, there are different church buildings like Basílica de la Soledad, however in the event you solely have time for one, make it this one.

14. Go to Monte Albán

Only a fast 25-minute drive from Oaxaca Metropolis, Monte Albán is a type of locations that immediately makes you are feeling such as you’ve stepped again in time. We booked a half-day tour by Viator that included a guided stroll after which some free time to discover on our personal—and truthfully, it was the right period of time.

Monte Albán was inhabited for over 1,500 years by the Olmecs, Zapotecs, and Mixtecs, and all the website was actually carved into the mountain. We’re speaking pyramids, terraces, canals, and temples—all designed with a sacred function. It’s wild to consider how a lot engineering went into it, particularly contemplating how way back it was constructed. And whereas Oaxaca Metropolis is thought for its Spanish colonial format and earthquake-resistant buildings, Monte Albán affords a glimpse into the brilliance that got here lengthy earlier than that.

➞ Tip: Earlier than you allow, pop into the small museum close to the doorway. It’s full of artifacts and offers nice context to all the pieces you’ll see on the market. And put on sunscreen and convey a hat. The solar doesn’t mess around up there, and there’s not a lot shade.

Watch my Issues to Do in Oaxaca Video:

Save this Put up to Pinterest