Oaxaca is the kind of city where everything edible is also a lesson in civilisation — the seven moles that took centuries to develop, the corn varieties that have been cultivated since 4000 BCE, the tlayudas the size of a steering wheel that come off a clay comal at 7am. It's also a city of political murals, extraordinary weavers, and a mezcal culture so specific that every bottle tells you the exact agave, the exact village, the exact mezcalero. Come hungry.
What to do there
- 01
Mercado 20 de Noviembre on a Tuesday morning — Oaxaca's covered meat market where women in traditional dress grill tasajo (air-dried beef), chorizo, and cecina over charcoal at the back. Order a combination plate, add a tlayuda, and drink atole from a clay cup at the attached comedor. The Mercado Benito Juárez next door is the produce market where Oaxacan cooks shop daily.
- 02
Mezcal tasting in the Tlacolula Valley — hire a taxi for the day (about $60 USD) and visit palenques in Matatlán, the self-proclaimed 'mezcal capital of the world.' Stopping at small-batch producers where the piñas are still crushed by horse and the fermentation happens in open wooden vats, then cooked in underground clay pits. En Medio (Carretera Tlacolula) is the best introduction.
- 03
Hierve el Agua — mineral springs 70km east of the city that have formed frozen waterfall formations over limestone cliffs above a valley of agave. The petrified cascades are genuinely one of the most surreal landscapes in Mexico. Go on a weekday and bring a swimsuit for the natural pools at the top. Early morning for the best light.
- 04
The textile market in Teotitlán del Valle — a Zapotec weaving village 25km from Oaxaca where families have been making hand-dyed, hand-loomed wool rugs for centuries. Buy directly from the weavers; every piece takes weeks and uses cochineal, indigo, and marigold dyes made on-site. The Centro de Acopio is the cooperative market.
- 05
Monte Albán at sunrise — the Zapotec capital built at 6,400 feet above sea level around 500 BCE, predating Teotihuacán. Taxi from Oaxaca city (20 minutes), arrive when the site opens at 8am. The central plaza, the astronomical observatory, the ball court, and the view over three valleys. Go before 10am to beat the tour buses.
Best time to go
October through May. The Día de los Muertos celebrations in late October and early November draw the largest crowds but are also the most extraordinary few days in the city's calendar. July–September is rainy season.
Insider tip
Every neighbourhood in Oaxaca city has a vela or guelaguetza celebration at different times of year — neighbourhood festivals with live marimba, traditional dress, and food that outsiders rarely know about. Ask your host or any local what's happening this week. There's always something.
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