Hello!
A destination that had been on my list for far too long, I planned a trip to Oaxaca because it houses the best that Mexico has to offer: history, culture, beautiful scenes, a juxtaposition of liveliness and calmness, and most importantly the most acclaimed foodie scene in the Mexico. I am most excited to share my notes on this destination as I consider it a place that is worth visiting more than once, and that will likely have a growing list of recommendations.
Here are my notes and travel guide to Oaxaca:
FAQs
Location and Culture: Located in the south of Mexico, Oaxaca is easily accessible by land or air from the capital Mexico City. The weather is warm year-round (average of 79 degrees) with especially hot summers, so packing a hat (or buying one at the market) will come in handy for daily excursions. The culture of the city is relaxed, so think summer dresses, shorts and comfy walking shoes (and a backpack with a water bottle).
Safety: Oaxaca is generally one of the safest cities to visit in Mexico. Keep in mind common sense practices such as taking taxis in pairs, leaving your passport and valuables at your hotel, and only taking the cash you need on your excursions.
Lenght of stay: there are so many activities, restaurants and markets to explore that this destination is worth many visits. However, if you are visiting for the first time, 3-4 days is a perfect introductory timeline. If you plan to go during the bigger holidays like Day of the Dead (November) or Guelaguetza (July), consider staying closer 5 or 6 days.
Other fun facts:
Oaxaca is surrounded by towns and villages that each specialize in their own unique handicraft. The valley that surrounds the city is dotted with pueblos dedicated to their generation-spanning craft, be it the handwoven wool rugs, burnished black clay pottery, fanciful alebrijes, or green-glazed ceramics.
Oaxaca is considered one of Mexico’s gastronomic capitals and is the home of mezcal.
Oaxaca’s annual Guelaguetza festival is one of the most lively and colorful celebrations in all of Mexico.
Where to stay
When it comes to where to stay in Oaxaca, the options are endless and frankly all magical in their own unique ways. During my last trip with 9 other friends, we split up into small groups and all stayed in different types of accommodations including boutique hotels, hostals and Airbnbs. Here are some I recommend:
Airbnb - A trusted source and generally the one with best access to beautiful lofts and apartments near the city center. When identifying your location, try to find places that are no more than a 15 minute walk from the city to have close access to coffee shops and shopping.
Selina - Located in the heart of the historic center in a pink building you cannot miss. It also features features a cactus courtyard, a hammock area, a coffee bar, cowork space and rooftop terrace.
Casa Dos Lunas - A laid back hotel offering air conditioned rooms, loaner bikes and a rooftop.
Hotel El Callejon - A modern boutique hotel for those looking for a little more luxury and pampering.
Quinta Real Oaxaca - Once a monastery, this hotel’s architectural wonder has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in honor of the four centuries of history preserved in the building’s colonial design. This hotel is a favorite for Mexican weddings in its beautiful garden courtyards.
Casa Antonieta - This hotel is characterized for being a unique & peace full place, combining the simplicity and hospitality of a Oaxacan home with the attention and quality of a modern Hotel. Very well located about 5 minute walk to main markets and el Zocalo in the center of town.
Check out the foodie guide below to learn more about the delicious coffee shop in this hotel.
What to do
Lets be perfectly clear with our intentions here… the No. 1 reason to visit Oaxaca is to pretty much eat and drink 🙃 . However, given the cultural richness of this destination, there are plenty of things to do. These are the ones I recommend not missing:
Schedule a Food Tour. This is hands down the absolute best way to get an introduction to the wealth of food stands, restaurants and dishes you should taste. It is also, by default, a wonderful way of getting your bearings of the city. For a quick idea of what a Food Tour looks like, check out my Reel . Also, consider booking a food tour through Vibe Adventures, or Oaxaca Eats Food Tours.
Visit Mezcalerias. Oaxaca is the motherland of Mezcal and so you will find it in many forms. If you want to stick to the city center, check out Convite Mezcal for a sit down proper tasting under a beautiful open air courtyard. Mezcaloteca offers knowledgeable Mezcal guides and tastings of some of the most traditional Mezcales from around Mexico.For additional Mezcalerias check out this list from Eater.
I also recommend booking a tour of a Mezcaleria outside of the city where you can see how Mezcal is made. Santiago Matatlan is one of the best places to do a mezcal tasting in Oaxaca. You can also ask a tour guide to take you to their favorite Mezcaleria. We added this to our Hierve el Agua excursion and visited El Discipulo.
Go Shopping in Artisanal Markets. Set aside plenty of time to explore the Oaxaca markets because they have so much to offer. As a starting point visit Mercado Benito Juarez and Mercado de Artesanias (this one is a local favorite).
Book a Day Trip to Hierve el Agua. Located 2 hours by car Southeast of Oaxaca Hierve el Agua stands for “boiling water”, a name given to these natural mineral springs and white mineral formations resembling frozen waterfalls as they bubble up to the surface of earth and look like boiling water. These waterfalls were pushed to the edge of a cliff through karstic limestone creating a petrified waterfall look. Its a great day trip to dip your feet in fresh water and get some stunning pictures of this natural wonder. Check out what a day trip to Hierve al Agua looks like here.
Food
Its almost impossible not to include every single restaurant in Oaxaca in this section. But to keep things simple, save the following as a great introduction:
For Breakfast: Muss Cafe. They offer a wide variety of breakfast classics such as avocado toast and shakshouka, as well as chia seed pudding and sweet breads. Pro tip: sit in the terrace on the last floor for a beautiful view of the city.
For Lunch: Rupestre pan y cafe. We visitied this restaurant as part of our Food Tour and had some of the best Fish Tacos from our entire trip.
For sweet treats: “Museo de las Nieves” is one of the more famous ice cream shops where the most popular flavour is their burnt milk and the “beso Oaxaqueno” which has carrots as the main ingredient. For a cup of the famous Oaxacan hot chocolate, consider Oaxaca en una Taza.
For Dinner: Los Danzantes. This restaurant offers housemade mezcales, cocktails & seasonal Oaxacan dishes in a leafy indoor/outdoor setting. You will 100% want to make a reservation ahead of time.
For After-dinner drinks (and a show): Cozana welcomed us with a Karaoke show on their ground level, and fun DJ beats at the rooftop. This is a great place to either end the night on a high note by sipping mezcal while admiring the beautiful views of the cathedral and city, or start a night out with your crew.
Until next time,
Nikol