10 essentials: what to see and do in Oaxaca (Mexico) in 1 day

When preparing a trip through Mexico, it is very likely that you plan to include Oaxaca on your itinerary through the beauty of its historic center.

But, in addition, the city can become the base for different very interesting excursions in the surrounding area.

Oaxaca It is located 460 kilometers southeast of CDMX, which is not a very long distance in a country that is four times the size of Spain.

Para muchos, Oaxaca It is the city that best maintains the spirit of viceregal Mexico, when the Spanish cultures and the different local societies merged to give rise to the country we now know.

Furthermore, the relaxed atmosphere in the center is always very attractive.

It is enough to sit for a while on the terraces of the bars and restaurants in the Zócalo arcades —the main square— to enjoy it.

Oaxaca, World Heritage Site

You have to remember that Oaxaca It was always the most important city in southern Mexico in the time of the viceroyalty, and, therefore, there are a series of monuments important that can be visited.

The good conservation of the historical complex led to its inclusion, along with the nearby Monte Albán archaeological site, in the list of World Heritage for the Unesco.

Furthermore, a large community of modern artists whose work is reflected in Museums and galeries.

And if that were not enough, there are several museums with works of ancient pre-Hispanic civilizations, in addition to current popular traditions that are the heritage of different indigenous cultures and many centuries of history.

We can recommend a minimum stay of three or four days to get to know the city and its surroundings, which include Monte Albán, but also the Central Valleys.

What to see on the Oaxaca tourism visit

As happens in almost everything Mexico, when visiting a city ​​of colonial origin It is best to go to the main square which is almost always known as the Zócalo.

Zócalo Square in Oaxaca

El Oaxaca Zócalo It is a tree-lined pedestrian plaza overlooking both the government palace and Cathedral.

You can enter the palace to see the painted murals by the artist Arturo García Bustos that reflect the history of the State.

La Oaxaca Cathedral It is located at the other end of the square, but its main façade faces another square, the Alameda de León.

Almost all the other buildings in the Zócalo square They open to the square through the portals, arcades that protect from the sun and rain and where the terraces of the cafes and restaurants are installed.

You have to sit down and have a drink and watch the ice cream, basket and candy sellers go by. amate paper, in addition to the musicians with the marimbas, who add a point of quiet joy to the square.

Very close, in the positions of the Juarez market, everything is offered, from soft of all colors for the tasty Oaxacan recipes a chapulines —grasshoppers, which in nahua language They are called “that jumps like a rubber ball”—and maguey worms.

Churches from the viceregal era in Oaxaca

The surroundings of the Zócalo They are full of churches from the viceregal era.

Of Saint John of God It was the first cathedral; in it Temple of San Felipe Neri got married Benito Juárez, the favorite son of the city; the churches of the Company and the Precious Blood of Christ They are also worth a visit.

In many of the Spanish colonial cities in America the most important religious monument is the cathedral or, failing that, the church of the Society of Jesus.

Church of Santo Domingo in Oaxaca

However, in Oaxaca The place that dazzles just by walking through the door is the Church of Santo Domingo, one of the most splendid on the continent.

The interior is a true spectacle of gilding, paintings and reliefs that cover every square millimeter of the walls and barrel vault.

Within the same set there is much more to see.

Ethnobotanical Garden in Oaxaca

The former monastery now houses the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca, with the treasure coming from the Tomb 7 de Monte Albán, while in the surrounding lands the Ethnobotanical Garden.

This is a fascinating compendium of Oaxacan biodiversity and its use for centuries.

Among its more than 8.000 plants are the humble—due to its size—wild corn, to a biznaga cactus 7.000 kilos and probably almost a thousand years old.

Each species has some relationship with the local culture or environment.

It is, furthermore, a sample of the enormous biodiversity This Oaxaca state, one of the largest on the planet.

There are other museums that are really worth it for different reasons.

El Rufino Tamayo Museum shows part of the magnificent prehispanic art collection donated by the Oaxacan painter Rufino Tamayo.

House of Juárez Museum in Oaxaca

El House of Juarez museum is in the house where a young man Juárez He worked as a bookbinder.

Juárez was born in Guelatao, a remote village in the mountains, and escaped a life of poverty and ignorance thanks to the studies he began in this city.

Over time he became a lawyer and became president of the republic on several occasions.

His is a story of improvement through effort and study, and today he is one of the few Mexican politicians admired in this country.

One of the reasons is that he fought for universal, free and secular education in a country where the majority of the population was illiterate.

For almost a century and a half, the official city name es Oaxaca de Juarez.

A curiosity about the economic development of Oaxaca In the viceregal era it was the export of cochineal grain, the most desired colorant in the world for centuries.

Its origin was kept a secret, but today we all know that it is obtained from an insect that develops in the prickly pears that find the ideal conditions for its development in this area.

Nochezticalli Museum in Oaxaca

It is an almost unknown aspect of history that in recent years attempts have been made to develop it again in Nocheztlicalli, Cultural center very interesting that exhibits and maintains knowledge about the natural dyes in ancient Mexico.

For a visit, which is highly recommended, you must reserve the day before.

Contemporary and street art in Oaxaca

Beyond the pre-Columbian and viceroy artl, so present in Oaxaca, the city now vibrates with the force of contemporary art.

When walking through the streets of the center, it is surprising to see the large number of galleries, museums, institutes and modern art workshops, often installed in old colonial mansions that offer a very powerful image of the creative force that exists in the city.

An interesting detail of the city is its demanding nature on social and political issues.

This aspect is evident in the Street art that occupies numerous walls and is found on any walk.

Gastronomy: what to eat in Oaxaca

Another of the most notable facets of Oaxaca is gastronomic.

Within a country in which your traditional cuisinehe has been declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity awarded by the Unesco, Oaxaca shines with its peculiar characteristics.

Its cuisine is the result of the enormous geographical variety - which extends from the coast to the mountains, from arid to subtropical valleys - and cultural variety - the heritage of the 17 indigenous ethnic groups plus the Spanish colonial influence - of the State.

Oaxaca is known as the Land of the Seven Moles.

The soft They are sauces made from different chilies, nuts, Herbs and other ingredients, and they turn out to have very bright colors (yellow, green, red, etc.).

Every year it is celebrated gastronomic festival Oaxaca Flavors, The Knowledge of Flavor which shows the enormous variety of the eights gastronomic regions of the State of Oaxaca and also from all over the country.

What to see around Oaxaca

It has already been said that the surroundings of Oaxaca They are very attractive and also deserve a detailed visit.

Archaeological sites of Monte Albán and Mitla

The main destination is Monte Albán, ancient Zapotec capital, which reached its maximum development between the 4th and 8th centuries.

It is one of the most impressive archaeological complexes in all of Mexico and is inscribed on the list of Unesco World Heritage 1987 since.

Monte Albán is located at outskirts of Oaxaca.

Further away, about 45 kilometers, is mitlaAnother prehispanic city, famous for the intricate stone decoration of its monuments.

Crafts in towns in the Central Valleys

A tour of the towns of the Central Valleys allows you to know some of the best artisanal traditions all Mexico.

Artisans from villages like Teotitlán del Valle, San Martin Tilcajete, Saint Thomas Jalieza y San Bartolo Coyotepec They create true works of art.

For this reason Oaxaca It is one of the best places in the entire country to buy quality crafts at a good price.

The Tule tree near Oaxaca

Another place not to be missed in the surroundings of Oaxaca is El Tule tree, which is located about 10 kilometers away.

It's a ahuehuete, A species of cypress, and it is said to be the largest living being in the world.

Its age is not known with certainty, but it is estimated that it is between 2.000 and 3.000 years old.