A Day In The Colorful City of Oaxaca, Mexico
We recently spent several days in Oaxaca City, Mexico. This was our first trip. We’d read so much about how colorful it was, how amazing the culture and how good the food, we had to see for ourselves.
If you only have one day, we’re sharing three things you must do to take in quickly all this colorful, historical city has to offer.
#1 Head To A Mercado (Market) For Some Delicious Food and Local Treats
What makes this city so attractive is that there is so much color and art all around. This is especially true in the center where much of the historical and artistic sites are. After checking into our short term rental, we headed right for the famous markets.
If you’re visiting Oaxaca, one spot you definitely won’t want to miss is the 21 Noviembre Mercado, located just off the zócalo near the city center. This vibrant market is a food lover’s paradise, packed with stalls serving up the famous Oaxacan meats, and if you’re like us, you’ll be on the lookout for a Tlayuda, a local dish you have to try.
When you first step inside, you’ll be greeted by the smoky aroma of all the grills going at once—definitely a bit intense, but oh, does it smell amazing! The market is a true sensory experience, and it’s the perfect place to dive into the heart of Oaxacan cuisine.
It won’t take long to see that the best stands were the most crowded so we get in line and order your first Tlayuda. It’s bit like a Mexican pizza.
Tlayuda
It was bigger than a dinner plate. This dish is a traditional Oaxacan dish made with a very thin tortilla cooked on a comal, a stone grill of sorts. It’s then spread with a bit of beans and a topping of your choice.
It was delicious. The stall was chose was La Abuelita. Not only was the food good but they actually served you on tables so you did not have to look for a seat.
Next it was time to discover more of the mercado. There are actually two markets right next to each other in this part of town. Next to the Mercado de 20 Noviembre sits the Benito Juarez market.
Another important dish in Oaxaca is mole. There are many different kinds of mole. In the US, we typically know the deep dark mole, that has a chocolate base. But here you will see so many variations.
The official drink of Oaxaca is Mezcal, an agave based spirit, similar to tequila. However, mezcal is very different than tequila in how it’s processed and distilled, which creates a very unique smokey flavor. This stall sold all different kinds of Mezcal products.
As we walked out of the Benito Juárez we took one look at the delicious fresh pan (bread). It was a great first stop a Oaxacan adventure.
#2 - Wander the Zocalo and Neighboring Streets By Foot
After stuffing yourself and maybe picking up some treats for later, head back out on the zocalo. There is always lots of lively activity and things to see. If you’re like us, you don’t need to rent a car, as all of the historical area is very walkable.
As we walked down the streets there were displays of art everywhere. This was inside a city garden.
It’s easy to become obsessed with all of the murals along the colorful buildings. The art in Oaxaca, as well as much of Mexico, is an expression from artists for a variety of reasons, that include political and personal.
The beautiful flags that fly above the streets can change with the seasons. We visited in the early spring and saw some Christmas themed flags still up. In some cases they represent coats of arms or other cultural symbols of the area.
Just keep wandering and enjoying the sites. The historical area is very safe and you will learn so much about the culture.
#3 - Take a FREE Walking Tour
We love to take walking tours to familiarize ourselves with a new city. In Oaxaca there are FREE walking tours every day. They are offered in English as well as Spanish. This particular tour met at the Teatro Macedonio Alcalá.
The theater was built in the early 1900’s and still has theater performances regularly. This particular tour does not enter but it was a beautiful building from the outside.
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption Oaxaca
On this tour the next stop is this 500 year old church. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral. So much history of this country is wrapped around Spain’s attempt to concur the indigenous people of Mexico bringing their religion and customs to the area. Still today, you find a conflict between the original indigenous ways and the European ways now over 500 years in this country.
The tour wanders to the remnants of a 500 year-old aqueduct that used to run into the city. At one point the aqueduct was 4 kilometers long. Today, shops and restaurants sit along the it.
We wondered what the meaning of the funny scarecrow made of rags was about. We’d see them all around Oaxaca. They are an old costume of sorts called tiliches. They were from a group of people originally that lived outside of Oaxaca that were very poor. The mask was actually made of animal skin and the costume made of rags. They are now seen in festivals and parades all around the city.
Another view from below the aqueduct. Apparently there is a scene from the movie “Nacho Libre” that was filmed right in this spot.
Near the end of the tour when you may stop at this adorable bench, like we did. As I’ve said there is art all around this city in every fashion. This “kissing bench” says, “I left, but my love insists (stays)”. It’s all so Instagramable, as everyone got a picture here.
The tour came to an end. Jesenia was a fantastic tour guide. Her first language is Italian! I would highly recommend Oaxaca Free Walking tours. Find the link: HERE. We tipped $15/pp which we read was mid range of the typical tip.
Afterward we stopped at a nearby market our guide had recommend. We had a delicious agua fresca made with some tropical fruit. We loved the start to our adventures in Oaxaca and recommend a stop in this colorful city of great culture!
That’s it! And you can cover it all in one day. Come and see our next post in Oaxaca where we visited the historical museum and ancient ruins: HERE. We hope this little post excites you about making a trek to Oaxaca!
This Post Is Now Available in An APP!
We hope this post has been helpful! Want to see more in an app to guide you through Oaxaca? Check out the GPSmyCity app where this post is now featured! Available in the App Store and on Google Play. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Oaxaca.
Click to see: Oaxaca, Mexico
