By air
Oaxaca (OAX), ~7 km
North America · Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico
Mezcal, mole and Zapotec ruins
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to April; the Day of the Dead in early November
Don't miss
Monte Albán
The Santo Domingo church
Hierve el Agua
The Tule tree
Things to do
Monte Albán
Mezcal distilleries
The Day of the Dead
A cooking class
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Apsu09 · CC BY 3.0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The Sunday market at Tlacolula
Questions travellers ask
When is the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca?
In early November, and October to April is the time to visit. Pack layers.
What are the highlights around Oaxaca?
Monte Albán, the Santo Domingo church, Hierve el Agua and the Tule tree. On a Sunday, go to the market at Tlacolula.
What should I eat and drink in Oaxaca?
The seven moles, tlayudas and mezcal. Visit a mezcal distillery or take a cooking class to go deeper.
How far is the airport from Oaxaca?
Oaxaca (OAX) airport is about 7 km away.
About Oaxaca
- Mountains
Where it is
Oaxaca de Juárez, usually called Oaxaca, is the capital of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, set at about 1,550 m in the Central Valleys, where three valleys meet among the mountains of the Sierra Madre.
History
The Zapotecs built Monte Albán on a levelled mountaintop above the valley, and it was their capital from about 500 BCE to 800 CE. The Aztecs entered the valley in the 15th century and the Spanish founded their city in the 16th; its colonial centre of green cantera stone, together with Monte Albán, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
People
Oaxaca is one of Mexico's most Indigenous states, where Zapotec, Mixtec, Mazatec, Mixe and many other languages are spoken alongside Spanish. Its villages are known for crafts such as the black pottery of San Bartolo Coyotepec, the rugs of Teotitlán del Valle and painted wooden alebrijes, and each July the Guelaguetza gathers dances from all its regions.
Known for
- The Zapotec ruins of Monte Albán
- Mole and tlayudas
- Mezcal distilleries
- The Guelaguetza and the Day of the Dead
- The Santo Domingo church and its gilded chapel
Did you know?
The Árbol del Tule, a Montezuma cypress in Santa María del Tule, about 11 km south-east of the city, is said to have the stoutest trunk of any tree in the world, some 42 m round.
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