20 recommended tourist spots in Oaxaca, a city full of charming Indigenous culture

Oaxaca, the capital of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, is a city that encapsulates the charm of Mexico. Oaxaca has the highest indigenous population in the country, so we recommend sightseeing to experience that culture. Traditional costumes and folk crafts are of course sold, but visiting the villages and workshops where they are made is also an attractive tourist destination in Oaxaca. Another attraction is the indigenous festival that lasts for a month and events that can only be experienced at certain times, such as the Day of the Dead.

Part of Oaxaca is registered as a World Heritage Site along with the Monte Alban ruins, with its historic colonial architecture. In this article, we will introduce 21 attractive tourist spots in this city.

1. Monte Alban Ruins

It is the oldest ruins in Central America, whose construction began around 500 BC. It is a Zapotec ritual center built on the flat top of a mountain located about 10 km west of Oaxaca City. At its peak between 500 and 750 AD, before the Mayan civilization reached its zenith, it had the most advanced culture in Central America. To date, about 170 tombs have been excavated, and hundreds of jewels, gold, and silver treasures have been discovered in some of the tombs along with human remains.

The symbolic "dancing man" stone monument of Monte Alban is of great archaeological value and is on display next to the pyramid and in the museum. There are many well-preserved buildings in the vast land. Most of them can be climbed, but we recommend starting your tour of the ruins by climbing the large northern platform to view the entire ruins. You can enjoy a great view of the city of Oaxaca from the top.

2. Macedonia Alcalá Street

From the Zocalo in the center of Oaxaca to Santo Domingo Church, five blocks north, Macedonio Alcala Street is a pedestrian precinct. This is a base for tourists, and there are many shops, restaurants, cafes, galleries, and handicraft stalls around this street, so just walking around is fun.

This colonial street is cobblestoned and beautifully lit up at night. In 1985, vehicles were banned from entering this historic area of Oaxaca to protect it, and four years later, in 1989, it was registered as a World Heritage Site. This colorful and traditional street is always crowded with people, and it is no exaggeration to say that every tourist who visits Oaxaca should visit it at least once.

3. Santo Domingo Church

Santo Domingo Church is a large church in Oaxaca that was built over a period of about two centuries starting from 1575. It is a symbolic building of the historic district of Oaxaca, registered as a World Heritage Site. It is located straight up the slope north of the Zocalo, and you will easily find it as its majestic exterior stands out.

Many tourists are satisfied with the exterior and leave, but the interior is particularly noteworthy with its gorgeous decorations. On the ceiling just inside the entrance is the Tree of Life made of gold leaf and wood carving reliefs, which represents the indigenous view of life and death and Christian saints as grape trees. The altar in front is completely covered in gold leaf and is studded with jewels as accents, attracting many tourists.

The monastery next to the church is now a museum that introduces the furnishings excavated from Monte Alban and Mitla, as well as the culture of Oaxaca. The monastery building itself is also beautifully designed, so it is recommended to stop by! Santo Domingo Temple is a recommended spot, but please remember that it is a place of worship for the locals. No flash photography is allowed inside. Please enjoy the sacred space with respect.

4. Zocalo

The Zocalo refers to the central square of Oaxaca and its surrounding area and is the center of tourism in Oaxaca. The Zocalo is always bustling and is a place where you can feel the Mexican atmosphere. Street musicians perform Latin music, and many vendors sell handicrafts and other items to tourists. If you see something you like, be sure to negotiate! Be assertive when negotiating.

Oaxaca is also famous for its chocolate. Refresh yourself with something sweet and prepare for your next trip. The Zocalo is visited by locals as well as tourists from various countries. You can see the beautiful cityscape while feeling the exotic atmosphere.

5. Rufino Tamayo Museum

This museum is an archaeological collection that was privately owned by Rufino Tamayo, a famous muralist from Oaxaca. It is small in size, but the quality is excellent and the way it is displayed is excellent. Unfortunately, you won't find any works by Tamayo himself here, but the vast collection is worth seeing. The five exhibition halls are decorated in the same colors as Tamayo's paintings.

The archaeological collection, which has more than 1,000 items, is something you won't find in a museum of this size. And the colonial-style building is also worth seeing. It's definitely worth a visit!

6. Ethnobotanical Garden

The Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca is a botanical garden located next to the Temple of Santo Domingo. You pay an entrance fee and enter with a guide in English or Spanish. The garden has more than 100 species of plants, all from the state of Oaxaca. Oaxaca is a huge state. The plants come from very different regions: arid, swampy, tropical lowlands, warm mountainous regions, and even colder regions.

And yet they are well looked after in this city of Oaxaca. This means that in a small space, the garden shows the great differences between the various climates, geological formations, and types of vegetation in Oaxaca. There are many cacti in particular, but perhaps the one that attracts the most attention from tourists is a cactus that weighs over 5 tons. It is worth seeing this cactus, which is said to be already 1000 years old.

7. Benito Juarez Market

Benito Juarez Market, located one block southwest of the Zocalo, is the kitchen of Oaxaca residents. It is open from 7 am to 9 pm and is bustling with locals, selling mainly food and daily necessities. Even just walking around the market is a new experience for tourists, but you'll want to get some Oaxacan specialties here. Oaxacan cheese and chocolate are famous. There are many varieties, so please try them all.

Mexico's famous alcoholic drink, mezcal, will also make a great souvenir from your trip to Oaxaca. Oaxaca is famous in Mexico for its mezcal production. You can buy not only food, but also clothing and miscellaneous goods as souvenirs. A blouse embroidered with Oaxacan traditional costumes, or a slightly eccentric Mexican hat, a sombrero, might be a good choice. Why not take home the lively atmosphere of this market as a souvenir from your trip?

8. Oaxaca Textile Museum

Just two blocks east of the Zocalo, you'll find a space far removed from the hustle and bustle of Oaxaca. This museum is like a sophisticated trade fair, showcasing not only Oaxaca textiles but also textiles from other parts of Mexico. The diversity of textile products in terms of design, texture, technique, and production process attracts many tourists.

There is also a shop selling high-quality textiles, so you can purchase your favorites as souvenirs after viewing. Although it is a small museum, you can get away from the bustle of Oaxaca and take your time to appreciate the differences in each piece of textile. Admission is free, and a guide is available upon request.

9. Cathedral

Oaxaca Cathedral stands majestically in front of the Zocalo. It is said that the Cathedral was built to a slightly lower height because Oaxaca is an area with active seismic activity, but its impressive appearance still attracts many tourists. Construction of this Cathedral began in 1535, and it was consecrated and began functioning in 1640, but construction continued after that and was finally completed in 1733.

The towers on both sides of the building as seen from the front are not original. They collapsed in the great earthquake that hit Oaxaca in 1931 and were subsequently restored. You can also tour the interior, and you will be overwhelmed by the splendor of the ceilings, walls, and columns, as well as the beauty of the murals. The silence, which contrasts with the bustle of the Zocalo in front of it, is also interesting for tourists.

10. Hierve el Agua

There is a scenic spot called Hierve el Agua in a valley about 70 km southeast of the center of Oaxaca. There are two things to enjoy here. One is a natural pool on top of a mountain where water rich in limestone springs out. You can swim in this natural pool, so we recommend bringing a swimsuit. Swimming while looking at the beautiful mountain scenery is refreshing.

The other is the spectacular view of the stone waterfall, which seems to stand still in time. The water from the spring here has dissolved the rocks over the years and solidified as it flows down, making it a stone waterfall, as its name suggests. There is a viewing course of about 2 km around the waterfall, where you can view this stone waterfall on a cliff from various angles. You can only see this unique scenery here.

It is often combined with a tour of the Mitla ruins, but if you go on a tour, please be careful about the length of your stay.

11. Mithra ruins

This is a Zapotec cultural ruin located about 40 km east of the center of Oaxaca. It is said that the Zapotec gradually moved there as Monte Alban declined. However, later the Mixtecs took control of the Zapotecs, and the ruins that remain today are said to be the work of the Mixtecs. The name Mitla means land of the dead, and as the name suggests, it was once used as a burial ground.

The most notable feature of the ruins is the intricate mosaic decoration of the walls, made of cut stones. It speaks to the high level of ancient architectural technology and artistic talent.

You can see the magnificent wall decorations in the area called the Mosaic Courtyard. 14 different designs, including the earth and sky, are beautifully expressed by inserting small cut stones in a mosaic style. It is also a motif for Oaxaca textiles, so it might be a good idea to choose a folk art piece with this design as a souvenir from your trip.

12. La Soledad Church

La Soledad is a Baroque church located four blocks west of the Zocalo. Built between 1682 and 1690, the exterior decorations of the church are sure to catch the eye of tourists. Inside is a statue of the patron saint of Oaxaca. Unfortunately, the statue was adorned with hundreds of diamonds and a large pearl, which were stolen in the mid-1990s. The church also houses a religious museum.

It is said that the church was built on the site of a miracle in which the Virgin Mary appeared. Colored by this legend, La Soledad is the center of faith for many believers in the region. Every year on December 18th, the day of La Soledad, a celebration is held, with grand events such as indigenous dances and parades taking place in front of the church, attracting not only believers but also many tourists.

13. Veinte de Noviembre Market

This market is located next to the Benito Juarez Market to the south. It has everything from handicrafts to food and daily necessities, but the biggest reason tourists should visit this market is for the food! The market is open every day from 7:00 to 21:00.

There are many restaurants, so tourists come here early in the morning to save energy for the day's sightseeing. Restaurants in the city are conscious of foreign tourists, but most of the tourists who come to this market are local Mexicans. They also come for Oaxacan cuisine. In other words, if you want to eat Oaxacan local cuisine, this market is the place to go.

The name of the market in Japanese is "November 20th Market". When you think of a market restaurant, you might imagine it to be cramped, but this one is relatively spacious. If you want to enjoy local cuisine while mingling with the people of Oaxaca, this is the place to go!

14. Cuilapan Monastery

The Cuilapan Monastery is located 10km southwest of the center of Oaxaca. This magnificent church facility is located in a small village on the outskirts of Oaxaca, and its gaping structure attracts the attention of tourists. There is no roof here, but it is said that this was done out of respect for the indigenous people's culture of worshiping in unroofed spaces.

Part of the chapel and monastery are open to the public as a museum, so be sure to take a look inside. If possible, it is best to have a guide so you can get a deeper understanding of the Cuilapan ruins. Many tourists will want to take a photo of this building as a memento of their trip to Oaxaca. This building stands out at dusk, so it is a recommended time for taking pictures.

15. San Bartolo Coyotepec

San Bartolo Coyotepec is located about 16 km south of the center of Oaxaca and is famous for its beautiful, shiny black pottery called Barro Negro. Barro Negro workshops can be seen here and there. Originally there was something called Oaxacan pottery, but in the 1930s, a woman in this village named Rosa created her own technique derived from Oaxacan pottery, and this jet-black pottery became famous.

After Rosa passed away, her family took over the workshop for generations, and now they demonstrate how to make pottery for tourists. Oaxaca is a treasure trove of folk crafts such as textiles and pottery, but most of it is made in the suburbs. You can go there by bus to the suburbs or by shared taxi called a collective, but if you want to see many places efficiently, it is more convenient to join a tour.

16. Teotitlan del Valle

About 25km east of the center of Oaxaca, there is Teotitlan del Valle, a village famous for the production of wool products such as blankets and sarape. Almost all of the processes from spinning wool to dyeing and weaving are carried out in this village. It is truly a traditional folk art that Mexico is proud of. The quality of the products is high, so there are many relatively high-end items. There are hundreds of woolen weaving workshops in the village, and in the workshops that also serve as stores, tourists can observe the production process.

Mexican sarape is characterized by its rainbow-colored woven fabric. They are made in various sizes, from sofa covers to plate-sized ones. It is rare to see these sarape being made, so we recommend visiting a workshop before buying souvenirs. You will be able to appreciate their value even more.

17. Macedonio de Alcala Theater

Located almost in the center of the city of Oaxaca, this theater is one of Mexico's most important theaters. Its exterior is worth a visit for tourists. Opened in 1909, this theater can accommodate 636 people and is influenced by modern French architecture, which is why it has such a magnificent exterior. It was originally used as a casino theater but is now a theater where music and dance concerts are held.

Tours of the interior are not allowed, but free concerts are sometimes held. Even if you don't visit to see a concert, the cafe attached to the theater has a great atmosphere and is recommended. By the way, the person for whom the theater is named is a violinist and conductor of the Oaxaca Orchestra, who wrote the waltz "God Never Dies." Today, this song is considered something like the state song of Oaxaca.

18. San Pablo Convent

Just to the east of the Macedonio de Alcalá Theater is the former San Pablo Monastery, which now functions as the cultural center of Oaxaca City. It is a wonderful restoration of an ancient historical building and is a source of pride for the people of Oaxaca. The building, which retains its charming, historic exterior, houses cultural facilities, a reading area for children, and a library with a large collection of indigenous language literature.

Apart from the hustle and bustle of the Zocalo, the lovely cafes offer a relaxing open-air atmosphere that is also an attractive spot for tourists. Live music is regularly held, and tourists can enjoy it for free. Visiting these restored historical buildings is also a part of the tourist experience in a country that values history.

19. Oaxaca Museum of Contemporary Art

In Oaxaca, a city with a long history, most tourism is linked to history, but this museum stands out. In the historic building, each exhibition room displays sophisticated art, objects, and video footage, and the trees in the patio (courtyard) are designed with modern art in mind. Some of the works are by local students, making it a facility closely tied to the local community.

It is a small museum, so it doesn't take much time to appreciate the exhibits. It is also interesting that such a contemporary art museum is located in a corner of the historic district, which is registered as a World Heritage Site. It is conveniently located almost in the middle of Macedonio Alcala Street, which connects the Zocalo and the Santo Domingo Temple, so it is a great place to stop by on your sightseeing trip to the historic district of Oaxaca.

20. Benito Juarez House

Near the Santo Domingo Temple is a house associated with Benito Juarez. This name will come up many times when you are sightseeing in Oaxaca, so it is a good idea to remember it. Benito Juarez was the only indigenous president in the history of Mexico. Juarez was born as a Zapotec near Oaxaca, and at the age of 12, when he was still unable to speak Spanish well, he studied hard as a clerk for an influential person in Oaxaca.

He eventually became a lawyer and entered the world of politics. This house is where he spent about 10 years as a clerk during his youth. It has retained its original appearance well and is a valuable culturally protected building as a typical 19th-century private home. Not only in Oaxaca but when you are sightseeing in Mexico, you will see roads named after him in various places. It is clear that he is still respected by the people even now, nearly a century and a half after his death.

Summary

Oaxaca, Mexico's leading regional city with a strong indigenous culture, is one of the most recommended tourist destinations in Mexico. Since the Zapotec people, who boasted an advanced civilization from before Christ, settled here, the indigenous people have continued to play an active role, and it is also the city that has produced Mexico's only indigenous president in history.

It is no wonder that the large ruins registered as a World Heritage Site and the charming colonial-style streets continue to attract tourists from all over the world. Oaxaca is a unique tourist city that has something that no other Mexican city can offer.

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20 recommended tourist spots in Oaxaca, a city full of charming Indigenous culture