Holiday in Oaxaca (City)

About Oaxaca (City)

Oaxaca is Mexico's culinary and cultural capital — a claim that is no exaggeration. The city in the southern highlands, surrounded by the Sierra Madre del Sur, combines colonial architecture made of green cantera stone with one of the country's most vibrant indigenous cultures and a gastronomy that leaves even Mexicans from other states in awe. The historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a feast for the senses: Baroque churches, monasteries, and palaces made of the characteristic green volcanic stone line the Zócalo (main square). The Basilica de la Soledad, the Church of Santo Domingo with its gilded interior, and the adjacent Ethnobotanical Garden form an ensemble that is among the most beautiful in Mexico. But Oaxaca truly comes alive in its markets and kitchens: The Mercado Benito Juárez and the neighboring Mercado 20 de Noviembre are a riot of colors, scents, and flavors. Here, the famous seven moles are prepared — complex sauces made from up to 30 ingredients that take days to prepare. The Mole Negro, with its depth from burnt chili, chocolate, and spices, is the culinary masterpiece of the region. In the mezcalerías of the city, artisanal mezcal is tasted in countless varieties — each bottle tells the story of an agave, a distiller, and a terroir. The surroundings are equally rich: Monte Albán, the Zapotec capital on a flattened mountain peak, offers panoramic views and 2,500-year-old pyramids. Hierve el Agua, a petrified waterfall with natural pools, seemingly hovers over the valley. And in the villages around Oaxaca, artisans maintain traditions that are thousands of years old: black pottery (Barro Negro) in San Bartolo Coyotepec, woven carpets in Teotitlán del Valle, and fantastic wooden figures (Alebrijes) in San Martín Tilcajete.