Modela's Updated Guide to Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico
Oaxaca de Juarez in southern Mexico should be on your bucket list. It is a colorful, vibrant city in southern Mexico with an ongoing tradition of handmade textile and craft history, printmakers and artisans, ancient ruins, markets, and wonderful food.
CULTURE
There are so many events happening in Oaxaca. From art fairs to chamber music to danzon dancing on Wednesday nights in the Zocalo—a favorite of mine—you will never be short of options. It’s easy to walk the entire Centro area, too.
For event listings check sites below.
Oaxaca Events
Que Pasa Oaxaca
Pasaporte Gráfico An organization that provides monthly free tours to several printmaking studios in Oaxaca
Hoofing it in Oaxaca Twice weekly hiking group
Centro Cultural San Pablo A cultural center with concerts, a library, exhibitions, a cafe, and a beautiful courtyard to relax in. Favorite!!
MUSEUMS GALORE
Museo Textil de Oaxaca
Centro Cultural San Pablo
Rufino Tamayo Museum in Oaxaca— Pre-hispanic art collection
Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca (IAGO)
Centro Cultural Santo Domingo
Centro Fotográfico Manuel Alvarez Bravo
Centro de las Artes de San Agustín A must see! An old textile mill converted into an art and music center with exhibitions and workshops. Stunning location in the town of San Agustin de Etla.
MERCADOS
La Cosecha Oaxaca Favorite—an organic food market open Wednesday-Sunday. Another excellent place to get a green juice, huevos on a comal, etc
Benito Juarez/20th of Noviembre A market just south of the Zocalo where you can get crafts, food, textiles, coffee, bread, and cooked food.
Central de Abastos Oaxaca A huge sprawling market in Oaxaca de Juarez where one can find anything. It’s huge size makes it easy to get lost so pay attention.
Tlacolula de Matamoros A favorite market. Sunday market in the town of Tlacolula (about a 40 minute drive from Oaxaca) that is huge! Barbacoa, vegetables, rugs, palm baskets, you name it. A must see. Go early—around 10 or 11 am.
Weekly Mercados Many of the towns in the Oaxaca valley have markets once a week. Ocotlán de Morelos on Fridays is interesting, the Sunday early market in Teotitlán del Valle is a wonderful experience.
DAY TRIPS
It’s a good idea to combine day trips to surrounding areas. Below are three possibilities for day trips from Oaxaca de Juarez.
If you wish to visit Monte Alban—a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in a striking location—you could combine it with the nearby wood carving village, Arrazola and maybe Atzompa, a town filled with talented potters and a newly opened archaeological site.
A trip to Ocotlán de Morelos for the Friday market means that along the way you could stop by San Bartolo de Coyotepec, the village of black clay artisans, visit José Antonio Garcia—a favorite potter in San Antonino Castillo Velasco—which is also the town where the beautiful embroidered wedding dresses are made. Once in Ocotlán visit the market and eat at Frida’s—the food is great and the owner looks like the real Frida, stop in the beautiful restored church to see the mural painted by Rodolpho Morales—beloved artist and patron of Ocotlán and then visit the Aguilar sisters who create figures out of painted barro clay.
A Sunday would be a perfect day to stop in Teotitlán del Valle to experience the Zapotec market, meet some rug artisans, and check out the beautiful church near the market. Continue on to the Sunday Tlacolula market or visit Mitla—a Mesoamerican archaeological site.