If you hit links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Here’s our ultimate travel guide to Oaxaca de Juarez, one of Mexico’s most underrated cities.
So much so, that it was named thebest city in the worldinTravel + Leisure’s2023 World’s Best Awards.
Credit:Stephanie Pollak / Travel + Leisure
The city is also home to two popular museums.
Learn about the area’s Indigenous heritage atThe Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca, which was founded in 1831.
Established hiking paths bring you right up to the cascade’s edge.
Courtesy of Casa Silencio
Whether or not you choose to drink it, a mezcal experience is enriching.
Check out theMexican Turtle Centerin town, dedicated to the preservation of everyone’s favorite slow-moving reptile.
For food, consider stopping by Mercado de Abastos.
Susmita Baral / Travel + Leisure
you could book a tour of the market withOmar Alonso, a well-known local guide.
“This is where locals go to buy everything,” Alonso tells T+L.
“They usepasillachiles in the base.
Susmita Baral / Travel + Leisure
The more you drink, the morebotanas[snacks] arrive.”
Drinks are made with mezcal, or in some cases, tequila or charanda, another popular Mexican spirit.
Here, you’re free to order trays of meat that get cooked freshly in front of you.
Susmita Baral / Travel + Leisure
For something smaller and more vegetarian-friendly, try theMercado Organico La Cosecha(La Cosecha Organic Market).
Order the tableside guacamole and explore Oaxacan cuisine with dishes likemole negro, andcoloradito.
Origen
One of the top-rated restaurants in the city isOrigen, helmed by 2016Top Chefwinner Rodolfo Castellanos.
Getty Images
For a real treat, try the grilled octopus and chicharrones.
As a result, the temperature can vary wildly depending on where you’re visiting and when.
Early November is also a perennially popular time to visit.
Cesar Rodriguez / Bloomberg / Getty Images
Susmita Baral / Travel + Leisure
Getty Images
Gabriel Perez / Getty Images
