By Eva Phipps
Southeast of Mexico City lies a region full of culture, great food, and much more. This region, and its city, is called Oaxaca. Pronounced waa-haa-kuh and not oh-axe-ah-kuh, it is filled with history, festivals, art, and great sites to visit. In this article, you will become an expert in Oaxaca and it will be your dream destination for summer vacation.
When someone asks me to tell them about Oaxaca, I could tell them about the time my friend and I got lost in a museum and used a map in the glass case to find our way around. Or I could tell them about the many times my friend fell asleep in the car and missed the great views. But none of those stories would tell you about what Oaxaca was like. Let this article be your guide to Oaxaca and convince you to add it to your travel bucket list.
History:
Officially, there are 16 distinct indigenous groups and 176 linguistic variants. The most notable indigenous group would be the Zapotecs, who take up about 31% of the total indigenous population in Oaxaca. Mixtecs, the second largest indigenous group, were known for their art and metalwork. Both the Zapotecs and Mixtecs were later forced to pay tribute to the Aztecs as the Aztecs took control over trade routes. Oaxaca is now a beautiful region where everywhere you look, you’ll see aspects of every culture and its people who are proud of who they are and keep their traditions alive.
Sites to See:
Santo Domingo Church: The Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán was built between 1572 and 1608 by the Catholic Dominican Order. It is a Baroque style church with gold leaf nearly covering the ornate interior. Connected to it, is the monastery which has been converted into a museum. Nearly every room showcases pieces of the Church’s history and seems to go on forever. Seriously, my friend and I got lost many times.
Monte Albán: Monte Albán is a pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Zapotecs. It sits on a mountain peak that overlooks the city of Oaxaca. The site is home to many tombs, hieroglyphics, and carved stone dancers. It also features many stairs leading to the tops of different structures that will tire your legs if you run up them. Trust me, I’ve done it.
Hierve de Agua: Just a view and a short hike from hot springs sits a rare and beautiful petrified waterfall. Caused by minerals and water flow, the rock takes the shape of falling water frozen in time. While it may not sound like much, the winding road is worth it for the view of the mountains, the hot springs, and the sparkling rocks.
El Árbol de Tule: Sitting peacefully next to a church, is the widest tree in the world. This massive Montezuma Cypress had an estimated age of 1,500 to 3,000 years. When walking around it, it looks as if many trees are mushed into one. It is truly a sight to see and a spectacle like no other that one could look at for hours on end and notice a new detail every time.
Festivals:
July and early August is the festival season of Oaxaca. Throughout the summer, festivals are held to celebrate the different cultures and food in the region. The most well known festival is La Guelaguetza, which is where the eight regions of Oaxaca gather to share traditional music, costumes and clothes, dances, and more. During a similar festival called Los Convites, dancers and marching bands parade through the city with giant puppets, showcasing the differences in the cultures that call Oaxaca their home.
There are also many festivals dedicated to food and drink. The Tejate and Tamal fair celebrates the pre-Hispanic foods of Oaxaca and local tamales. As for drinks (and keep this one in mind for your parents), there is a Mezcal festival that features over one hundred producers of this alcoholic drink along with tastings and workshops.
Food:
When one thinks of Mexican food, they think of the sizzling of taco meat or the satisfying first bite of a burrito. However, in Oaxaca, tacos are not the main food. Many dishes are sprinkled with insects like grasshoppers and different types and flavors of mole (mo-le) that dominate the menus of many Oaxacan restaurants.
Here some restaurant recommendations:
- Casa Oaxaca: Just down the street from Santo Domingo, this restaurant is a gateway to Oaxacan Cuisine.
- Tierra del Sol: Features a variety of different salads and moles with meat combinations alike.
- Los Danzantes: This Michelin Green Star restaurant serves many Oaxacan dishes, from seafood, to traditional moles.
Oaxaca, Mexico is truly a unique destination. With so many different cultures, ancient history, international festivals, and foods different from its surrounding regions, it stands out among other travel destinations. It has activities for people of all ages and should be your 2027 summer vacation.