Oaxaca City

Everyone loves Oaxaca. It’s romantic and brimming with bright neon, incredible (and affordable) hand crafted textiles, savory local dishes, and artfully designed shops and restaurants. The cobblestone streets adorned with papeles picados look as if they were lifted directly from a “With love, from Mexico” postcard.

From mezcal to mole, string cheese to alebrijes, Oaxaca City is essentially an open-air market of unique products. So bring your wallet, your camera, and your appetite, because a weekend away in Oaxaca should be an indulgent one.

Start your day with…
Maybe my favorite (almond milk) cappuccino in all of Mexico at La Rueca Restaurante, which I also recommend for an evening bottle of wine on the lovely rooftop.

Across the street, stop in El Templo de Santo Domingo, because it’s a church but also it’s a fully golden church.

Walk about 20 minutes to El Barrio de Xochimilco…
Not to be confused with Xochimilco in Mexico City, this Oaxacan gem of a neighborhood is adorable, hidden, and over 500 years old. If you’re in desperate need of vitamins (because…Mexico), El Tribu has a menu of healthy juices and dishes including real salads!

Head toward the Zócalo for lunch…
On basically any rooftop you stumble across. I personally prefer the one at Hotel Los Amantes for both the views and the mezcal. Or, skip the fancy dining and head directly to Calle Mariano Abasolo for a typical tlayuda at any of the many street vendors frying them up.

Food & Drink:
Restaurante Catedral for a traditional historic center experience.
Los Danzantes for its food, design, and reputation.
Casa Taviche for imaginative fare in a charming setting.
Expendio Tradición for mezcal and mezcal cocktails.

Hotels:
There is no shortage of great hotels, but her are my favorites.
Casa Carmen Morelos (small, boutique)
Pug Seal Zapoteco (artsy, stylish)
Hotel Parador San Miguel (traditional, colorful)

Activity Suggestions:
Jacobo & Maria Ángeles Workshop in San Martín Tilcajete will give you a whole new appreciation for the art behind alebrijes.
The ruins at Monte Alban, Mitla, or both. It will be full of tourists, but worth dodging the infinite amount of selfies being taken for the landscape, the history, and the art.
A (long) day trip to Hierve el Agua. There are evidently two petrified waterfalls in the world and this is one of them. I haven’t gotten to see it yet but it’s on my short list.

Contact me for a personalized itinerary!