Thanks to its large indigenous population, Oaxaca has a vibrant folk art tradition. You’ll find beautiful black pottery, colorful woven rugs and textiles, and cheerful alebrijes (brilliantly painted wood carvings in the shape of fantastical animals) being sold in markets and stands around the city. The Mercado de Artesanías is a good place to start.
As you walk around the city, you’ll find a lot of modern street art, much of which is political. Even if you don’t speak Spanish (which you can remedy by taking classes at don Quijote in Oaxaca!) and can’t fully understand the message, you’ll enjoy the bright colors and passion that comes through visually.
Espacio Zapata, founded by the Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of Oaxaca (Asaro) during major political turmoil in 2006, is a workshop and gallery that hosts exhibitions, events, and workshops, and the murals decorating the outside of the building are in constant flux.
You’ll also find many art galleries with a mixture of traditional and contemporary art, which you can pop in and out of when they cross your path. If you like to have an exact destination, set your sights on one of Oaxaca’s many art museums, with collections that range from the pre-Columbian era to the futuristic.
If you’ve got food on the mind and want to get a good look at all the options, head to Mercado de Abastos, Mercado de Benito Juarez, or Mercado 20 de Noviembre and prepare to be amazed. Meat lovers won’t want to miss this last market’s pasillo de carnes asadas (grilled meats aisle), where you pick out the raw meat and spices you want and watch as they get cooked over hot coals with vegetables and served in a basket with salsas and fresh corn tortillas. Markets often sell colorful handicrafts, flowers, and other products in addition to food, making them the perfect place to go shopping before and after your meal. You should also check out the busy Central de Abastos, an enormous, bustling open-air market.
Speaking of chocolate, Oaxaca is a haven for chocoholics. Although it’s not a major growing region, Oaxaca has a love for cacao that dates back thousands of years. The ubiquitous Oaxacan hot chocolate is a drink for both special occasions and everyday life, and it’s guaranteed to warm your heart. Mayordomo and La Soledad are two chocolate institutions with stores and stands where they will grind the cacao beans for you.
Try these and other local treats — tamales, tlayudas (sometimes called Oaxacan pizzas), chapulines (spicy grasshoppers!), quesillo string cheese, and so much more at one of the local markets in Oaxaca.
However, if you want to have a little of each - good prices and a designed environment - we recommend you walk around and remember the names of the squares. It's for sure that one, two or more bars have established their terrace there. Good examples of this? La Plaza del Dos de Mayo, la Plaza de Olavide, la Plaza de la Platería de Martínez and the Plaza de Santa Ana.
As you can see, there are terraces for all tastes, budgets and even for all types of conversations. And it’s no exaggeration. We can guarantee that during your stay you will be able to have something in one - or several - different terraces every day.
