Colonial Oaxaca De Juárez Will Take Your Heart

Oaxaca de Juárez is the capital of the state of Oaxaca. It is located in a central valley in the Sierra Madre sel Sur. The historic centre of the city is a unique and well-preserved example of Spanish colonial architecture. The city itself is also the cultural, economic and educational centre of the entire state. There are several important historical monuments in the vicinity. Find out which monuments are located here and how to reach them in this article.

How to get to Oaxaca de Juaréz

First, let’s talk about how to get to the capital city of Oaxaca de Juárez. If you’re going to be in Mexico City, you can use air transportation. However, you can also get here by bus. You can find timetables and prices on the ADO website. Prices range from 320 to 750 MXN depending on the quality of the bus and the company you choose. However, all buses usually have a toilet and Wi-Fi. The journey takes just under 8 hours with several stops. You can also use the same site to find connections from other areas. Very often a visit to the state of Oaxaca is combined with a visit to the state of Chiapas for example.

Accommodation

Among the accommodation facilities we can recommend a small family-run hotel called Hotel Posada San Rafael. It is located 10 minutes walk from the centre and a short walk from the bus terminal.The rooms are spacious, clean, with private bathrooms and good Wi-Fi access. You can pay 620 MXN per night for two here. Contact the property directly at +52 951 132 5541.You can also book a room via www.booking.com.

Itinerary in Oaxaca de Juaréz

City tour

For the first day, we recommend a walking tour of the city itself and its historic centre.Specifically, the route past the Santo Domingo Cathedral, along Calle Macedonio Alcalá to the Zócalo Square. In addition to the beautiful architecture, there are several interesting experiences awaiting you here.

The first is definitely a tasting of local chocolate, coffee and Mezcal. Growers and producers have shops literally on every corner, so you can’t miss them.

Another great experience is the local gastronomy. The food here is truly perfect and you’ll find restaurants of all kinds in the centre, from Chinese, Japanese, Italian and traditional Mexican. We can personally recommend the Sakura Shokudou and Kintaro restaurants, as well as Hong Kong restaurant, Hierba Dulce, Etnofood and the Oaxaca En Una Taza cafe, where they have really great coffee.

If you’re artistically inclined, this city will be heaven for you. Painters, dancers, musicians, art galleries, schools and a botanical garden in the city centre, you can enjoy it all in one day.

In addition, when you visit the Mercado de 20 Noviembre, you can soak up the atmosphere of the local markets and buy, for example, fresh fruit of the highest quality.

Monte Albán

One of the main reasons people come to Oaxaca de Juaréz is to visit the remains of the most magnificent Zapotec city, Monte Albán. The ruins of the city stand 400 metres above the valley and the view from here is truly unique. Personally, we rate the ruins as some of the most beautiful we have visited in Mexico.

You can go here with an agency or on your own, which is of course cheaper. The town is 10 km from the city centre and the drive here is really easy. The bus directly to the entrance of the city leaves from the intersection of Calle de Francisco Javier Mina and Calle de Gustavo Díaz Ordáz. There is a small office here where they will sell you a return ticket (the stop is marked on the Maps.me app). A return ticket costs 90 MXN, and entry to the city costs another 90 MXN. Buses leave several times a day, one trip takes about 30 minutes.

Hierve el Agua

Another great experience is a visit to the travertine terraces of Hierve el Agua. These formations are created by freshwater springs whose water is supersaturated with calcium carbonate. As the water flows over the rocks, the minerals settle on them and form formations similar to petrified waterfalls. You can also take a dip in the artificial pool on site, with views of the surrounding mountains.

How to get there

Again, there are several ways to get here. A trip with an agency is a rather expensive affair, costing 600 MXN per person. However, it can also be done cheaper in the following way.

Take the main road north of the recommended accommodation, specifically the bus stop outside the Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos. As soon as a bus with Mitla written on the front window passes by, wave and get on. Tell the driver straight away that you want to continue on to Hierve el Agua and he will stop directly at Colectivos in Mitla to take you there. The bus to Mitla costs 20 MXN and the journey takes about 45 minutes.

In Mitla you have to change to the Colectivo, which is a larger car with a bucket seat that will take you to Hierve el agua. The cars are well signposted and you get off right at them, so don’t worry about getting lost. The cars run at irregular intervals until they fill up with 12 people. You may find that you go straight away, but you can also wait an hour. A one-way car ride costs 75 MXN and takes about 50 minutes. Just the journey itself is an experience, though.

Then you pay an entrance fee of 50 MXN on the spot and you can wander around the area for as long as you like. For us, the visit with a picnic took about 2.5 hours. There are several refreshment stands on site. You can get back the same way, just in the opposite direction. This way the whole trip will cost you 240 MXN.

Nature around Oaxaca de Juárez

You can also take a nature hike directly from the town. About 2 kilometres from the recommended accommodation, a trail to the summit called Cerro del Fortín starts. It is a popular spot for local sportsmen. They go jogging, cycling and of course trekking. The entire circuit is 5 km long and at its highest point you will climb to 1,807 m above sea level. Along the route, you may encounter several species of reptiles and birds. There is also an astronomical observatory in the first part of the route, which is often open to the public.

Tips for visiting Oaxaca de Juárez

If you want to learn Salsa or other local dances, this will be the right place for you. There are plenty of dance schools in the city, dance nights are held here, and the prices of the classes are not too high. The same goes for cooking classes, for example, or various other artistic activities. At the same time, these activities can be seen at every turn. There are often celebrations and festivals and the city centre really comes alive in the evenings.

Watch out in Oaxaca de Juárez

If you head to Hierve el Agua and Cerro del Fortín on your own, take plenty of water and some snacks with you. Although these places are at a higher altitude, it is quite warm and the weather is not what we in Europe are used to. So snacks will definitely come in handy. In both cases, you will also find places where you can enjoy a picnic in the countryside with a great view, and in complete seclusion.