First off, I know some might not agree with me, but travel experiences are deeply personal, and this is just our take on Oaxaca City: it was a bit of a letdown.
Oaxaca City is renowned for its indigenous culture, cheese, mole sauces, chocolate, and coffee, among other things. People described it as incredibly romantic, enchanting, and picturesque. While we found it beautiful and worth visiting if you’re in the area, it didn’t quite meet our expectations.
We found the UNESCO city of Guanajuato and the high-altitude town of San Cristobal more visually appealing and more enjoyable to wander around. It’s true that it’s not fair to compare three different cities from different regions of Mexico, but other travelers and locals inevitably drew comparisons between these colonial towns, often saying, “If you liked Guanajuato, you’ll love Oaxaca City.”
After visiting all three, Oaxaca City didn’t quite live up to the hype. Apart from a couple of small pedestrian streets, the roads in Oaxaca were clogged with noisy vehicles and pollution. The main square, Zocalo, was overrun with tented market stalls and protestors, detracting from the view of the cathedral and leaving no room for peaceful relaxation.
The food was good but didn’t blow us away. We had better mole sauces in Guadalajara and Puerto Escondido. Though we enjoyed the hot chocolates and tlayuda, the street food didn’t compare to the delights we found in Mexico City. Perhaps we didn’t dine at the right places or sample enough dishes.
However, we did enjoy the Mercado 20 de Noviembre with its bustling carnivore food stalls. It was a chaotic experience, but once we figured out the setup, we were treated to a delicious plate of meat and side dishes for lunch.
We also found a wonderful little family-run Italian/Mexican restaurant in the suburb of San Felipe del Agua. The homemade meals were delightful, and we would return just to spend time with the welcoming family, even if the food weren’t as good.
We know Oaxaca City’s most amazing sites are in its surrounding villages and valleys. We only visited the Monte Alban Ruins, which were remarkable. We spent our Valentine’s Day exploring this vast site, admiring ancient structures, tombs, and carvings. It was a definite highlight of our two weeks in the State of Oaxaca.
In the end, Oaxaca City didn’t seem worth the flight from Mexico City. It lacked the vibe and quiet plazas we enjoyed in other Mexican cities. The busy traffic took away from the charm of the old buildings and street activities. Though there were a few nice pedestrian-only walkways, they were interrupted by intersecting traffic.
We saw many people in beautiful, traditional clothing and met some indigenous residents. With more time in the valleys, we might have had a richer, local experience. The food and coffee were good, but we’ve had better elsewhere in Mexico. The buildings and cathedrals were nice, but we preferred the colorful homes and colonial architecture in Guanajuato, Guadalajara, San Cristobal, and Mexico City.
We’re not saying to skip Oaxaca City entirely, but if you’re choosing between the five cities we mentioned, you might want to prioritize the others. Sorry, Oaxaca – we felt a bit of the romance, but we’ve had better experiences elsewhere.
What are your thoughts? Have you been to Oaxaca City?