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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Oaxaca

12 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Oaxaca, Mexico

Updated March 31, 2020

Unusual Attractions in Oaxaca

Oaxaca, Mexico

La Pozontlería

One of the city's few vendors selling the Sierra Norte's ancestral beverage lies within a hidden farmers market.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca (Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca)

A 16th-century monastery boasts a lush array of plants native to Mexico’s most biodiverse region.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Night of the Radishes

At this Oaxaca contest, artists turn purple produce into stunning depictions of saints, buildings, and La Pietà.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Post Mortem Chapel

The ruins of an abandoned church mingle with the graves at Oaxaca’s General Cemetery.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Itanoní

In a quiet residential neighborhood, one restaurant fights to preserve heirloom corn, one tortilla at a time.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Casilda Aguas Regionales

In a busy Oaxaca market, a nearly century-old drinks stand still serves family recipes from giant clay pots.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Panteón General (General Cemetery)

This graveyard boasts a medley of diverse and imaginative funeral architecture.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art

An incredible collection of Mesoamerican art assembled by one of Mexico's great artists.

See All 12 Things To Do in Oaxaca

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Oaxaca

Oaxaca, Mexico

La Pozontlería

One of the city's few vendors selling the Sierra Norte's ancestral beverage lies within a hidden farmers market.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Night of the Radishes

At this Oaxaca contest, artists turn purple produce into stunning depictions of saints, buildings, and La Pietà.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Itanoní

In a quiet residential neighborhood, one restaurant fights to preserve heirloom corn, one tortilla at a time.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Casilda Aguas Regionales

In a busy Oaxaca market, a nearly century-old drinks stand still serves family recipes from giant clay pots.

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Oaxaca: Tastes of Past & Present

Join us as we explore the indigenous flavors, contemporary cuisine, and rich history of Oaxaca—meeting local chefs, artisans, and historians along the way.

Explore Oaxaca, Mexico

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Stories About Oaxaca

An Ancient Ballcourt in Oaxaca Expands a Sport’s Footprint

3,000 years before the Aztecs, Mesoamericans were already playing ball.

by Isaac Schultz

Saving the Prized Chile That Grows Only in Oaxaca’s Mountains

Farmers growing the smoky pepper had no idea chefs were paying top dollar for it.

by Isabel Torrealba

September 19, 2018

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