Colonial Mexico 2 Ed: A Guide to Historic Districts and Towns |
Oaxaca CityCapital of the state of Oaxaca, the city of Oaxaca is located 540 kilometers from Mexico City. At an altitude of 5,000 feet, Oaxaca's climate is semi-tropical with cool evenings and warm days. The town's historical center offers rich colonial architecture and a wealth of interesting sight-seeing possibilities. Around the treed Zócalo, or town square, are numerous outdoor cafés proferring mole, meats in spicy green, yellow or red sauces and empanadas de huitlacoche, quesillo y flor de calabaza (corn pastries stuffed with corn fungus, string cheese and squash blossoms). Diminutive, wizened little old ladies will try their best to convince you that their toasted Chapulines (grasshoppers) are the very best - and you'll find, if you actually try them, that they are! Oaxaca City and it's surrounding areas place the visitor in the midst of a kaleidescope of color. Wandering through the crafts market or small shops downtown, you are swept by incredibly intricate and delicately-patterned textiles, vibrantly hand-painted carvings and a wide variety of pottery. Some of the must-sees within the city include:
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