Historic, romantic, dignified and safe, wonderful Calle Alcalá (traffic-free since the 1980s) is what Oaxaca is all about. It runs north from the cathedral to Templo de Santo Domingo and is lined by typical colonial-era stone buildings that are now home to artisan shops, galleries, museums, cafes and bars. Always good for a stroll, it's particularly atmospheric at night.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca
0.16 MILES
Got two hours? You'll need it for the Museum of Oaxacan Cultures, housed in the beautiful monastery buildings adjoining the Templo de Santo Domingo. This…
3 MILES
The former capital of the Zapotec people is today an illustrious ruin, but for over a thousand years it served as the second-largest ceremonial site in…
0.14 MILES
Gorgeous Santo Domingo is the most splendid of Oaxaca’s churches, with a finely carved baroque facade and nearly every square centimeter inside decorated…
25.9 MILES
Second only to Monte Albán in their importance, though not as old, the ruins of ancient Mitla date from the final two or three centuries before the…
3.9 MILES
If you like your pre-Hispanic Mexican ruins suitably ‘ruined’ and crowd-free without compromising on authenticity or spectacular setting, opt for Atzompa…
Centro de las Artes de San Agustín
9.46 MILES
Pretty San Agustín's large, early-20th-century textile mill has been superbly restored as the Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (CaSa), a spectacular…
5.94 MILES
Visitors flock to the village of El Tule to behold El Árbol del Tule, which is, by some counts, the fattest tree in the world. California's General…
0.25 MILES
Traffic-free, shaded by tall trees and surrounded by elegant portales (arcades), the Zócalo is the perfect place to start soaking up the Oaxaca atmosphere…
Nearby Oaxaca City attractions
0.04 MILES
This commercial gallery presents a wide range of quality art, and includes a room devoted to surrealist painter Rodolfo Morales’ work.
0.04 MILES
You’ll find art by leading figures such as Tamayo and Morales, plus a fine selection of handicrafts and rugs, at this commercial gallery founded by the…
3. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca
0.06 MILES
Exhibitions of first-rate contemporary Mexican and international art in a beautifully revamped colonial house.
4. Centro Fotográfico Álvarez Bravo
0.08 MILES
With a taste for provocative social commentary, this contemporary gallery displays weird and wonderful work by local and international photographers.
0.1 MILES
At the center of this gallery's workshop is an exceedingly rare 8-ton J Voirin lithography press, which prints both acrylics and woodcuts. Works on…
0.13 MILES
A leading serious commercial gallery, handling some of the biggest names, such as Francisco Toledo and Guillermo Olguín. It has a second exhibition space,…
0.14 MILES
Gorgeous Santo Domingo is the most splendid of Oaxaca’s churches, with a finely carved baroque facade and nearly every square centimeter inside decorated…
8. Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca
0.16 MILES
Got two hours? You'll need it for the Museum of Oaxacan Cultures, housed in the beautiful monastery buildings adjoining the Templo de Santo Domingo. This…