Best of Oaxaca City

Mercado Juárez [1]: A regiment of stalls offers the best traditional Oaxaca merchandise, from huaraches and huipiles to mountain-gathered remedies and spit-roasted chickens.

Catedral de Oaxaca [2]: The recently restored facade and the inner chapel, which enshrines one of the four replicas of the Holy Cross of Huatulco [3], highlight a visit to this plaza-front gem.

Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad [4]: Five pounds of gold and 600 diamonds crown Oaxaca’s adored patron, and a fascinating adjacent museum preserves her beloved legacy.

Ex-Convento de Santa Catalina [5]: Wander the tranquil inner courtyards of this richly restored ex-convent, now a distinguished hotel.

Centro Cultural de Santo Domingo [6]: Explore the celebrated duo — the art-swathed Iglesia de Santo Domingo, and the adjacent Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca, with its golden treasure of Monte Albán’s Tomb 7.

Los Arquitos [7]: The original 18th-century aqueduct still stands, in Oaxaca City’s uptown northwest corner, in a quaint string of arches called Los Arquitos. The surrounding neighborhood is ripe for strolling winding village lanes and lingering at a sprinkling of shops, small cafés, and an all-natural Saturday food market.

MARO [8]: Do a major part of your Oaxaca handicrafts shopping at this store, run by a remarkable group of native Oaxacan women artisans.