The Gems Only a Slow Traveler in Oaxaca Will Likely Ever Discover
Oaxaca, Mexico is a city I decided to call home without ever having been before. The promise of cobble-stoned streets, fresh mountain air, and plenty of unique local traditions to dig into drew me in without a second thought. It’s a city with layers, one that truly requires an extended stay to even begin to scrape its surface and get to know it. Having now spent an ever-lengthening amount of time in this charming city of lively streets, waist-expanding eateries, and stop-you-in-your-tracks art and architecture, I’ve come to discover a few Oaxaca experiences that only the slow traveler would likely ever stumble upon.
The Copious Coffee Shops
Every time I move to a new city, I make it my mission to visit every single coffee shop I become aware of. Oaxaca, with its cafes on every corner, has made this quite the task. Some are better than others of course and my slow travel approach has satisfyingly afforded me the chance to make that differentiation and to become a regular at the spots that truly impress, like the cozy bookshop backroom-vibe of Cafeto y Baristas, the walk-up window and always perfect pour at Filemón, and the new wave, yet laid back, Marito&Moglie tucked beyond the well-trodden city center streets. This list goes on and there’s likely yet more for me to discover and fall in love with, but it’s pretty satisfying to feel so at home at even just a few.
The Depth of Popular Places
One such place on the Oaxaca tourist trail is the nearby village of Teotitlan del Valle, a spot deservedly known for its gorgeous hand-woven sheep’s wool rugs and the dozens of family-run rug weaving workshops that bring them to life on the loom. Having been to Teotitlan del Valle a handful of times at this point, I now know there’s far more to this popular place than its rugs and tapestries. There’s beeswax candles and some of the best mole, tejate, and sopa de guias you’ll ever taste. There’s sacred mountains to climb, age-old festivals to attend, and mountain biking trails to explore. There’s far more dimension to Teotitlan del Valle than any day-tripper could begin to understand. And this I know would ring true in other popular places I have yet to discover too.
The Nature That’s Closer Than You’d Think
There’s no hiding the fact that Oaxaca is surrounded by mountains, but it’s only the locals or slow travelers that come to discover just how close and accessible those mountains really are. They’re so close that just a 15-minute cab ride from the city center will drop you at a trailhead of picturesque dirt paths that weave through wild agave fields and farmland. The views of the city down below and the neighboring mountains are picturesque, only made more so at sunrise and sunset. Yet, this easily-within-reach fresh air and mountain tranquility goes beyond the notice of many travelers, for the simple reason that they just didn’t know it was there
The Opportunity to Meet and Meet Again with Interesting Locals
Early on in my stay in Oaxaca, I signed up for a tour to visit the red clay-making community of San Marcos Tlapazola. We spent an entire day in the workshop and home of Maestra Valentina, learning from and making alongside her and her daughter, witnessing a centuries-old tradition come to life before our eyes. This intimate experience planted the seed for my own deeper appreciation for Oaxaca’s artisan traditions and community and it fostered a connection with an actual artisan and her family that I still maintain today. Everytime I visit the Tlacolula Sunday Market, I go out of my way to visit with Maestra Valentina and to admire her latest work. This connection is just one of the many that form when you decide to stay and stay awhile in one place. The tour ends, but the connections continue and strengthen.