In order to get to Oaxaca City, we took a bus from Puerto Escondido, which lies in the same state and still it took us 11 hours bus–ride to get to the state-capital: Oaxaca City. So yes guys, Mexico is big and the distances can be quite big.
Oaxaca is a city filled with culture, by many it’s considered to be the cultural centre of Mexico. Many people dress in traditional clothing and the city is full of old weaving places and handicraft. The highlight of the year in Mexico is the „dia de los muertos“ = „day of the death“, the most traditional celebration of the country is supposed to take place here in Oaxaca City. Sadly we missed it by two days (but more to that in another post). The buildings are beautiful, the markets impressive and the city center one of the most stunning centers we have seen throughout the whole trip.
Hostels are pretty cheap, expect dorm-beds to be priced between 5-10€, breakfast is nearly always included. Food prices range from 3€ to 7€, depending on where you eat (markets and food-trucks are the cheapest options). Getting around is fairly easy, Oaxaca city is the capital of the state, but the city isn’t that huge. Therefore you can do most things walking. Our hostel was located a bit outside of the city center, it was still safe to walk, even by night. We also highly recommend to do a trip outside of the city and go to Monte Alban. An impressive archeological site. A large Mesoamerican city, built by the Zapotec empire, 1 hour bus ride from the center of Oaxaca.