Colors of Oaxaca - Oaxaca, Mexico

Sunset, Oct, 1997 by Matthew Jaffe

Getting around. It's really not worth the trouble to rent a car. Taxis are inexpensive, and the center of town is small enough to cover on foot. If you're going to outlying areas, hire a cab (cheaper if you don't do it through your hotel). Street rates run about $7.50 an hour.

Guide services. We spent a couple of days with American expatriate Toni Sobel and gained tremendous insight into the area. She can help with lodging too, and can be reached at 011-52-951-75947. Susana Trilling, a noted Oaxaca chef, leads market tours and cooking classes - day sessions or longer - at her school, Seasons of My Heart. For information, fax her at 011-52-951-65280 or 011-52-951-87726.

LODGING

Calesa Real. This modest European-style hotel is within a couple of blocks of the zocalo. From $55; 011-52-951-65544.

Camino Real Oaxaca. In a 16th-century convent, this is Oaxaca's top-of-the-line hotel. From $155; (800) 722-6466.

Casa Colonial. Run by American expatriates, this bed-and-breakfast-style inn offers a relaxed setting and plenty of local travel pointers. From $81, with breakfast; 011-52-951-65280, or (800) 758-1697 from the United States.

WHERE TO EAT

Oaxaca is a chili lover's idea of heaven. Be sure to try some of the city's famous moles, as well as dishes that incorporate fresh squash blossoms. The chocolate here is uniformly great, and the local cheese can transform a humble torta on the zocalo into something special.

For indigenous Oaxaca cuisine, try El Topil, El Biche Pobre, or Maria Bonita. Outside of town, Abigail Mendoza's Tlamanalli in Teotitlan is considered the best in the area. More casual is the open-air La Capilla in Zaachila, 40 minutes from Oaxaca.

ARTFUL SHOPPING

Galeria Arte de Oaxaca carries paintings and fine art in a beautiful restored building and features works by noted Oaxacan artist Rodolfo Morales. For local crafts, try Corazon del Pueblo, Artesanias Cocijo, Chimalli, Taly, and Fonart.