There is so much to do in the city of Oaxaca! One of the best ways to enjoy this city is to simply go for a walk. The benefit of walking is that it's free activity! And you can learn so much about the people who live in a place by taking a stroll through its streets. Walking is a great way to make a mental map of all the places you want to visit during your stay, especially if you plan on being in one area for a longer time. After all, there's no rush to see everything at once, and you will benefit from learning the names of the major streets and a few helpful landmarks to orient yourself by going for a few walks.
The center of the city, like many colonial cities in Mexico, is designed around a central zocalo, or main square. This is often the busiest part of town where you can find street performers, musicians, food carts and generally a lot of activity. The streets around the zocalo are laid out in a grid, so once you get the hang of a few major street names, you can easily find your way around that part of town. Some examples of street names include: Avenida de la Independencia, Avenida Jose María Morelos and Xicoténctl. As you can see, street names are often a mix of patriotism and Spanish colonial and indigenous history. The name Xicoténctl is a special tribute to a leader of the Nahuatl people in Mexico.
