Mercado Benito Juárez — Attraction in Oaxaca

The Benito Juarez Market is a large local market in Oaxaca that is worth exploring for an authentic experience.

The market consisted mostly of local food stalls in a maze of narrow aisles. There were many places to try traditional Oaxacan and Mexican foods like mole, tacos, tlayudas, and more.

As a vegan, the meat section of the market disgusted me and it was a bit stomach-turning to see (and smell) hunks of recognizable animal body parts hanging from the ceiling. Just be aware, if you are vegetarian or vegan and avoid this area.

I enjoyed checking out the produce section with fresh fruits and vegetables. It was interesting to see some exotic varieties of produce that I had never seen at home in Canada.

The market was huge and there were sections for everything - clothes, shoes, fried grasshoppers, spices, produce, gifts and more. Everything was so colourful and the atmosphere was vibrant and bustling with locals doing their daily shopping.

I enjoyed wandering up and down the aisles, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the market and experiencing the local life of Oaxaca. Would recommend!

Visited in...

One of the 2 big markets near Zocalo in Oaxaca. It encompasses a whole city block and thetes various entrances. Most of the shops (all relatively same size) are usually grouped near each other. I purchased a few tops and some fruit and there was also a stand for fresh juices and smoothies. This isnt just a tourist attraction but where other oaxacans go for clothing meat flowers etc so walk around ask questions and have fun practicing your Spanish. The vendors are very friendly and speak some* English (mostly numbers) and the prices are all just about the same.

If there's something specific you want, ASK! I wanted a Mexican embroidered shirt. In black. With different little flowers. With a square neck. And while one booth didn't have it, a few inquiries later by the vendor, she led me to another store.

Grab some food, wash it down with some juice, get a flower bouquet for your hotel and get your mama a tshirt.

#Mercado #oaxaca...

Google is wrong about hours. Saturday it said it was closed until Monday but absolutely not true.

The market lanes are narrow and the place is crowded and can be warm in the afternoon. Not a ton of English spoken but that is OK. A couple of vendors walked away when we started speaking English but that is OK too. Most of the products can be found in multiple stalls and most of vendors try to communicate. We try our Spanish, they try their English or we pull out Translate. But internet connections are terrible inside.

Well worth going to visit for food, mezcal, fabrics, art work, baskets, etc., but first couple of times I was pretty overwhelmed by all the people and stuff. But I always felt safe, have never seen anything violent in here, etc.

But have to admit I do NOT like chapulines! So I steer very clear of any baskets containing grasshopper...