Ghent had so much more to offer than I was expecting. I thought it would be a sleepy, little town where I would get bored after a few days. But that definitely was not the case. After five days, I kept finding more places I wanted to check out and I couldn’t fit everything in. I also found that the tourism website was very helpful, more so than I expected. I recommend visiting it for practical information as well as recommendations around town.
For the first two days, I was on my own and stayed at the Kaba Hostel. While I had a great stay there, it was further from the city center than I would have liked. But it also gave me a chance to check out the Southeast side of town before I moved to an Airbnb with a friend on the North side of town.
While in town, I took advantage of the good weather and wandered and meandered everywhere. I also took a boat tour, a free walking tour, and even rented a kayak from Hostel Uppelink.
Kayaking the calm canals of Ghent. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
I also took a free night walking tour. The guide, Ben, had a lot of very interesting history and knowledge about the city. And he timed the tour to end just at midnight.
I visited all of the churches in town and, of course, the Ghent Alterpiece (Adoration of the Mystic Lamb). For art lovers, this is essential. For everyone else, it’s also essential. Pay the €4, listen to the audio guide (offered in a bunch of languages), and learn about the incredibly interesting history of this artwork.
I also visited the Museum voor Schone Kunsten for an exhibition called Women of the Baroque. The entrance fee for both the permanent exhibit and the temporary exhibits was €14. All of the exhibits were wonderfully curated. I was also able to see the panels from the Ghent Alterpiece that were being restored.
But more than anything, I enjoyed the food in Ghent. The city has fully embraced the local and organic food movements. There are food co-ops, farm to table restaurants, and vegetarian options galore. My favorites where Lokaal, Soep Plus, and Le Botaniste. Note that Le Botaniste looks really fancy from the outside but is actually very casual. All three of these restaurants were affordable, healthy, and delicious.
I ordered a trio of hummuses at Le Botaniste. Yum!
I also checked out a few of the organic markets. My favorite was the Beo Markt. They do have a restaurant thought I didn’t eat there, I did buy delicious fruit and vegetables.
For drinks, I found a great little wine bar called Baravins. I liked the place so much I stopped by a second time during my visit. The bartender was friendly, helpful, and generous with the snacks.
I also ate some delicious Italian food while in Ghent. My friend and I had dinner at Shazanna after grabbing drinks at Baravins. Our pizzas were amazing and filling. My dinner and a glass of wine cost €22. I ate more Italian food a few days later when I visited Firenze for lunch. It is a cozy restaurant with a great family feel. If you are in the area, check it out.
Firenze was a delicious place to pop into after a visit to the art museum. The olives and wine tided me over until my pasta arrived.
On my way into town, I didn’t use public transportation when leaving the train station and hoofed it all the way to my hostel with my backpack in tow. But on my way out of town, I decided to take the tram to the train station. The cost for one ticket on the Lijnwinkel tram was €1.60. Later, I found out that this same transit system is in Antwerp, and possibly other cities in Belguim.
After spending a long weekend in Paris, I made my way to Reims for a few quiet days by myself. Most tourists probably spend an afternoon in Reims or skip it altogether, but not me. I was looking for a small, adorable town to wander through and that’s exactly was I got.
I booked an Airbnb for two nights on the southern end of town. My private bedroom with shared bath was stylish and oh so comfortable at $49USD per night. My host was friendly and helpful though her English was limited (as is my French). The apartment is a bit of a walk from the train station (Gare de Reims) in town but this did not deter me. Note that there is no left luggage facility at the Reims train station. There is, however, a new service called Nanny Bag that was suggested to me by the tourism office.
I visited both the cathedral and the basilica during my time in Reims. I cannot recommend these enough. Both buildings are awe inspiring to wander through. And, both are free. Plus, if you have just come from Paris, you will actually be able to enjoy and appreciate these spaces without hordes of tourists.
Our Lady of Reims.Our Lady of Reims shot from the park behind the cathedral.
I also visited the Surrender Museum (Musée de la Reddition) and really enjoyed this small but significant piece of history. While I consider myself generally knowledgeable about World War II, I had never heard of Reims and the important role the city played.
While in town, I treated myself to a decadent lunch at Anna S. The prix-fixe menu was seasonal and delicious. It was such a filling meal that I did not eat dinner that night. It was my only splurge while in town but at €42 (which included a glass of wine), it was well worth it.
I also ate some mussels while in town. I researched a few places but my Airbnb host recommended Le Grand Café and she did not steer me wrong. Once again, my meal was accompanied by wine (when in Rome…) and cost €22.
After two days in Reims, I was ready to move on to my next destination. For this, I needed to make my way out to the high speed train station (Gare Champagne TGV) just outside of town. I searched and searched (using my cell phone) for good information on local buses and tram lines and came up empty handed. Later, I was able to find this online map for the trams and local buses which opened on my laptop.
Before boarding the tram, you must buy a ticket and then validate it once on the tram. There is an option for paying via cell phone but I didn’t research this as I only used the tram once. The city is not that big and I love to walk and explore.
We didn’t originally plan on visiting the small town of Kobarid but I am so happy that we did. We rented an apartment in the city center which included a parking spot, wifi, and a washing machine. For $65USD per night, the three bedroom apartment was more than we needed but was the same price as some of the hotels in town. We took advantage of having a kitchen and a grocery store across the street to save some money.
We explored the surrounding area as well as the town itself. We walked and then hiked to Slap Kozjak. This is one time that I was happy to have other hikers on the path as finding the waterfall was a little confusing.
The closer you get to the waterfall, the narrower the path becomes.
We also visited the Tolmin Gorges. The visit to this gorge involved a lot more climbing and hiking than the Vintgar Gorge but was just as stunning. Sadly, due to the climbing, I did not take any photos to share. But once again, the €5 entrance fee was worth the chance to explore this stunning area of Slovenia.
The Soca River runs just outside of Kobarid.
While in town, we visited the Kobarid Museum, (Kobariski Muzej). The place is packed with photographs and mementos from battles fought nearby during World War I. There is a short video presentation which is offered in multiple languages. I am glad we stopped by and learned more about this incredible area and it’s history.
Also while in town, we did what we do best; eat. We visited a few of the local restaurants but none stood out like Hisa Polonka. We actually ate here twice in three days. The dishes vary in size so beware of ordering to little or too much. The food was delicious and the service was friendly and inviting. Both times we ate there, our bill averaged around €45. This included drinks, appetizers, and entrees.
We also enjoyed a local food and art festival while in town. The food options (mussels, pastas, stews, etc.) were all tasty and flavorful though not as affordable as one would expect in such a small town. We ate lunch and grabbed a few local beers and glasses of wine and spent a total of €42. There were local musicians and singers performing for the crowds which we really enjoyed. We had a wonderful time in Kobarid and I would recommend a visit to this charming town.
We rented a car at the Venice airport and drove around Slovenia for 12 days. We visited so many amazing places on our roadtrip and found the roads to be in good condition. Slovenia no long has active toll booths on their highways. Instead, you purchase a sticker for your car, called a vignette. There are no tolls to pay anymore but if you do not buy the sticker, and you get caught, the penalty is high. We purchased the monthly vignette for €30 at a gas station just after crossing the Italy/Slovenia board.
We stayed the night in a small hotel located in a picturesque valley near the Logar Valley. The hotel room was spacious and comfortable. And though the temperatures were dropping outside, we took full advantage of the balcony facing the mountains. We opted for dinner at the hotel as it is somewhat secluded (though signs are posted to help you find your way). Dinner consisted of three hearty courses though no menu was provided and our choices were limited. Dinner, with a drink each, cost €34. While we had a bumpy check-in process (our room wasn’t ready even though it was late in the afternoon), the hotel and farm itself were a wonderful treat. I wish we could have stayed longer.
Enjoying a glass of wine and the view from the balcony.
On the afternoon of our arrival in the area, we drove to the Logar Valley, walked around a bit, and enjoyed the scenery. We returned the next morning in hopes of taking more photos (the sun rises and therefore shines on the mountains in the morning and sets behind them in the evening) but discovered a man charging €7 to enter the valley. We did not think it was worth it as we had visited the day before (a Sunday) for free. So on we went along on our adventure with a little more money in our pockets.
Logar Valley in the late afternoon light.
We decided to visit Lake Bled but stay at Lake Bohinj and were very happy with our choice. We spent the day hiking above Lake Bled then drove to Lake Bohinj.
A panorama of Lake Bled and Slovenia’s only island.
When we drove the length of Lake Bohinj, we realized that none of the accommodations actually have a solid view of the lake. Knowing this, we decided to rent a small apartment at one end of the lake as it was cheaper than most of the other options. After checking in, we walked across the street, settled onto a bench and enjoyed the view (and our mugs of wine). At €56 per night, we couldn’t have asked for a better location.
For dinner, we wandered down the path on the East side of the lake to get to Restavracija Kramar. We grabbed a few drinks as the sun was setting and finished off the visit with a small salad and cevapi, lamb and beef sausages. Our dinner and drinks ended up costing €25. We also visited a restaurant in town specializing in burgers. Foksner, was bustling when we arrived and the recommendations from locals did not disappoint. Two burgers, fries, and two drinks, again, cost €25. The burger options could be more diverse but the food and the service were great.
While in the area, we visited the Vintgar Gorge. We arrived early to miss the tour buses and crowds. There is a boardwalk stretching along the one mile walk through nature. The visit was a highlight of our trip and was well worth the €5 ticket price per person.
We also visited the Savica waterfall near Lake Bohinj. The hike is short and the waterfall is a magnificent sight. The cost to access the waterfall was only a few euros.
Slap Savica in all of its glory.
After the waterfall, we tried hiking to Cero jezero, a lake high up in the mountains above the waterfall but the climb became too extreme for us. When we came upon chains dangling from boulders, we knew we were out of our element and turned back. Next, we drove through the mountains above Lake Bohinj and made out way to Planina Blato. The huts were deserted and we enjoyed our time alone in nature. We did pay €10 per car at the base of the mountain road but it was worth the views and the experience.
One of many huts in this valley surrounded by mountains and trees.
While in Triglav National Park we wandered through Kranska Gora, Bovec, and many other beautiful towns. We also drove the Vrsic Pass which has a total of fifty switchbacks. We were lucky enough to make the drive before the snow fell as I believe the pass is closed during the snowy months.
We also drove along the Soca River as it winds through the park. Along the river, there are many hanging bridges as well as hiking paths to explore.
We drove from the Venice airport directly to the Skocjan Cave in Slovenia. We were lucky to arrive just before the next scheduled tour started (see their website for tour times). The tickets cost €18 per person but was well worth it. The guided tour was very informative and the experience was amazing. Note that there is a lot of walking as well as stairs involved in visiting this cave.
We stayed at one of the many guesthouses in Postojna. The owners of Grmek Apartmentswere very hospitable and the room was delightful at a cost of €48 per night. The apartment was a bit of a walk from town but close enough to walk to dinner at Štorja pod Stopnicami. This was one of my favorite meals in Slovenia. Though not budget friendly (dinner for two with drinks cost about €62), I can’t recommend it enough. The food was delicious and the service was friendly and inviting.
Octopus over roasted carrots and pureed potatoes with a green pea sauce.
The following day, we visited the Postojna Cave which is more built up and fantastical than the Skocjan Cave. They have installed train tracks and small trains to take you through the cave. It was a fun experience but definitely more expensive at €28 per person. If mobility is an issue, I recommend visiting the Postojna Cave as there isn’t nearly as much walking as in Skocjan Cave.
After visiting the cave, we drove back into town to get a kebap. This little restaurant has delicious, cheap, and filling kebaps for about €5 each.
Kebap with all the fixins.
On our way out of town, we visited a small park which has two natural bridges. If you enjoy hiking, this is a great place to explore nature.
Kyle posing in front of the larger of the two natural bridges.
We headed down to Costa Rica for our nephew’s Spring Break which also happened to be Holy Week. While we would not have chosen this time frame, it’s what we had to work with. Over the next few weeks, we bounced back to San Jose to say goodbye to family and say hello to a friend who was joining us for the second half of our trip. In total, we spent six nights in San Jose.
We spent our first two days wandering the city and getting a feel for the place. We ate in the central mercado which was pretty tasty. It’s not a huge market but was fun to wander through and find a crowded soda to eat in. We also wandered through the artists’ mercado a few blocks away which was worth a look.
We took the free walking tour that begins in front of the National Theater at 9am, rain or shine. It was not one of the best free walking tours we have been on, but we received some interesting history about Costa Rica and the capital.
For our first few nights in the city, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Aurola on reward points and while the hotel was incredibly nice and we really enjoyed our stay there, I cannot comment on its cost and value. Note to those who might stay at this Holiday Inn; there seem to be multiple hotels in San Jose called ‘Holiday Inn.’ When we typed the name into the Uber app, multiple locations popped up. I would recommend using the location of Park Morazan which is in front of Holiday Inn Aurola.
We we returned to the capital a week later and checked into a small hotel called Kekoldi Garden Hotel. It is located a few blocks north of the Holiday Inn. We had a lovely stay with a cost of $50USD for a double room. Our room was modest but comfortable. The real draw of the hotel is the enclosed garden which most of the rooms face.
The garden is a small oasis in a bustling city.
I think the only draw back to staying in this area of the city is that most restaurants and shops closed around 8pm leaving very few options of things to do at night.
On our last visit to San Jose, we chose to stay in the upscale barrio of Escalante. While the bars and restaurants in the area are not budget friendly, it was a nice change to have somewhere to go in the evenings. We stayed at the Hotel Finca Escalante which is located just steps from some amazing bars and restaurants.
Of all of the options in the neighborhood, I definitely enjoyed Impar and Apotecario the most. While neither were what I would call cheap, they both had delicious options and were a nice change from standard Costa Rican food. At Apotecario, we had the chile con carne, a deliciously flavored soup, the Mediterranean plate, and a round of drinks for about $20,000CRC. We grabbed lunch at Impar and shared a few appetizers. And while the food totally hit the spot (octopus tostadas, mushroom lasagna, and meatballs with spinach), our meal cost about $17,000CRC.
We also decided to splurge a little more and check out some of the many beer bars around Escalante. I think our favorite was Casa Brew Garden as the setup was pretty interesting and the beer list was very extensive. We also visited Wilk Craft Beer and Lupulus Beer Shop. We stopped by the Costa Rica Beer Factory but left when we looked at the menu. The prices were just too astonishing for us to stay. We drew the line at an appetizer of bacon wrapped dates for $11USD.
We also checked out Mercado Escalante. It’s a collection of stalls serving different foods and drinks. I definitely recommend the pork sandwich stall in the back corner. Just pay attention and order under the Orden Aqui sign. There is another similar “mercado” down the street called El Jardin de Lolita. Both places are worth a visit.
While walking around during the day, we did notice that there were a lot of small restaurants with menu del dias on 9th Avenue right around a hospital. If I had more time, I would definitely check out some of these small coffee shops and restaurants as well.
Getting around San Jose is pretty easy on foot and Uber does operate in the capital. Now, if you want to leave San Jose, here’s where things get tricky. The bus system is incredibly decentralized. It seems like every bus line or destination has its own terminal which becomes very confusing. We took a bus out to the town of San Isidro and had a hard time finding the bus station because the bus that goes to San Isidro (in the province of Heredia) is not the same bus station for the buses that goes to Heredia.
We wanted to visit the Toucan Rescue Ranch which is just outside of San Isidro. While the center itself was very interesting and the animals were well cared for, I’m not sure if the cost ($35USD per person) and the frustration of getting there were worth it. But I will pass on my knowledge so others can make their own choice.
Once we got off the bus in San Isidro, we grabbed a quick lunch at soda La Amistad. All the food was delicious but the server did not speak English. After lunch we asked a few people in town if there is a bus that goes down the main road, 112, so that we could take a bus closer to the rescue center as it is located about a 1.5 miles from town. Multiple people told us that no bus goes down the main road which seemed odd. We ended up taking a taxi which was about $2,000CRC. But of course once the tour was over and we started to leave, we realized that there are buses that go both ways down this major road. Here’s what I figured out: The route to and from San Jose to San Isidro is a loop. You enter town from one direction and the bus leaves going another direction. The buses that go toward the Toucan Rescue Center eventually make their way back to San Jose. So, when you take the bus to San Isidro, you can pay again and head down Route 112 in the direction of the rescue center and San Jose. If you are at the rescue center and want to head back to the city, just stand on the opposite side of the street and a bus will come get you.
Note that the star in the top left corner is the actual location of the Toucan Rescue Ranch. The two stars on Route 112 are bus stops for the bus that will take you back to San Jose.
To get even more complicated, the bus terminal to get to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of the country is the North Atlantic terminal. This should not be confused with the bus station that is called Gran Caribe. Because it was Holy Week we bought bus tickets a day in advance. I am not sure if this was necessary but the schedule posted showed there was a bus every two hours but when we arrived at the bus station 20 minutes early, there was a bus leaving for our destination.
If you’ve done any other research on Costa Rica then you have already read that every bus trip will take longer than expected. This is exactly what we experienced. Our 4.5 hour bus ride ended up taking 6.5 hours from San Jose to Puerto Viejo with only one bathroom stop. On the way back, the bus broke down for two hours with no information from our driver. I secretly think Pura Vida acutally means have patience.
The historic city center in Sibiu is lovely but quite small. We spent two nights in the city but we could have spent one day and easily wandered through the Old Town. But because we had the extra time, we kept wandering and really enjoyed ourselves. Sibiu seems to have a lot of festivals and city events going on (at least in September when we visited). We were able to attend Cibinfest which is their local version of Oktoberfest. The website for purchasing VIP tickets was very confusing so we just went and grabbed a seat in the open section and had an amazing time. There was also a theater festival going on as well as a street music festival which was highlighting ragtime music while we were there. The town of Sibiu gives visitors a lot to do and see which is why I recommend spending a few days there if you have the chance.
I recently spent a handful of days in Glasgow with my cousin David. We didn’t have much planned but definitely found things to do to occupy our time; mostly eating.
The city itself is not what most would call beautiful but it has an edgy, raw feel without the hint of crime. We walked through George Square, toured the City Chambers and visited the Kelvingrove Museum, and the Gallery of Modern Art (all for free, no less). But I think what really made me enjoy this city was the food. I did not have a bad meal while I was there. From the kebap shop to Ubiquitious Chip; everything was delicious, fresh, and relatively affordable. Here are some of the highlights.
This was the perfect Italian style thin crust pizza. It was worth the wait at the West End location. You can also check out their other location in the city center. At about £9GBP per pizza it’s an affordable and delicious lunch or dinner option.
Check this place out in the West End for live music and an amazing array of whiskies to taste. We spent an evening drinking whiskies that the knowledgeable bartenders recommended.
This is an elegant, yet affordable restaurant which was lovely as expected. Right in the heart of the city center is this traditional gem that has stood the test of time. We had the set lunch menu and at £25GBP (which included a glass of wine), my two course meal was delicious and worth the splurge.
This place is actually two restaurants in one. I had lunch in their upstairs terrace restaurant. I did not choose from their set lunch menu but opted for the delicious mussels and a small pork pie which was wonderful. At about £15GBP, my lunch was cheaper than the set lunch in the downstairs restaurant.
Mussels with chorizo and hearty bread to soak up the savory broth.
I am still thinking about this place and it’s food. It’s another restaurant worth the wait (or make a reservation). I had two dishes and a glass of wine for £20GBP. I highly recommend the beet hummus and whipped feta dish. I even tried to return later during my trip. Part of me was sad because I couldn’t get a table but the other part of me knew that there were other amazing places to try instead.
This is where I ended up when Ox & Finch couldn’t take me and I was not disappointed. I had their Thyme for Gin cocktail to whet my appetite followed by a beet salad and a gnocchi dish. I could not have been happier nor fuller. Once again, a delightful meal for under £25GBP.
After all that eating, we spent a few of our days wandering the streets of Glasgow, grabbing a drink at a few local bars (my favorites were Inn Deep and the bar in the Centre for Contemporary Arts), and enjoying the comfort of our room at the Charing Cross Guest House. What I really liked about this was the location (walking distance to both the city center and to the West End), the free breakfast (with your choice of continental or full Scottish breakfast), and the hospitality of the front desk staff. At $54USD a night for a double room, it was well within my budget.
While staying in Glasgow we took two separate day trips. The first was to Loch Lomond. It only took about an hour by train to the town of Balloch which is walking distance to the water. We choose not to take the scenic ferry ride but went hiking along the water’s edge instead.
We also took a train and ferry to the Isle of Arran. We spent our day hiking around the isle. If given the chance, I would love to return to see more of this beautiful part of Scotland.
Here I am at the top of our hike on the Isle of Arran.
Guadalajara is not a pretty city in the conventional way but it has a lot to offer visitors. The city is large and sprawling. And in the four days that I was there with two friends, I did not get to see nearly as much of it as I would have hoped but that means I have lots of exploring to do when I return.
We stayed at an Airbnb near Parque Alcalde. The apartment was very nice and had a balcony which we took full advantage first thing in the mornings and then again in the afternoons when we needed a rest from wandering the city streets. I cannot recommend this Airbnb host enough. He was so accommodating, helpful, and gave us some great information on the city. And he has multiple properties in Guadalajara to choose from.
We had originally planned to stay near Avenida Chapultepec Norte and thus found bars and restaurants to check out in that neighborhood. We dined at El Sacromonte and I would highly recommend it. I had steak in a delicious sauce for around $250MXN. We also wondered down the way and split a bottle of wine at Romea. It was very chic and a bit on the expensive side (our bottle of wine cost $730MXN) but a nice treat to sit outside on a nice evening and enjoy some delicious wine. Later during our long weekend, we went to Pigs Pearls in the same neighborhood. We needed a break from traditional Mexican food and grabbed burgers. Lunch (a burger and a glass of wine) was perfect change of pace and only cost $85MXN.
We definitely ate a lot of food while we were in Guadalajara and it seems as though the street food was easier to find at night than during the day. Much like anywhere else, I would recommend if you’re eating street food find vendors that are busy with locals, saddle up, and eat everything. We did eat in the mercado in the city center one day for lunch and it was delicious. Also, we are here during Lent in the Catholic faith and there were a lot more fish options than I would have thought we’d find. Hopefully this is not just during the Lenten season but is all year round.
Usually when I sit down at any sort of food vendor in which prices are not listed, I ask what the prices are. But I found in Guadalajara that when I didn’t ask first, all of the prices were perfectly acceptable and I never had any issues with people over charging me. This might be because I speak enough Spanish to order food and ask questions. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. And while a lot of people here do speak English, I think that it was easier for everyone when I used my small amounts of Spanish.
This torta ahogada (the drowned torta) included pork, cabbage, onions, and a tart tomato sauce.
We also ate at a little place called Casa Mitote which serves Oaxacan dishes. It was so delicious and were so glad that we caught them on a night when they were actually opened.
We attended a performance by the Jalisco Philharmonic while we were in town. The music was just lovely and tickets were very affordable. We had wonderful seats in the center of the theater for $220MXN each.
We also visited Tlaquepaque on a Saturday which was a nice break from the city. It was also a great place to shop for locally-made crafts. Some of the items that we found here were very similar to other items we found in Oaxaca but at cheaper prices.
Few locals had amazing things to say about taxi drivers so we opted to use Uber when we needed to get around the city and could not walk the distance. We took one from our Airbnb to the city center and it cost about for $2USD one way. There are currently two train lines that serve parts of Guadalajara but since we were not here very long and we tend to walk a lot of places, we did not take advantage of the public transportation.
I also visited the Panteon de Mexquitan cemetery one afternoon. The architecture and stone work of the mausoleums was beautiful though some where in sad states of repair. I really enjoyed wandering the quiet paths and reflecting on this cities history and its people.
A few weeks ago, my husband and I flew down to Oaxaca, Mexico for vacation. We had read that the food was amazing, the people were friendly, and the town was beautiful. All of these things were exactly true.
We spent four days and four nights in the city of Oaxaca before heading to the coast for a few days and then returning for a few more days in the city.
From the airport, we took the colectivo (small van or bus) instead of a taxi. You need buy a ticket inside the airport after you leave baggage claim. You also wait in the same line if you want to get a taxi. The cost is $80MXN per person. We learned the hard way that you cannot buy tickets from the driver or other employees outside of the airport.
There are so many delicious options for food in Oaxaca, I didn’t know where to start. There are street food vendors, markets, and restaurants galore, all to fit any budget. Below, I have listed all of my favorite places to eat and drink. Also, I found a very helpful website explaining a handful of Oaxacan dishes everyone should try while visiting.
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
This mercado was more organized than those I have seen in other towns and cities in Mexico. It’s much more permanent and established than I was expecting. My advice is pick a food vendor that is busy with locals and grab a seat and a menu. We ate at one place and had a sopa amarillo con res (soup with beef) and a tamal (singular of tamales). Both were delicious and filing. For a total cost of $80MXN, it was a tasty light lunch.
Lunch at Mercado de 20 Noviembre
Mercado Organico
This place is not so much a traditional mercado as a collection of small food vendors in which vegetarian and organic options are the norm versus the regular mercados in which meat is the main option in most dishes. The options here are more interesting than the other mercados and a little more expensive, but not out of control. On the day we went, we had an empanada (closer in size of a quesadilla in the U.S. than a traditional Argentinian empanada) and two memelas. Neither of the items were huge but they were tasty and a great first stop for our food crawl. Our bill came to $135MXN.
Drinks on the terrace at Gozobi
The view is lovely and drinks were reasonably priced at about $70-90MXN for a cocktail and $30-50MXN for a beer. For the location, we deemed this to be a pretty good and average priced.
Biznaga
The food was good but I thought it was expensive for Oaxaca. While the dishes we ordered were delicious (steak in a mole sauce with goat cheese and chicken in a poblano pepper sauce), I think there are other places to go if you’re willing to spend the money. Both entrees and two drinks cost about $500MXN.
Mezquite
This was definitely my favorite “nicer” restaurant in Oaxaca. They have a small terrace which has great views and the food is amazing. We went there once and had a round of drinks and the flor de calabaza empanada (squash blossom and cheese empanada) and spent about $200MXN. We returned a few nights later and ordered five starters and a round of drinks. Some of the starter dishes were larger than we expected. It was definitely too much food, but still delicious. Even with way too much food and a good cocktail or two, the bill came to around $500MXN after tip.
La Santisima Flor de Lupulo
Santisima is a nanobrewery but also serves cocktails and wine. We visited a handful of times to eat and drink because they also offer local cheeses, sausages that are made in house, and gazpacho that I still think about.
El Olivo Gastrobar
They have a nice open upstairs area and serve Spanish tapas. I went there twice for drinks and a snack. The patatas bravas were not amazing but the drinks were tasty and a nice change up from mezcal. A glass of Mexican wine costs about $60MXN.
Praha
It’s a great little bar and restaurant where drinks are slightly cheaper than the other terrace bars that we went to. The food menu is very much targeted towards tourists and is not local food. If you are in need of a hamburger or salad this might be the place to go though. The service was good and it seemed that they had live music most nights.
Boulenc
I had an amazing croissant sandwich (kale, spinach, and goat cheese) here one morning and am sad I couldn’t eat it again (and again and again). This sandwich was one of my favorite things I ate while in Oaxaca and was only $47MXN. The bakery is really small and only has about seven seats so if you can’t stay, take things to go (“para llevar” in Spanish).
Alhondiga Reforma
We stumbled across this little food court which is set up kind of like Latinicity in Chicago or Mercado San Anton in Madrid. When we went, we shared a delicious salad and fish tacos from one food stall, an Argentinian empanada, and a small Spanish tapa from another, and drinks from another. All were good but the salad (spinach, cranberries, goat cheese, and nuts) and the shrimp tacos were the best.
Tortas La Hormiga
I frequented the Tortas La Hormiga food truck in Jardin Conzati so many times that the guys knew me by name (I went there four times in three days). These were by far the best tortas I had while in Oaxaca. While there aren’t many vegetarian options, there is a large assortment of meat options. I say try them all and keep going back. At $25-45MXN per torta, it’s an amazing deal for an amazing sandwich. They have a handful of locations so find the one closest to you and eat there. You won’t be disappointed.
These tortas were amazing. Even though I had four while I was there, I wish I would have had more.
Parque El Llano
We found great street food options in Parque El Llano on the northern side of town. Most of vendors seem to only be there during the day and close around 6 p.m. if not earlier. A few stuck around into the evening. Tortas, tacos, tlayudas, and memelas are the staples here, and they are delicious. This was the area in which we found the most street food on the north side of the city. I highly recommend going to this park especially Friday during the day when they have lots of food vendors and other vendors selling a little bit of everything. It’s also a very family-friendly and safe park, as lots of the parks in Oaxaca are. They even rent Power Wheels out to children to drive around the park. There was also a large bounce house that kids could pay to use.
Beyond eating, there’s lots to do in Oaxaca. We visited the Prehispanic Art Museum which was interesting but small. We also visited the Centro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo which is free to the public.
We also wandered the quite streets from church to cathedral to basilica. There are an extraordinary number of churches in Oaxaca and many are worth a peak inside.
We also came across a handful of cultural events (parades, live concerts, etc.) that were not listed anywhere I could easily find as a tourist. This was very frustrating to me and is my only complaint about the city of Oaxaca. The longer I was in town, the more I began to notice bills posted around town noting upcoming events. The tourism booths were not much help, so I would recommend keeping an eye out for bills and posters while wandering the streets or hope to stumble upon a parade or concert like we did.
On Friday and Saturday nights, there seem to be a lot of weddings at the Templo de Santo Domingo. I highly recommend hanging around this church in the late afternoon or early evening for some great people watching. This area comes alive in the evenings. Grab a drink with a view of the church and enjoy watching the Oaxacan wedding traditions unfold before you.
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