Is Oaxaca City worth building a trip around?
Yes. Oaxaca City can hold a trip through food, markets, mezcal, museums, Monte Albán and streets that reward slow wandering. Do not treat it as a quick stop before the beach.
Answer
Oaxaca City is one of Mexico’s strongest travel bases because it works at street level. The point is not only Monte Albán or a famous restaurant booking; it is market mornings, mole, mezcal, courtyards, galleries, small museums and evenings that do not need much scheduling. It is also a good place to understand why Mexico is regional rather than one cuisine or culture. Rushing through on the way to Puerto Escondido misses the city’s strength. Give Oaxaca time to be food, craft, history and atmosphere before deciding whether the coast belongs in the same trip.