Tlacolula: Eat and drink your way through one of Mexico's oldest and largest markets

If you have a little too much beer and mezcal on a Saturday night, then you'll definitely want to replenish your body with a trip to the Sunday market in Tlacolula. It is one of the oldest and largest markets in Mexico and a must visit while in Oaxaca.

How to get there

To get there, hop on any bus that says "Tlacolula" on the front windshield — the driver's assistant will also normally step off the bus and shout that it's heading in that direction. We found the most convenient place to catch this bus was in front of the baseball stadium on Calzada Héroes Chapultepec. A one-way fare from Centro to Tlacolula costs $18 pesos ($1 USD) per person. The bus ride takes about one hour, give or take, depending on how many stops it makes. The bus will drop you off right in Tlacolula and if you follow everyone getting off the bus down the street a few blocks, you'll run right into the market.

What to do

The market is sprawling and your best bet is to wander around eating and drinking to your heart's — or shall we say stomach's — content. From fresh cut papayas and crispy fried chicken to creamy coconut ice pops and cold agua frescas, you will feel refreshed and full in no time.

While a smaller version of the market happens daily in an indoor area, the Sunday market consumes several streets. You can buy just about anything: fresh flowers, live chickens and turkeys, household appliances, textiles, you name it. There's an entire section of the indoor market dedicated to breads and another where you can buy meat and have it grilled right there.

If you need to take a breather, head to the church next to the market — La Asunción de Nuestra Señora — and peak inside. Make sure to visit the baroque Capilla del Señor del Tlacolula which is attached to the church. After a little rest, you'll be ready for round two of yummy eats.

No place has made our stomachs as happy as Mexico, and no trip to Mexico's culinary capital is complete without at least one visit to the Sunday market at Tlacolula.