The city of Oaxaca is the capital of the state of the same name, set at an altitude of 1,550 m in the heart of the Sierra Madre. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Oaxaca projects its history and culture across the country. Some of Mexico's most brilliant artists come from this region, which has always been—even in pre-Columbian times—a noted artistic centre; today, some of the country's finest crafts are still produced here, following age-old techniques. The colonial town has preserved traces of its past, offering the quintessential image of a Mexican colonial town. Yet it remains a dynamic, youthful city, and one of the country's gastronomic capitals.
