Consider the artsy, ancient, high-altitude city of Oaxaca (pronounced "wah-HAH-kah") in the southwestern part of Mexico. It's difficult to spell, but easy to love.

In the stateliest of Spanish colonial traditions, Oaxaca City is an architectural gem, filled with fantastic museums, magical festivals, colorful handicrafts, pre-Columbian ruins and baroque churches encrusted with gold. Perhaps more importantly, it's revered as the culinary capital of Mexico, packed with inexpensive markets and elegant five-star restaurants serving some of the tastiest food in the world.

In a nation known for flavorful eats, Oaxaca is the "land of the seven moles," so called for legendary and complex sauces made with dozens of ingredients (often including chocolate) over several days.
A thrill of any visit here is sampling the moles, as well as dishes such as tlayudas (thin Oaxaqueño "pizzas"), spicy hot chocolate and asado (barbecue) grilled in smoky market stalls.
Mezcal is a potent liquor made only in Oaxaca from the rare maguey agave. It's another must-try. And who could forget toasted chapulines (grasshoppers) with their crunchy, delicate taste.
The entire city is geared towards foodies, with locals saying that those who partake will one day return to Oaxaca.