3 Best Sights in Mixteca, Oaxaca

Dominating the town of Nochixtlán is the 19th-century Templo de la Asunción, in the main square. The interior is especially elegant, with a five-tier chandelier hanging from the dome.

About 35 km (22 mi) north of Nochixtlán, Coixtlahuaca merits a stop for this sanctuary, which is perhaps the best preserved of the Dominican churches in the region. Vivid reds, greens, and blues still cling to the ribs on the vaulted ceiling, wind around the windows, and climb up the columns. Just inside the front doors, you'll find a large chapel dedicated to the Virgen de Guadalupe. The church's patron saint stands guard over the intricately carved retablo, and you can get close enough to the altarpiece to appreciate the delicate work. Outside, the bright red paint that once enlivened the now-demure white facade shows through cracks in the plaster. Though there aren't any set hours, the monastery is often open.

This towering 16th-century structure and its adjoining monastery appear even larger because they sit on a hill overlooking the village. The massive wooden doors face away from the village's main square.

The church's sheer size is its most stunning feature; its vaulted ceiling soars to almost 82 feet. The gold-leaf retablo behind the main altar has five levels, each depicting various saints. Santo Domingo, of course, stands alone at the top. Some of the paintings on this retablo are by the Spanish master Andrés de la Concha. Don't miss the mudéjar (Moorish) designs in the wooden ceiling of the choir. The handsome 18th-century pipe organ was restored in 1998.