The Place
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico

The Route
From LAX and Dallas/Fort Worth, Aeroméxico operates flights via Mexico City to Oaxaca’s Xoxocotlán International Airport.

Why Now?
For 24 hours each year, deceased souls return to the land of the living to visit their loved ones—or so it’s said about Día de los Muertos, one of Mexico’s biggest holidays. The festivities in Oaxaca City are particularly exuberant, with costumed parades, markets, and candlelit altars bedecking its colonial framework for the week leading up to the Day of the Dead itself, November 1.

What Else?
Nicknamed the “Land of the Seven Moles,” the Oaxaca region is famous for its cuisine, and with an entire market dedicated to carnes asada and street stalls galore, its capital is a must-go destination for foodies.

Where to Stay
Housed in a 16th-century convent surrounded by gardened courtyards, Quinta Real Oaxaca (doubles from US$312) offers the city’s top accommodations, conveniently set in the UNESCO-listed city center. –Gabrielle Lipton

This article originally appeared in the October/November print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Mexico Magico”)