Town 14 km northwest of Mitla
A Zapotec weaving village with a pioneering community museum and a church full of colonial saints.
Santa Ana del Valle is a small Zapotec village in the hills just north of Tlacolula, and alongside Teotitlán del Valle it is one of the two best-known rug-weaving towns in Oaxaca. Families here weave wool rugs, sarapes and blankets on foot looms, many still using natural dyes, and the pace is quieter than in Teotitlán, with fewer tour groups.
The village is proud of its Museo Comunitario Shan-Dany, one of the early community museums in Oaxaca, set up and run by the townspeople themselves. Its rooms cover pre-Hispanic finds from the area, including fine ceramics, the town's history during the Mexican Revolution, the weaving tradition and the Danza de la Pluma, the feathered dance of the Zapotec valleys. The museum staff can point you to workshops where you can watch weavers at work.
Facing the plaza, the colonial church is known for its many old statues of saints, carved and painted and unusually well preserved. Santa Ana is an easy add-on to a Sunday at the Tlacolula market.
What to see and do
Visit the Museo Comunitario Shan-Dany on the main plaza.
Watch a family weave on a foot loom and see how the wool is dyed.
Step into the church to see its colonial statues of saints.
Combine the visit with the Sunday market in Tlacolula.
Getting there
Santa Ana del Valle is about 20 minutes from Mitla: drive west on Highway 190 to Tlacolula, then a few kilometers north on a paved road. Shared taxis run between Tlacolula and the village. The museum usually opens daily with a midday break.
14 km northwest of Mitla
Directions from Mitla on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Santa Ana del Valle
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Weather mild
Santa Ana del Valle shares the climate of Mitla, 14 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Mitla your base
Santa Ana del Valle is an easy trip from Mitla, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.