Less prestigious than the nearby counterpart of Monte Alban, Mitla lies to the east of Oaxaca. You can visit the famous "El Tule" tree - said to be  over 2,000 years old - making it as old as some of the archaeological ruins in  the area. The tree is located in a town called Santa Maria del Tule,  just a few miles outside of Oaxaca, on the road to Mitla.

About 15 miles southeast of Oaxaca, you'll find the ruins of Mitla, just outside the town of San Pablo Villa de Mitla.

The ruins are of Zapotec and Mixtec  origin, and date back to around 600 BC. The architecture here is Mixtec: quadrangle buildings surrounded by patios and chambers, and very low roofs.

Mitla was religious centre, ran almost entirely by priests who spent most of their time undertaking human sacrifices; often by removing a live heart from the person being sacrificed, and depositing it in a pit of fire as an offering to the gods.

You should only need about an hour or two to see all of the main attractions at this archaeological site. Don't miss the Iglesia de San Pablo (Church of Saint Paul) in the town of San Pablo  Villa de Mitla - with its three domes.  You have to walk past it to get to the  entrance of the ruins.