Fodor's Expert Review Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

This baroque basilica houses the statue of the Virgin of Solitude, Oaxaca's patron saint. According to legend, a mule that had mysteriously joined a mule train bound for Guatemala perished at the site of the church; the statue was discovered in its pack, and the event was construed as a miracle—one commemorated by this church, which was built in 1682. Many Oaxaqueños are devoted to the Virgin, who is believed to have more than the usual facility for healing and miracle working. In the 1980s thieves removed her jewel-studded crown; she now has a replica of the original and a glass-covered shrine. Take a look at the chandeliers inside; they're held aloft by angels.