Travel guide · Mexico
Oaxaca travel guide
Seven moles, mezcal villages and Zapotec ruins in a green-stone colonial city
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. João Sousa assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Oaxaca de Juárez is a low-rise colonial city of green cantera stone in a highland valley at about 1,550 metres, surrounded by Zapotec and Mixtec villages. Its UNESCO-listed centre runs from the laurel-shaded Zócalo up the pedestrian Andador Macedonio Alcalá to the gilded church of Santo Domingo. Visitors come for some of Mexico's most celebrated cooking, from mole negro to tlayudas, for mezcal distilled in the surrounding valleys, for the hilltop ruins of Monte Albán and for craft villages that specialise in rugs, black pottery and carved alebrijes. Plan 5 days for a first visit; the best months are October–March.
Key facts
- Country
- Mexico
- Best time to visit
- October–March
- Ideal stay
- 5 days
- Main airports
- OAX
- Mid-range daily budget
- $80–$150 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Mole, Mezcal, Monte Albán and Día de Muertos
Why visit Oaxaca
- Oaxacan cooking is one of Mexico's great regional cuisines, built around several moles, quesillo cheese, tlayudas and hot chocolate ground daily in mills on Calle Mina.
- Monte Albán, the hilltop Zapotec capital, is about 20 minutes' drive from the Zócalo.
- Villages within an hour specialise in a single craft: rugs in Teotitlán del Valle, black pottery in San Bartolo Coyotepec, alebrijes in San Martín Tilcajete.
- Mezcal is distilled in small palenques across the central valleys, and tastings are easy to arrange in the city or in Santiago Matatlán.
- The city's festivals, especially the Guelaguetza in July and Día de Muertos in late October and early November, are among Mexico's most distinctive.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Religious site · Santo Domingo and the Andador
Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Oaxaca's most spectacular church was built by Dominican friars from the late 16th century and is covered inside with gilded and polychrome stucco.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Free
- Photo spot
Museum · Santo Domingo and the Andador
Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca
The former Dominican convent beside Santo Domingo now houses the state's main history museum, spread over cloisters and vaulted halls.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
- Architecture
Historic site · Monte Albán
Monte Albán
The Zapotec capital was built on a levelled mountaintop about 400 metres above the valley, around 9 km west of the city, from roughly 500 BC.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
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Landmark · Centro Histórico
Zócalo and Cathedral
Oaxaca's main square is shaded by old laurel trees around a wrought-iron bandstand, with café terraces under the arcades and a constant stream of balloon sellers, marimba bands and families.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
Market · Centro Histórico
Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Two blocks south of the Zócalo, this food market is known for its Pasillo de Humo, a smoky corridor where you choose tasajo, cecina and chorizo from butchers, have it grilled over charcoal, then buy tortillas, grilled onions and salsas from the women walking the aisles.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Garden · Santo Domingo and the Andador
Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca
Laid out in the former convent orchards behind Santo Domingo, this garden displays plants native to Oaxaca, one of Mexico's most biodiverse states: columnar cacti, agaves used for mezcal, cochineal-hosting nopal and dye plants.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Where to stay
Centro Histórico is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, budget and culture
Centro Histórico
Zócalo, cathedral and markets in the colonial grid
$$$ · Best for couples, first-timers, culture, food lovers and shopping
Santo Domingo and the Andador
The pedestrian street, galleries and the gilded church
$$ · Best for couples, solo travellers, quiet stays and food lovers
Jalatlaco
Cobbled lanes, murals and small cafés in an old barrio
$$ · Best for quiet stays, solo travellers and budget
Xochimilco
Old barrio beside the aqueduct arches north of the centre
What to eat
- Mole negro — Oaxaca's most famous mole, a near-black sauce of toasted chiles, chocolate, nuts, seeds, spices and charred tortilla, usually served over chicken or turkey.
- Tlayuda — A large, thin, crisp tortilla spread with asiento (unrefined pork lard) and black beans, topped with quesillo, cabbage and tasajo or chorizo, then folded and toasted over charcoal.
- Tasajo and cecina — Tasajo is thinly sliced salted beef and cecina enchilada is pork rubbed with chile; both are grilled over charcoal and wrapped in tortillas with grilled onions, chiles and guacamole.
- Quesillo — Oaxaca's mild, stringy cheese, wound into balls like a ball of yarn and pulled apart in strands.
- Chapulines — Toasted grasshoppers seasoned with garlic, lime and chile, eaten by the handful or in tacos with guacamole.
- Memelas — Thick oval tortillas pinched at the edges, spread with asiento and black beans and topped with crumbled cheese and salsa, cooked on a comal.
When to go
The best time to visit Oaxaca is from October to March, when days are dry, sunny and warm and nights are cool. Día de Muertos (late October to 2 November) and the Guelaguetza in late July are the city's great festivals, but both bring the highest prices and crowds, so book well ahead. The rainy season from June to September brings afternoon storms, green landscapes and low prices.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dry season | November–February | Clear skies, warm afternoons around 27 °C and cold nights near 10 °C, with Día de Muertos and the December festivals. |
| Hot season | March–May | The warmest and driest months, with dusty valleys and Semana Santa processions; afternoons can reach the low 30s °C. |
| Rainy season | June–September | Sunny mornings, afternoon storms and green countryside, with the Guelaguetza and mezcal fair in July and quiet, cheaper weeks otherwise. |
| Late season | October | Rains taper off, marigolds bloom and altars appear as the city builds towards Día de Muertos at the end of the month. |
Getting there and around
Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) is about 10 km south of the centre, roughly 20–30 minutes by road. Authorised taxis and shared vans sell tickets at counters in the arrivals hall at fixed fares to the centre.
Oaxaca's historic centre is compact and best explored on foot, with most sights within 15 minutes' walk of the Zócalo. Taxis cover the rest of the city, while tours, shared colectivo taxis and second-class buses reach Monte Albán and the villages of the central valleys.
Plan your days
Three days covers the centre, Santo Domingo, the markets and Monte Albán. Five days adds a full day along the Tlacolula valley (El Tule, Teotitlán, Mitla, Hierve el Agua) and a day of craft villages south of the city or a cooking class.
Practical information
- Currency
- MXN
- Language
- Spanish, Zapotec and Mixtec
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 127 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Do not drink tap water; use bottled or purified water, and refill stations in many hotels.
- Emergency number
- 911
- Tipping
- Tip about 10–15% in sit-down restaurants and a few pesos at market fondas.
The centre is generally calm for visitors, but watch for pickpockets in crowded markets and during festivals. Political demonstrations and road blockades are common in Oaxaca; they are usually peaceful but can occupy the Zócalo or close roads, so avoid them and check locally before long drives.
Flights to Oaxaca
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Oaxaca?
Three days covers the centre, Santo Domingo, the markets and Monte Albán. Five days adds a full day along the Tlacolula valley (El Tule, Teotitlán, Mitla, Hierve el Agua) and a day of craft villages south of the city or a cooking class. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Oaxaca?
The best time to visit Oaxaca is from October to March, when days are dry, sunny and warm and nights are cool. Día de Muertos (late October to 2 November) and the Guelaguetza in late July are the city's great festivals, but both bring the highest prices and crowds, so book well ahead. The rainy season from June to September brings afternoon storms, green landscapes and low prices.
+What is Oaxaca known for?
Mole, Mezcal, Monte Albán, Día de Muertos, Guelaguetza, Textiles and crafts and Santo Domingo church. Oaxacan cooking is one of Mexico's great regional cuisines, built around several moles, quesillo cheese, tlayudas and hot chocolate ground daily in mills on Calle Mina.
+Is Oaxaca expensive?
Oaxaca is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $80–$150 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Oaxaca?
Not for the city. A car or a driver for a day makes the valley villages, Hierve el Agua and palenques easier, but tours and colectivos cover them well.