5 days in Oaxaca

Day by day

1. Day 1: Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán and Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca

   Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca and Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca, then Zócalo and Cathedral in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

      Visit in the late afternoon, when the sun lights the façade, and step inside quietly if a service or wedding is under way. (30–45 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca

      Go before visiting Monte Albán to understand the site, and leave time for the window views of the garden and the church dome. (2 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Mole negro

      Fondas in the 20 de Noviembre market and traditional restaurants in the centre; mole pastes are sold by the kilo in the Benito Juárez market.

   4. Afternoon

      Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca

      Book the English-language tour if you need it; Spanish tours run more often, and the content is excellent either way. (1–2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Zócalo and Cathedral

      Take a coffee under the arcades in the early evening, when the square is at its liveliest and the marimba players set up.

2. Day 2: Monte Albán and Mercado 20 de Noviembre

   Monte Albán, Mercado 20 de Noviembre and Mercado Benito Juárez, then Andador Macedonio Alcalá in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Monte Albán

      Go early, when it is cooler and the light is soft; there is little shade, so bring a hat and water. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Mercado 20 de Noviembre

      Pick the meat first, then sit at a shared table; vendors will bring tortillas, guacamole and chiles to you, each paid separately. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tlayuda

      Evening street stalls across the city and the grill stands in the 20 de Noviembre market; ask for it sin asiento for a vegetarian version.

   4. Afternoon

      Mercado Benito Juárez

      Buy mole paste here to take home; stallholders will let you taste the negro, rojo and amarillo before choosing. (1 hour, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Andador Macedonio Alcalá

      Walk it twice: in the morning for galleries and shops, and after dark when calendas and street performers take over.

3. Day 3: Museo Textil de Oaxaca and Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo

   Museo Textil de Oaxaca, Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo and Oaxacan cooking class, then Mezcal tasting in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Museo Textil de Oaxaca

      Check the shop before buying textiles elsewhere; it is a reliable benchmark for quality and fair prices. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo

      Allow an hour and combine it with lunch nearby; the museum is small enough to see without fatigue. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tasajo and cecina

      The Pasillo de Humo in the 20 de Noviembre market, where you pick the meat and have it grilled on the spot.

   4. Afternoon

      Oaxacan cooking class

      Choose a class that includes the market visit; seeing chilhuacle and pasilla chiles on sale helps you recognise moles afterwards. (4–6 hours, expensive).

   5. Evening

      Mezcal tasting

      Ask for the agave type and the producer's village for each pour, and sip slowly; artisanal mezcal can be well above 45% alcohol.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Mitla

   About 1 hour by road each way. Getting there: Tour, colectivo or bus along the Carretera Internacional.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Mitla

      About 1 hour by road (Tour, colectivo or bus along the Carretera Internacional); about 45 km.

   2. Day

      Mitla

      The Zapotec and Mixtec religious centre of Mitla is famous for its walls of stone fretwork mosaics, made of thousands of cut stones fitted without mortar in geometric patterns. Best for culture and first-timers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Oaxaca

      Dinner: try Quesillo.

5. Day 5: Basílica de la Soledad and Cerro del Fortín

   Basílica de la Soledad, Cerro del Fortín and Jalatlaco street walk, then Santo Domingo and the Andador in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Basílica de la Soledad

      Order a scoop of leche quemada with tuna, the classic Oaxacan pairing, and eat it on the plaza steps. (45 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Cerro del Fortín

      Climb in the late afternoon for sunset views, and come down before dark; take a taxi up if you want to save your legs. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Quesillo

      Cheese stalls in the Benito Juárez market; buy a small ball to eat as it is.

   4. Afternoon

      Jalatlaco street walk

      Go in the morning light for photographs and finish with breakfast at one of the barrio's cafés. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Santo Domingo and the Andador

      Mezcalerías, rooftop bars facing the church and cocktail bars with Oaxacan spirits.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca and Oaxacan cooking class before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Centro Histórico keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Santo Domingo and the Andador ($$$) suits couples, first-timers, culture, food lovers and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–26 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.1 hours in December to 13.1 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Oaxaca
• 2 days in Oaxaca
• 3 days in Oaxaca

Questions travellers ask