Sight guide · Oaxaca · Mexico
Visiting Basílica de la Soledad
The basilica of Oaxaca's patron, the Virgen de la Soledad, has a carved stone baroque façade like a folding screen and a richly decorated interior.
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
Basílica de la Soledad is a religious site in Barrio de la Soledad, Oaxaca. Allow 45 minutes; it is free. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Religious site
- Area
- Barrio de la Soledad
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- free, history, food and architecture
- Best months
- January–February and May
About Basílica de la Soledad
The basilica of Oaxaca's patron, the Virgen de la Soledad, has a carved stone baroque façade like a folding screen and a richly decorated interior. On the terraced plaza outside, stalls have sold nieves for generations, with flavours such as leche quemada, tuna (prickly pear) and rose petal.
Tip: Order a scoop of leche quemada with tuna, the classic Oaxacan pairing, and eat it on the plaza steps.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 45 minutes.
- Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Barrio de la Soledad, western centre around the basilica and its ice-cream stands.
Best time to visit Basílica de la Soledad
To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:
- February: 29°C (84°F) highs, about 1 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- May: 32°C (90°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- January: 27°C (81°F) highs, about 1 rainy days, moderate crowds.
When to visit Oaxaca has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Basílica de la Soledad is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán and Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca.
- No. 11 of the 17 sights in our Oaxaca things-to-do list.
- Day 5 of the 5-day plan.
- Listed in free things to do in Oaxaca.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Oaxaca.
- A family favourite in Oaxaca with kids.
Near Basílica de la Soledad
Also in Barrio de la Soledad, so you can walk between them:
- Cerro del Fortín — 1–1.5 hours, free
If you like Basílica de la Soledad
- Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán — Santo Domingo and the Andador, 30–45 minutes
- Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca — Santo Domingo and the Andador, 2 hours
- Zócalo and Cathedral — Centro Histórico, 1 hour
- Andador Macedonio Alcalá — Santo Domingo and the Andador, 1 hour
Staying near Basílica de la Soledad
Stay in Barrio de la Soledad ($) to walk here: western centre around the basilica and its ice-cream stands. All areas to stay in Oaxaca.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Basílica de la Soledad?
Plan 45 minutes. With Cerro del Fortín nearby, it fits a half-day in Barrio de la Soledad.
+Is Basílica de la Soledad free?
Yes, it is free to visit.
+When is the best time to visit Basílica de la Soledad?
January–February and May, the quietest of the good months. Order a scoop of leche quemada with tuna, the classic Oaxacan pairing, and eat it on the plaza steps.
+Do I need to book Basílica de la Soledad in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Basílica de la Soledad good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Oaxaca. Oaxaca is easy-going with children: compact, walkable and full of colour, with markets to graze through, craft workshops where kids can watch alebrijes being carved and painted, and the pools at Hierve el Agua.