Oaxaca City is a destination in Mexico that has been on my travel bucket list for a long time. I’ve traveled all around Mexico, to places like Isla Holbox, Sayulita, and Cabo-but nothing compares to Oaxaca. I truly felt like I was in Mexico when I was here.
The diverse culture, deep food history, and vast groups of travelers from around the world all embody what made it feel that way to me. For me, Oaxaca is the perfect mix of food and beauty because of the mountains that surround the city. Because of this, day excursions are perfect escapes from the hustle and bustle of the city.
We walked over 8 miles each day visiting Oaxaca City, so wear good walking shoes and bring plenty of water for exploring the city in comfort.
Whether your visiting the meat isle in the Mercado 20 Noviembre or pulling up a stool at a local mezcaleria, there is plenty to do in Oaxaca City. Make a very memorable trip by packing your itinerary full of as much-or as little as you want on this blog post. Let’s dive in!
The Best Things to Explore in Oaxaca City
1. Visit the Mercado 20 Noviembre
As foodies, we were very excited to visit the Mercado 20 Noviembre for traditional Oaxacan street food. We first entered on a weekend at the beginning of our trip and was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of vendors offering food. We suggest visiting on a weekday for a more memorable experience.
Our favorite part was the ‘hall of meat’ where you select from chorizo, steak, and pork and are then sold tortillas, grilled peppers, and placed at a table to enjoy with a cold cerveza. My husband was in heaven! If your a vegetarian, or smoke bothers you, avoid this part of the market.
This is also a great place to try traditional tlayudas, mole, and tamales. I enjoyed the local Oaxacan chocolate de leche and loved it!
2. Visit the Historic Monte Albán Ruins
Take the morning to enjoy Monte Albán as there is limited shade. We used the DiDi app to book our taxi 30 minutes to the ruins. Monte Albán is a pre-Colombian archaeological site of the Zapotec people.
These are the oldest ruins in Mexico dating back to 500BC and ended during Spanish settlement of the area in AD 500-700. The ruins overlook the mountains and the city of Oaxaca, making it a beautiful site to observe.
We hired a certified indigenous guide that spoke English when we arrive for $200MXN a person and we are so glad we did. Most of the signage is withered from the sun so it would make it quite hard to understand what we were observing. He was able to take us into some of the mortuary aspects of the site-very eerie!
3. Explore Jalatlaco Neighborhood
This was my favorite part of the city to explore by foot because of the amount of street murals in the area. Jalatlaco is known for being slower pace with galleries, cafes, and mezcalerias. Most of the area closes down on Sundays to observe a day of rest so keep that in mind.
I wish I would have gotten a hotel in this area as it gets you closer to the City Centre by foot.
4. Eat at Humar
Incredible restaurants are not limited in Oaxaca and it would be hard for me to compile all of them onto a list. But on this list, there are a few that were my favorite so I will include them here! Humar was the best seafood I had in Oaxaca-ceviche to be exact.
We all loved our dishes and cocktails for a rooftop afternoon lunch. We almost went back for seconds but any foodie knows there is always more food to be had.
5. Take a Day Trip to Tree of Tule
Just outside of Oaxaca is Santa María del Tule, a small town that is home to the widest tree in Mexico. Árbol del Tule is a sacred place for the locate Zapotec people, and is said to be at least 2,000 years old.
Santa María del Tule is accessible by taxi, bike, or bus. It’s a great escape from the hustle of the city. Here there is a mercado de gastronomica as well as an artisan mercado and gorgeous gardens to walk about. We visited the area for about 2 hours and that was plenty of time. Read more on how to plan that here!
6. Day Trip to Hierve El Agua
We were lucky enough to visit when the Hierve El Agua was open to the public. We spoke with a local about why indigenous communities have fought here in the past, which caused closure to the area. They have now reached an agreement by charging every tourist an entrance fee to the village ($20MXN) and to the springs themselves ($50MXN).
We booked our experience through Viator for $36 a person which was with a bus full of 8 other travelers. We thought it was a smooth ride in an air conditioned van. Visit my blog post to understand your trip here in depth.
7. Visit the Textiles Museum
The Museo Textil de Oaxaca is free to enter, and is worth the stop! Gorgeous exhibits and textiles with explanations in English. It was smaller than we expected so this took about 30 minutes of exploring. There is no public
8. Visit the Tlacolua Mercade (indigenous market)
Only happening on Sunday, and about 40 minutes outside of the city center is the local indigenous market. This is a wonderful market to explore if your looking to get the best price on artisan goods and local eats.
Keep in mind this area is an area where pick-pocketing is said to be a a thing as your outside of the tourism area.
9. Eat at BEST El Pastor in Oaxaca
In the Reforma neighborhood, we found the best El Pastor tacos. You know the internet didn’t lie when the line of locals is around the block. El Pastor isn’t as famous in this region of Mexico so it was a treat. We also loved their tortas!
10. Sunset at Los Amantes
We had planned on coming here for cocktails and sunset but ended up staying for dinner. Los Amantes is more on the high end side for prices, so keep that in mind. They are a local mezcal distillery so you can also stop at their tasting room as well.
The views from the top were worth it! Right above Santo Domingo Church-completely stunning! I suggest making a reservation if you plan on visiting on a weekend.
11. Enjoy a Free Walking Tour
Volunteers run free walking tours around the city if your looking for guidance and local insight. In my opinion, if you aren’t into doing the research yourself, this is worth it. Donations are expected at the end, so be sure to provide a tip if you chose to take advantage of the walking tours.
12. Get Great Coffee and Brunch at Marito and Mogel
Hands down my favorite spot I had brunch while visiting Oaxaca. We went here after visiting the ruins and it was the perfect way to unwind. Their fresh eats and fresh juices and coffee was just what we needed!
13. Hang out at the Zocalo (Main Square)
My husband and I took a moment to cool off in the shade at the main square to people watch. We grabbed a table at the restaurant for 2×1 passion fruit mezcal drinks at happy hour. We truly felt like we were transported to Europe!
14. Visit the La Cosecha Organic Market
Are you an organic food lover? Vegetarian looking to find more vegetable friedly eats in Oaxaca? This is the place for you. If your looking for gluten-free brunch in Oaxaca, options are abundant here as well.
15. Treat Yourself to Dinner at Orijen
We had this restaurant at the top of our list while visiting Oaxaca. The owner won Top Chef Mexico and is known for working with local farms to curate food on the menu. We were WOW’s with everything that we ate. This was our most expensive meal of the trip but so worth it!
16. Eat at a Michelin Star Restaurant
When I read Michelin Star restaurant I am immediately turning the page thinking it is something I cannot afford. Not in Oaxaca. There are a number of Michelin Star Restaurants and nominated places that we enjoyed. Tierra del Sol is one we didn’t get to enjoy due to lack of a reservation, but this is the top rated.
We visited Las Quince Letras and enjoyed traditional Mole, memalitas, and grasshoppers in our tacos. Criollo is another that was on my list that we didn’t make it to. Find the full list of Michelin restaurants here.
17. Leave the City for the Beach
A wonderful aspect of visiting Oaxaca City is the close proximity to the mountains and the beach. Take the ADO for 3 hours down the new highway to Puerto Escondito for your beach vacation. Smaller and lesser known beach towns like Mazunte, Huatulco, and Zipolete are wonderful options as well.
Don’t want to take the bus? Flying to these places is also possible but more expensive. We loved the bus because of the gorgeous mountain views along the way. We opted for Mezunte, a hippy beach town for a slower, less of a party vibe than Puerto Escondito.
18. Do a Mezcal Tasting
Oaxaca is home to the creation of the smoky mezcal liquor. For me, prior to visiting I thought I didn’t like it whatsoever. After trying it in numerous cocktails, my mind was changed. Blanco is going to be the most mild smoky flavor!
While you can do tastings all around the city at mezcalrias, head outside of town to do a tasting and see how its made. When we took the bus to Hierve del Agua, the fields of agave line the streets. Many people do these tours in one jam packed day. We opted to trying them in the city as we walked around-your choice!
19. Visit San Jose del Pacifico
The mountain range on the way to the Oaxacan coast has become popular for their psychedelic mushroom retreats. Located at 2300 meters above sea level, this place holds magical healing powers and people are heading here to see why.
If your looking to escape the city, rent a car or pay for private transportation here. Mushrooms grow here during rainy season from July to October, hence “mushroom mountain”. If this is something your interested in partaking in, I suggest hiring a traditional Mazatec guide.
San Jose del Pacifico is also wonderful to visit because of the beautiful hiking and remoteness of it all.
20. Visit Museo de las Culturas
This is a great starting point for your visit to Oaxaca. Being the third largest city in Mexico, it can be overwhelming to comprehend the rich history. Understanding where you are and where the people came from is a vital piece of travel and something travelers should take the time to understand.
21. Visit for Day of the Dead (Dia de Los Muertos) Celebration
Visit end of October-beginning of November to see the vibrant celebration of the dead for the most celebrated Mexican holiday. Celebrations take place throughout October 31-November 2, and Oaxaca sees its most tourists during this time, so book your accommodations and dinner reservations in advance.
22. Teotitlán del Valle
Escape the city for the day or even a few nights to visit this village tucked in the hillside of the Tiacula Valley. If your looking to purchase Oaxacan textiles, this is the best place to purchase authentic indigenous made textiles at the best price.
Wool textiles, handicrafts, and tapestries are said to be the best quality in the country here. Additionally, this area is home to some wonderful hiking trails to be explored.
23. Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca
A cactus botanical garden located in the heart of the city near the cultural museum and Santo Domingo church. This is a newer garden that was established in 1993 when artist Fransisco Toledo, artist and activist was interested in preserving traditional knowlege of the Mixtec and Zaotec peoples fought to not turn this area into a huge parking lot.
Toledo worked to showcase the diversity of plants used by the indigenous communities in the region for cultural practices, medicine, and food.
You must pay for a tour when visiting and it costs $100MXN and are available in English on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
24. Hike Auditoria Guelaguetza
If you like to hike and want a great viewpoint of the city, this is a wonderful free activity. The huge white canopy that can be seen at the edge of town is where it is located. In the summer months a festival is held here.
25. Attend a Cooking Class
Try your hand at traditional Oaxacan cooking with the local people. Typically a cooking class can take 6-8 hours because they submerse you into their full process from buying the food at the market, to preparing, to cooking, and to eating.
I suggest looking to book with indigenous women owned businesses like Alma de mi Tierra, or Zapotec Travel Experiences by Lily.
I hope you found this guide helpful in planning your travels to Oaxaca City. P. ease leave a review or comment if I missed something!
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