Oaxaca City
is colonial charm
Welcome to Oaxaca City
A cultural colossus fit to rival anywhere in Latin America for history, gastronomy and colorful manifestations of indigenous culture, Oaxaca is a complex but intensely attractive city whose majestic churches and refined plazas have deservedly earned it a Unesco World Heritage badge. Lovers of culture come here to indulge in the Mexico of Zapotec and colonial legend. Flowing through handsome yet tranquil streets, life pulsates with an unadulterated regional flavor. See it in the color palate of historic boutique hotels, a meet-the-producer artisan store or an intentionally grungy mezcalería (plying locally manufactured alcoholic beverages). But what makes Oaxaca especially interesting are its undercurrents. While largely safe and attractive by Mexican standards, snippets of political protest in recent years have lent the city a grittier edge. It bubbles up in satirical street art, bohemian bars and been-around-forever street markets. Trust us: there’s far more to this city than just pretty churches.
Top experiences in Oaxaca City
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Recent articles
Travel guides
Starting at $38.99
Oaxaca City activities
Mitla, Tule, Matlata, Teotitlan Valley Tour from Oaxaca
At 10am you’ll be picked up at your hotel and driven by comfortable, air-conditioned coach to the town of Santa Maria del Tule, just 5 miles (9 km) east of Oaxaca city. Stop in the center of town to see the famous Tule tree, located within the church grounds. Gaze in awe at the 2,000-year-old Montezuma cypress, which is thought to have the thickest trunk of any tree in the world – boasting a girth of 173 feet (53 meters) and weighing 509 tons! Your guide will point out how this unique natural monument is actually rooted in a family of ancient trees.Back aboard the coach, you’ll drive to the nearby archeological ruins of Mitla, a Zapotec religious center whose construction began in 850. Hear about the Zapotecs, who developed a hierarchical society governed by kings and nobles – relatively isolated until Spanish conquest in the early 1500s. While touring the site with your guide, admire the beautiful mosaics of the colonial Church of San Pablo, built by the Spanish in the 16th century. Made with finely cut and polished stone pieces, the mosaics tell a vivid tale with their pictures. The elaborate and intricate design of the fretwork and geometric patterns decorate tombs, panels, friezes and entire walls, making Mitla stand out among well-preserved Mesoamerican sites of the Oaxaca Valley. Your guide will discuss the unique harmony of its buildings and the proportion of its yards. Next, head to the Zapotec community of Teotitlan of the Valley. Here, wool rugs are woven on domestic looms, using natural dyes to color their pictorial designs, which include reproductions of Matisse and Picasso! You’ll observe weavers at work as you browse the larger showrooms located in the village before winding down a narrow, unpaved road for a scenic stop at Hierve el Agua – Spanish for ‘boiling water.’Here, spend approximately 1-hour marveling at a set of fossilized 'waterfalls.' These natural rock formations are created by carbonated springs on a cliff, where a large pool has given rise to a natural spa. Observe the bubbling mineral springs as they run into cold bathing pools below – believed to have been a sacred place of the ancient Zapotec. Saturated with calcium carbonate and other mineral deposits, the rock sculptures appear as white as waterfalls and offer great photo ops or a swim! You'll have time to energize and eat lunch at a buffet restaurant (own expense) before heading to Matatlan.Finally, your guide will make a stop in Santiago Matatlan, a town is known as the 'world capital of mezcal.' As you take a look around, learn about the undiluted white mezcal as well as other fine varieties produced in the large number of mezcal factories and outlets. Visit one of these factories and see how this drink is produced, and enjoy a taste of it at the end of the tour!
Monte Alban Day Trip from Oaxaca
Monte Alban, whose name means ‘White Mountain,’ is located on a vast mountaintop expanse with spectacular 360-degree views of the city and surrounding Oaxaca Valley. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Oaxaca City, the pre-Columbian archeological site is considered the most magnificent of the region’s ancient ruins. Upon pickup from your hotel at 10am, travel by comfortable coach to the site, located approximately 20 minutes away. You’ll explore the immense and well-preserved complex on foot as you tour the grounds with your knowledgeable guide. Visit pyramids, temples and altars, as well as several residential structures – all constructed around the rectangular Grand Plaza, a large open area on the flattened plateau.See the I-shaped ball court constructed in 100 BC, and climb to the South Platform (Plataforma Sur), a large area known for its wide staircase and great panoramic views. Learn interesting facts from your guide about Zapotec history and culture as you gaze at ceremonial platforms, including a series of significant rock carvings called The Dancers (Los Danzantes). You’ll see some of Monte Alban’s 170 tombs, whose excavations revealed a range of paintings and stone carvings.Spend some free time exploring on your own and capturing great photos before re-boarding your coach back to Oaxaca, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel around 1pm.
Hierve el Agua and Teotitlan del Valle Tour from Oaxaca
Your tour begins with hotel pickup in Oaxaca. From there, you will head to visit the greatest petrified waterfalls of Hierve el Agua. One of the falls is 95 feet tall and the other one is 40 feet tall. They are made of carbonated water that falls from the top of the mountain. You will have enough time to swim on natural pools, walk through the trails with local guides and enjoy the beautiful landscape of this place. Then, you will learn about the Mezcal process and enjoy some shots of different mezcal flavors that they offer. Finally, you will visit the Zapotec weavers town, Teotitlán del Valle. In this place, the weavers use ancestral techniques to make and paint the rugs, most of them are personal desings and also imitations of famous artists like Toledo, Picasso and Tamayo. Your tour ends with hotel drop-off in Oaxaca.
Monte Alban, Arrazola, Coyotepec, Cuilapam Tour from Oaxaca
Upon pickup from your hotel at 10am, travel by comfortable coach to Monte Alban, located approximately 20 minutes from Oaxaca. Translated as ‘White Mountain,’ the immense archeological site stands atop a mountain plateau overlooking the city and valleys below. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ruins with your knowledgeable guide on a 2.5-hour tour, and learn about the significance of the pre-Columbian ruins as explore the complex.Visit pyramids, temples and altars, as well as several residential structures – all constructed around the rectangular Grand Plaza, a large open area on the flattened plateau. Climb to the South Platform (Plataforma Sur), a large area known for its wide staircase and great panoramic views. You’ll learn interesting facts about Zapotec culture as you view the ancient ball court and ceremonial platforms, including a series of significant rock carvings called The Dancers (Los Danzantes). Don’t miss some of Monte Alban’s 170 tombs, whose excavations revealed a range of paintings and stone carvings.Re-board the coach for San Antonio Arrazola, a small and quiet town at the foothills of Monte Alban. Spend approximately 45 minutes walking around and taking in the local folk art, such as the world-renowned woodcarvings called alebrijes. Admire the ingenuity of the artisans, comprising 80 local families, who carve the figures – depicting a fantastic zoology of mythical creations and monsters – from the copal tree.Next, head to Cuilapam de Guerrero, a traditional town that holds feasts of saints throughout the year. Visit the Cuilapam Convent, a 16th-century Dominican convent known for its unfinished basilica and capilla abierta, or open chapel. Learn about this typical colonial feature, constructed for gathering a greater number of indigenous people for conversion to Catholocism. Around 2:45pm, take a break for lunch at Hacienda Cuilapam (own expense).You’ll make your last stop around 4:30pm in San Bartolo Coyotepec, a town whose artisans are famous for their black pottery (barro negro), fashioned with techniques used since pre-Columbian times. The town boasts several dozen workshops, the Oaxaca State Museum of Popular Art (MEAPO) and a craft market featuring the work of more than a dozen local families, some with international acclaim. You’ll visit the beautiful 16th-century San Bartolo Coyotepec Church before your guide transports you back to Oaxaca with hotel drop-off around 6pm.
Mitla and Monte Alban Combo Tour from Oaxaca
At 10am you’ll be picked up at your hotel and driven by comfortable, air-conditioned coach to the Tule tree here the visit is about 20 minutes, you will apreciate the wides tree trunk in the world. Continuing our way to Teotitlan del Valle and receive a full explanation of the natural dyes and weaving of wool. We will then drive to thearcheological ruins of Mitla, a religious center whose construction began in 850. While touring the site with your informative guide, hear about the Zapotecs, who developed a hierarchical society governed by kings and remained relatively isolated until Spanish conquest in the early 1500s. Admire the intricate mosaics of the colonial Church of San Pablo, built by the Spanish in the 16th century.Your guide will bring your attention to the architectural harmony of Mitla’s buildings and proportional courtyards. Study the elaborate design of the fretwork and geometric patterns that decorate tombs, panels, friezes and entire walls. Made with finely cut and polished stone pieces, the extraordinary mosaics make Mitla significant among the well-preserved Mesoamerican sites of the Oaxaca Valley. Back aboard your coach, travel to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte Alban, whose name means ‘White Mountain.’ Located on a vast mountaintop expanse with spectacular 360-degree views of the city and surrounding Oaxaca Valley, the pre-Columbian archeological site—along with Oaxaca City—is considered the most magnificent of the region’s ancient ruins. You’ll explore the immense and well-preserved complex on foot as you tour the grounds with your guide. Visit pyramids, temples and altars, as well as several residential structures—all constructed around the rectangular Grand Plaza, a large open area on the flattened plateau. See the I-shaped ball court constructed in 100 BC, and climb to the South Platform (Plataforma Sur), a large area known for its wide staircase and great panoramic views. Learn interesting facts from your guide about Zapotecan history and culture as you gaze at ceremonial platforms, including a series of significant rock carvings called The Dancers (Los Danzantes). You’ll see some of Monte Alban’s 170 tombs, whose excavations revealed a range of paintings and stone carvings. Spend some free time exploring on your own and capturing great photos before re-boarding your coach back to Oaxaca city, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel around 6pm.
Shared Arrival Transfer: Oaxaca Airport to Hotels
Travel from Xoxocotlán International Airport to your Oaxaca hotel with little worry or stress! With this shared arrival transfer, you will be met at the airport and driven to your hotel with an experienced English-speaking driver. Enjoy comfortable, convenient and hassle-free airport transportation, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.When making a booking, you will need to advise your flight details and your accommodation details. Your transfer will be confirmed immediately and you will be provided with a travel voucher to present to the driver. It's that easy!