Oaxaca City, the heart of the Oaxaca state in Mexico, is an enchanting destination that promises an unforgettable experience.
Brimming with rich history, vibrant culture and mouth-watering cuisine, juxtaposed with impressive architecture, bustling markets and beautiful natural landscapes of the Sierra Madre mountains.
Whether you are an art lover, a history enthusiast or are curious about culinary art, adding an Oaxaca Mexico itinerary to your Mexico travel plans can maximize your experience.
So, in this post, we will guide you through a detailed itinerary of how to spend 4 days in Oaxaca City to help you make the most of your visit.
4 Days in Oaxaca City – Quick Planning Resources
✈️ How to Get to Oaxaca City: Flight to OAX, or, bus to Oaxaca de Juarez.
🌟 Must explore in Oaxaca City: Historic center, local markets, street art, Oaxacan food scene.
✅ Recommended activities:
🚐 Full-day Tours from Oaxaca City:
💦 Petrified waterfalls, Mitla archaeological site, Mezcal distillery
🏚️ Archaeological site of Monte Alban (option to include buffet lunch)
🏨 Where to Stay:
⭐️ Palacio Borghese Hotel Boutique Adults Only: Luxury hotel, ideal for romantic getaway
🌆 Casa de Siete Balcones Hotel Boutique: Rooms with traditional decor and balcony with city views
🥳 Maka Hostel: Hostel with social vibes and rooftop swimming pool
🚗 How to Get Around: Within city – walking. Around city – guided tours.
Is 4 Days Enough for Visiting Oaxaca City?
A 4-day Oaxaca Mexico itinerary allows you to experience the essence of the city without feeling rushed.
This timeframe strikes a balanced pace and helps you explore the cultural and historical sites while also allowing you to indulge in local experiences such as tasting various Oaxacan delicacies and participating in unique tours.
However, if you are planning to visit Oaxaca City to experience the Day of the Dead festival, you may want to stay longer to absorb all the feels of the festival.
If this UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage festival going to be the highlight of your Mexico trip, we recommend you to combine your trip with Mexico City during Día de Muertos.
➡️ Related Reading: Mexico City and Oaxaca Itinerary
Oaxaca Mexico Itinerary: A Day-By-Day Guide
Do not have time now to read the whole thing? Pin this for later 📌
For now, check this quick summary of Oaxaca 4 day itinerary. For details of planning your Oaxaca itinerary, keep reading.
| Day | Activities |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | – Guided city walk – Mercado 20 de Noviembre |
| Day 2 | Monte Alban Archaeological Site |
| Day 3 | Hierve El Agua Full Day Tour |
| Day 4 | Oaxaca Food Scene: – Join a food tour, or – Sign up for a cooking class |
Day 1: Historic Center and Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Morning
After arriving in a new city with rich history and culture, we always prefer starting with a city walking tour.
An expert and knowledgable local guide gives a great introduction to their city which also facilitates our self-exploration on the following days.
That is what we would recommend for your Day 1 of Oaxaca itinerary – a guided city walk.
As you listen to the commentary of your guide, stroll through the picturesque city, where narrow cobblestone streets lead to beautiful buildings and charming plazas.
This immersive guided walk starts in the pretty neighborhood of Jalatlaco, takes you through the historic center of Oaxaca City, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passes by the Santo Domingo de Guzman Temple and Cultural Center, visits an old convent and ends the tour in the Xochimilco neighborhood where you can spot a lot of street art and graffiti.
Book City Walking Tour here →
Afternoon
For lunch, head to Mercado 20 de Noviembre, a local market known for its traditional foods, handicrafts and fresh produces.
Visit the food stalls and treat yourself to local delicacies like tlayudas, mole, tamales Oaxaquenas and much more.
After the hearty meal, wander through the aisles and let your senses be tantalized by the myriad flavors and aromas of Oaxaca.
On some days, we visited Mercado 20 de Noviembre in the mornings too for quick breakfast fix with hot chocolate and Pan de Yema, the typical Oaxacan bread. We loved how they serve the hot chocolate in a traditional earthen pot.
Left: Tlayuda, Right: Tamales Oaxaquenas
Evening
Take a walk around the central square of Oaxaca City, enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, watch the street performers, and perhaps savor a coffee at one of the many nearby cafes.
For later in the evening, there are many restaurants to choose from for a fancy dinner in Oaxaca.
Los Danzantes and Casa Oaxaca are couple of popular choices for traditional Oaxacan food in nice setting.
But if you are up for it, get your dinner fill from the street food stalls of Oaxaca.
We loved all the street food in Oaxaca (Left), and occasionally, we went out for drink and dine at nice restaurants (Right).
Day 2: Visit Monte Alban Archaeological Site
On your second day, visit Monte Alban, a major archeological site that was once the political and cultural center of the Zapotec civilization.
Located about 10 kilometers from Oaxaca City, the site is perched on a large plateau from where you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding valley.
It is a beautiful site where we enjoyed walking, admiring the pyramids, platforms and ball court that offer glimpses into pre-Columbian life.
Unlike Teotihuacan, here visitors are allowed to climb up the pyramids.
Visit Monte Alban Independently
🚌 We visited Monte Alban on our own, by availing Autobuses Turisticos.
🕰️ Their buses run the route every hour.
🎟️ It costs 100 MXN for roundtrip bus journey between Oaxaca City and Monte Alban, as of 2024.
Oaxaca Day 2 Planning Tip: If you visit just Monte Alban, it can be a half day activity leaving you the rest of the day free to explore the city of Oaxaca.
During this time, you can dedicate more time seeing some of the sites you checked out during the walking tour the previous day.
One example is Santo Domingo de Guzman Temple and Cultural Center.
Another idea could be to take a self-guided walk to discover more of colorful wall murals and graffiti scattered throughout the city.
Visit Monte Alban with a Tour
If you prefer to visit Monte Alban with a guide and pre-arranged transport with hotel pick and drop, book this tour.
🍽️ When making the reservation, you get the option to add a buffet lunch. Of course, the total cost will vary per the inclusions.
On this tour, apart from the ruins, you also get to visit couple of other places like workshops and homes of local artisans.
Book Monte Alban Tour here →Day 3: Hierve el Agua Full Day Tour with Mezcal Tasting
For the third day on your Oaxaca itinerary, we recommend this full day tour, visiting Hierva el Agua and other places.
But first a disclaimer, this day may include some touristy things, but we still liked the tour because it packs a lot of different kinds of attractions and activities.
💦 The highlight of this full day tour is Hierve el Agua, where you get to see one of the only two petrified waterfalls in the world. Caused by mineral deposits flow, this unique formation is a short hike from the entrance.
After finishing the return hike, take a dip in the natural infinity pools and enjoy the breathtaking surrounding scenery of Hierve el Agua.
Left: Us, next to the petrified waterfall at Hierve El Agua, Right: Us, at the natural infinity pool
Couple of other attractions that you get to visit on this tour are:
🌳 Árbol del Tule, a giant cypress tree in Santa Maria de Tule. The tree is estimated to be around 2000 years old and has one of the world’s largest tree trunks.
Tule Tree is a quick stop on the tour and requires additional entrance fee for getting closer to the tree. Else you can see it very well from outside the garden fence.
📐 Mitla archaeological site, known for its intricate mosaics and geometric designs.
Left: Tule tree, Right: Pubali at Mitla archaeological site.
🍸 The tour concludes with a Mezcal tasting tour, where you can learn about the production of Oaxaca’s famous spirit and sample different varieties.
Day 4: Explore Oaxacan Culinary Scene
Oaxacan cuisine is so delectable that it deserves some dedicated space on your Oaxaca 4 day itinerary.
Question for you – what do you like more, eating or cooking? Based on your answer, pick one of the two recommended activities for your last day in Oaxaca.
Oaxacan Cooking Class
If you like to roll up your sleeves and get in the action, sign up for a cooking class.
You will get to learn about the ingredients and techniques that define Oaxacan cuisine, have fun during the group activity, and the best part – you get to taste your own creations.
🥘 Join this local chef’s traditional Oaxacan cooking class which is an experience by itself.
You will be welcomed at her home where you get to learn her grandma’s recipes to cook your own Oaxaqueño dishes in a traditional brick stove with open fire.
🚐 They organize your transportation to the venue from Oaxaca city center, and after the activity, drop you back to the same meeting point.
💰 The price of this cooking class activity includes welcome with chocolate and bread, a 3-course Oaxacan meal that the participants prepare, water, beer, mezcal and as mentioned before, transportation.
🗓️ Check for availability as the activity is not offered daily. Also, some days of the week, the event starts at 11:30 am for cooking lunch, while on other days, it starts at 3:30 pm for preparing dinner. Pick the one that best suits your schedule.
Book Oaxacan Cooking Class →Oaxaca Food Tour
If you would rather spend your time sampling more local Oaxacan dishes than preparing them, then join a food tour.
Starting at 9:00 am, this half-day food tour takes you through different local markets and various food stalls, where you get to try more than 20 different local dishes, spanning from moles to grilled meat and tacos to local fruits.
Non-alcoholic local beverages are also included in the tour price.
This is a culturally immersive tour with great value for money as you get to try enough local food that fill you up for both breakfast and lunch!
Book Oaxaca Food Tour →
Some dishes to try during Oaxaca Food Tour – Left: Oaxaca tacos, Right: Chicken in mole.
Where to Stay in Oaxaca City
For easy access to main attractions within walkable distance, pick a hotel in Oaxaca Historic Center.
Here are some hotel recommendations and the highlights of these stays:
🏨 Luxury: Palacio Borghese Hotel Boutique – Adults Only
- Adults only hotel ❤️
- Proud Certified property – inclusive of all kinds of adult travelers 🏳️🌈
- Luxury rooms with elegant decor and rich furnishings ⭐️
- Private bathrooms with hydromassage bathtubs 🛁
- Continental breakfast included 🍉
🏨 Mid-Range: Casa de Siete Balcones Hotel Boutique
- Great location between Zócalo Square and Santo Domingo de Guzman Church 📌
- Colonial building with central courtyard 🏡
- Rooms with traditional decor and air-conditioning ❄️
- Most rooms have balcony with city view 🌆
- Complimentary continental breakfast 🍳
🏨 Budget: Maka Hostel
- Hostel with good social vibes 🙌🏽
- Rooftop outdoor swimming pool 🏊🏽
- Dorms with sleeping pod style bunks 🛏️
- Shared bathroom and shared kitchen ⏲️
- À la carte breakfast included 🥪
How to Get Around in Oaxaca City
👟 Oaxaca City is quite walkable. In fact, the charm of Oaxaca lies in exploring it on foot.
🚌 For visiting nearby attractions on your own, consider taking collectivos. These are shared shuttle vans running on fixed routes.
🚐 To maximize your day with multiple attractions and efficient routing, booked guided group tours with transportation.
Do not forget to purchase travel insurance for your trip. We recommend:
✈️ Heymondo for short trips or long term travel (no deductibles, 24/7 worldwide support for any kind of medical assistance)
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Is Oaxaca Worth Visiting?
From its vibrant markets and exquisite cuisine to ancient ruins and breathtaking landscapes, Oaxaca offers an enriching travel experience.
If you enjoy exploring places with such unique blend of cultural, historical and natural attractions, Oaxaca is definitely worth visiting.
In fact, add Oaxaca to your Mexico cultural journey itinerary.
Plan Your Mexico Trip
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Travel Planning Logistics
- Accommodation: For several years now, Booking.com has been our platform of choice for booking accommodation while traveling. You can apply all the desired filters and shortlist the ones that meet your criteria. On continued use, you will keep unlocking their Genius benefits. For long term stays, we use Airbnb. Of late, we have also started browsing Hostelworld for finding hostels.
- Tours: When traveling to new destinations, you can plan ahead and book your activities. Check for highly rated tours on Viator and Get Your Guide.
- Packing: From swimwear to sunscreen, hiking pants to insect repellents, buy your vacation packing essentials on Amazon.
- Flights: We always start our flight searches with Skyscanner and Momondo. They are aggregators that display flight options, compiling information across airlines and combinations. What we like the best about these flight aggregators is that you can put “Anywhere” as your destination, so that you find the best flight deals from your city of departure.
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