How many days in Oaxaca? 4 days of markets, mole, mezcal and Zapotec ruins
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Oaxaca city sits in a high valley at about 1,550 metres, ringed by mountains and Zapotec and Mixtec villages, each famous for one craft: rugs, black pottery, carved wooden animals or mezcal. The colonial centre is green stone, compact and walkable, and the food is among the best in Mexico. Give it four days: one for the centre and its markets, one for the hilltop ruins of Monte Alban, one along the Tlacolula valley to Mitla and Hierve el Agua, and one for the craft villages to the south.
Short answer
Three days covers the centre, Monte Alban and the classic eastern valley trip to the Tule tree, Teotitlan, Mitla and Hierve el Agua. The fourth day adds the craft villages of the south or a cooking class.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Santo Domingo, the markets and the Zocalo
Morning. Start at the church of Santo Domingo de Guzman, finished in the 17th-18th centuries, whose interior is covered in gilded stucco. The former monastery next door holds the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (about MX$95), with the gold treasure of Tomb 7 from Monte Alban. Behind it, the Jardin Etnobotanico is visited only on guided tours (about MX$100-200; check times for English tours).
Afternoon. Walk down the pedestrian Andador Macedonio Alcala to the Zocalo, the main square, and the cathedral. Then go to the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, where in the Pasillo de Humo (smoke aisle) you choose raw meat, have it grilled in front of you and eat it with tortillas, salsa and onions, about MX$150-250 per person. Next door, Mercado Benito Juarez sells chocolate, chapulines and quesillo.
Evening. Walk the quiet streets of Jalatlaco, a neighbourhood of painted houses and murals, then have a mezcal tasting at a mezcaleria in the centre (about MX$100-250 for a flight of three).
The altitude means cool nights even in spring; bring a light jacket for the evenings from November to February.
Day 2: Monte Alban and a cooking class
Morning. Take the shuttle bus from the centre (about MX$100-150 return, 20-30 minutes) to Monte Alban (about MX$95), the Zapotec capital built on a flattened mountain top from about 500 BC. Walk the Gran Plaza, climb the north and south platforms and see the carved stones of the Danzantes. Go at opening: there is almost no shade.
Afternoon. Return to the city for a cooking class (about MX$1,500-2,500 for 4-5 hours, often with a market visit) where you learn to make a mole, salsas and tortillas on a clay comal. Oaxaca is the land of seven moles, from the dark mole negro to the yellow amarillo.
Evening. Have a tlayuda, a large crisp tortilla with beans, quesillo cheese and meat, grilled over charcoal at a street stall (about MX$80-150), and watch the evening crowds in the Zocalo or the Llano park.
Monte Alban is closed or busy on some holidays, and the last shuttle back leaves in the afternoon. Check the return time printed on your ticket.
Day 3: The Tule tree, Teotitlan, Mitla and Hierve el Agua
Morning. Drive east on the road to Mitla. Stop at Santa Maria del Tule to see the Arbol del Tule (a few pesos), a cypress with a trunk about 14 metres in diameter, thought to be well over 1,000 years old. Continue to Teotitlan del Valle, a Zapotec village where families weave wool rugs dyed with cochineal, indigo and plants.
Afternoon. Visit Mitla (about MX$95), whose palaces are decorated with stone mosaics in geometric patterns, unique in Mexico, then drive about 1 hour to Hierve el Agua (small community fees), mineral springs that have left petrified waterfalls on a cliff, with natural infinity pools above the valley.
Evening. On the way back, stop at a palenque, a traditional mezcal distillery, in Santiago Matatlan, the self-styled world capital of mezcal, where agave hearts are roasted in earth pits. Return to Oaxaca, about 1.5 hours.
Day tours cover all these stops for about MX$600-900 per person. Hierve el Agua is run by local communities and is sometimes closed by disputes; check before you go.
Day 4: Craft villages of the south
Morning. Go to San Bartolo Coyotepec, 15 km south, home of the shiny barro negro (black pottery), polished with quartz stones before firing; family workshops show the technique. Continue to San Martin Tilcajete, where artisans carve and paint alebrijes, fantastical wooden animals.
Afternoon. Visit Ocotlan de Morelos, with its colourful painted clay figures and a large Friday market. On Sunday, go instead to the Tlacolula market in the east, one of the oldest and biggest markets in the valley, where people from the villages come to trade.
Evening. Back in Oaxaca, have a farewell dinner of mole negro with chicken in a traditional restaurant (about MX$250-450), and finish with a cup of Oaxacan hot chocolate with pan de yema.
Buying directly in the villages means more money goes to the artisans. Ask whether rugs use natural dyes, which cost more but last longer.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do Days 1 to 3 and buy crafts at the markets in the city. You lose the southern villages, but the Tlacolula valley trip shows weaving and mezcal.
Got extra days?
Extra days go to the Pacific coast: Puerto Escondido, Mazunte and Zipolite are about 1 hour by small plane, or several hours by road through the mountains (the new highway to Puerto Escondido has cut the drive to roughly 4 hours; check current conditions). Hikers can visit the cloud-forest villages of the Sierra Norte, such as Benito Juarez and Cuajimoloyas, about 2 hours away.
Where to stay in Oaxaca
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Centro hostels | Hostels and guesthouses within 10 minutes of the Zocalo and the markets. | MX$400-900 |
| Mid-range | Centro, near Santo Domingo | Colonial houses with courtyards, walk to everything, rooftop terraces. | MX$1,400-2,800 |
| Mid-range | Jalatlaco | Quiet cobbled streets with murals and cafes, 10 minutes from the centre. | MX$1,200-2,500 |
| Comfort | Boutique hotels in the historic centre | Restored convents and colonial mansions with pools, gardens and fine restaurants. | MX$4,000-9,000 |
Getting around
Oaxaca airport is about 10 km south; shared airport vans and taxis cost about MX$200-450. ADO first-class buses come from Mexico City in about 6.5 hours, and a newer highway has shortened the trip to the coast; check current timetables. The centre is walkable, and city taxis cost about MX$60-100 per ride; agree the fare first. For the valleys, use day tours, a taxi for the day (about MX$1,500-2,500) or colectivos, shared taxis that leave from fixed points.
What to eat in Oaxaca
Oaxaca is one of Mexico's great food regions. Eat mole in its many forms: negro, rojo, coloradito, amarillo, verde, chichilo and manchamanteles. Try tlayudas, memelas (thick tortillas with lard, beans and cheese), tamales wrapped in banana leaf, quesillo (string cheese) and chapulines, toasted grasshoppers with lime and chilli. Drink tejate, a cold maize and cacao drink sold in markets, Oaxacan hot chocolate, and mezcal, sipped slowly with orange and worm salt. Market meals cost MX$80-150; good restaurants MX$400-900 per person.
Best time to visit
October to April is the dry season, with sunny days of 25-28°C and cool nights. The big events are Dia de Muertos (around 31 October to 2 November), with altars, cemetery vigils and parades, and the Guelaguetza dance festival on two Mondays in late July; book months ahead for both. The rainy season, roughly June to September, brings afternoon storms but green valleys. April and May are the hottest months, often above 30°C.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | MX$350 | MX$1,000 | MX$2,800 |
| Food & drink | MX$350 | MX$700 | MX$1,500 |
| Sights & tickets | MX$150 | MX$400 | MX$900 |
| Local transport | MX$80 | MX$300 | MX$800 |
| Total per person, per day | about MX$930 | about MX$2,400 | about MX$6,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Mexican pesos, roughly MX$20-22 to 1 euro; the mid-range and comfort columns include day tours or a cooking class. Oaxaca adds a lodging tax of a few percent to hotel bills.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Oaxaca safe for tourists?
The city and the valley villages are generally considered among the safer parts of Mexico for visitors. Use normal precautions: watch your phone and bag in crowded markets, take registered taxis at night and avoid driving on remote mountain roads after dark. Road blockades by protesters happen sometimes; check local news before long trips and follow your government's travel advice.
When is Dia de Muertos in Oaxaca?
The main days are 31 October to 2 November, with markets of marigolds and sugar skulls from the last week of October. Families build altars at home and spend nights in the cemeteries, such as Xoxocotlan. Visitors are welcome if respectful: ask before taking photographs and do not use flash. Hotels fill months ahead and prices rise.
Do I need a tour to visit the villages?
Not necessarily. Colectivos and buses link Oaxaca with Tule, Teotitlan, Tlacolula, Mitla and the southern villages for small fares, and are a good adventure. But Hierve el Agua is harder by public transport, and a tour or private driver saves time if you want to combine several stops and a mezcal palenque in one day.
What is the difference between mezcal and tequila?
Tequila is a type of mezcal made mainly in Jalisco from one agave, blue agave, usually steamed in ovens. Mezcal can be made from many agaves, wild and cultivated, and Oaxaca produces most of it. Traditional mezcal is roasted in earth pits, giving a smoky taste. Sip it slowly rather than shooting it.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan may earn a commission; the price you pay is the same. How we make money.