In a nutshell
- Oaxaca is a state in southern Mexico — but when people say “Oaxaca,” they almost always mean the capital city Oaxaca de Juárez.
- It’s one of the most rewarding destinations in Mexico, especially known for its world-class cuisine and the festival Día de los Muertos.
- In this guide, we walk you through the top attractions in Oaxaca City and share practical tips to help you make the most of your visit.
Orientation: Our Map of Oaxaca City Places to Visit
Oaxaca de Juárez is the capital of the state of Oaxaca and sits about seven hours south of Ciudad de México.
On this map we’ve marked all the top attractions in Oaxaca so you can plan your days easily.
Which Oaxaca City places to visit are absolutely essential?
You can easily explore the most important highlights in the city center of Oaxaca in a single day:
- Plaza Zocálo
- Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán
- Museo de las Culturas
- Ethnobotanical Garden
- Mercado 20 de Noviembre & Benito Juárez
- Mirador Cerro del Fortín
- Jalatlaco neighborhood
- Plaza de la Danza
That said, we really recommend staying in Oaxaca for at least three days. That way you can also explore the sights outside the city and truly enjoy Oaxaca’s outstanding cuisine.
These highlights are located outside the city center:
- Hierve el Agua
- Monte Albán
- Árbol del Tule
Plaza Zocálo
What do you need to know? Like practically every Mexican city, Oaxaca’s main square is called the Plaza Zocálo. It’s home to an impressive cathedral and the state government palace.
Is the Plaza Zocálo worth visiting? Absolutely — it’s the beating heart of Oaxaca. There’s always something going on, and you’ll often catch cool performances right on the square.
Templo de Santo Domingo
What do you need to know? The Templo de Santo Domingo is one of Oaxaca’s most iconic buildings. Entry is free, though it’s often closed on weekends for private events.
Is the Templo de Santo Domingo worth visiting? Definitely — the baroque interior is seriously stunning.
Our tip for the Templo de Santo Domingo: There are some great restaurants and cafés around the church. We love La Proveedora Alcalá — it’s a restaurant and bookstore all in one.
Museo de las Culturas
What do you need to know? The museum is housed within the Templo de Santo Domingo complex, with exhibits covering archaeology, history, and ethnography from across Oaxaca.
Is the Museo de las Culturas worth visiting? Yes — the exhibits are really great. You’ll come away with a solid understanding of Oaxaca’s history and culture.
Good to know about the Museo de las Culturas: Admission is 90 MXN. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Ethnobotanical Garden
What do you need to know? The Ethnobotanical Garden is right next to the Templo de Santo Domingo and showcases native plants from across the Oaxaca region. You can only visit as part of a guided tour.
Is the Ethnobotanical Garden worth visiting? Yes, especially if you’re into plants — but honestly, even if you’re not, the tour is fascinating. The guides share some really interesting facts about Oaxaca’s flora.
Our tip for the Ethnobotanical Garden: There’s an English-language guided tour Monday through Saturday at 11 AM, costing 100 MXN. Spanish tours run more frequently and cost 50 MXN. You can find more details on the Botanical Garden Oaxaca website (Spanish only).
Mercado 20 de Noviembre & Benito Juárez
What do you need to know? These two markets sit right next to each other. Mercado 20 de Noviembre is all about affordable, authentic food, while the Benito Juárez Market is the place to browse handicrafts and souvenirs.
Are the markets worth visiting? Totally. Eating at the 20 de Noviembre is simply a must, and the Benito Juárez Market is a great spot to pick up something to take home.
Our tip: Order regional dishes like Mole Negro or Tlayudas at the Mercado 20 de Noviembre — you won’t find them fresher anywhere.
Mirador Cerro del Fortín
What do you need to know? This viewpoint sits northwest of the city center. You get there by climbing a staircase, then walking a bit to the left along the main road to reach the mirador itself.
Is the Mirador Cerro del Fortín worth visiting? It’s okay. The location along a busy road is a bit awkward and it gets noisy, but the view over Oaxaca is still nice.
Our tip for the Mirador Cerro del Fortín: If you’re up for a short hike, you can continue to the actual summit of Cerro del Fortín. Walk through the tunnel at the end of the stairs to the other side of the road and keep heading uphill. Budget about two hours total.
Jalatlaco Neighborhood
What do you need to know? The Jalatlaco neighborhood is about a 15-minute walk from the city center and is every bit as colorful and beautiful as the historic district. It has a much more relaxed vibe, and the alleyways are genuinely great for photos.
Is Jalatlaco worth visiting? 100% — it’s our favorite part of Oaxaca.
Our tip for Jalatlaco: Just wander and follow your nose. The neighborhood isn’t large, and you’ll stumble across one charming, colorful street after another.
Plaza de la Danza
What do you need to know? The Plaza de la Danza is less touristy than most other squares, but absolutely worth a visit. It’s in the western part of the city center, and the standout is the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad.
Is the Plaza de la Danza worth visiting? Yes — we hadn’t heard much about it beforehand, but we really loved the basilica. The view from the square with the mountains in the background is seriously beautiful too.
Hierve el Agua
What do you need to know? Hierve el Agua features petrified waterfalls with natural travertine pools where you can swim. Both the pools and the waterfalls make for incredible photos.
Is Hierve el Agua worth visiting? Yes — even though it’s quite touristy, the landscape is so unique and beautiful that it’s absolutely worth the trip.
Our tip for Hierve el Agua: Book a guided tour from Oaxaca — you’ll also get to stop at other highlights like the ruins of Mitla along the way.
Book the guided tour to Hierve el Agua with additional highlights
Read all our tips on Hierve el Agua:
Monte Albán
What do you need to know? Monte Albán is an archaeological site and the former capital of the Zapotec people. The ruins sit on a hill about 7 kilometers from Oaxaca. Admission costs 90 MXN — you can pay on site by cash or card.
Is Monte Albán worth visiting? Without a doubt. This one is a must.
Our tip for Monte Albán: Book a guided tour from Oaxaca — there are very few explanatory signs at the site itself, so a guide makes a huge difference. If you’d rather go independently, take a taxi or the tour bus (90 MXN), which departs from the corner of Calle Francisco Javier Mina and Diaz Ordaz.
Book the guided archaeological tour of Monte Albán from Oaxaca
Árbol del Tule
What do you need to know? In the town of Santa María del Tule near Oaxaca stands the tree with the thickest trunk in the world: the Árbol del Tule. Its exact age is unknown, but it’s estimated to be over 2,000 years old.
Is the Árbol del Tule worth visiting? We wouldn’t make a special trip just for it. But if you’re already doing a Hierve el Agua tour, it makes a nice extra stop along the way.
Our tip for the Árbol del Tule: If you want to get up close, there’s an entry fee of 20 MXN. You can also see it pretty well from a distance for free.
Extra Tip: Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca
Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca is something like the Oktoberfest in Munich or Carnival in Cologne. The Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico, but Oaxaca is one of THE prime destinations for it.
On November 1st and 2nd every year, all of Oaxaca takes to the streets and cemeteries to honor the deceased. And it’s anything but somber — quite the opposite. With vivid colors, elaborate costumes, and skeleton imagery everywhere, the celebrations are joyful, loud, and full of life.
In Oaxaca, the festivities kick off several days before the official dates of November 1st and 2nd.
Note: Book your accommodation at least two months in advance. Hotels fill up incredibly fast around Día de los Muertos.
Eating in Oaxaca
If great Mexican food is on your agenda, Oaxaca absolutely needs to be part of your Mexico trip. It’s widely considered home to the best cuisine in the entire country.
These dishes are typical of Oaxaca
- Tlayudas: Large, crispy tortillas loaded with various toppings.
- Mole: Oaxaca is famous for its many varieties of rich chili sauce. Mole Negro is the most celebrated.
- Tamales: Corn dough wrapped in banana leaves with various fillings.
These drinks are typical of Oaxaca
- Mezcal: A spirit distilled from the heart of agave plants.
- Tejate: A traditional non-alcoholic drink made from cacao and corn.
Our restaurant recommendations for Oaxaca
- Los Danzantes: An upscale restaurant with seriously delicious food.
- Boulenc: Oaxaca’s most famous bakery — don’t skip it.
- Casa Taviche: A classic Mexican restaurant with fair prices.
- Margarita Comedor: Great value lunch menus.
- La Casa del Tío Güero: Tasty Mexican cooking at really good prices.
Another popular thing to do in Oaxaca is taking a cooking class. You’ll learn all about traditional dishes and — hopefully — be able to recreate them at home.
Book the traditional cooking class with market visit in Oaxaca
Where to Stay in Oaxaca
We recommend staying in the city center. There’s a great range of accommodation there, the area is safe, and you can walk to virtually all the major attractions.
Safety in Oaxaca
We never felt unsafe in Oaxaca. The state is one of the safest in Mexico, and crime here is relatively low — we walked through the city center late at night without any issues.
In most neighborhoods outside the historic center, though, it’s best to avoid walking around after dark.
As always, keep a close eye on your bags and valuables and steer clear of the poorer areas of the city.
Read all our tips on safety in Mexico
Getting There & Getting Around
You can reach Oaxaca by plane or bus. The airport is in the south of the city and handles both domestic and international flights. There are no direct flights from Europe — you’ll typically connect through Ciudad de México.
From the airport, your best bet is a taxi or a private or shared shuttle to your hotel. You can book shuttles in advance at Oaxaca Shuttle.
Oaxaca is also well connected by long-distance bus. From Mexico City it takes about seven hours, from Puebla about five hours, and from San Cristóbal de las Casas about 12 hours. Note that Oaxaca has several bus terminals.
You can book buses on the ADO website. If that doesn’t work, try ViajoMucho or Checkmybus.
Once you’re in Oaxaca, you can reach most places on foot. There are also buses, colectivos (shared taxis), and regular taxis. Local buses cost 8 MXN — pay the driver when you board.
Check out our tips for a road trip & travel tips for Mexico
Weather in Oaxaca
Oaxaca has pleasant weather year-round. The city sits at an elevation of 1,550 meters, and daytime temperatures usually range between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius.
The best time to visit is during the dry season from November to May. During the rainy season there’s more precipitation and higher humidity — but since it rarely rains all day, you can still have a great trip during that period.
For more details on when to go, check out our article on the best time to visit Mexico.
To our article on the best time to visit Mexico:
