México is home to many beautiful wonders and places full of tradition and culture. And Oaxaca City is one of the most beautiful of those! Let me help you plan the perfect 3 days in Oaxaca with this day-by-day breakdown! You’ll get restaurant and bar options, the scoop on Oaxaca’s unmissable gems, and more. Oaxaca is one of my favorite cities in all of México — along with Guanajuato and Mexico City. You’re going to love the culture, food, people, architecture and the mezcal. So let’s get to it!
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT OAXACA?
Oaxaca has beautiful weather, cultural festivals, and incredible food year-round. Practically, you can’t go wrong with visiting at any point of the year. Spring and fall (April–May and September–October) are some of the best times to visit Oaxaca because of the weather. The summer is high season, and you can expect higher hotel prices and larger crowds. Additionally, the Guelaguetza festival happens in July. The two-week cultural festival celebrates the indigenous cultures of Oaxaca. It draws in thousands of people from all over to enjoy arts, food, dance and music.
Besides that, November–March is considered the low season. And that’s when you’ll find better hotel and flight deals! Día de Muertos in Mexico is always a good idea. So visiting Oaxaca during Day of the Dead celebrations is another wonderful option. You’ll find gorgeous, colorful altars throughout, and you can even do Day of the Dead tours in Oaxaca.
WHERE TO STAY IN OAXACA
The historic center is the best place to stay in Oaxaca City. The most important Oaxaca City attractions are all concentrated in that small area. That’s why this is a good choice for people visiting Oaxaca for the first time. Oaxaca City’s historic center is very walkable — you’ll love admiring the beautiful, colorful buildings and doorways! You’ll find a lot of affordable boutique hotels in this area, including Hotel Casa Vertiz, Hotel Parador de Alcalá and Hotel Casa Antigua. If you’re looking to splurge a little on your Oaxaca City stay, check out Hotel Sin Nombre, Casa Carmen and Hotel Escondido.
WHERE TO EAT IN OAXACA
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, you’ll have the most incredible food in Oaxaca City. Food is going to be a major part during your 3 days in Oaxaca. There are meals from my first trip to Oaxaca a few years ago that I still think about today! Centuries of history and tradition are embedded in Oaxacan cuisine with flavors and spices and the different traditions of at least 16 indigenous tribes. Oaxacan cuisine deserves its world-renowned spot! You cannot miss gems like Levadura de Olla, Expendio Tradición, Casa Taviche, Criollo, Boulenc, Sabina Sabe and Vaca Marina. Make sure to also include a traditional meal at one of the fondas at Mercado la Merced in your Oaxaca food experience. And you can’t forget the street food. Try tlayudas, elotes, marquesitas, memelas, tamales, quesadillas, chapulines and more!
WHAT TO WEAR IN OAXACA
The weather in Oaxaca is mostly mildly warm and dry year-round. April–May and September–October are the best times to visit Oaxaca, avoiding the high season of June–August. Because the weather doesn’t go above 85 degrees or below mid-40s Fahrenheit, layers will be your best friend. Think natural fabrics, textures and patterns, and get creative. Bring a light jacket for the cold mornings and nights. You’ll be walking on cobblestone streets — so avoid heels! Good walking sneakers (or boots like Doc Martens if you’re like me) work!
And now, let’s get into the day-by-day breakdown for your perfect 3 days in Oaxaca!
DAY 1: BOULENC, TEMPLO DE SANTO DOMINGO & MERCADOS
BREAKFAST AT BOULENC
First stop of these 3 days in Oaxaca is breakfast at Boulenc on the first day! This bakery and restaurant is totally one of Oaxaca’s unmissable gems. Try the salsas machas, molletes, any of their yummy breads/pastries, or their delicious croissant breakfast sandwiches. I had their molletes when I went and they were sooo good. A mollete is an open sandwich on bolillo bread with refried beans, cheese and chorizo. Avoid the long waits and make a reservation online ahead of time.
JARDÍN ETNOBOTÁNICO & TEMPLO DE SANTO DOMINGO
After breakfast, you’re checking out el Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca! This botanical garden houses many species of plants, trees and flowers that are native to Oaxaca. Oaxaca is one of the most biologically diverse states in all of México, and the garden represents that. You can visit the garden on a guided tour in Spanish, English or French. Check the schedules ahead of time as there are limited hours for each language on specific days. Tours in Spanish are available at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 5 p.m. Monday–Friday. And 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon on Saturdays.
Once you’re all cacti-ed out, head to Templo de Santo Domingo, adjacent to the botanical garden. Built between 1570 and 1608, it’s one of Oaxaca de Juárez’s most important churches. Admire its baroque façade, and go inside to see the opulent gilded interior! You can also explore Santo Domingo square and visit the Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca, housed in the church’s beautiful ex-convent.
MERCADOS
Oaxaca de Juárez has many traditional mercados you can’t miss! Mercado Benito Juárez and Mercado 20 de Noviembre are two of the most important ones. Mercado Benito Juárez has been around since 1894 and is one of the oldest trading centers in Oaxaca City. You’ll find spices, chiles, tortillas, mezcal, Chicatana ants, agave worms, meats, fish, cheeses and so much more.
Make sure to stop by Casilda Aguas Regionales‘ famous aguas frescas stand for a refreshing agua de horchata de almendra con tuna! (A drink traditionally made from rice, milk, cinnamon and vanilla, but with prickly pear.) This traditional fruit-flavored-water drinks storefront was founded by Casilda Flores Morales in 1926. And almost 100 years later, her family still runs the business the same way Casilda intended, adhering to her quality standards.
Next, cross over to Mercado 20 de Noviembre for a snack! Walk through el Pasillo del Humo — a smoky corridor lined with tortilla stoves, stalls with meat for grilling and more. At this legendary market, you can buy chocolate, chapulines, bread and traditional Oaxacan dishes at the many inns. As you walk through the countless food stalls, prepare to be very enthusiastically invited in by the people working the restaurants. Pick any one and indulge in the complex flavors of mole or devour quesadillas, chiles rellenos, tamales, asados and literally so much more.
MUSEO TEXTIL DE OAXACA
After you fall in love with everything you ate at the mercado, head to the Museo Textil de Oaxaca. The museum is in a renovated colonial home in the historic center of Oaxaca. Inside, you’ll admire the designs, techniques and creative processes of Oaxacan and Mexican textiles. Entrance to this small museum is free, and it won’t take more than one hour to explore. They’re open until 8 p.m. Monday–Saturday, and 6 p.m. Saturdays.
DINNER AT EXPENDIO TRADICIÓN
Finish off a perfect day in Oaxaca City with a delicious dinner at Expendio Tradición! This culinary standout in Oaxaca City has an incredible menu of authentic and traditional dishes as well as handcrafted mezcal cocktails. This goes without saying, but the food is absolutely delicious — you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu! You can even schedule a mezcal tasting in a private room. Make sure you make a reservation ahead of time!
DAY 2: WALKING Tour, Street Art & Mezcal
BREAKFAST AT LEVADURA DE OLLA
On day two of 3 days in Oaxaca, you’ll have breakfast at my favorite restaurant in Oaxaca de Juárez! Levadura de Olla deserves its top spot on these 3 days in Oaxaca because of their succulent traditional Oaxacan dishes. They use ancestral techniques and completely pesticide-free ingredients to craft their culinary delights, inspired by the traditions of the Oaxacan highlands. As with most of the spots on this itinerary, you will be better off with a reservation.
TOURS, TOURS, TOURS
Now, you’re going to explore Oaxaca City on foot! Guided walking tours are awesome because they’re often led by locals who know the best-kept secrets and have the best recommendations. Join a free, tip-based walking tour at. 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. on the second day of this Oaxaca City itinerary. The tour takes off from the front of Teatro Macedonio Alcalá and is available in Spanish and English!
Riding the hop-on, hop-off, double-decker buses you’ll spot throughout the historic center of Oaxaca City is another option I always enjoy. The whole circuit takes about two hours, and it serves as a good introduction to the most important spots, the Oaxaca City neighborhoods and the city’s history. For lunch day 2 of 3 days in Oaxaca, check out Sirilo | Cocina Folk, Vaca Marina, Tierra del Sol or El Tendajón.
OAXACA STREET ART WALKING TOUR
As you walk through the colorful streets of Oaxaca de Juárez, you’ll notice beautiful street art throughout. The artists of Oaxaca use street art as a way to shed light on the struggle of the people. It also encourages conversations about the current problems that people face in Oaxaca, especially indigenous peoples. Street art is a way for people to show tourists the harsh realities that lie behind our aesthetic vacation photos on Instagram.
A street-art walking tour is one of the best ways to learn about Oaxaca street art! The neighborhood of Jalatlaco is known for its vibrant art scene and colorful colonial architecture — it’s the perfect introduction to Oaxaca street art! Take a free, tip-based walking tour of this Oaxaca City neighborhood to learn about the messages and artists behind the street art. The Jalatlaco street art walking tour starts at 5 p.m. and lasts about 2 hours!
You can also do a paid walking or bike ride street-art tour with Coyote Adventures. A lot of the team at Coyote Adventures is from Oaxaca, and they ensure their practices are socially and environmentally conscious. Their walking street art tour starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. So you’d start out your day with this activity if you choose this route.
MEZCAL TASTING
Mezcal tasting is another experience you absolutely can’t miss during your 3 days in Oaxaca! A lot of the different types of mezcal sold throughout the world come from Oaxaca and the many species of agave plants throughout the region. Oaxaca City is truly one of the best places to try mezcal in all of México.
Mezcaloteca is my favorite mezcal-tasting spot that’s been around in Oaxaca de Juárez since 2010. Through their private tastings, they promote and highlight traditional mezcal-making processes as well as masters of mezcal from the surrounding areas. You can try 3–5 different mezcales, and the tasting takes about 40 min.–1 hour. Prices range from $550 to $720 MXN (approx. $29–$38 USD) depending on how many different mezcales you want to try. This activity is a must in every Oaxaca City itinerary! You can easily make a reservation for Mezcaloteca online. Expendio Tradición and In Situ Mezcalería are two good additional options for mezcal tastings.
DAY 3: MONTE ALBÁN & SELVA BAR
EXPLORE MONTE ALBÁN
The last of your 3 days in Oaxaca starts out with exploring Monte Albán! Monte Albán, one of the most important archaeological sites in Mexico, is only 20 minutes outside of the historic center of Oaxaca. You can easily take a public bus or taxi there and walk the site on your own. But having a guide explain the history of this important spot is also a really cool experience. Oaxaca by Locals offers a half-day guided tour of Monte Albán for $600 MXN (approx. $31 USD) that includes transportation to and from the site. This option would start your day at 9 a.m., and you’d be back in the historic center by 1 p.m.
You’ll be ready for munching by the time you get back from exploring Monte Albán. Have lunch at Criollo — by Enrique Olvera of Pujol fame and Luis Arellano. Their tasting menu focuses on fresh area-sourced ingredients and traditional Oaxacan dishes. Other delicious lunch options include Pitiona, Terraza los Amantes or Casa Oaxaca. After lunch, take a leisurely stroll through the Andador Turístico and check out the artisan shops, galleries, cafes and more. This pedestrian-only street runs from Templo Santo Domingo to the cathedral and el zócalo.
DRINKS AT SELVA BAR
Finish off your 3 days in Oaxaca with drinks at my favorite bar — Selva Bar! This beautiful cocktail bar in the historic center of Oaxaca serves expertly handcrafted cocktails and small dishes. It’s also one of the 50 Best Bars in North America. And if you’re up for it, hit Mezcalogía next for some live music and more great mezcal cocktails!
DAY TRIPS FROM OAXACA CITY
Depending on how much time you’re planning to spend in Oaxaca, you can venture farther out with a few options! (If you’re only spending 3 days in Oaxaca, you’d replace one entire day of activities above with these.)
- Árbol del Tule: The “Tree of Tule” is a 2,000-year old cypress tree with the largest diameter of any tree in all of Mexico. Its diameter measures an unbelievable 145 feet! It’s located in a town called Santa María del Tule, about an hour away from the historic center of Oaxaca City. El Árbol del Tule has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003.
- Mitla: This is the second most important archaeological site in the state of Oaxaca. It’s also the most important site for the Zapotec culture. Mitla was a religious site where priests carried out human sacrifices. It’s located about an hour outside of Oaxaca de Juárez and is relatively small. It should take 1–2 hours to explore in its entirety.
- Hierve El Agua: This mesmerizing petrified waterfall is about 2 hours away from Oaxaca City. It was created by the mineral-rich water falling over the edge of the cliff for thousands of years. You can swim in the pools — so bring a swimsuit. You can get to Hierve El Agua on your own with some planning, but there are also tours available that include transportation.
Because these three options are all located in the same direction, booking an all-day tour can help alleviate some of the logistics and planning for you. Although, that’ll put a time limit on how much time you can spend at each spot, it definitely helps not having to worry about finding transportation in the moment.
In conclusion: you gotta do 3 days in oaxaca!
Oaxaca is not only a gorgeous city in the south of Mexico, it’s also full of culture, history, rich cuisine and more. It’s a perfect place to be introduced to mezcal and to absolutely become obsessed with Mexican food. And spending 3 days in Oaxaca City is going to be enough to make you want to come back again and again!
