The Ultimate Oaxaca Itinerary (3, 4 & 5 Days)

Posted 23/04/2024 | 23rd April, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links to things like tours, hotels, and products that I love. These links help me earn a small commission on all qualifying purchases at no additional charge to you. Thank you!

Oaxaca, beautiful Oaxaca. Oaxaca City is by far one of my favourites in Mexico.

Aside from being a picturesque city packed with street art, it also has so much history and culture to be enjoyed. The gastronomy scene here is famous worldwide, with people travelling around the globe just to get a mouthful of its famous mole or a taste of a tlayuda.

Personally, I don’t think five days is enough to get everything out of this city, but I think you’d still find epic new things to do after living here for years. So, here is my jam-packed Oaxaca Itinerary, perfect for three, four, or five days in this spectacular city.

You might also want to check out my two other Oaxaca guides: 21 Amazing Things to Do in Oaxaca and Where to Find The Best Breakfast in Oaxaca.

Table of Contents

Oaxaca Itinerary: Day 1

Take A Free Walking Tour

It’s your first day in Oaxaca, so what better way to kick-off your time here than with a free walking tour?

Tours are offered throughout the day in both English and Spanish and are completely free! Of course, tips are expected for a great experience.

This walking tour will point out all the highlights and offer some insider information about the best places to eat and drink in the city. The Oaxaca free walking tour is also a great way to meet other like-minded travellers.

Explore Central Oaxaca and The Street Art

Once you’ve explored with a guide, it’s time to hit the streets of Oaxaca on your own.

You must reserve a few hours in your Oaxaca Itinerary to wander around and enjoy the vibrant colours, stunning buildings, and magnificent street art. Oaxaca is a truly walkable city, with plenty of parks and coffee shops to pit stop for a well-earned break.

Be sure not to miss Calle Cinco de Mayo for incredible street art and great photo opportunities!

Take A Peak Inside Templo De Santo Domingo

As you explore Oaxaca’s centre, be sure to take a peek inside Templo De Santo Domingo—this church is truly stunning!

Initially opened in 1724, the church is elaborately decorated and adorned in gold. Although marvellous to see from the outside, but you shouldn’t miss stepping inside to enjoy the full effect.

This church is not a museum but a fully functioning place of worship. Please be respectful during your visit.

Enjoy Drinks at a Rooftop Bar

The perfect way to end your first day with Oaxaca is with drinks at a rooftop bar. Aim to arrive just before sunset and watch the sun melt into the horizon over this magical city.

Be sure to check the menus before you head up to the rooftop, though, as prices vary dramatically across Oaxaca.

Oaxaca Itinerary: Day 2

Spend the Morning at Monte Alban

After exploring many ancient sites across Mexico, including the Teotihuacán in Mexico City, the ruins in Palenque, and the world-famous Chichen Itza – Monte Alban was my favourite!

Monte Albán is an ancient archaeological site located in the southern state of Oaxaca, Mexico. It was once the capital of the Zapotec civilisation, one of the earliest Mesoamerican civilisations. Monte Albán was inhabited from around 500 BCE until its decline around 800 CE.

The site is situated on a flattened mountaintop overlooking the Oaxaca Valley, providing strategic defensive advantages and commanding views of the surrounding landscape. It features numerous pyramids, temples, palaces, and other ceremonial structures arranged around a central plaza. The site’s layout reflects the Zapotec people’s advanced urban planning and engineering skills.

It is extremely easy to access from central Oaxaca. The bus costs $90 MXN per person for a return trip. It leaves Oaxaca City on the hour every hour between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. The return journey departs Monte Alban at half past the hour from 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

After visiting many historic sites across this area of the world, I can confidently say Monte Alban was one of my favourites and the most interesting to explore.

Lunch on Smokey Alley

If you’re well organised and get to Monte Alban early in the morning, you’ll have finished exploring by midday, meaning there is plenty of time for food!

Smokey Alley, or Pastillo de Humo, is a grill street beside Oaxaca’s main market. You literally cannot miss the enormous clouds of smoke surrounding this area (it got it’s name for a good reason!).

To eat lunch here, you need to head to the stand that sells sides and drinks and grab a basket. From there, you can head to whichever meat stand takes your fancy and order a portion of whatever meat you like. They all sell mixed baskets, too, which are great if you want a taster of everything that is on offer.

You can then grab a seat and order your sides and drinks from the first stall again. Once your meat is cooked, it will be delivered to you. I loved eating here!

Everyone eats on long shared benches, meaning tourists are nestled with locals enjoying a lunchtime feast!

Mezcal Tasting

Round up a busy day of visiting ancient Mayan sites and eating delicious food with another quintessential Oaxacan activity… Mescal tasting.

If you’re visiting Oaxaca as part of a bigger Mexico trip, there are three spirits you need to try: Tequila in Jalisco, Pox in Chiapas, and Mezcal in Oaxaca.

I had never tried Mezcal before touching down in Oaxaca, so we opted for a mezcal-tasting session, which I would thoroughly recommend. It will give you a great insight into how the spirit is created and where the different, distinct flavours come from.

After about six shots and a cocktail, I recommend heading for some late-night tacos and straight back to your hotel—this drink is not for the weak!

Oaxaca Itinerary: Day 3

Hierve El Agua

Hierve El Agua is a must-visit attraction, and should not be missed from any Oaxaca itinerary.

The name translates to “the water boils,” but despite the name, the water is not actually hot. It’s a set of natural rock formations that resemble cascading waterfalls frozen in time. These formations are created by the buildup of minerals from the water that flows over the cliffs, giving them a petrified appearance.

Hierve El Agua is unique – unlike anything else I saw in Mexico!

I recommend getting up as early as possible and heading to Hierve El Agua for opening time. It will come as no surprise that this attraction gets extremely busy to expect to see crowds if you arrive at midday.

The best views of the ‘waterfalls’ are from the bottom, and you can take a circular hike that takes around an hour to complete. It is very clear where to head, and you do not need a guide for this. (Although there will undoubtedly be some hanging around if you choose to do so.)

Getting to Hierve El Agua

Many tours run day trips from central Oaxaca to Hierve El Agua. However, this is a journey that can be done easily without a guide. Instead, you will need to take the public bus to Mitla. This costs just $20 MXN per person, and picks you up from just outside the baseball station. You will know that you’re in the right place because of the large number of taxis around.

From Mitla, you must take a colectivo to Hierve El Agua. The colectivo costs $75 MXN per person and takes around 90 minutes. You will have to wait until the colectivo is full before the driver will depart. Typically, this is around 15 guests.

Read the Full Guide: How to Get to Hierve El Agua From Oaxaca City

Visit Mitla

After spending your morning at Hierve El Agua, an afternoon at Mitla is the perfect accompaniment. Simply take the colectivo back from Hierve El Agua to Mitla, and then it is a short walk to the entrance.

Mitla is known for its well-preserved ruins of pre-Columbian Zapotec civilisation. The name “Mitla” comes from the Nahuatl word “Mictlán,” which means “place of the dead” or “underworld.”

Interestingly, Mitla’s most significant constructions were built during the Classic period (200-900 CE).

The site consists of several ceremonial platforms, palaces, and tombs adorned with intricate stone mosaics, known as grecas. These mosaics are remarkable for their intricate geometric designs, often featuring symbols representing Zapotec cosmology and beliefs.

The site’s significance lies not only in its architectural beauty but also in its historical and cultural importance. It served as a centre for Zapotec religious ceremonies and possibly as a royal residence. Mitla is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Oaxaca Itinerary: Day 4

Head to The Botanical Gardens

Oaxaca is known for its rich biodiversity, and the botanical gardens offer a fantastic opportunity to explore and appreciate the region’s diverse flora. You’ll encounter a wide variety of plant species, including many native to the area, displayed in beautiful landscapes.

Unfortunately, you cannot just wander around the Oaxacan botanical gardens at your own pace; you have to take a tour. English tours are only available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 am.

However, my advice is to get there early! We arrived thirty minutes beforehand and were greeted with a huge queue. You need to get there around one hour beforehand to secure a spot on the tour.

Visit The Tule Tree

The Tule Tree, or El Árbol del Tule in Spanish, is a famous Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) located in the town of Santa María del Tule. It is renowned for its enormous size and age, estimated to be over 1,400 years old.

The Tule Tree’s trunk has a circumference of about 42 meters (138 feet), making it the widest tree in the world.

The tree has become a significant cultural and historical symbol in Mexico, often featured in folklore and indigenous stories. It is also a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world who marvel at its immense size and learn about its cultural significance.

Now, I have mixed opinions on the famous Oaxacan Tule Tree. I read somewhere that it could be a beautiful walk from central Oaxaca, so fueled up on tacos, I donned my walking boots and set off.

This is hands down the most boring hike I’ve ever done! Instead, I recommend taking the bus. We did this on the return journey, and it’s quick, cheap, and efficient.

The town of Santa Maria del Tule is a small, pretty town with a nice square. It’s a great place to relax and grab a spot of lunch.

The tree itself is within the grounds of a church, which costs $20MXN to enter. We spent around twenty minutes looking at the tree and enjoying the green space.

Oaxaca Itinerary: Day 5

Take A Cooking Class

Oaxaca is known for its incredible, unique cuisine. In fact, after spending over four months in Mexico this year, I was astounded at how different the food is here compared to the rest of the country.

By day five of our Oaxaca Itinerary, you’ll be more than familiar with the delicious cuisine in the city. So what better way to round off your trip than with an Oaxaca cooking class?

Some great options include:

Traditional Oaxacan Cooking Class with Market Visit

Vegetarian Cooking Class

Traditional Oaxacan Food Cooking Class

More Time in Oaxaca?

If you’re lucky enough to have more than five days in Oaxaca, I recommend heading to the coast.

You can easily get from the city centre to Puerto Escondido via the new highway (opened in February 2024). The ADO bus takes just over three hours and is a smooth, relaxed journey.

Puerto Escondido is a great place to stay because it has a variety of beaches, from the huge main ‘Playa Zicatela’ to the picturesque cove ‘Playa Carrizalillo’. If your diary allows, I would reserve at least three days to explore the many beaches Puerto Escondido offers.

If you have extra days, head to the hippy town of Mazunte. It’s just 90 minutes down the road and offers an entirely different vibe. To get from Puerto Escondido to Mazunte, simply take the bus to the small town of San Antonio then jump in a collectivo to the beautiful town of Mazunte.

Read the Full Guide: 8 Incredible Beaches in Oaxaca