Puerto Escondido ↔ Oaxaca City

Destination guide

Oaxaca City travel guide

What Oaxaca City is like

Oaxaca City sits in a high valley at about 1,500 m, ringed by mountains, and is the cultural capital of the state. Its historic centre, together with the nearby archaeological site of Monte Albán, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: low colonial buildings in green stone and bright colours, churches, courtyards and markets, all easy to explore on foot.

It suits travelers who like food, history, crafts and walking around a city with a strong local identity. After the beach, expect cooler mornings and evenings and a very different rhythm.

What to do in Oaxaca City

Walk from the Zócalo up the pedestrian street to the Templo de Santo Domingo, with its gilded interior and the museum and ethnobotanical garden next door. Eat your way through the markets, where you will find mole, tlayudas, chocolate, tejate and chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), and try mezcal, which is made in many villages around the valley.

Day trips cover a lot of ground: the ruins of Monte Albán on the hill above the city and Mitla to the east, the giant Tule tree, the mineral springs and rock formations of Hierve el Agua, and craft villages known for rugs, black pottery or painted wooden figures called alebrijes.

When to go

The valley is pleasant most of the year. The dry season, roughly November to May, has sunny days and cool nights, with April and May the warmest months. From about June to October afternoon storms are common, but mornings are often clear and the countryside turns green.

Two periods fill the city: the Guelaguetza festival of regional dances in July, and Day of the Dead at the end of October and the start of November. Christmas, New Year and Easter week are also busy, so book accommodation early for any of these.

Practical tips

Three or four days is a good minimum for the city and a couple of day trips. Most visitors stay in or near the historic centre, or in quieter neighbourhoods such as Jalatlaco, where you can walk almost everywhere; for day trips, use tours, taxis or a private driver. Many restaurants and hotels take cards, but markets and street food are mostly cash, and ATMs are easy to find in the centre.

Pack a warm layer for the evenings. The private transfer links the city and Puerto Escondido in one go, with stops for coffee, a viewpoint or lunch. You can also ask to go through San José del Pacífico and break the journey with a night in the mountains.