Last updated on July 29th, 2026
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Three days in Oaxaca City is all you need to fall in love with this incredible Mexican destination, and this itinerary will show you how.
Oaxaca City is the perfect destination for a short and sweet Mexican getaway.
As a born-and-raised Mexican, I’m embarrassed by how long it has taken me to make it to beautiful Oaxaca. To be fair, our country is massive, but still, Oaxaca has quickly become one of my favorite places in my native Mexico.
With beautiful, vibrant colonial architecture, world-renowned cuisine, and a vibrant artistic community, there are so many reasons to visit Oaxaca. Luckily, 3 days is enough to get a good taste of what this unique Mexican destination has to offer.
This 3-day Oaxaca itinerary will take you through the best things to do in Oaxaca City in a day, followed by a full-day trip and a half-day trip on the third day, giving you a well-rounded trip to Oaxaca. So let’s dive in!
3 Days in Oaxaca City: A Complete Itinerary
Where to stay in Oaxaca City
First things first, where to stay in Oaxaca City? The city is not too big, but since you only have 3 days in Oaxaca, you will want to stay in the city center to make the most of each day.
Also, staying in Oaxaca City’s center guarantees you’ll have access to Uber, since it only operates in the most central area of town.
⭐️Before you go: Don’t miss my complete Oaxaca City guide, where you’ll find more information on transportation, safety, drinking water, and more.
My Oaxaca City hotel pick:
With that being said, when I visited Oaxaca City, I stayed in this beautiful boutique hotel just a couple of blocks outside the city center, and loved it!
Hotel AYOOK is a beautifully designed hotel, just at the edge of the Historic Center, with minimalist décor with Mexican touches, and the best hotel breakfast I ever had.
I know I just said to stay in the city center, but I fell in love with the look of this hotel, and I didn’t mind the extra steps to the city. If it got dark before we got back to the hotel, we took a short Uber ride back.
Where to stay in Oaxaca City Center:
If you would rather stay closer to Oaxaca City Center, here are some other beautiful options.
- Boulenc Bed and Bread: Effortlessly stylish hotel with breakfast included, from one of the best breakfast restaurants in Oaxaca City.
- NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca: Central hotel with a clean and modern take on Mexican folklore.
- City Centro by Marriott: All the elegance of Marriott with a bright Mexican touch of color.
Day 1 in Oaxaca: A busy day in the city center
The first day in Oaxaca City will be a super productive one—but not rushed—including visits to the must-see attractions, such as an iconic church and a gorgeous garden, a stroll along the main pedestrian avenue, delicious local cuisine, and much more.
Breakfast at Boulenc
Start your day right at one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca City, Boulenc, a spacious, airy cafe/bakery serving delicious artisan bread, pastries, and some of the best breakfast in Oaxaca City.
The menu consists of brunch classics: pancakes, Croque Monsieur, and the most beautiful fruit and granola bowl I have ever seen. If what you want is true Mexican brunch, then opt for the delicious molletes; toasted sourdough bread topped with a layer of beans sprinkled with cheese, accompanied by pico de gallo.
The restaurant offers an industrial-chic atmosphere, excellent coffee, and the perfect location to kickstart the day’s adventures.
Reserve a tour spot at Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca
Right after breakfast—if it’s close to 10 am, the garden’s opening hour—head over to the Jardín Etnobotánico to reserve a spot for their 11 am English tour.
The only way to visit the garden is with a guided tour, a measure implemented to protect the plants, and one that is very convenient for the curious traveler since, for a small fee, you get admission to the gardens and a very informative guided tour.
This garden is where you’ll get to see the massive cacti that are all over Instagram, plus plenty of other unique Mexican plants.
The guided tour costs 100 Mexican pesos, around 6 USD, and according to the official Jardin Etnobotanico de Oaxaca website, it lasts around two hours.
Sip Oaxaca’s famous hot chocolate at “Oaxaca en una Taza”
If you arrive at the Jardín Etnobotánico at the opening hour, that means you probably have some time to kill before your tour begins. To use this time wisely, go across the street and stop by Oaxaca en una Taza, a little cafe known for its delicious Oaxacan hot chocolate.
The cafe also offers coffee and pastries, but their true specialty is the hot chocolate. You can order it milk- or water-based, with milk being my favorite for a creamier, frothier finish.
Shop various local brands at Marias Arte & Diseño
After that delicious hot chocolate, make your way to Marias Arte & Diseño, a beautifully curated store with works from all kinds of local artists and craftspeople.
Here you can find the most beautiful ceramics, adorable postcards crafted by local artists, handmade clothing items, books by local writers and artists, and so much more.
Marias Arte & Diseño is the perfect place to get high-quality souvenirs to add a little Mexican folklore to your home.
If I had somewhere to put them, I would’ve bought so many ceramic pieces. I had to stop myself and only got a little mezcalero cup that I use as a jewelry holder while traveling.
Visit the iconic Templo de Santo Domingo
Your next stop will be the unmissable Templo de Santo Domingo, which you probably walked past on the way to the garden.
This New Spanish Baroque-style Dominican temple is one of the main architectural attractions of the city, with one of its most noticeable features being the fact that it’s green-ish.
The distinctive color of Templo de Santo Domingo comes from its main element: massive pieces of green Cantera, a unique Mexican rock that gives the building its attractive minty glow.
- Optional activities: Sign up for a tour of the inside of the church, or visit the Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca.
Lunch at Zandunga Sabor Itsmeño: Traditional Oaxacan food in a modern venue
For lunch, make your way to Zandunga Sabor Itsmeño, a beautifully designed modern Mexican restaurant with elevated—yet authentic—Oaxacan cuisine.
Zandunga came highly recommended to me by locals as one of the best restaurants in Oaxaca City for incredible local cuisine, and in a gorgeous venue—it’s the perfect restaurant for foodies and design lovers.
Don’t worry, we’ll also get down and dirty with street food carts and visits to local markets later in the trip, but I think Zandunga is the perfect place for your first day in the city.
While visiting, I tried their highly raved-about tamal de mole, and I just have to say that the reviews were not exaggerating—it’s so freaking good! Same as their Tlayuda, so come hungry.
Definitely a spot that needs to exist in your 3-day Oaxaca City itinerary!
Stroll along the Andador Turístico
If you eat your body weight in mole, that’s alright; you can walk it off after lunch at the colorful Andador Turístico, the main pedestrian avenue that cuts through Oaxaca City center.
The Andador Turístico is lined with brightly painted colonial-style houses, adorable local shops and cafes, perfect for exploring at a leisurely pace.
This main road is also used by locals to gather for town festivities. You might even find yourself in the middle of one without warning, as we did.
We ended up following a marching band around the city and ended up at an improvised dance party in a plaza—you know, your average Tuesday in Oaxaca City.
Afternoon pick-me-up at Café Brújula Alcalá
If you’re in need of a little afternoon cafecito, Café Brújula is the place to go.
Café Brújula is Oaxaca City’s original specialty coffee shop—so you know you’re getting an excellent cup of coffee. And because it’s Oaxaca, you know the brand design is also beautifully folkloric, but with a modern twist.
The pioneering coffee shop offers a few locations around Oaxaca City, with Alcalá being the closest one to you while exploring Andador Turístico.
This particular location also has a charming courtyard where you can slow down, hang out, and enjoy your coffee.
Visit the charming Zócalo square
At the end of your Andador Turístico walk, you’ll end up at el Zócalo of Oaxaca City, also known as Plaza de la Constitución, a typical Mexican picturesque square with musicians, balloon-sellers, shoe-shiners, vendors, and locals hanging out in the afternoon.
A cute spot to sit down for a bit and see the pace of local Oaxaca City life all around you.
You’ll probably also find a few souvenir stands here, but if you’re patient, I would advise you to wait for a future visit to the Artisan Market where you’ll find better and cheaper, high-quality souvenirs.
A quick museum stop at Museo Textil de Oaxaca
After admiring the charming liveliness of Plaza de la Constitución, make your way to Museo Textil de Oaxaca, a small museum dedicated to the textiles of the region, something Oaxaca is known for.
The museum is very modest, so it’s a quick visit, and with free admission, it’s hard to pass it up.
It’s open every day until 8 pm, and it has a beautiful interior courtyard that’s worth checking out.
Delicious dinner at Tacos Roy
For dinner, make your way back in the direction of the Zócalo and head straight to Tacos Roy.
Tacos are not necessarily a meal that Oaxaca is known for; however, something Oaxaca is famous for is its unique corn, and the corn tortillas used in Tacos Roy are out-of-this-world good!
I would recommend their tacos al pastor, but whatever you choose, just make sure you get the corn tortillas.
Evening drinks at Mezcalogia
In Mexico, we have a saying that goes “Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, también”, which translates to “for everything bad mezcal, and for everything good as well”, and I think that’s beautiful.
So let’s follow that Mexican wisdom.
Arrive at Mezcalogia, a snug mezcal bar serving—you guessed it—an extensive menu of mezcal to be enjoyed by itself, or if straight mezcal is a bit too hardcore for you, you can opt for one of their delicious cocktails—all mezcal-based, of course.
The space has a friendly and intimate atmosphere, perfect for a drink or two to end your first day in Oaxaca City.
Day 2 in Oaxaca City: Day trip to the archeological site of Mitla, the iconic Hierve El Agua, and more
An unmissable thing to do during a 3-day Oaxaca City itinerary is to take a day trip out of the city to explore some of the many towns and unique activities just a short drive away.
The best way to do this efficiently is to book a guided tour; even I, as a Mexican, opted for this option to keep things as simple and convenient as possible.
When looking for day trips from Oaxaca, you’ll notice that most tours have very similar itineraries, with almost the same activities and stops along the way, so it might be hard to narrow it down.
This Oaxaca day trip tour is a great option; it comes highly reviewed, and it includes almost all the same stops I did last time: a visit to the historic Tule tree, the archeological site of Mitla, a mezcal tasting, and a trip to the one-of-a-kind Hierve El Agua petrified waterfalls.
The great thing about booking a tour like this is that you’ll get picked up at your hotel, you get transportation throughout the whole day, and you get a better understanding of every stop and experience through your guide’s shared wisdom.
One thing I will highly recommend doing when taking a day trip with any of these tours is to pack your own lunch; any street food stand around your hotel will definitely have better food than the overpriced, mediocre buffets most tours stop by.
⭐️Don’t forget to carry some local cash, preferably in smaller denominations. You’ll need it to pay the entrance fee to all attractions, from 20-90 Mexican pesos. It will also come in handy for making smaller purchases and tipping tour guides.
Book your dates before it sells out:
Dinner back in Oaxaca City
With a duration of approximately 10 hours, this tour will take most of your day and will have you arriving back in Oaxaca City somewhere around six to seven in the evening.
For dinner, stop by Levadura de Olla Restaurante, an Oaxacan restaurant specialized in indigenous recipes and local ingredients that came highly recommended to me by locals.
We didn’t get the chance to visit during our trip, but don’t be like us. Or if you want to be like us, just grab some tlayudas for dinner at a street food stand.
Day 3 in Oaxaca City: Short day trip to Monte Albán, visiting colorful Barrio Jalatlaco
Morning day trip to Monte Albán
Another iconic site in the area that you shouldn’t miss during your three days in Oaxaca is the archeological site of Monte Albán, an ancient Zapotec metropolis.
This historically significant location tends to be included in long day trip tours from Oaxaca City, which I don’t think is the best option for the last day here. Luckily, I found this unique Monte Albán tour that only focuses on visiting this ancient gem.
This half-day Monte Albán tour from Oaxaca City is the best of both worlds since it helps you tick this must-visit spot off the list without spending all day in a van. Lasting only three to four hours, it leaves you plenty of time to explore other important areas of Oaxaca City.
Book your Monte Albán day trip here:
Lunch: Authentic Oaxacan food at Mercado 20 de Noviembre
Ideally, you managed to schedule the Monte Albán tour in the morning so you’re back in Oaxaca City at noon and hungry for lunch.
For one of the best and cheapest meals of your life, head over to Mercado 20 de Noviembre, a bustling traditional market packed with fresh produce stalls and casual street food stands frequented by locals—so you know they are good.
My strategy walking into this busy market was to follow the crowds and go where the locals go, and when I found a construction crew sitting at one unassuming stand, I knew I had found the right place.
I paid 50 Mexican pesos, around 3 USD, for three decently sized chorizo memelitas, a thicker-than-a-tortilla corn disc smothered with beans, cheese, and chorizo, and as simple as that sounds, it was hands down the best meal I had on this trip!
Make sure to also wander through the market where you could pick up some delicious bread or Oaxacan chocolate to take home as a souvenir.
Visit the artistic Jalatlaco neighborhood
After lunch, it’s time to wander the colorful streets of Barrio de Jalatlalco, a charming neighborhood a short walk from the Oaxaca City center.
The area is known for being packed with unique and intricate murals covering business walls as well as residential houses. It basically looks like the most folkloric open-air museum you have ever seen. It’s amazing!
Barrio de Jalatlaco is also one of the oldest parts of Oaxaca City and has recently been given the title of Barrio Mágico, or magical neighborhood, a badge that honors a combination of factors such as history and culture in an area that makes it unique and unrepeatable.
Jalatlaco was my favorite thing I discovered while visiting Oaxaca City, and that’s why I think it deserves a spot in your itinerary, even if you are only spending 3 days in Oaxaca.
Tlayudas for dinner
To finish off the day, you have to try tlayudas, a typical Oaxacan street food that you’ll surely find around every corner.
The strategy is the same as at the Mercado 20 de Noviembre: go where the locals go, look for the busy street food carts.
However, if you prefer a fixed plan instead, head over to the highly rated Tlayudas las Ánimas for a delicious last meal in Oaxaca City.
Final thoughts on a 3-day Oaxaca City itinerary
With its charming colonial buildings, renowned culinary scene, thriving art community, and comfortably-sized city center, Oaxaca City is the perfect choice for a quick Mexican getaway.
You can truly explore most of Oaxaca City center in one day, so spending 3 days here is the perfect amount to get a vibe of the place and, as this itinerary shows, take a few day trips out of the city.
From visiting the historic Monte Alban, to the archaeological site in Mitla and stopping by the small towns outside of Oaxaca City known for their artisanal textiles, there are so many fun things to complement your itinerary.
I hope this 3-day Oaxaca City itinerary helps you plan the perfect trip to this unique Mexican destination. What are you most looking forward to about your trip to Oaxaca? Let us know in the comments.
Save this Oaxaca City itinerary for later!
Your future self will thank you.