Oaxaca.

Where we sleep

1. Day 1 · Sat 30 Oct

   Streets before the crowds

   We arrive and walk: the main square, then the gilded church of Santo Domingo, while the city is still putting up its altars.

   • The Zócalo and cathedral1 h

     The shaded main square at the heart of the old centre, with the cathedral on one side and cafés under the arcades. It is the best place to feel the city getting ready.

     What to see

     • The cathedral front
     • The arcades and their cafés
     • The musicians at dusk

     Time

     An hour, or a whole afternoon with a coffee.

     Tip

     From the last days of October the streets around the square stay busy until late, so take a table under the arcades early and keep your phone in a front pocket.

     To eat

     Hot chocolate made with water, and pan de yema, the egg-yolk bread of the region.

   • Santo Domingo and its museum2 h

     A Dominican church with a baroque interior covered in gold, beside the former convent that now houses the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca.

     What to see

     • The gilded interior of the church
     • The museum in the old convent
     • The pedestrian street of Macedonio Alcalá

     Time

     Two hours with the museum.

     Tip

     The museum is closed on Mondays and sources disagree on its hours on other days, so check the INAH site; on a Saturday it should be open.

     To eat

     A tlayuda, the big crisp tortilla with beans and cheese, as an early dinner.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Sun 31 Oct

   Sunday market, then stone

   Tlacolula’s market is at its biggest on Sundays. In the afternoon we go on to Mitla and its walls of tiny stones.

   • Tlacolula Sunday market3 h

     A huge open-air market that takes over the town every Sunday, described as one of the largest and oldest in Oaxaca. It sits about half an hour east of the city.

     What to see

     • Stalls of chiles, spices and mole pastes
     • Tejate, the foamy maize and cacao drink
     • The church on the main square

     Time

     Three hours, slowly.

     Tip

     Go early, because the market is much busier by mid-morning. Carry small notes and a cloth bag, and ask before photographing anyone.

     To eat

     Tejate, and a memela, a thick toasted tortilla with beans.

   • Mitla2 h

     A Zapotec and Mixtec religious centre known for walls of tiny polished stones fitted into geometric patterns without mortar. Its name comes from the Nahuatl word for the place of the dead.

     What to see

     • The stone fretwork of the Columns Group
     • The Hall of Columns
     • The 16th-century church on a pre-Hispanic platform

     Time

     About two hours.

     Tip

     There is hardly any shade among the ruins, so wear a hat and bring water. Visit the church platform last, when the light is lower.

     To eat

     Mezcal from the maguey country around Mitla, sipped slowly with orange and sal de gusano.

3. Day 3 · Mon 1 Nov

   Ruins by day, vigil by night

   Monte Albán in the morning and a market lunch. In the evening, the first night in the cemetery of Xoxocotlán, where we go as quiet guests.

   • Monte Albán3 h

     The Zapotec capital, founded around 500 BC on a levelled mountaintop some 400 metres above the valley. It is part of Oaxaca’s UNESCO World Heritage listing.

     What to see

     • The Great Plaza, about 300 by 150 metres
     • The carved Danzantes stones
     • The view over the valleys

     Time

     Three hours on the hill.

     Tip

     Be there when the gate opens, before the heat and the coaches. At almost 2,000 metres the sun is strong and the plaza has very little shade.

     To eat

     Tamales oaxaqueños in banana leaf, easy to carry for a picnic.

   • 20 de Noviembre Market1 h 30

     A covered market in the old centre where the stalls serve mole negro, chocolate and the egg-yolk bread of the season. Its aisle of charcoal grills is the best-known corner.

     What to see

     • The smoky aisle of the grill stalls
     • Mole negro and chocolate stalls
     • Pan de muerto stacked on the counters

     Time

     An hour and a half for lunch.

     Tip

     Walk the whole market before choosing a stall. The grill aisle fills up at midday, so go a little before noon.

     To eat

     Tasajo and cecina grilled over charcoal, with tortillas, a spring onion and a nopal.

     Photos
   • Xoxocotlán cemeteryEvening

     A town some 5 km from the city where families keep vigil beside graves decorated with flowers, candles and food. It is a family and religious occasion, and visitors are guests.

     What to see

     • Graves covered in petals and candles
     • Families keeping watch through the night
     • The altars in the houses of the town

     Time

     A couple of hours after dark.

     Tip

     Ask before photographing any family, never step on a grave and turn your flash off. Take a taxi both ways, as the roads fill up that night.

     To eat

     Pan de muerto and hot chocolate, the food families put on the altars.

4. Day 4 · Tue 2 Nov

   Weavers and the second night

   A morning among the looms of Teotitlán del Valle, then the General Cemetery at dusk, where families gather around the graves.

   • Teotitlán del Valle3 h

     A Zapotec weaving village about 31 km from the city, known for wool rugs made on hand-operated looms and dyed with cochineal and indigo.

     What to see

     • A family weaving workshop
     • Wool dyed with cochineal and indigo
     • The 16th-century church on a Zapotec site

     Time

     Three hours with a workshop visit.

     Tip

     Ask to see how the red is made from crushed cochineal insects; workshops usually show it in a few minutes. Buying a rug is optional.

     To eat

     Memelas and quesillo, Oaxaca’s string cheese.

   • General Cemetery2 h

     The city’s main cemetery, about a 20-minute walk from the Zócalo, where families clean and decorate the graves of their dead and spend the day beside them.

     What to see

     • Graves with marigolds and candles
     • Families sharing food at the tombs
     • The evening light between the monuments

     Time

     Two quiet hours.

     Tip

     Dress simply, speak softly and ask permission before photographing people. After dark walk back with others, or take a taxi.

     To eat

     Mole negro with chicken, the dish of celebrations.

5. Day 5 · Wed 3 Nov

   Chocolate, then home

   One last church and one last market for bread, chocolate and gifts, before the road home.

   • Basílica de la Soledad1 h

     The church of Oaxaca’s patron, the Virgin of Solitude, with a baroque stone front on a raised plaza.

     What to see

     • The carved stone front
     • The Virgin of Solitude, patron of Oaxaca
     • The plaza outside, for a last rest

     Time

     An hour.

     Tip

     Come on a weekday morning, when the plaza is calm, and walk down to the centre afterwards instead of taking a taxi; it is about ten minutes on foot.

     To eat

     A scoop of nieve, Oaxaca’s hand-churned sorbet, in flavours like tuna or leche quemada.

   • Benito Juárez Market1 h 30

     A large covered market a short walk from the Zócalo, good for breakfast and the last gifts to take home.

     What to see

     • Chocolate and mole pastes
     • Bread, including pan de yema
     • Mezcal and bags of chapulines

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     Buy mole paste and chocolate in sealed bags, and check your airline’s rules before packing mezcal in hand luggage.

     To eat

     Pan de yema with a cup of chocolate de agua, then chapulines, toasted grasshoppers, as a snack.

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.