Oaxaca: Art Walk & Cacao Tasting in Jalatlaco Studios

Summary

Oaxaca murals studio visits printmaking & cacao drinks

You’ll wander Oaxaca’s colorful Jalatlaco streets with a local guide, meet working artists in their studios, try your hand at printmaking (and take your own piece home), then taste three different cacao drinks in Centro’s cozy chocolatería. Expect laughter, paint-stained fingers, and stories you’ll remember long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

“Don’t touch the ink yet — it bites,” our printmaking host joked, grinning as she set down a block of wood and wiped her hands on her apron. I’d barely caught my breath from the mural walk through Jalatlaco, colors still spinning in my mind, when we stepped into her small studio. The street outside was all soft morning noise — dogs barking, someone sweeping, that faint smell of tortillas warming up. Our guide, Diego, seemed to know every artist by name (and gossip), waving at people painting doorways or just chatting in the shade.

I didn’t expect to feel so welcome wandering Oaxaca’s art corners. The murals aren’t just painted walls; they’re stories layered over old stone and cracked plaster. Diego stopped us at a blue wall with a jaguar mask — “This one’s for the kids who play fútbol here after dark,” he said. I tried to imagine growing up with these wild shapes watching you run around. We ducked into two studios: one smelled like turpentine and coffee, another was full of half-finished prints and loud laughter. I fumbled with the carving tool during my turn but nobody minded — someone handed me a sweet tamarind candy and told me to keep going.

The last stop was a tiny chocolatería tucked behind Centro’s busy sidewalks. Three cups came out: thick chocolate de agua (so earthy), then one with cinnamon that made me pause mid-sip, and finally a cold cacao drink that tasted almost smoky. I’m not sure which I liked best — maybe the second one, or maybe just sitting there listening to everyone compare notes on their favorite mural. The light was starting to fade but nobody really wanted to leave yet.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Oaxaca art and cacao tasting

• Discover street art in Jalatlaco
• Visit art studios
• Taste chocolate at chocolateria

Top questions

How long does the Oaxaca art & cacao tour last?

The exact duration isn’t listed, but it includes walking through Jalatlaco and Centro areas with stops at studios and a cacao tasting.

Is this tour suitable for children or people with limited mobility?

Yes, infants and small children can use strollers and service animals are allowed; public transportation is nearby.

Do we get to make our own artwork during the tour?

Yes, you’ll create your own woodblock print using a manual press in an artist’s studio.

What kinds of chocolate drinks do we taste?

You’ll try three different cacao-based drinks during the tasting at a chocolatería in Centro.

Are donations included in the price?

Yes, part of your fee supports art workshops for inmates through the “Grafica Siqueiros” project.

Will we meet local artists on this tour?

Yes, you’ll visit several studios and galleries where you can talk directly with Oaxacan artists.

What’s included

Your day includes guided walks through Oaxaca’s Jalatlaco and Centro neighborhoods, visits to working art studios where you’ll make your own woodblock print on a manual press (and take it home), plus three different cacao-based drinks during a tasting session at a local chocolatería before heading back out into the city’s lively streets.