Things to do in Oaxaca City
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Oaxaca: Hierve el Agua, Mitla & Mezcal Day Trip with LunchYou’ll walk beneath the world’s widest tree in Tule, hike and swim at Hierve el Agua’s mineral pools, explore Mitla’s ancient ruins with a local guide, watch Zapotec weavers at work in Teotitlán del Valle, and taste smoky mezcal straight from the source—all packed into one full Oaxaca day trip that lingers long after you’re home.
Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla tour: Four stops in one dayA 12-hour guided tour of Oaxaca visiting the ancient Tule Tree, a traditional weaving workshop in Teotitlán del Valle, the Mitla Archaeological Site, and Hierve el Agua's petrified waterfalls, with mezcal tasting and air-conditioned transport included. Entrance fees to three sites are paid separately in cash; lunch is also separate. Available in English or Spanish with a live guide; minimum age 14.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see Hierve el Agua's petrified waterfalls and Mitla's archaeological detail in a single day without renting a car or navigating between sites yourself—the guide handles the route and timing, and the long morning-to-evening schedule fits all four stops into one trip.
Monte Albán guided tour from Oaxaca: Expert archaeologist guideA half-day guided tour of Monte Albán departing from Oaxaca with a live guide in Spanish or English, plus air-conditioned transport and traveler insurance. The guide explains the archaeological site's history and layout during the walk; afterward you have free time to explore and photograph on your own. Site admission is separate.Is it for me?The guide's depth and passion are what make this tour different — you get someone who knows the site and wants you to understand it, not just pass through. The free shuttle option means you're not locked into the group's schedule if you want to linger.
Oaxaca: 3 Markets Food Walking Tour & 24 TastingsYou’ll taste your way through three lively Oaxaca markets with a local guide, sampling over 24 traditional dishes — from smoky grilled meats to sweet chocolate de agua and even crunchy chapulines if you’re brave. Expect laughter around crowded tables, stories behind every bite, and a feeling that lingers long after you leave.
Oaxaca: Market Food Tour with Gastronomy Researcher & 20 TastingsYou’ll wander Oaxaca’s markets with a certified gastronomy researcher as your guide—tasting over twenty local foods from smoky tacos to pre-Hispanic drinks like pulque and tejate. Meet producers who share their stories while you snack, laugh at your own attempts at Spanish, and leave smelling faintly of chiles (in a good way). Come hungry—you’ll remember this one.
Monte Albán tour from Oaxaca: Certified guide, UNESCO siteA half-day tour to Monte Albán, the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site near Oaxaca, with a certified guide in English or Spanish and hotel pickup. The tour covers the history and culture of this ancient Zapotec city over roughly 2.5 hours of exploration, with pickup beginning at 7:00 am to account for the entry queue. A certified guide leads the visit; hotel pickup and drop-off are included.Is it for me?A certified guide reveals the Zapotec city's history and layout as you move through the site, transforming the entry queue into part of your discovery rather than a wait.
Oaxaca: Hierve el Agua Day Trip & Mezcal Tasting TourYou’ll feel limestone under your feet at Hierve el Agua, soak in mineral pools with mountain views, and taste real Oaxacan mezcal straight from the source. Local guides share stories as you wander and sample—you might even laugh at yourself trying new words or flavors. A day for slowing down and letting Oaxaca surprise you.
Oaxaca City: Traditional Cooking Class & Family Meal with MezcalYou arrive at a home kitchen in Oaxaca City, learn to make traditional salsas, chile rellenos and other dishes on a wood-fired brasero, then sit down to eat what you cooked with your instructor and other participants. The class runs hands-on from start to finish, includes all ingredients and beverages, and transport to and from your hotel.Is it for me?Book this if you want to cook in an actual home kitchen with someone who learned these recipes from family, not from a culinary school — the informal setting and the shared meal afterward are what make it feel like you've been invited in, not enrolled in a class.
Oaxaca: Cooking Class & Market Tour with Chef OscarYou’ll meet chef Oscar in Oaxaca and start by shopping local markets for fresh ingredients together before heading into his kitchen to cook as a group—no set menu here, so you help decide what’s on the table. Expect hands-on lessons in tortillas, salsas, mole negro, plus lots of laughter and small surprises along the way.
Oaxaca: Mezcal Distillery Tour, Agave Fields & Oaxacan LunchYou’ll ride out from Oaxaca to walk real agave fields in Matatlán, watch artisans roast and distill mezcal step by step, taste as many varieties as you want, and sit down for a traditional Oaxacan lunch—all with stories from your local guide. You might even leave with a new favorite flavor or two.
Oaxaca Private Tours: Monte Albán, Artisan Workshops & MarketsYou ride in a private vehicle with a local guide and skip the standard tour route entirely, spending your day in artisan workshops, archaeological sites, and markets that operate on real community schedules. Pickup, transport, water, and fuel are included; you choose which stops matter to you and how long to stay at each one. No fixed itinerary means no rushing past something that catches your eye.Is it for me?Book this if you want to spend a day in actual artisan workshops and markets rather than tourist-facing stops, and you'd rather have a local guide handle the logistics and introductions than navigate timing and locations yourself — the private vehicle and local connections are what make access to family workshops possible at all.
Oaxaca: Monte Albán, Barro Negro & Alebrijes Day TourYou’ll walk among Monte Albán’s ancient stones with a local guide who shares Zapotec stories, get your hands dirty shaping barro negro in San Bartolo Coyotepec, enjoy Oaxacan lunch at Tierra Mágica (vegan options too), and watch alebrije artisans paint their wild creations in San Martín Tilcajete. This day trip is less about rushing and more about soaking up textures, flavors, and quiet moments you’ll remember long after.
Oaxaca: Traditional Cooking Class with Mezcal & BrunchYou’ll roll up your sleeves beside Oaxacan cocineras, learning old recipes over a wood-fired stove and tasting mezcal as laughter fills the kitchen. Expect hands-on tortilla making, a hearty brunch you cook yourself, and stories shared over every bite—leaving you with more than just recipes.
Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class & Market Walk with Local CookYou’ll wander Oaxaca’s colorful Merced neighborhood with a local cook, shop for fresh organic produce at the market, taste snacks along the way, then return to prepare classic Oaxacan vegetarian dishes together—including mole and dessert. The class ends with everyone sharing lunch and giving thanks—a warm memory you’ll carry home.
Oaxaca: Hierve el Agua, Mitla & Mezcal Distillery Full DayYou visit five distinct sites across the Oaxaca Valley in one day: a 2,000-year-old tree, Mitla's geometric ruins, Teotitlán's natural-dye weavers, Hierve el Agua's mineral pools, and a working mezcal distillery with tasting. A bilingual guide handles transport and timing, lunch is included, and the air-conditioned vehicle means you're not navigating the valley on your own.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the main natural and archaeological highlights of the Oaxaca Valley without arranging transport, entry fees, or timing between five separate stops — the guide handles the route and keeps the day moving so you can focus on each place.
Oaxaca: Monte Albán, Arrazola & Black Pottery Day TripYou’ll stand above Oaxaca at Monte Albán’s ancient ruins, watch artists shape magical alebrijes in Arrazola, wander through sunlit arches at Cuilapam Convent, and see black pottery born from local hands in San Bartolo Coyotepec. Includes hotel pickup and an easy pace so you can actually take it all in.
Oaxaca: Monte Albán, Hierve el Agua, Teotitlán & Mezcal TourYou’ll climb ancient Monte Albán with a local guide, watch Oaxacan weavers spin color into wool at Teotitlán del Valle, float in natural pools above Hierve el Agua’s cliffs, and taste smoky mezcal where it’s made. It’s a day packed with real people and stories — you might find yourself thinking about Oaxaca long after you leave.
Oaxaca: Traditional Cooking Class & Local Market TourYou’ll join Minerva in Oaxaca for a real cooking class: start with a local market trip for fresh ingredients, then learn to make mole or tamales by hand over her wood stove. Taste snacks like quesillo cheese and grasshoppers, share stories with her family, and finish with mezcal and homemade dessert under the open sky.
Monte Albán Full-Day Tour: 5 Oaxaca Artisan WorkshopsA full-day guided tour from Oaxaca that combines a 1.5- to 2-hour hike through the Monte Albán archaeological zone with visits to four artisan workshops in surrounding villages—San Martín Tilcajete, Santo Tomás Jalieza and San Bartolo Coyotepec. A certified guide leads the entire day, hotel pickup is included, and you choose at checkout whether to add a traditional Oaxacan lunch. The itinerary may shift depending on local festivals or hotel pickup routes, and shared tours mean seats are reserved in advance.Is it for me?Book this if you want to combine archaeology with hands-on artisan workshops in one day—the shared van connects five stops including Monte Albán's guided hike and working craftspeople in their homes, rather than visiting sites separately.
Hierve el Agua & Mitla Full Day Tour: 6 Stops with GuideThis full-day guided tour of Oaxaca visits six sites across the region: the petrified waterfalls and natural pools at Hierve el Agua (two hours of free time), the archaeological zone of Mitla with a certified guide, a textile workshop in Teotitlán del Valle where artisans show the wool-rug process, a mezcal factory with tasting, the ancient Tule Tree, and a buffet lunch of traditional Oaxacan food. Hotel pickup starts between 7:30 and 7:50 a.m., and the tour runs 10 to 11 hours total. The guide speaks English or Spanish depending on the option you choose at checkout.Is it for me?Book this if you're arriving without a car—a shared van with a guide handles six stops across culture, archaeology, and nature, with two hours to explore Hierve el Agua at your own pace.
