Bicycle Tour through Oaxaca: Urban Art & History

Ride the colorful streets where Oaxaca's street art and centuries collide.

A two-hour guided bicycle tour through the City of Oaxaca covers the neighborhoods of Jalatlaco and Xochimilco, the colonial arches of the San Felipe aqueduct, and the Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, with a local guide explaining the art, history and pre-Hispanic roots of each stop. The tour includes a bicycle, helmet and technical assistance. A viewpoint option is available depending on group fitness. English and Spanish guides are available, and the minimum age is 18.

Step-by-step itinerary

Bicycle tour of Oaxaca city highlights

• Receive bikes, helmets, and guide
• Visit Jalatlaco neighborhood murals
• Explore Xochimilco neighborhood and aqueduct
• Stop at viewpoint for city panorama
• Visit Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán

The experience

How do you see a whole city without spending the day in a car? You ride through it. The tour starts in the City of Oaxaca and moves through the oldest neighborhoods on two wheels, covering ground fast enough to hit the places that matter: Jalatlaco with its Day of the Dead murals, Xochimilco with its pre-colonial buildings and colonial arches, the viewpoint on the highest hill near the center for panoramic shots, and the Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. A local guide leads the way, stopping to explain what you're looking at: the urban art, the history layered into the streets, the social weight of the places Oaxacans actually live in, not just pass through.

The neighborhoods themselves are the point. Jalatlaco sits in one of the most popular areas of the city, known for its unique architecture and the colorful murals that reference the city's celebrations. You'll have time to photograph and absorb the urban planning that makes it work. Xochimilco, founded in 1486 by Xochimilca warriors, holds some of the oldest buildings in the city. The arches you see there were built in the mid-eighteenth century as part of the San Felipe aqueduct that supplied water to the population. The Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is one of the most beautiful churches in Latin America: baroque architecture from 1570, now a cultural center with a museum, ethnobotanical garden, library and archive inside it. Depending on how the group feels, you may also reach the viewpoint on the city's highest nearby hill, where the light and the view make photographs worth stopping for.

You get the bicycle, helmet and a guide who knows the city. The ride takes two hours and moves at a pace that lets you actually see what's around you instead of rushing past it. Bicycles come in sizes XL, L, M and S. The tour runs in the morning or afternoon, and a local guide speaks either English or Spanish. Let the operator know which you need when you book.

What’s included

• Bicycle and helmet.
• local guide in English or Spanish.
• technical assistance throughout the ride.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 09:00 and 16:00

AgesAdult (18 to 85 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “The meeting point is a 3 minute walk from the Ethnobotanical Garden, on the side of the Hotel Azul Oaxaca, yellow house with blue metal door and a tree outside, Café Mudu just on the side opens at 7 am and have…”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Bike and Road Trips Oaxaca

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to cover more ground than a walking tour allows while staying in the city center. You'll bike through neighborhoods to see colonial architecture and street art at a pace that lets you actually absorb what you're seeing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What neighborhoods will I ride through on this bicycle tour of Oaxaca?

The tour covers Jalatlaco and Xochimilco, the oldest neighborhoods in the City of Oaxaca. Jalatlaco is known for its colorful murals evoking Day of the Dead celebrations and traditional comparsas. Xochimilco, founded in 1486, holds pre-colonial buildings and the colonial arches of the San Felipe aqueduct built in the mid-eighteenth century.

Is the Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán included in this tour?

Yes. The Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is a stop on the tour. Built starting in 1570, it is one of the most beautiful churches in Latin America and now functions as a cultural center with a museum, ethnobotanical garden, library and archive inside.

How long is the bicycle tour and what's included?

The tour lasts two hours and includes a bicycle, helmet, a local guide, and technical assistance along the way. Bicycles are available in sizes XL, L, M and S.

Can I see a viewpoint of the whole city on this tour?

Depending on the group's physical condition, the tour may include a stop at the viewpoint on the highest hill near the center of Oaxaca, where you can see panoramic views of the city: excellent for photographs and sunsets.

Is there a minimum age for this bicycle tour?

Yes, the minimum age is 18. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health.