Sure, 5 days is short for a Oaxaca itinerary but during this time, you can easily cover all the important landmarks and best things to do in Oaxaca. When planning a trip to Oaxaca, it’s important to consider a few things before finalizing your itinerary. Here are some key points:

• The best time to visit Oaxaca is from November to April. While July marks the rainy season, it’s also when the vibrant Guelaguetza festival takes place.
• October is Day of The Dead, the most festive season in Mexico so you might also want to plan your Oaxaca itinerary around this time! However, make sure to plan 6 months – 1 year in advance.
• The best area to stay in Oaxaca is in the Zocalo or the Historic Center. Refer to this Oaxaca accommodations map that is already set in the safe and best areas.
• Oaxaca is a city rich in culture and history, so take the time to research and prioritize the sites you want to see. Oaxaca is known for its delicious cuisine, so make sure to indulge in the local specialties like mole and tlayudas.

Oaxaca is a city that’s brimming with culture, history, and flavor. From stunning colonial architecture to traditional markets and exquisite cuisine, this city has something to offer every kind of traveler.

In this Oaxaca itinerary, we’ll take you on a journey through the best of Oaxaca, from the iconic landmarks to the hidden gems, all through our first-hand and local experiences!

Day 1 Oaxaca Itinerary

Note that check-in time in Oaxaca City is 3:00 PM. I know that’s super late especially if you took the night bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca but this is a very common check-in time in Mexico.

You can definitely leave your things at your hotel or ask for an early check-in depending on availability and fees. While waiting for check-in time, explore the city on your day 1 Oaxaca itinerary!

Lunch at Oaxaca Market: Mercado 20 de Noviembre

The Oaxacan markets are part of the daily life of the Oaxaqueños so you’ll see many locals having lunch here. Inside the Mercado 20 de Noviembre (mercado means market), you will find many food stalls that sell big plates of typical Oaxacan food. It’s the best way to familiarize yourself with Oaxacan culture!

Explore colorful streets of Oaxaca

Those colorful photos of Mexico on Instagram and Pinterest? They’re all taken in Oaxaca City. This is probably the liveliest and most upbeat city you’ll ever visit in Mexico because of its vibrant colors. What I love about walking around Oaxaca City is just discovering cafes and restaurants that aren’t in any guidebooks!

Below are some of the areas that you need to explore during your Oaxaca City walk:

• 📍 Andador Turistico: the main tourist corridor of Oaxaca City
• 📍 Oaxaca Zocalo: markets, local plaza life, bars, and restaurants
• 📍 Jalatlaco neighborhood: the best neighborhood in Oaxaca City that’s about 20 min walk from the center

Dinner at a local Tlayuda stand

Tlayuda is an original Oaxacan dish and the best one I’ve tried (not just in Oaxaca but in the country) is the Tlayuda cart at the corner of Minas and Bustamante streets in Oaxaca. This place is flocked by locals but you won’t be in line for long because of their very efficient system.

For only $4, you can get a big Tlayuda which is good for 4 people sharing! There are no seats here so you’ll truly experience local life.

👉🏽 Related: 25 Iconic Oaxaca Street Food Stalls To Visit

Mezcal at Los Amantes mezcaleria

Now, for your first mezcal in Oaxaca, I am going to bring you to a super cool place called Los Amantes. Located in the center of town, this is where you can find the premium-grade mezcal in the city. It’s not a cheap place and cocktails start at $15 which is expensive in Mexican standard but the ambience is great and they have their own mezcal brand!

👉🏽 Read Next: The Best Mezcalerias in Oaxaca

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Day 2 Oaxaca Itinerary

Start your day 2 Oaxaca itinerary with a breakfast at Cafe El Volador or Cafebre. These are breakfast institutions in Oaxaca and they have a variety of international and Oaxacan dishes!

Oaxaca mezcal tour (6-7 hours)

You are already in Oaxaca so it’s not right to miss a mezcal tour. Take an hour drive out to Santa Catarina de Minas, about an hour’s drive from Oaxaca City. I had the great pleasure of visiting this local family-owned palenque and was able to learn everything about the production of mezcal.

The best part of this tour is that they took me to the agave fields where they are growing wild agave plants! This is an intensive mezcal tour so if you are into culture, this is a must-add to your Oaxaca itinerary!

✅ CHECK AVAILABILITY FOR OAXACA MEZCAL TOUR

Sunset drinks and early dinner at Vaca Marina

You’re expected to return to Oaxaca City around 5 PM, probably buzzed from all the mezcal shots in the palenque. Head straight to Vaca Marina, one of my favorite bars in Oaxaca City! Rooftop bars and restaurants are pretty common in Oaxaca. It is a cultural trend as you get to enjoy great views of the city, with the Oaxaca Cathedral as center-stage.

Day 3 Oaxaca Itinerary

Begin your day 3 Oaxaca itinerary at Boulenc, one of the best breakfast spots in Oaxaca City. It is a very popular spot so chances are you won’t get a table. If it’s full, you can order takeaway from their bakery (left side of the restaurant entrance). Also, order coffee that will go along with your fresh bread!

Oaxaca textile tour (6-7 hours)

Another activity that will make your Oaxaca itinerary complete is the textile tour in Teotitlan. On this tour, you will get to experience and see the tedious process of making bags, carpets, and even yoga mats from their old-school machinery. This is also a very local tour as you will particularly go to the house of the artisan family.

✅ BOOK THIS EXPERIENCE

Dinner and drinks at Jalatlaco neighborhood

Jalatlaco is very pretty during the day but the bars and restaurants are livelier in the evening. For the best experience, come here during your city walk and then come back to spend the evening drinking and eating. There are many cool places to have dinner here. If you just want to walk around, the street food stalls start at 8:00 PM. Here, they also sell many iconic Oaxacan foods.

Day 4 Oaxaca Itinerary

This is a full-day adventure in Oaxaca’s petrified waterfalls. There are many breakfast stalls at the entrance of the waterfa

Private trip to Hierve el Agua (you decide how many hours!)

Hierve El Agua Oaxaca is one of the weird natural wonders of the world. I’ve never seen anything like it! It’s quite a drive to get there but it’s definitely worth seeing. You can enjoy great views, hike to see the waterfalls up close, and even swim in the natural waters!

✅ BOOK PRIVATE HIERVE EL AGUA TOUR

🎊 Tip: You can also combine Hierve El Agua with a short visit to the world-famous Tule Tree and Mitla Archaeological Site.

Day 5 Oaxaca Itinerary

Souvenir shopping

For your last day, you can dedicate it to shopping for souvenirs or going around the city to visit the areas you missed. One of the best places to start is at the Mercado de Artesanias, a large indoor market filled with stalls selling all kinds of traditional handicrafts, including textiles, pottery, and wooden carvings.

For high-quality textiles, head to the Casa de las Artesanias de Oaxaca, which is run by the state government and showcases the work of skilled artisans.

For unique and eclectic finds, visit the Tianguis de la Merced, a weekly outdoor market that takes place on Fridays in the La Merced neighborhood. And for those looking for high-end folk art, the Galeria Quetzalli is a must-visit destination.

Departure from Oaxaca City at night

In all my Oaxaca visits, I always opt for the night flight to Mexico City or take the overnight bus to Mexico City to save on accommodations. Busses in Mexico are super comfortable so if you are flying to your home country from Mexico City, there are many night busses and probably 2-night flights that cater to this route.

This way, you can still enjoy a full day in Oaxaca City. The bus to Mexico City from Oaxaca City starts at $28 and the trip duration is about 6-7 hours. These buses are comfortable for sleeping on so don’t worry!

Oaxaca Itinerary 5 Days

Here’s the summary of a sample Oaxaca itinerary for 5 days. Feel free to save it and modify according to your liking!

How many days do you need in Oaxaca?

I feel like 4 days in Oaxaca is already enough but I always tell clients and readers who have more time in Oaxaca to combine it with other places like Puerto Escondido.

I did a Oaxaca road trip covering Oaxaca City, San Jose del Pacifico, Huatulco, Mazunte, and Puerto Escondido for 14 days! If you have 10 days in Mexico, this is one of the best trips to take.

What is there to do in Oaxaca in 4 days?

There are many things to see and do! However, in this Oaxaca itinerary, I will only share with you the essentials, especially if you only have 4 days.

It can get too overwhelming to do them all. The key things that you have to remember when planning your Oaxaca itinerary are mezcal tastings, Hierve El Agua, and artisan trips.

These three are the most important highlights of the Oaxacan culture because you will not experience this in other parts of Mexico. These are things that you will only find in Oaxaca City!

📌 Pin this Oaxaca Itinerary on Pinterest for later! 📌