5 Top Oaxaca City Tours You Shouldn’t Miss

Oaxaca City (aka Oaxaca de Juarez) may be a little less known in all of Mexico, but I guarantee that it is rich in culture, filled with colorful streets and ancient ruins, plus it has some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever tasted. A great way to experience it all, is to take one of the best Oaxaca city tours—and I’ve got them for you.

I’ve done the research—I spent nearly a month there diving headfirst into everything the city had to offer. I personally took every single tour on this list, so what you’re getting here are handpicked, tried-and-tested experiences that truly made my trip unforgettable.

➞ If you are looking for more than just tours, see my list of the absolute best things to do in Oaxaca City.

Monte Albán Archaeological Site

Just 25 minutes from Oaxaca City, the Monte Albán archaeological site feels like you’re walking through a living history book—except with crazy views and ancient ruins instead of dusty pages. I booked a half-day tour through Viator that included a guided walk followed by about an hour of free time to explore on our own. And honestly? It was the perfect amount of time (any longer and I would’ve melted in the sun!).

Monte Albán was home to the Olmecs, Zapotecs, and Mixtecs for over 1,500 years, and the entire site was literally carved into the top of a mountain. I’m talking pyramids, terraces, canals, temples—the whole sacred-city-on-a-hill kind of vibe. It’s mind-blowing to think about how advanced their engineering was, especially considering how ancient it all is. While Oaxaca City is known for its charming colonial architecture, Monte Albán gives you a peek into the brilliance that existed long before the Spanish ever showed up.

➞ Book the same tour I took here: Monte Alban Guided half-day tour

Tour Tips: Don’t skip the little museum by the entrance—it’s packed with cool artifacts and gives great context to everything you’ll see. Also, do yourself a favor and slather on the sunscreen and bring a hat. There’s very little shade and that mountain sun is no joke. FYI: The guided portion of the tour was about 1.5 hours, and we tipped around $5 per person.

 Free Street Art Walking Tour: Jalatlaco with a Story

If you’re anything like me and love colorful neighborhoods with a good backstory, then the free street art walking tour through Jalatlaco is a must. This little neighborhood just east of Oaxaca’s historic center used to be home to tanneries (yep, leather production!), and today it’s one of the city’s most charming corners—think cobblestone streets, vibrant murals, and cozy cafes tucked between colonial-style homes.

We joined the Jalatlaco Street Art Walking Tour  tour hosted by Oaxaca by Locals, and it brought the whole neighborhood to life. I’m telling you, once you know the meaning behind the murals—many tied to social issues, local legends, and cultural pride—you’ll never look at street art the same way again. 

➞ Book the same tour I took here: Free Street Art Waling Tour

Tour tips: The tour lasted about two hours, and we probably saw a couple dozen murals, each one with its own story to tell. It’s super relaxed, donation-based.We were the only ones on the tour, and it felt like a private storytelling session—I ended up tipping $15 per person because it was just that good (but $10 per person is typical).

Oaxaca Market & Food Tour

Now this one? Hands-down one of my favorite experiences in Oaxaca. The Etnofood Oaxaca Market & Food Tour isn’t your average “here’s-a-taco” food tour. It’s a deep dive into the heart of Oaxacan cuisine and culture—and your taste buds will thank you for it.

We ventured into Central de Abastos, a massive local market that’s totally off the tourist trail. In fact, we were basically the only non-locals there, which made it feel extra special—like we got access to Oaxaca’s backstage kitchen. But what really made the tour shine was the storytelling. Every dish had a purpose and a history. 

We built our own taco campechano using ingredients we picked out ourselves (fun and delicious), tried enmoladas soaked in rich mole, and devoured cheesy quesadillas from Comedor Conchita (I’d go back just for those). We also sipped tejate, a pre-Hispanic cacao and maize drink, sampled sweet fruits like mamey and pineapple with honey, and yes—crunched on chapulines (grasshoppers!). To top it off? Sips of traditional fermented drinks like pulque and tepache.

There was even time to grab foodie souvenirs like mole, spices, or a bag of crunchy grasshoppers to go (they make a great conversation starter back home).

➞ Book the same tour here: Immersion Tour and Oaxaca Markets

Tour Tips: The walk from the meeting point to the market took about 15–20 minutes, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water. The full experience was over 3 hours, and I tipped $10.

Mezcal Palenque Tour

Oaxaca is considered the heartland of mezcal, with deep Indigenous roots and centuries-old traditions. You can sip mezcal in one of Oaxaca City’s many cool bars, but if you really want to understand what all the hype is about, you’ve got to go straight to the source—a palenque in the countryside where you can see the production. 

For my first palenque experience I joined The Mezcal Journey Tour where we visited a larger production facility with a full walk-through of the process. This is where we learned that unlike tequila (which comes from just one type of agave), mezcal can be made from dozens of different agave varieties, and it’s often crafted the old-school way: agave hearts roasted in underground pits, crushed by a horse-drawn stone wheel, and distilled by hand. We got to see this entire process! 

It also included a stop at an agave field where we took shots of  mezcal straight out of the leaves. But, that wasn’t all we drank, at their shop we tasted nearly a dozen varieties and yes, I kept count—purely for research, of course.

We also stopped in the cute little town of Mitla where we had a massive, delicious lunch at Doña Chica (think tamales, tostadas, quesadillas, and every Oaxacan comfort food you could hope for). 

If you’re looking for another local favorite, Mezcal Lalocura came highly recommended by the chefs from our cooking class and is known for its artisanal, all-natural approach. Or, if you take the Hierve el Agua tour (see below) it includes a shorter stop to a smaller palenque which was great too. 

➞ Tips: The mezcal journey tour was around 4 hours. It included transportation and lunch, and I tipped $10 per person at the end.

Hierve el Agua, Mitla, Mezcal & More

If you’re looking for a day trip from Oaxaca City that’s got a little bit of everything—nature, ancient ruins, mezcal, food, and even the widest tree you’ve ever seen—this full-day tour totally delivers.

We kicked things off with a quick stop at El Tule, home to one of the widest trees in the world. It’s over 2,000 years old and seriously massive—it almost looks like a cluster of trees fused together. The surrounding garden is lovely, and there are a few shops nearby, but the visit is short and sweet (about 20 minutes).

Next up: the main event—Hierve el Agua. It took us about an hour and a half to get there from El Tule, but the drive flew by thanks to some interesting commentary about the history and archaeological sites we passed along the way.

Once we arrived, the views were incredible—cold spring pools perched on a cliffside with petrified waterfalls that look like they’re melting down the mountain. And just so you know: despite the name, Hierve el Agua (“the water boils”) isn’t a hot spring—the water’s actually quite chilly!

There’s a short hike down to the pools, which is manageable, and a longer, steeper hike to the base of the falls if you’re up for it. Just a heads-up: I tried the longer one and got a little dehydrated (ugh), so bring a full water bottle, sun protection, and maybe skip that second cup of mezcal from the night before. You’ll have around two hours to explore, swim, or just soak in the views.

After Hierve, we made our way to Mitla, one of the most important Zapotec archaeological sites in Oaxaca. Known as the “land of the tombs,” Mitla was once a religious and burial center. Unlike Monte Albán, which is all about grand pyramids, Mitla is famous for its intricate geometric stonework and mosaic-like friezes. We had about a 45-minute guided tour, which was just enough time to explore the highlights and get a feel for its spiritual past.

By this point, I was starving, so lunch was more than welcome. We stopped at Restaurante Donaji, which had a big buffet with everything from tlayudas to tamales to pasta (random, but hey, options!). My tip? Go for the local dishes being made fresh in front of you—like the memelas and tlayudas.

The last couple of stops were all about Oaxacan artistry. First, we visited Bitao Palenque, a small family-run palenque (mezcal distillery) for a tasting, which felt incredibly personal compared to the larger factory we visited on another tour. The owner himself gave us a short tour, and we tried about a half dozen different mezcals (don’t worry—they pour tiny sips!). 

We ended the day at a textile workshop, where we learned how traditional Oaxacan rugs are made. It was fascinating to watch the dyeing process and see a loom in action. That said, it did lean a little toward the salesy side, but if you’re into textiles or looking for a quality souvenir, this could be your moment.

It was a long day (about 12 hours), but totally worth it—and I’d 100% do it again (with more water this time!).

➞ Book the exact tour I took: Hierve el Agua Guided Full Day Tour

Save this Post to Pinterest