Written by our co-founder, Ronna

How to Do Oaxaca Right: A One-Week Guide to Oaxaca City & Mazunte


An Easy, Insider-Inspired Guide to Getting It Right


If you want authentic flavors, layered history, and a cultural experience that actually feels connected (not performative), Oaxaca delivers. This is how to do Oaxaca City and Mazunte in one week—with the right balance of structure and spontaneity.


We’re basing this around a stay at Casa Besos in Oaxaca City, with a few nights on the coast in Mazunte. It’s curated travel without overplanning—and exactly how we'd design it for ourselves.


Start in Oaxaca City (3–4 Nights)


Get Oriented in Centro

Oaxaca City's historic center is compact and incredibly walkable. Base yourself at Casa Besos in Reforma and you’re steps from the city’s architectural showstoppers and some of the best restaurants in town.

Start with a guided walking tour around Centro Histórico and spend a few hours getting to know the city’s colonial layers, markets, and political history. It’s the fastest way to gain context before you start exploring on your own.


Make time to step inside Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán—the baroque interior alone is worth the trip. Next door, tour the Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca to understand the plants that shape Oaxacan cuisine, mezcal, and medicine. It’s a deep dive into the region’s biodiversity.


Eat Like You Mean It

Oaxaca is Mexico’s culinary capital—and it shows.


Plan one special dinner at Los Danzantes (yes, it has a Michelin star), and another at Tierra del Sol for refined Oaxacan classics. If you’re into fermentation and natural wine, Labo Fermento provides a fun and unique evening.


During the day, eat simply and often. Tlayudas in the market. Memelas for breakfast. Freshly made hot chocolate. Street food here isn’t an afterthought—it’s the main event.


Take a Full-Day Cultural Tour

One day, go beyond the city.

Visit Monte Albán, one of Mesoamerica’s earliest cities. Stop at artisan workshops to see weaving and alebrije carving up close. Swim or walk around Hierve el Agua, and end with a mezcal distillery visit.


This is where you get to know the region—not just the city.


Museums Worth Your Time

Spend a slower morning at the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca for context on Zapotec and Mixtec history. The Museo Textil de Oaxaca is smaller but fascinating—especially if you’re interested in indigenous craftsmanship and design.


Oaxaca’s green cantera stone buildings earned it UNESCO status for a reason. Simply wandering is productive here.


Head to the Coast: Mazunte (2 Nights)

After a few immersive days in the city, drive south to Mazunte for a coastal reset.


Mazunte is slower, smaller, and beautifully unpolished. Walk Playa Mazunte at sunset. Browse shops along Calle Rinconcito. Visit the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga to learn about regional conservation efforts.


If you’re up for it, book a sunrise dolphin tour along the coast. You’ll cruise past nearby beaches while searching for dolphins in their natural habitat. It’s low-key magical.


Take a cooking class focused on mole or local coastal dishes. Mezcal tastes different with ocean air.


Return to Oaxaca City for a Final Night

End back at Casa Besos for one last dinner and a relaxed morning before departure.


Use this time for whatever you missed:

  • Chocolate tasting or chocolate-making workshop

  • Market shopping for mole pastes and mezcal

  • Café hopping and people watching

  • A final long lunch


Oaxaca rewards curiosity.


Getting Around

Taxis are inexpensive and easy to find. DiDi works well in the city. The historic center is entirely walkable. For the coast, rent a car or arrange private transport.


Cultural Etiquette (Don’t Skip This)

Oaxacans are warm and welcoming—but polite formality matters.

  • Greet people with “Buenos días” when entering shops

  • Tip 10–15% in restaurants

  • Ask before photographing artisans or locals

  • Dress respectfully in churches and rural communities


Small gestures go a long way.


Why This Itinerary Works

You get:

  • A real understanding of Oaxaca’s history and indigenous roots

  • Time for authentic flavors (not rushed dining)

  • Off-the-beaten-path coastal downtime

  • A mix of guided deep dives and open afternoons


It’s structured, but never rigid. Cultural, but not exhausting. And it lets you truly get to know the city—and the people.


If you’re thinking about Oaxaca and want it curated without losing spontaneity, that’s exactly what we do at Dear Atlas.