Oaxaca event weekends: what to do between sessions

Southern Mexico's food capital: mole, mezcal, markets and the most famous Day of the Dead celebrations.

Events we cover in Oaxaca

Arriving

Oaxaca airport (OAX) is 20 minutes from the centre; flights from Mexico City take 1 hour.

Where to stay

Three hotels we would book

• Budget: Casa Angel Youth Hostel
• Mid-range: Hotel Casa Antigua
• Splurge: Quinta Real Oaxaca

Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Tours

Where to eat

• Mercado 20 de Noviembre Grilled meat aisle
• Casa Oaxaca Modern Oaxacan
• Tlayudas at night stalls Street food

With kids

• Ethnobotanical garden tours.

Rainy-day backups

• Museum of Oaxacan Cultures.

Free things to do

• Santo Domingo church.
• Zócalo evenings.

Getting around

• Walkable centre; tours for villages.