Are you visiting Oaxaca City on a Sunday? If you are, you’re in luck. One of the best things to do (if not, THE best thing to do) in the Oaxaca region on a Sunday is to head to the Tlacolula Market. This local market, as you might be able to deduce from the name, is located in the town of Tlacolula, which is around an hour’s drive from Oaxaca City. On any other day of the week, Tlacolula is an unassuming village, but every Sunday, this town transforms into a HUGE market filled with amazing shopping and even better food. You absolutely cannot miss out on the energy the Tlacolula market brings to what could otherwise be a lazy Sunday morning on your Oaxaca itinerary.
Thinking about heading to Tlacolula Market? We’ve got you with this guide on how to visit the Tlacolula Sunday Market, including how to get there, what to buy, and, most importantly, what to eat.
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Where Is Tlacolula, Oaxaca?
Tlacolula, or Tlacolula de Matamoros, is a small town located in the Oaxaca region. If you are heading here from Oaxaca City, you’ll simply head east down Highway 190 until you reach this small, unassuming town. On the way, you’ll pass by other Oaxaca tourist hotspots, such as Santa María del Tule and Teotitlán del Valle.
How to Get to Tlacolula Sunday Market from Oaxaca City
You have a few different options to choose from when it comes to transportation to Tlacolula Sunday Market. We were personally quite stressed about how to get here due to a lack of current information online, so we hope to quell some anxiety if you’re worried about the same thing as we were!
The four main options to get to Tlacolula Sunday Market are by bus, by colectivo, by taxi, and through a tour.
By Bus or Colectivo
The most budget-friendly way to get to Tlacolula is by bus or colectivo. While we didn’t take this option, you can easily get a bus to Tlacolula if you head to the bus station at the Second Class Bus Terminal. You’ll be able to catch a bus or colectivo to the town from Puerta 5. A bus ticket should set you back around 25 pesos whereas a colectivo costs around 40 pesos. Alternatively, you can head past the Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos Stadium to this stop. The stop is not well marked, but you likely won’t be the only person waiting! Then, simply head into the vehicle and tell the driver where you’re going.
Thankfully, you can find buses and colectivos leaving for this town (and back) relatively frequently, so you will never be waiting more than half an hour in the sun.
The bus will let you off on the main street, and you simply follow the crowds, and you’ll quickly find yourself in the middle of the market.
To take a bus or colectivo back to Oaxaca City, cross the street from where the bus lets you off and wait near the corner where the pharmacy is. If you’re not sure where to go, ask a local.
By Taxi
The easiest way to get to Tlacolula if you still want to take a private tour of the market is to take a taxi. Of course, this is by far the most expensive route, but if money’s not an issue, you can easily hail a taxi to and from the market.
Tlacolula Market Tour
If you don’t feel comfortable navigating the market by yourself, a great option is to take a Tlacolula market tour. On this tour, a guide will take you around the market and the town itself, giving you all the information you need to know to learn all about its history as well as cultural and culinary traditions.
What to Buy in Tlacolula Market in Oaxaca
Tlacolula Market has everything you could need. This market definitely caters more to locals, so you can expect a wide range of goods to be sold at this market beyond your standard souvenirs. Here, you can buy everything from fresh vegetables and fruit, street food, and meat to clothing, accessories, toys, and household items. Basically, if you are after something in particular, someone somewhere in the hundreds of stalls in the market will be selling it.
But honestly? The main reason to come to Tlacolula Market, besides immersing yourself in local culture, is to eat.
What to Eat in Tlacolula Market in Oaxaca
As you wander around the market, your senses will likely be overwhelmed. One such sense that’ll be overloaded is your nose. There is so much to eat and drink in Tlacolula Market, but where do you even begin? Luckily, we’ve got the scoop on the best things to eat in Tlacolula Market. Make sure you leave the market having tasted a bit of everything as you walk past the stalls.
Barbacoa
In our opinion, the main reason people come to the Sunday market in Tlacolula is barbacoa. A stewed goat or lamb dish that is traditionally only served on Sundays, barbacoa is a classic thing to eat in Tlacolula. In fact, if you ask anybody in Oaxaca where to eat barbacoa, they’ll point you to this market and say you’ve got to go to Tlacolula! You won’t likely find Barbacoa on weekdays in Oaxaca as the dish takes a minimum of 8 hours to cook!
We ate at Barbacoa Adolfa, one of the many barbacoa stalls located within the indoor portion of the market. But honestly, we’ve been told you really can’t go wrong. Just sit at whatever looks (and smells) good! A pro tip is to look for the most popular stall, as this is likely the one with the tastiest barbacoa. We had a goat barbacoa here that was perfectly tender and seasoned to the nines. We got the barbacoa with some consomé, the broth, which was perfect for dipping fresh tortillas in.
Carne Asada
Again, in the inside portion of the market, follow the smoke and the smells, and you’ll find an entire area filled with raw and grilled meats. Yum! If you’ve been to Smoke Alley in Oaxaca City (one of the best things to do in Oaxaca), you’ll know how this works. Simply walk up to a vendor of your choice, pick your meats and sides, and have the vendor grill your meats for you. Don’t forget to get some tortillas to complement your meal!
Tlayudas
A classic Oaxacan dish you’ve got to try while at the Tlacolula Market is a tlayuda. Think of tlayuda as an Oaxacan pizza! This is a large, crispy tortilla filled with delicious toppings, such as beans, cheese, and a meat of your choice. If you haven’t tried a tlayuda yet in Oaxaca, now’s your chance! But don’t worry if you miss out, as some of our favorite restaurants in Oaxaca City serve tlayuda all over town.
Empanadas
Want something a bit smaller than an entire tlayuda? An empanada is a great option! Empanadas are also made of corn tortillas and stuffed with toppings like cheese, chicken, and/or mole. We highly recommend getting empanada de amarillo, which is a yellow mole generally with chicken inside.
Quesadillas
Quesadillas are popular all over Mexico and beyond, and for good reason. This cheesy goodness in Tlayuda Market is grilled on the spot for you and filled with cheese and your choice of meat. But if you’re vegetarian, you can opt for flor de calabaza, which is honestly slept on. It’s so good!
Memelas
One of our favorite classic Oaxacan snacks is memela. Memelas are similar to quesadillas but with a thicker tortilla base. And unlike quesadillas, memelas are served flat with the toppings on top, kind of like a mini pizza! The basic toppings are refried beans, cheese, and some kind of salsa. But, of course, you can add all sorts of additional toppings, including various meats and vegetables.
Aguas Frescas
The best way to cool down as you’re walking around the market on a hot day is to get an agua fresca. Literally translated to English as fresh water, agua fresca is certainly the only thing you’ll crave as sweat rolls down your forehead. These are non-alcoholic drinks that are made with various fruits. Delicious!
You’ll find stalls selling aguas frescas all over the market, but we found the largest concentration of them by the entrance, so grab one as you start your walk!
Tejate
You cannot leave Oaxaca without trying tejate at least once. This is a refreshing drink that will be unlike anything you have likely tasted before. But don’t let that scare you. Tejate is made of cacao, roasted corn flour, and mamey seeds, among other ingredients, and tastes nutty and slightly sweet. The texture is best described as creamy, foamy, and slightly grainy.
Chapulines
Chapulines are roasted grasshoppers. But hear us out! In our opinion, they taste almost like very flavorful popcorn. We recommend getting the smallest chapulines to start, as they’re a lot easier to eat.
Nieves
If you’re craving some ice cream, you’ve got to get some nieves while you’re at the Tlacolula Market. Unlike traditional ice cream, nieves are made with a water base, so this cooling snack is a godsend to those who are lactose intolerant (like Mia!). You can get nieves in many different flavors.
Tlacolula Travel Tips
Have we convinced you to visit Tlacolula? If we have, here are some of our top tips for visiting the Tlacolula Market in Oaxaca so that you can make the best of your time here.
Get Here Early
If you want to avoid the crowds and the heat, the best thing to do is to head to the market as early as possible. Most vendors will have set up by 8 AM, so try to get here between 8 and 9 in order to enjoy the market before the crowds of locals and tourists start swarming the place. When you come here early, you also get first picks when it comes to produce and unique finds you may want to purchase.
Bring Cash
You’ll really struggle to find vendors that accept card, so bring cash with you. While the town does have ATMs, they’ll be really crowded. And you really don’t want to waste time standing in line to get cash out when you can do that beforehand in Oaxaca City.
Top tip: Try to bring smaller denominations, as that’ll help with haggling and purchasing goods.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
You’ll be walking A LOT. So, leave those cute sandals at home and wear comfortable shoes. The market covers a large area, with some of the streets featuring uneven roads, so wear shoes you can walk in.
Eat, Eat, Eat!
As you know by now, Tlacolula is known for its food stalls, which offer a huge range of local cuisine. Whether you get some tlayudas or memelas or go for some traditional barbacoa or tejate, there is honestly so much to eat here, and you really can’t go wrong. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even try chapulines and wash it down with a delicious agua fresca if needed!
Be Respectful When You Negotiate
While haggling is common at the market, do so respectfully. Don’t be rude, and don’t offer a counteroffer that dramatically cuts the price. Be fair! One of our top ethical travel tips is to avoid “over-haggling”. As a tourist, it’s likely you’ll be overcharged (it just comes with the territory, I’m afraid!), but a couple of pesos is really not going to make much of a difference to you, but it can be a huge help to the vendor.
Practice Sun Safety
We made the mistake of heading to Tlacolula in the middle of the day as we were aiming for lunchtime. If you are here around midday, be prepared to sweat. Tlacolula can get pretty warm, so make sure to stay hydrated by drinking water, and don’t forget to put on sunscreen to protect your skin.
Plan for Crowds
Tlacolula Market is a bustling market that is very popular with locals as well, so you can guarantee there will be a lot of people. The energy is certainly palpable, but since there will be crowds, it’s best to keep your belongings in a closed bag at all times, as you never know if you’ll cross paths with a pickpocket.
Use the Toilet Beforehand
The toilet situation at Tlacolula can be complicated. Ideally, go to the toilet before you come to the market. But if nature calls, some cafes scattered within the market will have a sign saying, “baños,” which is bathroom in Spanish. Head inside these cafes and ask for the toilet. You’ll need to pay a couple of pesos to use the facilities.
FAQs About Tlacolula Sunday Market
When is the Tlacolula Market open?
The Mercado de Tlacolula is open every Sunday, with the exception of Easter Sunday, from early morning to late afternoon.
Can I take an Uber to Tlacolula Market?
There is no Uber in Oaxaca, so you won’t be able to take an Uber to Tlacolula Sunday Market. You’ll either need to take a colectivo, a taxi, or an organized tour.
Is Tlacolula Market safe?
Absolutely! Just like the rest of Oaxaca, Tlacolula is a safe place to visit. With that said, as with any crowded space, keep your belongings close, as pick-pocketing could be a concern!
Is the Tlacolula Sunday Market in Oaxaca crowded?
Yes, it is. Tlacolula is a popular market for both locals and tourists to explore, so you can definitely expect some crowds. If you’d like to avoid the crowds (and heat!) as much as possible, try getting here as early as possible, around 8 AM!
Don’t Miss Tlacolula Market on Your Trip to Oaxaca!
Oaxaca is a very diverse region with a lot to see. If you happen to be in Oaxaca City on a Sunday, there’s no better thing to do than to head to Tlacolula to check out this awesome market. It’s the best way to spend your Sunday morning in Oaxaca, checking out the local goods and eating some delicious food!
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