8-Hour Crafts Route, Three Towns

Overview

This eight-hour route visits a string of craft towns in the valleys around the city, starting at a fixed meeting point on 5 de Mayo in the Centro. It moves by van to San Martín Tilcajete for alebrijes carved and painted from copal wood, then to Santo Tomás Jalieza for backstrap weaving, Ocotlán de Morelos for its market and artisan scene, Villa de Zaachila, and finally San Bartolo Coyotepec, home of the polished black clay pottery the state is famous for.

One reviewer described the pattern plainly as a demo of how the work is done followed by time in the gallery to shop, and noted there was no pressure to buy. Several travellers singled out the explanations from artisans and guides as the best part of the day, and more than one said the guide adapted the plan when the group was small or time allowed.

Transport and a certified bilingual guide in Spanish and English are included, as is drop-off at your hotel or Airbnb at the end. Food and drinks are not. Travellers on a Friday get the full Ocotlán market day, and a Thursday adds the Zaachila market, which one reviewer pointed out only runs that day.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet In The CentroThe tour starts at 5 de Mayo 300, Ruta Independencia, in the Centro. The operator recommends eating breakfast beforehand.
2. Van To TilcajeteA van ride of about one hour south to the first town.
3. San Martín Tilcajete WorkshopOne hour watching artisans carve and paint copal wood into alebrijes, with the meaning behind the figures explained.
4. Jalieza And OcotlánA short van hop to Santo Tomás Jalieza for a backstrap weaving workshop of one hour, then another short transfer to Ocotlán de Morelos for a one-hour visit. The Ocotlán market is especially lively on Fridays.
5. Villa De Zaachila, LunchOne hour at Villa de Zaachila with a lunch break. The Thursday market is the big draw here.
6. San Bartolo Coyotepec WorkshopOne hour in the home of black clay pottery, watching ancestral Zapotec shaping and polishing techniques.
7. Return And Drop-OffA van ride of about thirty minutes back toward the city, with drop-off at your hotel or Airbnb.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape how this day goes, from market days to what is and is not paid for along the way.

• Pick The Day. Ocotlán's market day is Friday, and Zaachila's market runs on Thursdays only. Several travellers said booking a Friday made the day better, and one warned that a promised market stop only applies when the market is actually operating. Check the day of the week before you book.
• Pace And Fitness. Most of the day is split between the van and the workshops. Reviews describe short transfers between stops and an enjoyable pace, with about an hour at each town.
• Workshops Then Galleries. Expect a demonstration of each craft followed by time in the gallery to shop, as one reviewer described it. Reviewers said there was no pressure to buy. Crafts are an extra expense, since food, drinks and anything not mentioned are excluded.
• Food Is On You. Food and drinks are not included. The listing suggests a real breakfast before departure, and reviewers praised the lunch break at a town market.
• Small Groups. Multiple reviewers reported being in very small groups, sometimes only two or three people, and said the guide customized the itinerary as a result. One noted that low sign-up numbers are common on this route.
• What To Bring. The listing recommends comfortable shoes, comfortable clothes and drinks for the day.

Common issues. The main catch is the day of the week: the Zaachila market runs on Thursdays only, and one reviewer felt misled when a market visit was included in the description but the market was not operating. Food, drinks and anything you buy in the workshops are extra. One reviewer noted that few people sign up for this route, which usually means a small group. Pickups are not included, so the day starts from the fixed meeting point on 5 de Mayo.

Common Questions