Town Santa Lucía del Camino, Oaxaca Central Valleys of Oaxaca
Brick-making village in the Central Valleys right beside Oaxaca city, founded by settlers from San Sebastián Tutla; fair from late September.
From Oaxaca: 10 min by car (8 km by road) How to get there ↓
Near here
Plan your visit to San Francisco Tutla
Where to stay near San Francisco Tutla
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in San Francisco Tutla.
Tours to San Francisco Tutla
Day trips around Capulálpam de Méndez sometimes stop in San Francisco Tutla; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
How to get to San Francisco Tutla
- From Oaxaca: about 10 min by road (~8 km)
- Nearest airport: Oaxaca (OAX), 1 h 27 min by car to Capulálpam de Méndez
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About San Francisco Tutla
San Francisco Tutla is a community in Oaxaca's Central Valleys at about 1,560 m, so close to the state capital that it is part of its urban sprawl. It borders San Agustín Yatareni to the north, San Miguel Tlalixtac de Cabrera to the east, its sister village San Sebastián Tutla to the south and Santa Lucía del Camino to the west. It covers about 282 hectares, and the 2020 census counted 4,467 residents, up from 3,333 in 2010.
According to local history, it was founded by people from San Sebastián Tutla who, tired of flooding in the rainy season (May to September), moved up onto higher ground. They built a church and became independent around mid-1810. The name comes from Nahuatl Tochtlan, "place of rabbits". Land is held communally and the assembly makes decisions under customary law.
The main trade is red brick and its variants: adobe, exposed-face brick, pecho de paloma, cube brick, media tabla and duela. The brickworks and farm plots lie in the Surcos Largos area, named for its narrow, very long fields, near the Monumento a Juárez. The village also has three housing developments (Guelaguetza, Sol Naciente and Itandeui) and one residential estate.
The annual fair runs from 25 September to 4 October and ends with the feast of the patron saint, St Francis of Assisi. Among the sights, a 2021 photograph shows the gate of the old cemetery, painted blue, ochre and red.
How to get to San Francisco Tutla
Drive from Oaxaca: 10 min, 8 km
San Francisco Tutla is about 6 km from Oaxaca city in a straight line (roughly 15 to 25 minutes by car or taxi depending on traffic), in the built-up strip east of Santa Lucía del Camino. It is a short hop within the metropolitan area: you reach it by the streets and avenues of Santa Lucía del Camino, the municipality it belongs to, or via San Sebastián Tutla, 1.5 km to the east. Other neighbours, in straight-line distance, are San Agustín Yatareni (1.2 km), Tlalixtac de Cabrera (2 km) and Santa Cruz Amilpas (2.2 km). We found no source naming bus or colectivo lines; in Oaxaca city, ask for colectivos or taxis toward Santa Lucía del Camino and San Francisco Tutla.
Directions to San Francisco Tutla on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to San Francisco Tutla
- Oaxaca · 8 km by road, 10 min
- Tuxtepec · about 165 km by road, ~2 h 25 min
- Huajuapan de León · 177 km by road, 2 h 30 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
What to see in San Francisco Tutla 1
Sights with their own page, closest to the centre first.
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Árbol del Tule · Landmark · 4 km from the centre
A Montezuma cypress in Santa María del Tule with one of the widest trunks in the world, on the road between Oaxaca and Mitla.
Map of San Francisco Tutla
Neighbourhoods and villages of San Francisco Tutla
Part of San Francisco Tutla or just outside it, closest first.
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Tlalixtac de Cabrera · Town · 2 km from the centre
An old Zapotec farming town 10 km east of Oaxaca city, at the foot of the Sierra Norte, linked to the colonial painter Miguel Cabrera. -
Santa Lucía del Camino · Town · 3 km from the centre
City 3 km east of Oaxaca, with 45,895 people in 2020 and the second-highest density of any municipality in the state. -
San Andrés Huayápam · Town · 4 km from the centre
A hillside town just northeast of Oaxaca city, home of tejate, the cacao and corn drink, and of a yearly Feria del Tejate.
Day trips and tours from San Francisco Tutla
The closest Pueblos Mágicos and places to visit, with the drive from San Francisco Tutla and tours that leave from it.
Times marked ~ are estimated from the distance. Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Before you go: getting to and around San Francisco Tutla
- The nearest airport is Oaxaca (OAX).
- The best months to go are January, February, March, and December.
- 2 of the places on this page are more than 3 km from the centre: take a taxi, a ride-hailing app or a local bus.
- For day trips a rental car gives the most freedom; the tours above leave from San Francisco Tutla.
Before you go to San Francisco Tutla: hours, prices and tips
- Best time of day
- The annual fair runs from 25 September to 4 October and ends with the feast of St Francis of Assisi. Wikipedia (es) · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting San Francisco Tutla: what to see and do
Visit the village church, built by the first settlers.
Look at the gate of the old cemetery, painted blue, ochre and red.
Walk through Surcos Largos, with its brickworks and farm plots.
Watch how red brick, adobe and exposed-face brick are made.
Come for the fair, from 25 September to 4 October.
Walk to San Sebastián Tutla, a little over 1 km to the east.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in San Francisco Tutla
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around San Francisco Tutla.
Tours & activities
Day trips around Capulálpam de Méndez sometimes stop in San Francisco Tutla; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at OAX (Oaxaca): about 1 h 27 min by road to Capulálpam de Méndez, then 34 km more to San Francisco Tutla, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oaxaca (OAX), about 1 h 27 min by road from Capulálpam de Méndez, the base for San Francisco Tutla.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Capulálpam de Méndez: download a map of the way to San Francisco Tutla before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to San Francisco Tutla cool
San Francisco Tutla shares the climate of Capulálpam de Méndez, 34 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Capulálpam de Méndez
Weather in San Francisco Tutla now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Capulálpam de Méndez
Capulálpam de Méndez is the Pueblo Mágico closest to San Francisco Tutla, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Mitla · Oaxaca · 36 km away
Near San Francisco Tutla
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.