Town San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca Central Valleys of Oaxaca
Zapotec village 23 km south of Oaxaca where families carve and paint alebrijes, the bright copal-wood creatures, in workshops open to visitors.
From Oaxaca: 35 min by car (26 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Tours to San Martín Tilcajete
Day trips around Mitla sometimes stop in San Martín Tilcajete; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Alebrije Painting Workshop in San Martín Tilcajete with Pickup
★ 4.5 (19) · From US$54
How to get to San Martín Tilcajete
- From Oaxaca: about 35 min by road (~26 km)
- Nearest airport: Oaxaca (OAX), 47 min by car to Mitla
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Popular tours to San Martín Tilcajete
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About San Martín Tilcajete
San Martín Tilcajete is a small Zapotec village of about 1,600 people, roughly 23 km south of Oaxaca city just off Highway 175 in the Ocotlán district, at 1,540 m. Its history is long: people farmed here by about 1150 BC, and around 100 BC Cerro Tilcajete grew into a secondary administrative centre of perhaps 800 to 1,600 people that lasted until about AD 200. The present village dates from around 1600 and became a municipality in 1883. The Zapotec language faded out of daily use about three generations ago.
Tilcajete is the best-known home of Oaxacan alebrijes, the wildly painted wood carvings of real and imaginary animals. Zapotec villagers had long carved small copal-wood figures, mostly as toys. The name and the fantastical style came from the papier-mâché work of Pedro Linares in Mexico City and were adapted to copal wood by Manuel Jiménez in nearby Arrazola. Until the 1980s only about four Tilcajete families carved full time; the boom came with tourism in the 1980s and 1990s, and today workshops line the streets, many of them built into family homes. A large piece can take a month to carve and many months to dry before it is painted.
The best-known workshop is that of Jacobo and María Ángeles, founded in 1994, whose work has been shown at the Smithsonian and whose carved figures are sold as tonas and nahuales. Visitors can walk into family workshops to watch carving and painting and buy straight from the artists. Copal wood is scarce from over-harvesting, and reforestation projects have been started to replace it. The village holds a Feria del Alebrije with over 100 vendors each spring, and its carnival is known for its wooden masks.
How to get to San Martín Tilcajete
Drive from Oaxaca: 35 min, 26 km
From Oaxaca city take Highway 175 south toward Ocotlán for about 23 km (around 35 minutes) and turn off at the signed road for San Martín Tilcajete. Ocotlán-bound colectivos and buses from the stands around the Central de Abastos can drop you at the turnoff, about a kilometre from the village centre. It pairs well with San Bartolo Coyotepec on the way down and Santo Tomás Jalieza and Ocotlán further south.
Directions to San Martín Tilcajete on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to San Martín Tilcajete
- Oaxaca · 26 km by road, 35 min
- Tuxtepec · about 195 km by road, ~2 h 50 min
- Huajuapan de León · 197 km by road, 2 h 50 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Map of San Martín Tilcajete
Neighbourhoods and villages of San Martín Tilcajete
Part of San Martín Tilcajete or just outside it, closest first.
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Santo Tomás Jalieza · Village · 3 km from the centre
Zapotec weaving village on the Ocotlán road, where women sell backstrap-loom belts, bags and table runners at a cooperative market. -
San Juan Chilateca · Town · 4 km from the centre
Central Valleys town at 1,500 m where women hand-embroider dresses and three wind bands play. -
Santa Ana Zegache · Town · 4 km from the centre
Zapotec village in the Central Valleys at 1,500 m, with a church whose facade was repainted under Rodolfo Morales.
Day trips and tours from San Martín Tilcajete
The closest Pueblos Mágicos and places to visit, with the drive from San Martín Tilcajete 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 Martín Tilcajete
- 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 Martín Tilcajete.
Before you go to San Martín Tilcajete: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- The Jacobo and María Ángeles workshop is open every day of the year, 9 am to 6 pm. Jacobo y María Ángeles · checked Oct 2026
- Best season
- Feria del Alebrije in April (about nine days); Shin Naa Lasn folk art festival in October; Fiesta Grande of Saint Martin from 11 November; carnival masks before Ash Wednesday. Wikipedia · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting San Martín Tilcajete: what to see and do
Watch carvers and painters at work in the family alebrije workshops.
Visit the Jacobo and María Ángeles workshop to see tonas being made.
Shop the alebrije stalls around the main square.
Look at the stone facade of the parish church of San Martín.
Plan a visit for the Feria del Alebrije in spring or the carnival masks before Lent.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in San Martín Tilcajete
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around San Martín Tilcajete.
Tours & activities
Day trips around Mitla sometimes stop in San Martín Tilcajete; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at OAX (Oaxaca): about 47 min by road to Mitla, then 36 km more to San Martín Tilcajete, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oaxaca (OAX), about 47 min by road from Mitla, the base for San Martín Tilcajete.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Mitla: download a map of the way to San Martín Tilcajete before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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Photos
When to go to San Martín Tilcajete mild
San Martín Tilcajete shares the climate of Mitla, 36 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Mitla
Weather in San Martín Tilcajete now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Mitla
Mitla is the Pueblo Mágico closest to San Martín Tilcajete, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Capulálpam de Méndez · Oaxaca · 55 km away
Near San Martín Tilcajete
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.