A Self-Guided Google Map Tour from Villa de Etla to Oaxaca Centro

Contrary to popular belief, Nacho Libre (2006) was not entirely filmed in Oaxaca, Mexico. While many exterior scenes were filmed in and around Oaxaca, most of the interior scenes were filmed in sound stages at Universal Studios Hollywood. With the main and iconic location in Villa de Etla at the Sanctuary of Las Peñitas. And while all locations are accessible via public transportation, it will take you a couple days to visit all of them. If you prefer someone take you, hit up the homie Don René of Las Bugambilias Tours for a custom tour, tell him I sent ya.

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Screenshots from the movie Nacho Libre are property of Paramount and Universal Pictures.
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Villa de Etla: The Birthplace of Quesillo

Etla — a Zapotec word meaning where the bean is abundant — is a fifteen-minute drive north of Oaxaca Centro. The area is home to the archaeological site of San José el Mogote, believed to have been the capital of the Zapotec people as early as 1500 B.C. Well before Monte Albán rose to prominence, this early settlement thrived as one of the first permanent agricultural villages in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca.

Etla is the undisputed birthplace of Quesillo, you may know it as Queso Oaxaca. But how Quesillo came to be is still up for debate. According to locals, a young girl — distracted while playing with her friends — forgot to drain the whey while making cheese. To avoid the beating of a lifetime, she poured boiling water over the batch in a last-ditch attempt to fix it, accidentally creating what we now know as Quesillo: mozzarella's long-lost sibling.

A more credible explanation ties Quesillo to pasta filata, a cheese-making technique introduced to Oaxaca by Italian Dominican monks around 1530. Still, despite Etla's deep historical roots and cultural significance, it remains a quiet, sleepy town. But thanks to Nacho Libre, the Las Peñitas Sanctuary — the film's most recognizable locations — cemented Etla's place in cinematic history.

Sanctuary of Las Peñitas

The Sanctuary of Las Peñitas — or as many call it, the Nacho Libre church — stands atop a rocky hill overlooking the Etla Valley. According to local legend, God Himself rested here while creating the Earth, leaving behind a footprint and a knee impression on a small boulder formation at the base of the hill, right off the main dirt road before going up uphill to the church. In other versions of the story, it was Jesus who paused to rest on that same rock.

The boulder was once fully exposed to the elements, but today it's enclosed in a small shrine. A simple structure with four walls and a roof, built to protect it from the weather and from passersby who may not understand its significance. Inside, you'll find the fabled footprint. Look closely and you'll see a small opening in the stone — kneel, peer inside, and you may catch a glimpse of El Señor de las Peñas, or Lord of Hardships, glowing in a blue flame. They say only the faithful can see the light. And if you notice trinkets scattered around the courtyard, leave them be — it's not trash. These are offerings and petitions left by devotees seeking blessings from Señor de las Peñas. While the tradition is strongest on the Fifth Friday of Lent, offerings are made year-round.

To get here from Oaxaca Centro, take a taxi foráneo from La Central or hop on a bus. Either of them will drop you off near the town square, a block from the Mercado Municipal. From here, you can walk to Las Peñitas (not recommended) or catch a mototaxi in front of the Bodega Aurrerá. And be sure to tell the mototaxi driver to come back for you in an hour or you'll be walking back because the church is not on a main road.

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Mercado Municipal de Villa de Etla

The exterior of the Mercado Municipal de Villa de Etla, formerly known as Mercado Municipal Porfirio Díaz, served as a backdrop for several scenes in Nacho Libre. Wednesdays are día de plaza when the outdoor market sets up. Keep that in mind if you drop by on a Wednesday as finding the exact locations in the screenshots below will be difficult. And coincidentally, Wednesdays were also the market days of the ancient Zapotecs.

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Arena Oaxaca

The fighting arena known as Arena Oaxaca in the movie does not exist. It's nothing more than parking lot. But! If you're interested in real lucha libre, check out Arena San Francisco, it's four block south of El Zócalo.

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Templo de San Agustín

For a few seconds you can see the fortified walls of Templo de San Agustín. Only the northeast side of the church was used in this scene, a feet away from Arena Oaxaca.

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The House of Señor Ramon (Ramses Manager) and La Fuente de la Lágrima

Heartbreaking to know that this beautiful home has been torn down to make space for, of all things, a Starbucks. Sadly, nothing remains of the former governor's residence. However, the water fountain in the middle of the roundabout still stands as a nostalgic reminder of what once was. Fortunately, the house behind the Fuente de la Lágrima is still there, with the same wooden door that appeared in the movie.

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Acueducto de Oaxaca and Calle de Nacho

A short stroll north of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, in Plaza Cruz de Piedra, you'll find the remnants of an ancient aqueduct gracefully extending from Barrio de Xochimilco. Walk a few feet further north, parallel to the aqueduct, and you'll reach the picturesque alley known as Calle de Nacho — the very spot where Steven swipes the chips. While exploring, be mindful of the neighbors, as it's a residential area and may be closed to the public on any given day. Also, take note of the signs (in Spanish) prohibiting photography.

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Parque Ciudad de las Canteras

To visit the location where Nacho climbed the cliff to eat the eagle's egg, you'll need to venture a couple miles east from El Zocalo to Parque Ciudad de las Canteras. This is by far one of the least-visited Nacho Libre filming locations, making it a hidden gem for dedicated fans. The park gets its name from the quarries (canteras) that once supplied the distinctive green volcanic stone used in many of Oaxaca's historic buildings, including Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Over time, excavation left deep pits which filled with rainwater, creating the small lakes that exist today.

Zona Arqueológica de Monte Albán

The final scene of the movie was captured in the ancient city of Monte Albán. You can reach this location by taking a taxi or bus directly from Oaxaca Centro, or you can opt for a guided tour offered by pretty much anyone at your hotel or at the Zócalo. There is a fee to enter the archaeological site, but it's free on Sundays for Mexican nationals.

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Mexican Street

As I stated earlier, most interior scenes as well as a handful of exterior scenes were filmed in Universal Studios Hollywood, specifically the Mexican Street (flash flood) area of the backlot.

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Is Nacho Libre A True Story?

In a way, yes. Nacho Libre draws inspiration from the life of Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, aka Fray Tormenta. Born in 1945, Sergio had a troubled youth and battled with addiction. After an addict died in his arms, he swore to always help the destitute, leading him to create an orphanage, and later becoming a secular priest in the Diocese of Texcoco, just outside of Mexico City. And in 1976, Sergio established the shelter, but funding was nonexistent.

Inspired by a movie he had seen several years ago, El Señor Tormenta (Mister Storm), where a priest becomes a wrestler to support his orphanage, Sergio adopted the persona of Fray Tormenta and ventured into the world of lucha libre. Thus using his newfound fame and earnings to fund the orphanage for over two decades. And while the movie Nacho Libre takes creative liberties, it celebrates the resilience, determination, and unorthodox choices made by Fray Tormenta, offering a heartwarming narrative inspired by his extraordinary life.