San Cristóbal de las Casas

A colourful colonial town in the Chiapas highlands, gateway to Indigenous Maya villages, the Sumidero Canyon and the ruins of Palenque, and a backpacker favourite.

San Cristóbal de las Casas sits in the central highlands of Chiapas in southern Mexico at about 2,200 m. Founded in 1528, it long served as the capital of Chiapas and is today a designated Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) and a popular backpacker base. The nearest airport is in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, about an hour's drive away and roughly 1.5 hours by air from Mexico City. The highland climate is cool, with daytime temperatures around 20°C and mornings and evenings that can drop below 5°C, so bring a jacket; Nov–Apr is the dry season with the most stable weather, while May–Oct is the rainy season with frequent afternoon showers. The old town centres on the Parque Central and the cathedral, and two pedestrian streets link the Templo de Santo Domingo and its handicraft market, the Church of Guadalupe, the Arco del Carmen and museums devoted to amber, textiles and Maya medicine. The nearby Tzotzil villages of Chamula and Zinacantán make an easy half-day trip; day trips include a boat tour through the Sumidero Canyon combined with Chiapa de Corzo, the Lagos de Montebello and El Chiflón waterfalls, and a route to the ruins of Palenque via Toniná, Agua Azul and Misol-Ha (an overnight stay in Palenque is recommended). Allow 4–6 days. Many Indigenous locals do not want to be photographed, so ask before taking pictures of people; photography is strictly prohibited inside churches such as the one in Chamula. Mountain roads toward Palenque are occasionally blocked, so check road conditions and safety information before setting out.

Top sights

Templo de Santo Domingo & Artisan Market – A 16th-century Dominican church with an ornate pink baroque stone facade. The square in front hosts a major open-air market for Indigenous…
Andador Real de Guadalupe – A colorful pedestrian street running east from the main square to the Guadalupe Church, lined with amber shops, cafés, restaurants and bars.
San Juan Chamula – A self-governing Tzotzil Maya village whose church is carpeted with pine needles and filled with candles. Its blend of Catholic and Maya fa…
Sumidero Canyon – A kilometer-deep canyon carved by the Grijalva River. A two-hour speedboat ride through it reveals crocodiles, spider monkeys and the 'Chri…
Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya – Textile museum housed in the former convent of the Santo Domingo church, showcasing traditional clothing and weaving techniques of the Maya…
Templo de Guadalupe – White church on a small hill at the eastern edge of the old town. Climb more than 80 steps to the top for views over red-tiled roofs and Ca…
Templo del Cerrito de San Cristóbal – Church on a hill west of the old town, reached by about 300 steps. It is one of the city's highest viewpoints.
San Cristóbal de las Casas Cathedral – Bright yellow cathedral on the north side of the main square, with a baroque façade decorated in white and red patterns. It is the city's m…
Zócalo (Plaza 31 de Marzo) – Central plaza of the old town, with an octagonal wrought-iron kiosk café at its center and the City Hall, cathedral and colonial arcades ar…
Andador 20 de Noviembre & Miguel Hidalgo – Pedestrian street running north–south through the old town. It connects the Santo Domingo church in the north and passes the cathedral on i…
Mercado José Castillo Tielemans – Indigenous general market north of the old town, where produce, spices, flowers and live poultry crowd the alleys. It is a window onto high…
Na Bolom – Former home of a Danish archaeologist and his Swiss photographer wife, the “House of the Jaguar.” It showcases Lacandon Maya culture and ra…
Museum of Maya Medicine – Museum founded by an association of traditional Indigenous healers. Life-size reconstructions explain Maya midwifery, herbal medicine and s…
Amber Museum of Chiapas – Housed in the former Mercedarian convent, this amber museum showcases Chiapas amber, insect-bearing amber and finely carved pieces.
Arco del Carmen – A Moorish-style red arch bell tower at the southern edge of the old town, built in the 17th century, with a former convent beside it that n…
Orquídeas Moxviquil – A orchid conservation garden on the northern outskirts of the old town, home to hundreds of wild orchid and bromeliad species from the Chia…
Huitepec Ecological Reserve – A highland cloud forest on the volcanic slopes northwest of the old town, where mosses, bromeliads and orchids cling to the trees, best exp…
Grutas de Rancho Nuevo – Limestone caves in a pine forest about 10 km southeast of the old town, with roughly 750 metres of open passages, metal walkways and rich s…
El Arcotete Ecotourism Park – A natural stone arch about 4 km east of the old town, where a river flows beneath a huge limestone arch, surrounded by pine forest with tra…
Zinacantán – A Tzotzil village famed for flower cultivation and purple embroidered clothing, where you can visit village homes to watch backstrap loom w…
Chiapa de Corzo – A “Pueblo Mágico” on the departure point for boat trips through the Sumidero Canyon, where the 16th-century brick fountain La Pila, in Moor…
Amatenango del Valle – A Tzeltal village famous for women’s handmade pottery, with open-fire pieces and jaguar figures lining the roadside.
Lagunas de Montebello National Park – More than fifty lakes in a pine-oak forest near the Guatemalan border, with colours ranging from emerald green to deep blue, best explored…
El Chiflón Waterfalls – A series of cascading falls on the San Vicente River, with the main fall, “Bridal Veil,” dropping about 120 metres, and blue-green pools fo…
Toniná – A Maya hilltop city in the Ocosingo Valley, where a seven-tier stepped acropolis rises about 70 metres and is one of the tallest Maya compl…

Where to eat

Tierra y Cielo – Chef Marta Zepeda's Chiapas highland cooking, the city's most recommended fine-dining restaurant.
Belil Sabores de Chiapas – Highly rated Chiapas home-style restaurant, known for its bread soup and chipilín leaf tamales.
El Fogón de Jovel – A landmark open for more than 30 years, serving food in clay pots with costumed waitstaff and live music. A good introd…
Tarumba – Contemporary Chiapas cooking at the Sombra del Agua hotel, where chef Jorge Gordillo uses corn-field crops and seasonal…
El Caldero – A budget-friendly soup spot downtown, serving several pozoles and regional soups in generous portions, popular with loc…

Itineraries

Chiapas Highlands & Palenque – Explore Sumidero Canyon and the highland villages of San Cristóbal, then take a safe detour route to the Palenque ruins.
Southern Mexico: Mexico City to Mérida – Journey from the capital through Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas to Yucatán, utilizing buses, flights, and the Maya Train.