Valladolid & Chichén Itzá
Use the colonial town of Valladolid in Yucatán as your base to beat the crowds to Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and the nearby cenotes.
Valladolid sits in the east of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, in the state of Yucatán. A colonial town founded in 1543, it was named a Pueblo Mágico ("Magical Town") in 2012. It is about 45 km, or 40 minutes by car, from Chichén Itzá, a World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Staying here lets you get into the site the next morning ahead of the day-trip buses from Cancún. There are four main parts to a visit. First, Valladolid's old town: the main plaza, the Church of San Servacio, the Calzada de los Frailes and the nighttime light show at the Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, plus Cenote Zací right in town. Second, the cenotes around town, with Suytun, Dzitnup, Oxman and Saamal all within 10 km, easy to link by bike or taxi. Third, Chichén Itzá itself and the nearby Ik Kil cenote, Balankanché caves and Yokdzonot cenote. Fourth, longer day trips: the Ek Balam ruins 30 km to the north, the yellow city of Izamal about 90 km to the west, and the Río Lagartos flamingo reserve and the pink lakes of Las Coloradas on the north coast about 100 km away. The climate is tropical: Nov–Mar is the coolest and driest, Apr–May is hottest, often above 35°C, and Jun–Oct is the rainy season, when hurricanes are possible. Around the spring and autumn equinoxes, the shadow of the "descending feathered serpent" appears on the Kukulcán pyramid at Chichén Itzá, and those days are extremely crowded. Getting there: the ADO bus from Cancún airport to Valladolid takes about 2–2.5 hours, and to Mérida about 2.5 hours; you can also drive on the 180D toll road. We suggest 2–3 nights. Notes: shower before entering a cenote and do not wear regular sunscreen; most cenotes require life jackets; the ruins have little shade, so bring a hat and water; Mexican peso cash is widely used at small sights and in shared taxis.
Top sights
- Chichén Itzá – A Maya ruined city named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The 365 steps of the Kukulcán Pyramid correspond to the calendar, and a…
- Cenote Ik Kil – A round natural sinkhole beside Chichén Itzá, where hanging vines fall from a rim 26 m above the deep blue water. It is the most iconic cen…
- Valladolid Historic Centre – Yucatán's Magical Town, with colorful colonial buildings surrounding the central square. It is an ideal base for visiting Chichén Itzá and…
- Ek' Balam – A Maya city north of Valladolid whose acropolis facade still has finely detailed stucco winged figures and a Jaguar Mouth sculpture. It see…
- Church of San Servacio – A white twin-towered church on the south side of the central square, the town's landmark. After a bloody 18th-century incident, its main en…
- Convent of San Bernardino de Siena – A 16th-century Franciscan monastery whose fortress-like church, with thick walls, looks out over a large lawn. At night, its façade hosts a…
- Calzada de los Frailes – A colonial street linking the old town center with the San Bernardino monastery. Its colorful houses now host design boutiques, cafés and r…
- Casa de los Venados – A restored colonial mansion beside the square, where the owners have collected thousands of pieces of Mexican folk art. It opens only for p…
- Cenote Zací – A semi-open natural sinkhole just a short walk from downtown Valladolid, its cavern ceiling draped with stalactites. Swimming is allowed.
- Cenote Suytun – A cave cenote with a round stone platform rising from its center. Around midday, sunlight pours through an opening in the roof, making it Y…
- Cenotes Dzitnup (X'keken & Samulá) – A pair of cave cenotes on Valladolid's western outskirts. X'keken is full of stalactites, while at Samulá tree roots dangle from the skylig…
- Cenote Oxman – A deep, open-top cenote on an old sisal hacienda, where you can swing on a rope and jump into the water. The hacienda also has a pool and r…
- Cenote Saamal (Hacienda Selva Maya) – An open-air cenote on a hacienda along the road to Chichen Itza, with vines hanging from the rim and a buffet restaurant. It is a common lu…
- Cenote X'Canché – A cenote run by a local community near the Ek' Balam ruins, reachable by bicycle or tricycle taxi. There is a zip line and rappelling on si…
- Balankanché Caves – A Maya ritual cave near Chichen Itza, where incense burners and offerings more than a thousand years old remain. Guides lead tours at sched…
- Cenote Yokdzonot – A large open-air cenote run by a Maya women's cooperative, west of Chichen Itza. It is quieter than Ik Kil, with cheap admission and homest…
- Cenote Hubiku – A large cave cenote north of Valladolid, where a round opening in the dome lets in sunlight and roots hang down to the water. The estate al…
- Izamal – A 'magical town' where every building is painted golden yellow, centered on a 16th-century monastery built on the platform of a Maya pyrami…
- Kinich Kak Mo Pyramid – A giant Maya pyramid in Izamal, whose base is among the largest in the Yucatán. Visitors can climb to the top for views over the yellow tow…
- Río Lagartos Biosphere Reserve – A lagoon biosphere reserve on the Yucatán's north coast, where small boats reveal flocks of pink flamingos, crocodiles and mangroves. You c…
- Las Coloradas – Salt evaporation ponds at a seaside saltworks, turned candy pink by algae and brine shrimp. A hot photo spot on the Yucatán's north coast.
- San Roque Museum – A small, free museum in a former church, covering Valladolid's history, Maya culture and artifacts excavated at Ek' Balam.
Where to eat
- El Mesón del Marqués – A long-standing restaurant in a colonial courtyard beside the main square, where locals say the pork lomitos in tomato…
- IX CAT IK – A garden restaurant serving traditional Maya food, with handmade tortillas and pit-roasted pork; rated 4.9 on Tripadvis…
- Bazar Municipal – A budget food hall on the main square with about a dozen stalls serving local home-style dishes such as sausage, braise…
- Yerbabuena del Sisal – A garden restaurant across from the Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, with plenty of vegetarian options and known for…
- Taberna de los Frailes – A courtyard restaurant beside the convent that blends Maya and colonial architecture, known for grilled watermelon with…
Itineraries
- Classic Yucatán Road Trip Loop – Pick up and drop off your car in Cancún, covering Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza, Merida, and Uxmal in one week.
- Tren Maya: Cancún to Palenque – Skip the driving and ride the Tren Maya from the Caribbean coast all the way west to the Chiapas rainforest ruins.
- Grand Yucatán Peninsula Loop – A complete road trip starting and ending in Cancún, looping through three states from white cities and fortified towns…