Welcome to San Cristobal de las Casas, a jewel city in the state of Chiapas. Here you will find many different places and activities to do, both in and around this magical city.
Here you can learn about the history and culture of Mexico through museums, cathedrals and popular parks that you cannot miss. To make sure you don’t miss out on the best places San Cristobal de las Casas has to offer. We’ll help you put together your itinerary in a unique way with the Passporter app, quick and easy!
Things to do in san Cristobal de las casas
Na Bolom
It is a museum whose name means “House of the Jaguar” in Mayan. It consists of a neoclassical style mansion built in 1898. Here you will find exhibitions of pre-Columbian, ethnographic, historical and documentary objects that show in great detail the history and culture of Chiapas, specifically Mexican archaeology.
Besides, you will be able to appreciate the different trees, plants and very well kept constructions that have made this space a favourite of travellers in San Cristobal de las Casas.
Amber Museum
Don’t miss this incredible museum, ideal to learn about the richness and history of Mexico. Since here you will find exhibits of different pieces of amber, with posters that provide detailed information about this fossilised resin. You can also learn about the monetary value and how to tell the difference between a real amber and a fake, highlighting the characteristics of the original.
But that is not all, you will also be able to see a great number of other objects of great artisan importance made with elements of nature by artisans from Chiapas. This museum is located in the former convent of La Merced. Specifically on Diego de Mazariegos Street.
Moxviquil Orchids
Behold this beautiful and extensive botanical garden, where you will find different species of flora, especially orchids and epiphytic plants. It is also an ideal place for hiking, both for sport and free walking. It is the perfect place to clear your mind and get in touch with nature.
On the other hand, here you will find two greenhouses for orchids and bromeliads of warm and cold climates, which allows you to appreciate different landscapes and vegetation in different seasons. The cost to access this garden is quite affordable. Don’t hesitate to go and learn the characteristics of one of its 150 species of flora!
Mesoamerican Jade Museum
If you want to learn more about Mayan history and culture, this museum is a must-see. You will ask yourself what is so special about it. The answer lies in the numerous exhibits of numerous objects and pieces of the ancient Mayan culture. As well as the replicas of pre-Hispanic figures, especially that of the Tomb of King Pakal. In addition, you will find detailed information about jade and the importance and value of these stones in the Mayan culture.
This museum is small in size but big in content, with an attractive decoration and a small jewellery shop where they sell Jade stones, associated in the Mayan culture with life, fertility and power.
San Cristobal de las Casas Cathedral
Also known as the Diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas, it has beautiful architecture that stands out in the main square. In addition, its interior is worth admiring, as it reflects the history and culture of the city. That is why it makes it a magical place where you should come and take not one but several pictures.
Huitepec Reserve
If you don’t usually visit the countryside or are not that familiar with the lush vegetation, this place will surprise and delight you in equal measure. A pleasant experience awaits you here as you walk through the trees accompanied by birdsong.
If you are a nature lover, you will love this place, as you will be able to appreciate the different types of fungi and plants that will adorn your path through this reserve.
El Chiflón Waterfalls
One of the most impressive waterfalls in the entire state of Chiapas, this well-deserved position is due to its imposing height of approximately 120 metres. This beautiful waterfall is born from the San Vicente River. It occupies a high place among the most plentiful rivers, and from it are also born others like “El Suspiro” or the “Ala de Angel” (Angel’s Wing).
Here, natural pools of intense turquoise blue waters are formed, adorned with exuberant vegetation that forms an arboreal curtain. Also, the landscapes that stand out for their palm groves and the vividness of their colours.
Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is an icon in this city. This imposing church invites you to enter and appreciate the magnificent view of this beautiful capital city, climbing the steps to get there is quite an experience. Walking through the colourful streets leading up to it is an unforgettable memory.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
Things to do in San Cristobal de las Casas with children
If you have children or are accompanied by one, this magical city offers wonderful places to go and spend a day full of adventures. The following places are highly recommended by travellers. Given their fantasy setting, your child will feel like they are in an animated movie.
Rancho Nuevo Ecological Park
Just 10 minutes away from the capital of Chiapas, you can find this immense park. It is perfect to have a good time with the family, and especially with the children, since they are the ones who will enjoy the slides and slides of the park the most.
Once inside Rancho Nuevo, the adventures that await you and the things to do seem endless. From relaxing in the immense vegetation that fills every corner of the park, to horseback riding, this place has it all for you. Here, you can also find restaurants with a wide variety of food and products.
Amber Market of Sweets and Handicrafts
The candy market is an area with stalls selling handicrafts, regional sweets, traditional clothing, restaurants, snacks and taquerias. It also has an area where mariachis and norteño groups fill the atmosphere with life in every corner.
A place that your children will undoubtedly love for the amount of toys that you can find there, not to mention the handmade sweets that they will be able to taste.
Mammoth Grottoes
Explore this incredible ecological park of great extension that is located only 7 kilometres away from San Cristobal de las Casas. Here you will be able to carry out an adventurous plan with friends or family, practising trekking and rappelling or any other sport within the courts you will find. As well as going for a boat ride contemplating the natural wonders of San Cristobal.
On the other hand, you can relax and disconnect from the city appreciating the Mammoth Caves, which consist of huge rock caves with easy access to explore. The entrance fee to this park is only $10 Mexican pesos per person, so don’t miss it!
El Arcotete Ecological Park
This Ecological Park is an ideal place to visit if you like nature. If you don’t, you will have to prepare yourself for the charms that this park has for you, because after a boat ride through this huge park, you will love nature like never before.
We can define this park as a quiet place to enjoy the good views of San Cristobal and ideal for a more active tour. If you are tired after the boat ride and the tour, you can take a seat in one of the many restaurants. If you are more adventurous, you can go camping with the whole family in the areas designated for this activity.
Temple of Santo Domingo
This is undoubtedly one of the most incredible churches you will see during your stay in Mexico. To find it you must go to the historic centre of the city, about an hour from the state capital Tuxla Gutierrez. Once in the cathedral, you can take an interesting tour to the Andador Ecclesiastico, one of the attractions close to the temple, but quite far from San Cristobal.
This cathedral has many attractions, but the main one is its architecture, it is gigantic and in every wall you can see something new, trying to discover every detail requires a meticulous observation.
How can you get to San Cristobal de las Casas?
You can get there by road, either by car or by a bus transport line or take a flight to Angel Albino Corzo airport which is 50 minutes from San Cristobal de las Casas.
How to get around San Cristobal de las Casas?
If you are in San Cristobal de las Casas, you don’t want to waste your time in traffic jams and be late for the many events located in the different popular places. That is why, if you want to move in a fluid way, the best thing to do is to use the famous colectivos. Besides being a very economical option, it is also one of the most ecological. You will kill more than one bird with one stone, by arriving on time to the events, saving money and taking care of the environment.
What is the best time to travel to San Cristobal de las Casas?
It is recommended to travel from January to May, and also at the end of the year in November and December. The weather during these months is pleasant, warm and windy. It guarantees your visit to the different emblematic sites of this Mexican city without any problem.
Is San Cristobal de las Casas Mexico dangerous?
This city is located in one of the safest states of Mexico, this city is one of the safest of all. Therefore, you will be able to go out in the street with your mobile phone or purse. The main reason for this is the continuous surveillance by the police in the areas most frequented by travellers and the surrounding areas.
Itinerary for your trip to San Cristobal de las Casas
Discover the different places you can visit in this city of Chiapas according to the duration of your stay, so that you can achieve the purpose of every traveller: to visit the whole city! And you can do it with the following recommendations and by making use of the favourite app for travellers Passporter.
What to visit in San Cristobal de las Casas in 2 days?
Taking advantage of San Cristobal’s opportune space, most of its attractions can easily be visited consecutively given the little space in between. As we want to give you the best. Below, we’ll show you the best places to see in San Cristobal in just 2 days:
- Na Bolom
- Amber Museum
- Mesoamerican Jade Museum
- Huitepec Reserve
- Mammoth Caves
- Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Santo Domingo Temple
What to do in San Cristobal de las Casas 3 days?
Last but by no means least, we have the perfect tour for your third day in this magical and somewhat rural city. This tour will focus on everything you can see away from the centre in order to get the full picture of this beautiful city.
- El Chiflón Waterfalls
- San Cristobal Cathedral
- Moxviquil Orchids
- El Arcotete Ecological Park
- Rancho Nuevo Ecological Park
- Kakaw Cocoa Museum and Cultural Chocolate Factory
- Amber Craft and Candy Market
How to plan your itinerary of the places you want to see in San Cristobal de las Casas?
Download the Passporter app and plan your trip in the most organised way and according to the days and places you want to see in San Cristobal de las Casas.
With the app you can:
- Be inspired by the experiences of other travellers.
- Save valuable information about the destinations you want to visit that you have found on the internet. Just install the Chrome extension and save everything useful for your trip.
- Save your tickets and reservations.
- Organise your route on google maps with your accommodation as the starting point or any other that you indicate.
- Know the best travel option for each place.
- Save and publish as you go along your own photos and experiences in each of the places.
If you are interested in learning more about how to use and get the most out of the Passporter app, you can read our post: How to create a travel itinerary on Passporter.
Frequently Asked Questions about San Cristobal de las Casas
The best is free! And in this case, this sentence couldn’t be more right, as the following places in San Cristobal de las Casas, apart from being beautiful, are totally free.
Such places are natural like the El Chiflón Waterfalls or more public places like the Amber Sweets and Handicrafts Market.
The variety of places that this beautiful capital has, makes that there is certain competitiveness with the prices. For this reason, we will show you the cheapest places so that you don’t have excuses to miss it, such as the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which costs only $30. Or if you want to go for something more familiar, we have the Ecological Park Rancho Nuevo which costs only $5.
In order to get to the best attractions in San Cristobal de las Casas, there are different means of transportation, which will help you get closer to your destination or take you directly to it. Such as buses, taxis or the famous colectivo which will take you to the most popular destinations for travellers.
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