SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
Tourism in SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
San Cristóbal de las Casas is one of Mexico’s most beautiful colonial towns. Through its peaceful cobblestone streets, flanked by houses with slanted red tiled roofs and patios full of flowers, one discovers religious monuments with influence from Mexican and Central American colonial art, giving it a peculiar frontier town character. Indigenous people come to its busy markets from the surrounding hamlets to offer textiles, ceramics, fruits and vegetables.
Tourist Attractions in SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
“Manuel José de Rojas” Auditorium
An 18th century temple houses the auditorium. The Faculty of Law of the Autonomous University of Chiapas currently uses it.
Municipal Palace
A beautiful neoclassical building from the 19th Century.
Zocalo or March 31 Main Square
It was a central meeting point throughout the colonial era and it was also the city’s main market. Today it is centered on a kiosk and surrounded by the most important buildings.
Andador de Guadalupe (Tourist Walkway)
You can walk along this tourist corridor and watch the traditional and unique architecture of this town. Here you will find many restaurants, bars and interesting shops.
Andador Eclesiástico (Tourist Walkway)
Wide pedestrian alley where you can find some of the main attractions in town, as well as souvenir shops, jewelry stores and restaurants.
Casa de la Sirena (House of the Mermaid)
Is an outstanding example of domestic colonial architecture still standing in the city. Diego de Mazariegos, the Spanish conqueror, probably built it during the 16th century.
Plazuela de Santo Domingo
In front of the beautiful temple there is a plaza with a large artisan market displaying colorful creations of local artisans as: amber jewelry, textiles, toys and more.
Arco del Carmen
This elegant arch with a tower was constructed in 1597 in the Mudejar (Moorish) style. It is considered the most striking colonial building in the city.
Candy and Crafts Market
Here you will find a wide variety of sweets and handicrafts.
Museums in SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
El Carmen Cultural Center
Located in the remains of the former La Encarnación convent. It was restored and transformed in a Convention Center, Public Library and Fine Arts Hall. The complex is a unique combination of ancient and modern buildings.
Sala de Bellas Artes “Alberto Domínguez Borraz” (Hall of Fine Arts)
It was built in 1974 with a colonial style. It is part of the Cultural Center El Carmen and the space accommodates a wide array of events, including dance, theatre, festivals, exhibitions, films and lectures.
Museo Mesoamericano del Jade (Museum of Jade)
The museum has an interesting collection where you can see carved-jade objects of the 8 major Mesoamerican cultures: Mokaya, Olmec, Teohihuacan, Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya, Toltec and Aztec. There is also a life-sized replica of the burial chamber of Kinich Janab Pakal, Palenque’s most famous ruler.
Museo de las Culturas Populares (Museum of Popular Cultures of Chiapas)
The permanent exhibition hall presents the various customs and traditions of different cultures in Chiapas. It has an exhibition hall for temporary exhibitions and a gallery displaying works by local artists. The museum offers workshops and a handicraft store.
Museo de la Medicina Maya (Maya Medicine Museum)
This is a fascinating museum dedicated to the various techniques and practices of indigenous medicine, mainly from the tsotsil-tseltal in Chiapas. Along the museum you may learn about the uses of traditional medicine and its therapeutic resources. There is also an orchard with a large number of medicinal plants.
Na-Bolom Museum (“The House of the Jaguar”)
Located in a building from the end of the 19th Century. The house is decorated with regional crafts, exhibiting Mayan ceramics and everyday objects of the Lacandones (inhabitants of the Lacandon jungle) in one of its halls. Another hall is devoted to the archaeological zone of Moxviquil, and yet another displays traditional textiles. Prior reservation is required for lodging and meals.
Sergio Castro e Hijos Museum
More than 90 original outfits are displayed here. This museum has an extensive collection of objects and garments related to the textile works of the Tsotsiles, Tojolabales and Lacandones. It also has a collection of musical instruments made and currently used by natives in Chiapas’ mountains. You must schedule an appointment to visit the museum.
Museo de Los Altos de Chiapas (Highlands of Chiapas Museum)
It is located on the ground floor of the former convent of Santo Domingo. It houses an interesting collection of art from the 17th to the 19th century. In the back of the top floor of the same building, is the Maya World Textile Center, the permanent showroom comprised around 2,400 items, ranging from textiles, clothing and crafts from various Mayan communities.
Religious Architecture in SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
Catedral de San Cristóbal (Cathedral)
It was built in 1528. Its present facade dates from the 17th century and has Baroque, Moorish and Neoclassical elements. It has a magnificent Baroque style decoration. Many are the treasures that the cathedral holds, deserving a careful visit. The pulpit is covered with gold leaf and beautiful Juan Correa paintings.
Temple and Ex-Convent of Santo Domingo
The complex was built between 1547 and 1551 and the façade is exquisitely decorated, in fact is one of the most ornate structures in Latin America. The interior has lavish altarpieces; an exquisitely fashioned pulpit carved of wood and covered in gold leaf and the Rosario Chapel.
Santa Lucía Temple
It was built in the19th century. The main altar is Gothic with Neoclassical and Art Nouveau elements.
Iglesia de la Merced y Museo del Ámbar (Church of Mercy and Museum of Amber)
The Church of Mercy was the first convent established in San Cristóbal by the Mercedarian Order. Today the convent houses the Museum of Amber, which exhibits mere than 350 exceptional pieces.
There are about 30 different colors of amber in Chiapas, and the solid red amber is very rare and unique of this region, this is highly prized for its impressive color and transparency.
Church of San Nicolás Tolentino
Built between 1613 and 1621. The construction exhibits the Moorish style, and it currently houses the Historical Archive.
Templo de La Caridad (Charity Temple)
Its construction dates from 1712. It has a splendid Salomonic main altarpiece.
Surroundings of SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
Ocosingo
The most natural Municipality of Mexico, the gateway to the Lacandon Jungle, which also has cultural attractions, delicious food and excellent weather. It highlights the Parish of Saint Hyacinth of Poland, which was built in 1569, headquarters of the Dominican convent that ran Tseltal villages in the region.
Arcotete
It is a gorgeous stone arch, sculpted by the calmed motion that Fogótico River water provided throughout time. Here you can go zip lining, rappelling, horseback riding and mountain biking. It is just 4 Km (2.5 miles) from San Cristóbal.
San Juan Chamula
Located in a beautiful valley at an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level and only ten kilometers from San Cristóbal de las Casas. This town was founded in 1549, and has been characterized to preserve pre-Hispanic culture and customs. The community produces a variety of handicrafts made from sheep’s wool (considered a sacred animal) as blouses, bags, shawls and blouses (huipiles).
Among its attractions are: The Church of San Juan Bautista, composed of a single spacecraft designed to allow visibility of the main altar dedicated to St. John the Baptist patron saint of the community. And the ruin of San Sebastian, a former church built in the 16th century, located at the entrance to the community inside a graveyard.
Grutas de Rancho Nuevo (Grottoes)
This natural attraction is located 10 kms from (6 miles) from San Cristobal de las Casas, on State Highway 190 heading towards Comitan. Vicente Kramsky discovered the hollow mountains of San Cristobal since 1947. It is a cave of one-entrance and side holes with a length of 10.2 kilometers (6 miles) and a depth of 550 meters (1,815 feet).
Spectacular limestone stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated along a 750 meters (2,475-foot) concrete walkway inside the labyrinthine caves. The best time to visit this cave in during dry season (November through April). You can rent horses for a ride around the surrounding pine forest, or hiking and camping.
Map of SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
More Tourist Attractions in CHIAPAS
Palenque
Palenque is a Chiapas city of Mayan origin, head of the municipality of the same name located in the north of the state. The indigenous population is formed mainly by the Chol, Tzeltal and Lacandon ethnic groups. The municipality borders Guatemala to the southeast, has three border sectors with the state of Tabasco and is also a neighbor of the Chiapas municipal entities of Catazajá, La Libertad, Ocosingo, Chilón and Salto de Agua. The closest cities to Palenque are Villahermosa, Tabasco, located 145 km to the west and San Cristóbal de las Casas, which is 219 km to the south.… Read More
Ecotourism and Adventure in Chiapas
Ecotourism in Chiapas is currently one of the most popular tourist trends in the state, with activities that try not to alter nature, thus preserving the ecosystem, flora and fauna, while encouraging sustainable development processes in indigenous communities that remain in the region. Responsibly enjoy a vacation in Chiapas and discover the hidden secrets of the state such as impressive natural sanctuaries and indigenous communities in the heart of the jungle where ancestral traditions still try to survive.… Read More
Beaches in Chiapas
The Chiapas coast offers beautiful beaches where you can do a wide variety of water sports. There are beaches of great beauty that are characterized by their tranquility and that are ideal for you to relax and enjoy nature. However, it must be taken into account that many of them face the open sea, so the waves tend to be high and you must be careful to enjoy these waters. Part of the coastal area is immersed in the La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve, so if you are a lover of venturing into nature, this is one of the places with more options, where you can find some of the largest red mangroves in all of America that are located in a series of estuaries that make the landscape unique.… Read More
Archaeological Sites in Chiapas
In Chiapas the forests and the jungle are a beauty, spectacular settings for archaeological sites. The incredible nature that accompanies many of these areas is a plus. Visits to archaeological sites are part of nature tourism, due to the opportunity to walk around diverse natural environments. In several of these places you can see animals, or hear them. They are places that also give us the opportunity to connect with nature, and that hand in hand with culture is an excellent combination.… Read More
Magical Towns in Chiapas
Chiapas has 4 Magical Towns: San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapa de Corzo, Comitán de Dominguez and Palenque, this recognition is given to the localities that have a special charm and unique symbolic attributes that allow to highlight the character and identity of the town, which they are manifested through their cultural heritage. Some of these characteristics can be: history, architecture, gastronomy and crafts, making your stay a magical moment.… Read More
Gastronomy of Chiapas
Chiapas food has certain features of authenticity, it is a gastronomic mosaic made up of its natural biodiversity, where each place prints its own characteristics, defines tastes and creates habits; varies in each region; Likewise, it is nourished by the diversity of Mayan ethnic groups and the Zoque of Olmec origin that when combined with Spanish cuisine by the influx of Dominican monks; It results in an immense variety of dishes of miscegenation typical of the State.… Read More
Tapachula and Tonala
Tapachula and Tonalá will amaze you with their beautiful buildings, their people and their traditions, colonial monuments, and breathtaking landscapes. Tapachula is also known as “La Perla del Soconusco” (The Pearl of Soconusco), it is a modern city with beautiful buildings built in a classic style. Located just next to the border with Guatemala, almost at the foot of the volcano Tacaná. Tonalá is a city in the southwest of Chiapas and head of the IX Istmo-Costa region; considered the third city in economic importance of the state; It is located in the transition of the Pacific Coastal Plain and the Sierra Madre de Chiapas.… Read More
Tuxtla Gutierrez
It is the capital city of the State of Chiapas. Its climate is hot and semi-humid. Tuxtla Gutiérrez is a modern city where culture and traditions of Chiapas blend together. The streets in Tuxtla contain a combination of past and present. It is a beautiful city surrounded by lush vegetation. In downtown there is the Central Park and the beautiful Marimba Park. During the evenings you can stroll around this park and enjoy the marimba music played at the gazebo. There are many natural wonders nearby Tuxtla and the city offers very good touristic infrastructure, but most of all, the city offers the warm and kindness of the people.… Read More
Guided Tours in CHIAPAS
Flights & Hotels in CHIAPAS
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It is practically impossible to make a meticulous, and above all, accurate selection of the places to visit in Mexico. Each place that our country houses is unique and beautiful in its own way. Mexico, with its nearly 2 million km², has a large number of scenarios to offer, as well as endless activities to do. Do not lose your way and enter the places to visit in Mexico. In Mexico, apart from the beaches and its famous archaeological sites, there are many other really interesting sites and activities that you should know. In the surroundings of the main cities you will find places full of culture and tradition, where you can spend relaxing, interesting and fun vacations. On your trip through Mexico you cannot stop obtaining souvenirs, the crafts that are made here are of the highest quality and recognized worldwide. A shopping tour cannot be missed.… Read More
