The Ultimate Guide to San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapas, Mexico)

Thinking about visiting San Cristobal de las Casas and not sure what to do and see there? You’re in the right place because San Cristobal is one of my favourite cities in Mexico and I have tons of fun and interesting ideas to share with you. In this blog post, I’ll suggest what to do in and around the city (including some unmissable day trips), and advise you on when to visit, how to get there and how long to stay to make the most of your time there.

San Cristobal is in Mexico’s Chiapas region, known for its rich cultural heritage and indigenous communities. What doesn’t seem to get enough credit is the region’s breathtaking nature and diverse landscapes. I was absolutely blown away by the stunning lakes, rivers and waterfalls here. I probably looked like a cartoon character with my eyes bulging out of my face with awe and delight! So, let’s go and explore San Cristobal (and Chiapas) together….vamos!

Things to Do and See in San Cristobal

San Cristobal is a beautiful city in itself; colourful, welcoming and with the kind of atmosphere which encourages you to stroll leisurely, appreciating your surroundings and wandering without a fixed agenda. A lot of the city has preserved the Spanish colonial style, with brightly-coloured buildings and narrow cobbled streets. There are a few attractions to visit here, but not so many that you have to rush to tick things off.

• The Cathedral (Catedral de San Cristóbal de las Casas)

You can’t miss this bold, brightly coloured cathedral, as it’s the main centrepiece of the city’s largest square, Plaza de la Paz. It is Baroque in style and dates back to the 1500s. Whilst the inside is much more understated, it’s worth taking a peek if the cathedral is open during your visit.

• Museum of Amber (Museo del Ámbar)

Visit this museum to learn all about how amber is formed, mined and used, and to admire a variety of amber statues and jewellery. The display boards are in Spanish but you can pick up an English brochure at the front desk. There’s a shop attached to the museum where you can buy beautiful amber jewellery (along with other pieces). Anything you buy in the shop is sold with a certificate of authenticity. The museum costs $50 MXN for a full-priced ticket, and is open Tuesdays to Sundays 10-2pm / 4-8pm.

• Mayan World Textile Centre (Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya) 

If you go to one museum in San Cristobal, make it this one! I was really impressed by the dazzling collection of textiles and artefacts from Mexico and Guatemala, dating from the 1930s to present day. The variety of colours and weavings are incredible; you can really appreciate the skill, time and techniques that go into each item. There are useful information boards in Spanish and English, which give insight and context to what was on display. It’s in a cool building; the city restored the ex-convent to house the museum and several other exhibitions. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It costs $65 MXN (concessions available), except on Sundays when it’s free. There’s also a shop attached to the museum which sells high-quality artefacts from a local women’s weaving cooperative.

• Church and Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmá)

Close to the Mayan World Textile Centre, you can find this church and former-convent. It was originally built in the 16th century and was restored between 1999 and 2002. It has a really interesting, intricate facade; it’s a yellowy, dusty peach shade and is covered in different figures, statues, patterns and textures. Inside you can find a large courtyard, and traditional church decorated with gold details.

• El Arcotete Ecological Park

This gorgeous park is easy to reach from the city centre and is the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature. It only costs $10 MXN per person to enter the grounds. For an extra $15 MXN you can explore the grotto, which I definitely recommend as there are some really cool rock formations inside. Some passages in the grotto are very narrow (not good for very tall people!). You can also zipline in El Arcotete (for an extra cost), or go rock climbing (you have to bring your own equipment). You can bring a picnic lunch or buy food at a restaurant or small shop at the entrance to the park.

Getting there: Take a colectivo from the city (I caught mine from the corner of Avenue Remesal and Calle Nicolas Ruiz) or take a private taxi. Colectivos are shared vans or buses which transport people along a specific route. They don’t change course but you can hop on or off at any point. The cost depends on the distance you travel. From the centre of San Cristobal to El Arcotete, it costs $25 MXN return. To flag down a colectivo, stand at the side of the road with your arm out (hitchhiking-style) then wait for the van to pull in. There is normally a sign on the front saying where the colectivo is headed. Hop in, take a seat next to the other passengers, and when you’re close to where you want to get off, ring the bell inside of the van. The driver will pull over so you can get out and pay them. The colectivos pick up and drop off from the same place outside the entrance to El Arcotete, running every 10-15 minutes between the park and city centre.

• Church of San Cristóbalito (Iglesia de San Cristobalito)

If you need to burn off some of that delicious Mexican food you’ve been munching, you can walk up 280 steps to San Cristobalito. It’s quite tiring but thankfully the stairs are designed in a zigzag pattern, with benches along the way. Once you reach the top, you can admire the picturesque red and white church of San Cristóbalito. Unfortunately the view of the city is partially obscured by trees, but it’s still a peaceful, calm environment to sit, think, or enjoy time with friends and family.

• Temple of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)

If walking up 280 steps sounds like torture, you can visit Temple of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a pretty yellow-and-white church, located up a much shorter set of steps (79 to be exact!). Every evening people gather here to watch the sun set behind the mountains. It’s also a good spot for people-watching, or rubbing shoulders with the locals.

• Shop at San Cristobal’s Markets

You can find some wonderful, colourful markets here, showcasing traditional arts, crafts and clothing from local artists and the indigenous population. Some of the most popular markets are Mercado de la Caridad y Santo Domingo (outside Church and Convent of Santo Domingo), Mercado Artesania and Mercado de Dulces y Artesanias Ambar. Here you can find a wide range of clothes, bags, hats, jewellery (including lots of amber), locally-produced textiles, leather goods, and traditional Mexican sweets. Most items don’t have prices listed so you should be ready to haggle!

• Mesoamerican Jade Museum (Museo Mesoamericano del Jade) 

This small museum describes the process of sourcing and using jade. You can learn about different types of jade, and its importance in Mesomerican culture. There are some really impressive pieces, including a recreation of the tomb of Pakal (a famous figure in the Mayan culture whose original tomb is in Palenque). There’s a museum shop where you can buy some pieces of jade (along with other stones and gems). It costs $50 MXN for a full-priced ticket and is open Mondays – Saturday 10 am–8 pm / Sundays 10 am–6pm.

Popular day trips from San Cristobal

One of the best things about San Cristobal is its close proximity to so many gorgeous natural sights. On the city’s main street, Real de Guadalupe, you can find dozens of tour agencies, offering a variety of tours. It’s worth visiting several of them to compare prices (I did this several times and was able to choose the cheapest tours from nearly identical itineraries).

• Sumidero Canyon (Cañon del Sumidero) is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Chiapas, as it’s a prime example of the region’s incredible natural beauty. It’s part of a national park covering 50,000 acres, and can be easily reached from San Cristobal and nearby cities.

• Chiflón Waterfalls (Cascada El Chiflón)

The Chiflón waterfalls are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Photos simply don’t do them justice! You can visit El Chiflón as a day trip (independently or via a tour), or stay overnight (there are camping spots and cabins for rent by the river). We decided to travel there independently as most tour agencies combine El Chiflón with a visit to the Montebello Lakes (on the border to Guatemala), leaving a very short amount of time at El Chiflón.

There are five waterfalls within the El Chiflón park, the main one being “The Bride’s Veil” (El Velo de Novia). It’s so powerful that if you stand on the viewing deck near it, you’ll get soaked! The path between the falls is relatively easy; there are some steps to climb but the path is in good condition with hand railings. It costs $50 MXN per person to access the park and the first three waterfalls. There’s an additional charge for the 4th and 5th waterfalls, which are a higher climb. If you make it up there, you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views across the valley. Once you’ve finished exploring, if you don’t want to walk back down, you can take a zipline ($150-500 MXN, depending on which zipline you do, and whether you’d like photos taken or not).

Getting there: From San Cristobal you need to travel to a town called Comitan – we took an ADO bus from San Cristobal bus station ($72 MXN – 2hrs one-way). It is also possible to take a colectivo all the way to Comitan (a much bumpier 1hr 30 ride which’ll cost around $60-70 MXN). From Comitan, we took a colectivo directly to El Chiflón ($40 MXN for 45 minutes). Make sure to leave plenty of time to get a colectivo back to Comitan; my boyfriend and I had to wait 30 minutes for one to pass with enough space for us. Once back in Comitan, another driver offered to take us back to San Cristobal for $70 MXN per person, but we opted for the ADO bus as it’s more comfortable with phone chargers and air-conditioning.

What to bring to El Chiflón: Your swimsuit, a towel, comfortable walking shoes, suntan lotion, insect repellent, plenty of water, and enough cash. It’s possible to swim in designated parts of the river and is best to visit in the dry season (November-March) when the water is sparkling turquoise and crystal clear. You can bring your own picnic food (we saw some families having barbecues or picnics) or buy some food on arrival; there are some restaurants and shops at the entrance.

• Visit the indigenous communities

Chiapas has one of Mexico’s largest indigenous populations; the Tzotzil, Tzeltal, and Tojolabal people have preserved their customs, lifestyles and beliefs here for centuries. If you’re interested in learning more, you can do an organised tour to two indigenous towns – San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan. You can explore the colourful markets and try some traditional food. If you’re lucky, your visit might coincide with a local festival or celebration!

Where to eat and drink

We really enjoyed the food in San Cristobal. I am not sure if we tried anything with a specific indigenous influence but it was all super tasty! Here are some personal recommendations:

• Xocol-Na Chocolate & Churros Cafeteria – I couldn’t resist visiting this cafe multiple times during our stay in San Cristobal. They serve a range of breakfast options, but are most well-known for their rich, creamy hot chocolate (with 65% cacao), served alongside crispy, light churros sprinkled in sugar and cinnamon. If you want even more deliciousness, you can get some dips on the side (chocolate sauce, condensed milk, caramel sauce or fruit jam). As the churros are made to order you’re guaranteed a fresh batch every time you visit!
• La Espirituosa – A cool cocktail bar, which also serves food and craft beers. We did a fresh tasting of pox (a Chiapas corn spirit), sipped our drinks in their pretty courtyard (filled with plants and flowers) and admired the colourful, handmade shirts and bags for sale in their on-site shop.
• Pizzería y Chocolatería Corazon de Cacao – This Instagrammable restaurant has really fun, feminine decor with baby pink furniture and a flamingo theme. There’s a chocolate shop at the front, and a pizzeria at the back. What’s not to love? I recommend the Himalayan salt chocolate, and the chocolate with 72% cacao content.
• Libre Cafe – A great place to try organic coffee from the Chiapas region, roasted and ground on-site. You can smell the delicious roasted coffee all the way down the street! There’s also a small shop to buy slabs of chocolate to take home with you.
• Casita Demerara – A very popular cafe for artisanal ice cream (made without artificial additives, flavouring and all that junk!). They also have tasty desserts – I recommend the chocolate brownie!
• Barbacoas Yessi – This restaurant is very popular with locals and it’s easy to see why! Their slow-cooked pulled beef is so moreish. It’s served with corn tortillas, crunchy nachos, condiments and a really good, rich consommé (broth).

Where to stay

I recommend staying close to Plaza de la Paz or Real de Guadalupe so you can easily reach the main sights on foot. We stayed in this Airbnb which was quiet, clean and comfortable, with a communal, well-equipped kitchen and large terrace. It’s worth keeping in mind that a lot of accommodation in San Cristobal isn’t insulated, but look for somewhere with heating (or lots of thick blankets to snuggle under!). You will probably need a jacket or light coat whenever you go out in the evenings.

When to visit

It is best to visit during the dry season (November to April) to enjoy warm, sunny days with little to no rain. However, this is the busiest tourist season so accommodation prices might be higher and tours might sell out in advance. To avoid the crowds, consider visiting at the very start or end of the dry season. The rainy season runs from June to October but San Cristobal unfortunately doesn’t get much rain.

How long to stay

I would suggest a minimum of five full days (three in San Cristobal, one full day at Sumidero Canyon, one at El Chiflón). However, you could easily spend a week there. I’ve heard San Cristobal being described as a vortex; sometimes people visit for a week and then find themselves living there for months or even years!

Getting to/from San Cristobal

San Cristobal can be reached by bus from many large cities in Mexico. Most people use ADO or OCC, the country’s two main bus companies. You can buy bus tickets online through user-friendly transport sites like 12go, Clickbus, Busbud and Get By Bus. The closest airport is Tuxtla Gutiérrez Airport, 1.5 hours from San Cristobal. From here you can take buses, colectivos or taxis to the city.

Road closures are common in the Chiapas region due to protests against the government. The protesters are usually unconcerned with tourists but their protests can disrupt your travel plans. Occasionally you might be asked to pay a ‘fee’ to pass through the protest (usually $50-100 MXN per person). Try not to be annoyed by it; just think of it as a toll to use the road, pay it and continue on your journey.

On the way to San Cristobal, our ADO bus was stuck for 9 hours(!) in a road blockade, turning a 13-hour night bus journey into a 22-hour saga. I can’t believe I’ve spent almost a whole day of my life on a bus! Luckily there was air-con, phone chargers, and a TV screen playing back-to-back movies in Spanish to keep us sane entertained! Fortunately that was the only bus journey we had which experienced a delay throughout six weeks in Mexico. Due to these road closures and blockades in Chiapas, it’s a good idea to travel with a bus company or use tour agencies for day trips. The bus drivers and tour guides can find alternative routes more easily.

I hope this post has given you a lot of ideas about what to do and see in San Cristobal. I thought it would merely be a launchpad for tours and excursions, but San Cristobal surpassed my expectations and completely enchanted me. It is a lovely, picturesque, walkable city which will certainly leave a lasting impression and deserves a spot in your Mexico itinerary.