Best Things to Do in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

Located in the beautiful state of Chiapas and surrounded by mountains is the colourful city of San Cristobal de las Casas. If you’re heading to San Cristobal de las Casas soon then in this blog post you’ll find some of the best things to do in the city.

The city is filled with colourful buildings, cobblestone streets, friendly people, plenty of arts and crafts and also many unique day trips. So, it’s no wonder that many people choose this city as their base to explore Chiapas. 

If you’d like to see our San Cristobal de las Casas adventures then make sure to watch our YouTube video by clicking here. You can also check out our Mexico Playlist for more adventures.

Introducing San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

Located in the state of Chiapas in a small valley surrounded by hills is San Cristobal de las Casas. Situated at an elevation of 2,200m above sea level it has a moderate highland climate. This means that it can be pretty hot during the day and rather cold during the night.

The city was founded in 1528 as Villa Real. Over the years its name changed multiple times before it acquired its current name in 1848. Whilst there were some more modifications to the name, in 1943 it returned to San Cristobal de las Casas.

Until 1892, the city was actually the capital of Chiapas before Tuxtla Gutierrez replaced it. However, San Cristobal is still considered the cultural capital of Chiapas. This is due to the large indigenous population who make a significant contribution to the making of textiles.

Over the years San Cristobal has also attracted foreigners all over the world who now live in the city as expats. They definitely had an effect on the local culture, so don’t be surprised to find really good Italian, Thai, French and other restaurants here.

In 2003 San Cristobal was designated as a Pueblo Magico or Magical Town. In addition, in 2010, President Felipe Calderon also recognised the town as ‘The most magical of the Pueblos Magicos’. Click here to learn more about Pueblo Magicos. 

With narrow cobblestone streets, balconies with flowers and red-roofed buildings, the city has definitely preserved its Spanish colonial style.

The city is also considered a great place to end your Mexico adventures since it’s a popular gateway to Central America.

How to Get to San Cristobal de las Casas

By Plane: San Cristobal de las Casas doesn’t have an airport. The closest airport to the city is Angel Albino Corzo International Airport, also known as Tuxtla Gutierrez International Airport, located about 80km to the east of San Cristobal. However, if you’re coming from places such as Mexico City, Cancun, Guadalajara or Merida, then there’s a direct flight to Tuxla Gutierrez. From the airport you can take a colectivo or taxi to your final destination.

By Car: You can also rent a car and drive to San Cristobal. Bear in mind that the distances are pretty far between the main cities in Mexico. For example, expect to drive at least 12 hours from Mexico City, 10 hours from Oaxaca and about 13 hours from Merida. Before you rent a car, I recommend doing more research about driving in Mexico.

By Bus: A cost effective and also more environmentally friendly option is to take a bus to San Cristobal. Depending on where you’re coming from there are different companies that offer services to the city. However, the southern regions in Mexico are normally served by the ADO bus company. We used them many times travelling around Mexico and they were definitely the most affordable travel option.

Click here to check out other bus companies and learn more about bus travel in Mexico. 

Where to Stay in San Cristobal de las Casas

I recommend staying close to the Historic Centre since most points of interest are located in this area. You’ll be able to find hotels, hostels and Airbnb’s for all budgets here.

San Cristobal is a very walkable city and you can reach most of the tourist attractions on foot if you stay around the Historic Centre so you can save on taxi fares. 

Please Note – There’s no Uber operating in this area.

12 Best Things to Do in San Cristobal de las Casas

1. Walk Around the Zocalo

One of the first things you should do in San Cristobal is to walk around the central part of the city. It is basically the main plaza which is officially called Plaza 31 de Marzo. However, most people refer to it as Zocalo. 

In many Spanish colonial cities the main squares are located in the centre of both religious and non-religious power. As you probably guessed, it is where the city’s main market and water supply used to be in the colonial era. Today you’ll find buildings such as the Cathedral and the City Hall around the Zocalo.

Here you can just sit on a bench and relax, visit some of the famous landmarks and of course there are plenty of restaurants and vendors in the area as well in case you get hungry.

2. Admire the Catedral de San Cristobal de las Casas

Whilst you’re enjoying the atmosphere at the Zocalo, why not have a closer look at the Cathedral. It’s situated to the north of the main plaza. Interestingly, the main façade faces its own square called the Plaza de la Paz rather than the Zocalo.

Initially, the Cathedral was built as a church in 1528 and was dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption. However, in the 17th century Chiapas became a diocese and the church was completely rebuilt to the structure you see today. The new building was then dedicated to the patron of the San Cristobal, Saint Christopher. The Cathedral incorporates different features such as Baroque and Moorish styles, but indigenous influences can also be seen. 

Unfortunately, a devastating earthquake in September 2017 caused a lot of damage to the Cathedral and other churches in the area too. Due to the structure being unstable the Cathedral was still closed during our visit in early 2022. However, we could still admire the colourful façade of the Cathedral.

3. Learn About Amber at Museo del Ambar

Amber is the gem most associated with Chiapas and has been extracted since pre-Hispanic times. Amber is fossilized tree resin that was originally used by the Mayan people. In the 1950s archaeologist Frans Blom rediscovered it and sent Chiapas amber samples to the United States. As a result, interest in amber increased. The true Chiapas amber is actually sourced from a small town called Simojovel which produces 95% of Chiapas’ amber.

Amber has been used for medicinal purposes and to produce jewellery and art. Today you can visit the Amber Museum that’s housed in the 16th-century La Merced Convent. It features amber jewellery, art and fossils. 

Note – You’ll notice that everyone will be selling something on the streets that looks like amber. The number of fake amber made of plastic or glass has definitely increased over the years. Therefore, if you’re looking to buy real amber make sure to do so from an authentic seller. As a rule of thumb, if something is too cheap to be authentic it probably isn’t real amber.

Entry Fee: 30MXN

Opening Time – Tuesday to Sunday 10AM – 2PM and 4PM – 8PM. The museum is closed on Mondays so time your visit on another day.

4. Visit the Casa Na Bolom Museum

Located just outside of the Historic Centre of San Cristobal is Casa Na Bolom Museum. In the Mayan Tzotzil language it means ‘House of the Jaguar’, and it isn’t just a museum but also operates as a hotel and restaurant. 

In the 20th century it became the home of the Dane Frans Blom and his Swiss wife Gertrude Duby Blom. Frans was an archaeologist and explorer and his wife was a photographer and journalist. Together they spent around 50 years collecting different items and photographing the indigenous Lacandon people. 

Today you can walk around this beautiful museum to see their discoveries.

Entry Fee: 60MXN

Opening Times: Tuesday to Sunday 9AM to 6PM. The museum is closed on Mondays so time your visit on another day.

5. Buy Handmade Souvenirs at the Artesian Markets

One of my favourite things to do in a new city is to visit its markets. I love food markets just as much as I love walking around artesian markets. There’s definitely no shortage of artesian markets in San Cristobal.

You’ll find just about anything whilst wandering around the hundreds of stalls from shoes and bags to jewellery and pottery. They are all handmade items produced by indigenous people and artists. I had to stop myself from buying too many things!

Here are some of my favourites:

• Artesian Market around Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán 
• Mercado de la Caridad y Santo Domingo
• Mercado de Dulces y Artesanias Ambar
• Real de Guadalupe

6. Stroll Down Real de Guadalupe

Decorated with banners and filled with cafés, pubs and artisan shops is how you’ll find the beautiful Real de Guadalupe street.

This vibrant and colourful stretch of road is pedestrianised and connects Plaza 31 de Marzo with Guadalupe Church another must visit place in San Cristobal.

Whilst you stroll along this road, don’t forget to stop at a few artisan shops, buy some unique drinks or grab a snack from one of the many vendors or cafés. 

Note – For a quieter experience or if you wish to take photos of the street I recommend coming here earlier. Later in the day this stretch of road will become super busy.

7. Climb the Stairs to Guadalupe Church

Located at the end of the pedestrianised street Real de Guadalupe is the Guadalupe Church. The picturesque yellow and white church sits on top of Guadalupe Hill and offers one of the best views over San Cristobal.

Since the church sits on a hilltop, you’ll have to climb approximately 80 steps to reach it. However, your efforts will be rewarded with beautiful views over the city.

Once you’re at the top, you can also walk around and go inside the church. It was built in 1834 and inside on the main altar you’ll find a canvas painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Top Tip – The stairs might be difficult to climb if you’ve not acclimatised to higher altitudes, so take your time. 

8. Visit Some of the Most Colourful Churches in San Cristobal

Hands down San Cristobal de las Casas has the greatest number of colourful churches we’ve seen during our stay in Mexico. I’ll list some of our favourites below, but I’m sure that there’s even more that we missed. 

• San Nicolas Temple is located at the back of the Cathedral. The Church was constructed between 1613 and 1621 in Moorish design. It is the only church in San Cristobal which hasn’t been altered significantly.
• Templo y Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo de Guzman was built in 1547 by the Dominicans. It has a Baroque façade which is covered in beautiful carvings. It’s surrounded by a massive arts and crafts market which is perfect for some souvenir shopping.
• Templo y Ex-Convento de la Merced is located right next to the Amber Museum. The church was built in 1834 and has been renovated a lot over the years.
• Templo del Cerrillo is located at Plaza del Cerrillo not far from Santo Domingo de Guzman. Although its facade was built in 1890 the original structure dates back to the 1700s.
• Arco del Carmen and Templo y Ex-Convento Del Carmen date back to the 1600s. In front of the church and arch there’s a beautiful garden. 
• Templo de Santa Lucia is a picturesque neo-classical church painted white and blue. It’s located to the south of Templo de San Francisco. 

9. Try Some Traditional Drinks

Pozol and Tascalate are two very unique drinks you should try whilst in San Cristobal. They have been drunk in this region of Mexico since before the Spanish arrived and were used as both a thirst quencher and to fight diseases.

Tascalate is a chocolate drink made from a mixture of roasted maize, chocolate, ground pine nuts, achiote, vanilla and sugar. Pozol is a cooked and ground white corn drink. For many it’s both a refreshing and nutritional drink.

We tried them at Cacao Nativa on Gaudalupe Avenue and definitely found their flavours interesting.

10. Enjoy a Cup of Chiapas Coffee

It might come as a surprise, but Mexico is actually within the top 10 coffee producers in the world with Chiapas state contributing 40% of the total production. Mexico mainly produces arabica coffee which grows well in the southern areas.

There are definitely no shortage of coffee shops to try in San Cristobal, but we really enjoyed the coffee at Frontera Artisan Café which is rated as one of the best coffee spots in town. It has a really cozy vibe to relax in while you enjoy your coffee. They sell coffee from the different regions of Chiapas, all with varying strengths, so make sure to try as many as you can during your stay.

11. Admire Panoramic Views from San Cristobal Church

Guadalupe Church isn’t the only one that offers panoramic views of San Cristobal. On the opposite side of the city to Guadalupe Church is San Cristobal Church, also known as Iglesia de San Cristobalita.

Once again, you’ll have to climb a few hundred steps to reach the small white and red coloured church. However, your efforts will once again be rewarded with stunning views over San Cristobal and beyond. 

The church was built at the end of the 18th century by Fray Juan de Ordonez. 

Top Tip – The stairs might be difficult to climb if you’ve not acclimatised to higher altitudes, so take your time. 

12. Take a Day Trip from San Cristobal

San Cristobal is a great place to be based if you’d like to visit some of the most beautiful places in Chiapas.

There are no shortage of stunning places to visit in Chiapas such as:

• Parque Nacional Canon del Sumidero
• Cascada El Chiflon
• Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello
• Chiapa de Corzo
• Palenque

Click here to read more about the best day trips from San Cristobal de las Casas.

San Cristobal de las Casas Travel Tips

Whilst we mostly enjoyed our stay in San Cristobal de las Casas, I would like to warn you about a few things prior to your visit.

• Avoid drinking the tap water at all cost! A simple Google search will show you that most foreigners who backpack across Mexico will likely get sick in San Cristobal. The water quality is so bad there that you don’t need much to get really sick. To this day we’re unsure what caused us to be so sick for TWO FULL WEEKS that we even had to cancel the rest of our Yucatan adventures. 
• Since San Cristobal is located at 2,200 m (7,218 ft) above sea level, you can actually get altitude sickness, especially if you’ve not acclimatised to high altitude. Take it easy on your first day and drink plenty of water from a safe source.
• The streets in San Cristobal are super narrow and so are the pavements which are basically non-existent. This means that you should watch out for passing cars and other vehicles. They don’t always slow down.
• Wear comfortable shoes when walking around. Cobblestone streets can look dreamy on the photos but are not so great to walk on if you don’t wear practical shoes. The city is also very hilly so you’ll be climbing a lot of stairs.
• Wear layers. San Cristobal has a moderate highland climate which means that it can be cold in the morning and evening, but hot during the day. It can also rain quite regularly. 

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in San Cristobal de las Casas

Although we got seriously ill during our stay in San Cristobal, we still enjoyed our visit and didn’t regret coming here. We can see why many people choose this city as their base to explore Chiapas. The city definitely offers a variety of things to do and it has some of the most colourful churches we’ve ever seen. Not to mention the amount of artisan markets where we had to stop ourselves from buying too many souvenirs.

Have you ever been to San Cristobal de las Casas or Chiapas before? If so, how much of the city did you manage to explore? If not, would you visit this beautiful city? Let me know in the comments below.