20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN VALLADOLID (YUCATÁN)

In the state of Yucatán, about two hours from Cancun, it is located Valladolid, one of the magical towns of Mexico. Founded in 1543 by the Spaniards, it was named for paying homage to the homonymous city of the Iberian Peninsula. Valladolid soon became an essential enclave of Yucatan and came to have the nickname "capital of the Mayan East." We really wanted to visit it and after having spent three days here, we can say that it has not let us down at all. In addition to the beauty of the town and its colorful houses, there are a few very, very interesting excursions in its surroundings. You want to know everything you can see and do in Valladolid? We tell you in this post.

1. Approach until Central Square of Valladolid, with the central source called “la mestiza”. It is the nerve center of the city and you will always find atmosphere. At dusk they usually put street food stalls (try the churros or the marquesitas!), Markets and sometimes dance shows take place.

2. Presiding over the square stands imposingly Church of San Servacio, in whose facade two enormous towers stand out and in the middle, the shield of King Felipe V (the first King Bourbon) carved in the stone. It was built in 1543 and is one of the most emblematic places in Valladolid. You can freely enter inside.

3. Do not leave the square without visiting the interior of thecity ​​Hall and look out at one of its balconies, from where you have beautiful views of the normal hustle and bustle of the town under your feet. Access is free.

4. Three other churches that we liked a lot were the Candelaria Church, red and with a beautiful colonial style, theSt. Lucia Church looking more careless, and the Santa Ana Church, is yellow and in a quiet square. And since we talk about everything, tell that in the corner of this square there is a little where we ate the best tacos of what is going on a trip, Guerrero style and absolutely delicious.

5. The old Franciscan Convent of San Bernardino de Siena It is another visit that can not be missed on any trip to Valladolid. It is located in the Sisal neighborhood and consists of a church, a chapel and several buildings with a museum about the Caste War inside. You can enter the church for free, but if you want to visit the rest of the rooms the entrance is worth 30 pesos. Visit it both day and night, because at 9 pm (in English at 9:20) they project on the facade of the convent a Sound and light show, where the history of the place and the city is told (every day except Monday). Curiosity: there is only one largest convent in the entire Yucatan, that of San Antonio de Padua in Izamal.

6. In Valladolid you could not miss the letters as a colorful sign, in this case they are right in front of the Convent.

7. To cool off the Mexican warmth it is best to visit a cenote ... and in this case you will not have to walk long to find the first one: we talk about Cenote Zací, which is in the middle of the city! (Zací is the Mayan name with which Valladolidad was known, and pronounced Sachí). The entrance is worth 30 pesos, but if you drink something in the restaurant you find when you arrive (be it food or a soda) with that price or more expensive, you can access the cenote for free.

8. If you like art you should approach the Deer House, a private house-museum that contains one of the most interesting popular art collections in all of Mexico. About 3,000 objects are exhibited, all manufactured in this beautiful country. To visit it you have to go to the local 240 of the 40th street and sign up for a tour (there are at 10, at 11:30 and at 13). At the end of the visit you will be asked for a donation of 100 pesos which, according to what we understand, is donated to local associations and reinvested in social causes.

9. Do you want to know a more authentic little piece of Valladolid? Go to Donato Bates Municipal Market and get lost between fruit and vegetable stands. There are also places to buy handicrafts and some souvenirs (tip: the blouses with embroidered flowers are beautiful).

10. The Causeway of the Friars It is one of the places to have a good time shooting photos. On both sides of this picturesque street there are colonial houses with facades of different colors, so it is the perfect place to give free rein to your camera. But not only here, many streets in the center of Valladolid still retain the look of that past era.

11. An interesting museum to learn more about the history of the city is theSan Roque Museum. And not only for its exhibitions, the building has been the protagonist of many important episodes of its history. It was built as a small chapel in 1575 and transformed into a hospital first and the convent of San Roque later. Here they buried those who involved her in the episode known as "the mayors' crime," or the rebels of the 1910 uprising were shot.

12. Try the typical Yucatan cuisine, one of the best in all of Mexico. Some specialties are: cochinita pibil, salbutes, tenderloins, piglet cakes, pibihuas, panuchos, papadzules, poc-chuc, oriental marinade, sausage and lime soup. In this post we tell you where to eat in Valladolid (coming soon). And if you have the chance, try the famous mayan chocolate, a very important product in the Yucatan culture.

13. At the north end of the Central Plaza there is a kind of food court or food market with several traditional food stalls. The place is both for locals and for outsiders and is a good option if you want to enter the Yucatecan recipes and refresh yourself with the typical and delicious fresh waters.

14. Enjoy any of your charming accommodations. We stayed at Casa Sisal, with few rooms and very cool, 100% recommended. Find your cheap accommodation in Valladolid.

If you are taking a car trip, there are some very interesting places in the Valladolid surroundings for excursions on day. These are the ones we advise you:

15. We start with the Archaeological Zone of Ek Balam, the last one discovered in Yucatán and that is gaining more and more popularity. It is composed of a main building 32 meters high (the Acropolis), and different structures at its feet, among which a ballcourt stands out. It is located 30 km north of Valladolid and the ticket price is 211 pesos (141 + 70).

16. Although if we talk about Mayan ruins, the one that takes the palm isChichen Itza with its huge pyramid (Kukulkan temple) but with a set of buildings that never fail to impress. It is located about 45 km towards Mérida and the entrance costs 252 pesos.

17. A third archaeological site, this time southeast of Valladolid and somewhat further (about 65 km) is the ancient city of Coba (70 pesos entry)

18. There are several cenotes in and around Valladolid. The instagramers will be cool Suytun Cenote, with a simple and small opening at the top, its characteristic walkway and where you can bathe (70 pesos). Two others that are worth it are the Sambula and Xkeken cenotes side by side (60 pesos each), one of the most beautiful in the Yucatan Peninsula.

19. To the north, just over 100 km from Valladolid, is the Biosphere Reserve of Lizards River, where you can sign up for a tour (about 250 pesos) to navigate between mangroves and see their famous flamingos.

20. Finally, in the neighboring town of Uayma there is an old Franciscan convent dating from 1646 and that stands out for the rosettes and colorful stars painted on the red facades. Is he Ex-Convent of Santo Domingo.

Suytun Cenote

Here you have an interactive map with all the most interesting points to visit in Valladolidad, the recommended restaurants and excursions in the surroundings.

As you can see, Valladolid in Yucatan has lots of things to offer the traveler and it is an essential city on a trip through Mexico. These are the main things to do in Valladolidad, and the best excursions in the surroundings, do you have any other recommendations? Leave us a comment!