San Cristóbal de las Casas is one of those places you will never forget. It holds a certain charm and magic that few places can compete with.
We have been here three different times, across two road trips, and most recently took a flight from Merida into nearby Tuxtla, Chiapas with a group of friends in the spring of 2021. San Cristóbal never ceases to disappoint us and shows us more of its magic every time we go. Nate has claimed it is one of his top favorite cities in the entire world, if that gives you a clue.
How to get to San Cristóbal de las Casas
Our first time visiting we had no idea what to expect, and after driving around the state from Palenque (through Villahermosa), we were floored by the change in temperature and the elevation into a magically misty and mountainous terrain.
As you go higher and higher, you come around a corner and bam, San Cristóbal is nestled in a panoramic circle of mountains and clouds. Driving through the adorable cobblestone streets lined with Spanish colonial houses with clay tile roofs, we finally arrived at our Airbnb near the center of town.
Best ways to get there:
- Flying into Tuxtla Gutiérrez then take a car rental or taxi into town.
- If you’re driving from the Yucatan Peninsula in the north:
- Go toward Villahermosa on Highway 180, to Highway 187 and Highway 145D toward Tuxtla Gutiérrez.
- Avoid highway 199 going through the steep canyons and Ocosingo, even though Google maps shows it as being the shorter route . We were told from a trusted friend this way is potentially dangerous due to the extremely curvy and high cliffs among other things.
- Ado buses go throughout all of Mexico as well as San Cristóbal de las Casas. This is a great way to arrive to San Cristóbal and we highly recommend the bus company.
Where To Stay in San Cristóbal de las Casas
Our first airbnb was one of the cutest Airbnb’s we have ever stayed at. We marveled at the gorgeous traditional Mexican designs in the tile counters, brick walls, wooden floors and hand-carved beams, and colorful happy textiles everywhere. The little adjoining balcony to the back courtyard was inviting with its hammocks and gorgeous views of the mountains around us.
Airbnb is a great choice in San Cristobal because the prices are incredibly low for the high quality that you receive. Most recently we stayed in an amazing apartment that boasted some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city and nearby mountains we’ve seen yet. The fireplace in the cozy kitchen and gorgeous, natural wood and artisan vibes everywhere charmed us. We never wanted to leave. We paid around $40 split with a friend and two bedrooms.
Great San Cristóbol de las Casas Hotels Options:
- Guayaba Inn: Calle Comitan 55, San Cristobal de las Casas 29220 Mexico
- Casa Lum: Calle Real de Guadalupe 30 Centro, San Cristobal de las Casas 29200 Mexico
- Hotel Bo: Av. 5 de Mayo 38 Entre Escuadron 201 y 28 de Agosto, San Cristobal de las Casas 29240 Mexico
- Casa del Alma Hotel Boutique & Spa: Avenida 16 de Septiembre No. 24, San Cristobal de las Casas 29200 Mexico
- We also ate at their restaurant and had amazing food and wine. Beautiful atmosphere.
Our Advice? Whether you stay at a hotel or in an airbnb definitely choose a place that is within walking distance to the center of town. Trust us on this one.
San Cristóbal de las Casas Weather
Our very first night in San Cristóbal de las Casas we were surprised at the tiny snowflakes falling down on us when we drove in. We quickly realized we were not prepared in the least coming from Merida, Yucatan.
The Elevation of San Cristobal is 6900 feet (2,100 meters) above sea level.
The highs and low temps by month:
Month↓ Temp→ | Low | High |
| Jan | 52.7°F (11.5°C) | 71.2°F (21.8°C) |
| Feb | 54.1°F (12.3°C) | 75.6°F (24.2°C) |
| March | 56.1°F (13.4°C) | 78.8°F (26°C) |
| April | 59.5°F (15.3°C) | 81.5°F (27.5°C) |
| May | 62.1°F (16.7°C) | 79.5°F (26.4°C) |
| June | 61°F (16.1°C) | 75.7°F (24.3°C) |
| July | 59.5°F (15.3°C) | 77.2°F (25.1°C) |
| August | 59.9°F (15.5°C) | 76.8°F (24.9°C) |
| September | 59.9°F (15.5°C) | 75.4°F (24.1°C) |
| October | 57.4°F (14.1°C) | 73.6°F (23.1°C) |
| November | 54.9°F (12.7°C) | 72.3°F (22.4°C) |
| December | 53.2°F (11.8°C) | 72.5°F (22.5°C) |
- Hottest month of the year: April
- Coldest month of the year: January
- Driest month of the year: February
- Wettest month of the year: June
- There are 249 rainfall days per year on average.
What to wear in San Cristóbal de las Casas
During our first trip since we were embarrassingly underprepared, we bought some extremely warm and affordable alpaca ponchos from some of the Mayan vendors. They were selling beautiful textile items near Plaza de la Paz which is next to the main pedestrian street (closed to cars). This was very lucky since San Cristobal can get downright cold (to us) at night.
It’s all about the layers!
There is quite a range of temperature during the days and nights so it is always a good idea to have a lot of layers to choose from. Typically, we found that by having a sweatshirt or long sleeve shirt to go over a tee shirt or tank top worked well.
We mainly wore long pants while we were here unless it was during the hottest months. It is also advisable to wear comfortable walking shoes, especially tennis shoes with good tread or hiking boots as many of the cobblestone streets can be unpredictably slippery or rough to walk on.
Cold Nights
During the night you will probably need a heavier jacket and in the case of colder months such as in January a heavy winter jacket (or alpaca coat like we bought while we were there). A scarf, hat and gloves will also be helpful. We hate feeling cold, so having these cold weather luxuries will come in handy!
Bring sunglasses and sunscreen for the hot, and sunny days. The sunshine can be bright and it’s always a good idea to protect yourself.
Best Time to Visit San Cristóbal de las Casas
We think the best time is to visit in the Spring or Fall. The weather is beautiful, there isn’t a lot of rainfall and it feels moderately warm.
Best things to do in San Cristóbal de las Casas
People Watching on Real de Guadalupe
Real de Guadalupe, the completely pedestrian street is probably the most famous and our favorite street to roam up and down all times of the day. You will see many tourists, many of them not American but rather from places like Europe and Argentina. You will see many local and Maya vendors.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
You will see so many beautiful and bohemian type cafes, restaurants and bars with open windows and patios spilling out onto the cobblestone street. A perfect place for people watching, while sipping on your favorite beverage.
Art and Music Scene
San Cristóbal also has a thriving art and music scene. Get ready to explore by foot and bump into a plethora of rich culture and art, galleries and music venues. There are countless amazing buskers on the street as well, so make sure to carry some pesos with you to tip them.
Local Maze of Mercados
Check out Mercado de la Caridad y Santo Domingo which is extensive and sprawling. You will find lots of amazing amber jewelry and handmade stone and metal objects. However the most famous items to look for are the beautiful woven handmade tapestries and textiles.
We bought several little textile items as gifts, plus to decorate our home, including table runners, pillow cases, place mats, bags and shawls. We also bought some amazing colorful jewelry that made amazing gifts for incredible prices.
More Places to Check Out:
Casa Na Balom
- Explore the amazing library, photo gallery, museum and inner courtyard. All dedicated to preservation of the Maya and the Chiapas rainforest.
- It was the home of archeologist Frans Blom and his wife, documentary photographer, journalist, environmental pioneer Gertrude Duby Blom. Today, Casa Na Bolom operates as a hotel, museum, and research center run by Asociación Cultural Na Bolom, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Lacandon Maya and the preservation of the Chiapas rain forest.[1][2] (Wikipedia)
Casa Corazon de Jade
- gardens behind this historic house are so beautiful with winding paths, a plethora of different flowers and interesting landscape architecture.
Jardin Cerrillo
- historic plaza with cute cafes, coffee and an art studio/gallery with really cool prints that we bought
Reserva Ecológica y Orquideario Moxviquil
- an amazing and sprawling botanical garden filled with orchids and other rare species right on the edge of the city.
Iglesia de San Cristóbalito
- beautiful hilltop to overlook the entire city in a very central location
Best Places to Eat
San Cristóbal is certainly not without amazing choices of food and drink. Many of the restaurants offer world cuisine in addition to their own local Mexican cuisine. We ate Italian pizza, Thai curry, French bread and pastries.
We saw yoga studios and matcha tea cafes and artisanal chocolate stores. And don’t even get us started on the coffee, locally grown and brewed from Chiapas! Most of the coffee you find throughout Mexico is grown in the state of Chiapas so you will get to enjoy the freshest and best stuff while coming here.
Our Favorite Restaurants, Bars and Cafes:
- Kinoki– great rooftop cafe to watch the sunset
- La Viña de Bacco-amazing, historic wine bar with a huge wine menu with glasses of wine as cheap as $1 USD! They serve a free tapa with each drink.
- Kukulpan Cafe– great coffee and patio
- Frontera Artisan Food and Coffee– An amazing collection of great restaurants, shops and an art gallery around a beautiful plaza.
- El Secreto– fancy restaurant and romantic place to get drinks on their courtyard patio
- BANGCOOK– amazing Thai food! Cute plaza with other amazing looking restaurants and bars
- Restaurante La Lupe – wonderful traditional Mexican spot
- Te Quiero Verde– great vegan spot
- Carajillo Expendio– amazing fair trade coffee
- Casa del Alma Hotel Boutique Restaurant – wonderful food and wine in a fancy and cozy space
- La Artesanal – great cerveceria for local artisanal brews
Is San Cristóbal de las Casas safe?
As we mentioned before, in the best ways to get to San Cristóbal de las Casas, our good friend gave us some sound advice. Avoid taking the road between Ocosingo and San Cristóbal de las Casas if you are driving there, for instance from Palenque or to the north in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Other than that, the historic center of San Cristóbal de las Casas is considered safe and we never once felt in danger when walking around downtown. We walked everywhere and even at night it felt safe.
Of course with that being said, it is always a good idea to stay very aware of your surroundings everywhere you go and keep an eye on your valuables, your purse, and to keep a low profile when possible (take care when pulling out your phone to take pictures, etc). This is simply good common sense and is always a good idea.
Outside the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas, the state of Chiapas has often been considered a “rebel” state of Mexico. The first and biggest thing we’ve heard about is the presence of the Zapatistas, a militant group known for uprisings against the government in the 1990’s.
This group aligned with the indigenous local population, the Maya, to create a pretty much completely autonomous state, separate from the Mexican government and in control of its own affairs. There has been talk of parts of the states being unsafe for tourists or foreigners as the locals are very territorial of their land (which is very reasonable considering the history).
Our best advice?
Be careful if you are driving outside of San Cristóbal de las Casas and never drive at night. Always have extra pesos with you. When we were driving in Chiapas to a waterfall we were stopped by a group of very nice young locals who wouldn’t let us pass unless we paid a small tax (about 50 pesos if we remember correctly). They were very nice and we were impressed.
But again, just be aware and stay careful. Check the news before you go or take risks such as driving throughout the state and outside of San Cristobal.
Best Day Trips from San Cristóbal de las Casas
Sumiduro Canyon
A must do when in San Cristobal.
Both times we went, we took a boat tour from the small town of Chiapa de Corzo. Imagine the Grand Canyon but with greenery everywhere and huge flowing waterfalls on both sides of you, while traveling down a huge river on a boat.
Keep your eyes open on the banks of the river to see the huge local residents – 9 foot crocodiles that call this canyon their home.
Once you continue you will notice the terrain on both sides of you begin to get taller as you weave through the towering cliffs. This is where many waterfalls of different sizes come tumbling down depending on the season (rainy or dry).
We also saw many pelicans and other beautiful water birds flying all around us. It’s truly a breathtaking place to take in the sights on this trip, and see this unique place.
At the end of the 1 hour cruise, you end at the CSF dam where local boats will sell you local food and drinks from their boat to yours.
Corzo de Chiapas
After your boat tour in Sumidero Canyon, have lunch in the cute, small town of Corzo de Chiapas. They have a few cute restaurants with local cuisine and delicious fish dishes plus refreshing horchatas (rice milk drink) or Jamaicas (sweet hibiscus drink) in the hot afternoon.
El Chiflon Waterfalls
Phew! This was one of our favorite places we have been, period! It is a couple hours drive through the winding and amazing forests of Chiapas. As you start going down in elevation, you see the landscape change from pine trees and cloudy mountains, to hilly valleys filled with lush jungle trees and warmer, more humid temperatures. Once you reach these waterfalls you can see it from miles away. They have a wonderful parking lot and plenty of food and even overnight accommodations on the property.
Along the first part of the hike you will gasp at the color of the rushing river. Perfect turquoise is almost unreal! There are plenty of places to stop and jump into the river among many other swimmers. It is cold but oh so refreshing.
We hiked up to the first main point where we enjoyed the bottom of the main waterfall with the beautiful huge pool below it. There is a lookout deck where you can bask in the spray of the refreshing gorgeous waterfall and take in the epic-ness of this place.
After this you can either choose to climb up to the nearby platform to go down the zip-line (we skipped this).
Or you can choose to hike further up to the top of the waterfall. We chose this path, and boy was it a tough climb straight up! But well worth the views, less tourists and the sheer joy of knowing you made it! You will definitely want to jump in the river on your hike back down under the falls.
Palenque
Check out our blog post all about this amazing destination.
You can book one of the many tours in downtown San Cristóbal offering shared rides and tours around the Maya Ruins site for the day from San Cristóbal. Or rent a car or take a bus there for a few days to really make the most of it.
While you are there, try to make it to Roberto Barrios Waterfalls which are about an hour away from Palenque. Well worth the trip, these waterfalls and aqua pools are some of the prettiest we’ve seen, plus there are sliding rocks!
The Church of Chamula
Blog Post coming soon! This place is one of the most unique things you will see in your entire life. Go with a guide, a must to really understand the rituals and traditions of the Maya people who attend this church.
Look out for all of the mirrors hanging on the necks of dozens upon dozens of large saint statues. Pine needles for a carpet on the large floor. Incense filling the room along with chanting in Tzotzil Maya. Soda and liquor ritual drinking. Some egg and chicken sacrifice (I had to turn away).
Number #1 Rule: don’t even try to sneak a phone camera picture. All photography of any kind is prohibited inside the church and could result in serious criminal action, and confiscation of your camera/device.
Lagunas de Montebello
Sadly we didn’t end up making it here on our last trip, but we have heard remarkable things about this beautiful destination. Positioned right on the border of Chiapas, Mexico and Guatemala, this large lake system boast beautiful views and plenty of water activities such as boating and swimming.
Is San Cristóbal de las Casas worth visiting?
Absolutely! We could easily spend weeks here exploring the city and taking many day trips outside the city to explore the beautiful nature everywhere. From waterfalls, to lakes, mountains and Maya ruins nestled deep in the jungle with spider and howler monkeys – you will not be at a loss for epic things to do.
If you are looking for something slightly off the beaten path, from your typical tourist destinations in Mexico such as Tulum, Cancun, Cabo, Mexico City, or Oaxaca, visit San Cristóbal de las Casas. We promise you will be so happy you did!
