San Cristóbal de Las Casas, the Soul of Chiapas
A palpable charm exudes from every corner of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, from its cobbled streets echoing with history to the vibrantly colored houses and markets.
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Its free-spirited atmosphere also draws deeply on indigenous traditions. Discover San Cristóbal’s rich culture, evident in its cuisine, wealth of handicrafts, and mystical festivities.
Tradition and Color in San Cristóbal de Las Casas
One of the best reasons to travel to this destination is its celebrations, when the city overflows with life and activity. There are two specific dates on which you can best enjoy this Magical Town in Chiapas.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Day of the Dead in Romerillo
Every year on November 1 and 2, the Tsotsil people in Romerillo celebrate Day of the Dead with food, drink, and music. Their dead are honored with a huge celebration and rituals inside and around the cemetery.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Día de San Juan Bautista in San Juan Chamula
The celebration on June 24th is in honor of Saint John the Baptist. It takes place some 25 minutes from San Cristóbal in the town of San Juan Chamula. The community celebrates its patron saint with rituals and traditions reflecting its strong indigenous culture in the San Juan Bautista church, the heart of the festivities.
Explore San Cristóbal’s Rich Heritage through Its Attractions
※ Don’t miss any of them! One of the best parts of San Cristóbal is that you can roam its streets to discover all its charms by foot. The touristic walkways let you admire some of the Magical Town’s top landmarks.
San Cristóbal’s Cathedral
Guadalupe touristic walkway, which brings together many the town’s most popular restaurants, leads to the city’s spiritual heart, the Catedral de San Cristóbal. The cathedral is one of Chiapas’ most iconic religious buildings—its yellow- and red-painted baroque-style facade is one of the symbols of San Cristóbal. Inside, it holds colonial-era golden altarpieces, sculptures, and paintings.
Plaza 31 de Marzo. Norte 3, Centro.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Arco del Carmen
The start of Carmen touristic walkway is marked by this beautiful arched structure from the colonial period, erected in 1677. It once was part of Encarnación, a former convent, and was one of the entrance portals to the old Ciudad Real (Royal City). Its Mudejar-style tower is the only one of its kind in Mexico, with an octagonal wooden vault decorated with an eight-pointed star.
Miguel Hidalgo, no number, Centro.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Templo de Santo Domingo
One of San Cristóbal’s top attractions is the gorgeous Templo de Santo Domingo, a church built in the 16th century. Its jaw-dropping baroque front adorned with helical columns is a masterpiece of Mexico’s colonial-era art. It shelters golden altarpieces and an impressive collection of religious paintings. As you leave, be sure to stop by the neighboring handicraft market, the perfect place to shop for textiles and handicrafts from Chiapas’ highlands.
20 de Noviembre 36, Barrio de Mexicanos.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías
Give in to your sweet tooth and pick up original souvenirs, all at this small candy and handicraft market. The wide range of regional candy includes polvorones (shortbread), quince, pastries, doughnuts, candied plums, etc. Plus, you can also find an array of handicrafts such as textiles and ceramic pieces.
Insurgentes, between Pedro Moreno
and Julio M. Corzo streets, Santa Lucía.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Museo Na-Bolom
A neoclassical mansion dating from 1891 is home to this ethnographic museum dedicated to the Lacandon culture. A variety of archeological and ethnographic items and art from the colonial period promote Lacandon Jungle conservation and its inhabitants’ culture.
Vicente Guerrero 33, Barrio del Cerrillo.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Museo de la Ciudad (MUSAC)
San Cristóbal de Las Casas’ development is visible in this museum, which formerly housed the town hall, the Palacio Municipal. The building is neoclassical in style and was built at the end of the 19th century. Here you can learn all about the city, from its founding to the present day.
Diego de Mazariegos, no number, Centro.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Museo de Los Altos de Chiapas Ex Convento Santo Domingo de Guzmán
This museum, set in a former convent, has an extensive collection encompassing archeological finds, textiles, and colonial-era items that tell the history of the indigenous peoples who call the Altos region of Chiapas home. The collection reflects the region’s idiosyncratic mixture of cultures.
Lázaro Cárdenas, no number,
Barrio del Cerrillo.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya
The former convent, Ex Convento de Santo Domingo, is now the site of this museum with one of the largest textile collections in Mexico and Guatemala. You can admire pieces woven on backstrap looms, a technique still in use in indigenous cultures. Each piece reflects the Chiapas’ highlands’ cultural identity.
20 de Noviembre, no number,
Barrio del Cerrillo.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
Museo Jtatik Samuel
Don’t miss your chance to visit this space dedicated to Bishop Samuel Ruíz García, a pivotal figure in the protection of indigenous rights in Chiapas. Photographs, documents, and accounts record the social struggle that determined this state’s contemporary history.
Km 1 on the road to San Juan Chamula,
San Martín.
𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪𝄪
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▌As you can see, San Cristóbal de Las Casas provides extraordinary experiences that can nourish the spirit as well as broaden one’s world view. Its charm encourages you to come back and continue your adventure, discovering the secrets that this special spot in Chiapas is so happy to spill.
