Valladolid Mexico: Things to Do, Cenotes & Day Trips

Valladolid is in eastern Yucatan state, founded by the Spanish in 1543 on the site of the Maya town of Zaci. It sits on highway 180 between Cancun and Merida: 160 km from Cancun, 160 km from Merida, 40 km from Chichen Itza, about 30 km from Ek Balam and around 100 km from Tulum.

• Parque Francisco Canton & San Servacio: The main square and the twin-towered Church of San Servacio - the heart of town, busy in the evening with food stalls and marquesitas.
• Calzada de los Frailes: A pastel-colored colonial street of boutiques and cafes leading from the center to the convent - the most photographed street in Valladolid.
• Convent of San Bernardino de Siena: A 16th-century Franciscan convent with a nightly light-and-sound show projected onto its facade (Spanish, free).
• Cenote Zaci: A semi-open cenote right in town, a 5-minute walk from the square - swim, then eat at the restaurant on the rim.
• Casa de los Venados: A private colonial home turned museum with a large collection of Mexican folk art, open for guided visits.
• Mercado Municipal: The local market for fresh fruit, cheap breakfasts, hammocks and everyday Yucatecan life.

• Cenote Zaci - in town, walkable from the square.
• Cenote Suytun - the famous light-beam platform, about 8 km east.
• Cenote Oxman - open-top cenote with a rope swing, about 10 minutes southwest.
• Xkeken & Samula (Dzitnup) - two cave cenotes on one ticket, about 7 km west, easy by bike.
• Ik Kil cenote - 40 minutes west, next to Chichen Itza.

For a full comparison see the best cenotes near Chichen Itza.

• Chichen Itza (45 min): leave early to be at the gates for the 08:00 opening - see the complete Chichen Itza guide and the Chichen Itza map before you go.
• Ek Balam (30 min): a smaller Maya city where you can still climb the main Acropolis, with Cenote X'Canche next door.
• Las Coloradas & Rio Lagartos (2 h): pink salt lagoons and flamingo boat tours on the north coast.
• Izamal (1.5 h): the yellow colonial town with a huge convent and Maya pyramids.

Valladolid is known for longaniza de Valladolid (smoked sausage) and lomitos de Valladolid (pork in tomato sauce). Also try cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, papadzules and, in the evening, a marquesita (crispy rolled crepe with cheese) from the carts on the main square. The Mercado Municipal is the cheapest place for breakfast.

Valladolid is regarded as one of the safer destinations in Mexico for travelers, and Yucatan is consistently among the safest states in the country. Normal precautions apply: keep valuables out of sight, use registered taxis at night and stay in the well-lit center after dark.

• 1 day: the center, Calzada de los Frailes, the convent and Cenote Zaci.
• 2 days: add Chichen Itza early morning and a cenote in the afternoon.
• 3 days: add Ek Balam, Suytun and the Dzitnup cenotes - or Las Coloradas.

• From Cancun: about 2 hours by car on the 180D toll road, or 2.5 hours by ADO bus.
• From Merida: about 2 hours by car or ADO bus.
• From Tulum: about 1.5 hours by car via highway 109.
• Getting around town: the center is walkable; rent a bike for the nearby cenotes.

Short on time? Our Chichen Itza tour from Cancun includes a stop in colonial Valladolid, plus the ruins and a cenote swim, in one day.