Valladolid
Valladolid: a small but special town that should not be forgotten during your trip in Yucatán. Valladolid is an ideal base to visit the Chichén Itzá and various cenotes, but there is plenty to do in the colorful town as well!
Valladolid has been declared one of the Pueblos Mágicos (magical villages) by the Mexican Ministry of Tourism for good reason. In southern Mexico, along with Bacalar and Palenque, it is one of the places that will make your visit a wonderful experience. What you can do in Valladolid, including day trips, can be read right here!
Chichén Itzá
Plaza Central & Iglesia de San Servacio
The center of Valladolid is nice and cozy, but brings a nice atmosphere because of this. In the center, you can walk to the most central square, Plaza Central. The eye-catcher at the square is the Iglesia de San Servacio, Valladolid's most famous church. Once in the square, with any luck you will see the locals doing their dance, fun to watch!
Culinair Valladolid
Along, as well as in the square, there are several stalls selling souvenirs and local delicacies. One of these local delicacies is the marquesita, a crepe (rolled up like a taco) filled with cheese and nutella, among other things. You can also assemble your own ingredients at most stalls.
Around the square are several restaurants, where I can absolutely recommend El Atrio del Mayab if you want to get acquainted with the local cuisine. For +/- € 25 per person you can have a starter and main course including a drink. An overview of various local specialties can be found here!
Calzada de los Frailes
Calzada de los Frailes is the "Instagrammable" (attractive or interesting enough to photograph and post on the social media service Instagram) spot of Valladolid. The street is known for its colonial houses of various colors and its various stores, bars and restaurants. At Mezcaleria Don Trejo, one of the nice bars at this street, you can enjoy a mezcal or cerveza michelada while enjoying a nice (sometimes live) music.
Be careful, your michelada can be very spicy but it is one you should have tried!
Cenotes rondom Valladolid
There are more than 7,000 Cenotes in the Yucatan region, each with a unique character. Some underground, others above ground. I found the most beautiful cenotes around Valladolid:
Cenote Suytun
This one will surely look familiar to you from Instagram or from Windows default backgrounds. The unique platform in the water is a photo spot par excellence. Note that the sunlight is only at its best for a photo around 12-13 pm, but around this time you won't be the only one.
Cenote Ek KAM
This cenote is marked several times on the route towards Chichen Itza. Upon arrival, you can choose to drive yourself by car (4KM) through forest trails or go by Quad. I can recommend you to go for the Quad anyway, you avoid scratches (from flying stones) on your rental car and you are also a lot faster. When I was there I had the cenote to myself for over 30 minutes! How cool is it to have a cenote all to yourself?
Cenote Ek Kam
Cenote X’Keken
Other recommendations include Cenote X'Keken, Cenote Oxman and Cenote Samula.
Chichén Itzá
Of course, the Chichén Itzá should not be skipped during your visit to Mexico. If only to tell your friends/family that you have seen one of the wonders of the world with your own eyes.
Go as early as possible to get ahead of the worst heat and crowds of tour operators. Travel by rental car yourself or book a taxi/organized tour. Depending on your interest in the temple and its history, you can also book a guide on location. The entrance fee is around €25.
After your visit to Chichen Itza, you will leave the Mayan city and head towards Cenote Ik Kil. This cenote is characterized by the lianas all around and is the ideal place to cool off. The entrance fee is 300 peros (around €7.50). After Cenote Ik Kil you can still drive towards Uayma, here is a beautiful church: Convento de Santo Domingo.
Day trip: Ek' Balam & Cenote Xchanche
At 28 KM from Valladolid you'll find the temples of Ek' Balam. Unlike the Chichén Itzá, you may still climb this temple (April 2022). Admission is around €20. Again, go as early as possible to get ahead of the crowds, although these temples are not yet as popular as the Chichén Itzá. After all those stairs, it's time to cool off in the adjacent Cenote X'Canche. Here you can not only cool off, but also swing a rope into the water or zipline across the cenote.
Day trip: Rio Lagartos & Las Coloradas
1.5 hours from Valladolid lies the fishing village of Rio Lagartos. You can visit the fishing village as a day trip from Valladolid, or you can book an overnight stay there. It just depends on what you like best. In Rio Lagartos you can take a boat tour across the lake in your search for Crocodiles and Flamingos. Furthermore, about 30 minutes from Rio Lagartos you have the pink (salt) lakes of Las Coloradas.
Here you can book a tour, but I found it nicer to get up early and photograph the lakes from the air. Along the way you'll also pass beautiful deserted spots on a dirt road!
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