San Cristóbal de las Casas (Chiapas)

By Liza Prado & Gary Chandler

HIGH TEMPLE: San Cristobal's Templo Santo Domingo (Guillermo Aldana/courtesy, Mexico Tourism)

Set high in the Chiapanecan Mountains, San Cristóbal de las Casas is a perfect mix of classic colonial town, bohemian cultural scene, and strong indigenous influence. It is the sort of place where you can lose yourself wandering along cobblestone roads, admiring beautiful old churches, poking around an indigenous market, browsing a well-curated museum, and catching a local band or an indie film—all in one day.

Inside Tip: Chiapas is known for its amber, jade, and handwoven textiles—and San Cristóbal is the best place to find them. The open-air markets in front of Templo Santo Domingo as well as the boutiques on Avenida Miguel Hidalgo are the best places to shop.

Liza Prado and Gary Chandler are the authors of numerous guidebooks to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, including Yucatán Peninsula and Cancún & Cozumel , both published by Moon Handbooks.

< Previous

Next >

Last Updated: 15 Sep 2010
Published: 12 Jan 2007
The details, dates, and prices mentioned in this article were accurate at the time of publication.