If you\u2019re planning a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, you might first think of the popular beach towns of Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cancun. <\/p>\n
Valladolid, Mexico might be a little off the beaten path but it should be added to your bucket list! In fact, the Adventure in You team has spent a year traveling and living in Mexico which means they have a ton of great recommendations, especially when it comes to visiting Valladolid so you\u2019re in great hands.<\/p>\n
Valladolid is a hidden gem full of cenotes, museums, and restaurants. Visiting Valladolid is a must for anyone that wants to experience Mexican culture including traditional colonial architecture and some of the best cuisines in the Riviera Maya.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Valladolid Mexico is also centrally located to some of Mexico\u2019s most famous sites including Mayan ruins and the pink lakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finding the best things to do in Valladolid Mexico can be overwhelming especially if you\u2019re only there for a day trip or a short weekend. This guide has all the top things to see as well as restaurant and hotel suggestions!\u00a0<\/p>\n Valladolid is in the central state of the Yucatan Peninsula. It\u2019s 100 miles from Cancun and 65 miles from Tulum making it a great day trip if you\u2019re already in another city in the Yucatan. From Playa del Carmen, Valladolid is only a 2 hour drive.<\/p>\n Valladolid is also located close to the popular colonial city of Merida<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Valladolid has enough sites and attractions to fill up a week-long trip though if you want to stay awhile!\u00a0The city lies deep within the jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula and is incredibly rich in natural attractions and history.<\/p>\n Below is an overview of the Map of Valladolid to give you an idea on where things are located.<\/p>\n \u2728The 1 Thing We Never Leave Home Without\u2026<\/strong>\u2728<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Coming from someone who has been traveling the world for the last 8 years AND has been in the hospital 2x, travel insurance is something everyone NEEDS to get. Get a quote below!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Creating a Valladolid Mexico bucket list is one of the best ways to prepare for the trip ahead. While you can tour the city on your own, booking a few tours can enrich your experience in this great year-round destination.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ready to venture around Valladolid Mexico? After spending some time in this beautiful city, here are my top recommendations on the best things to do in Valladolid.<\/p>\n We’ve scoured the internet for the best ALL-AROUND travel shoe and Tropicfeel wins by far. We’ve taken ours through rivers, jungles, and cities and they’re still alive and kickin’. Check them out below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Going for a dip in a cenote is a must to add to your Valladolid itinerary. Cenotes are natural sinkholes\u00a0 filled with freshwater perfect for cooling off on a hot day. The Yucatan has the largest amount of sinkholes anywhere on earth with over 6,000 in the region!<\/p>\n So, you definitely have a ton to choose from. Here are the most common ones to visit:<\/p>\n Check out our article on the best cenotes in the Riviera Maya<\/strong><\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n Valladolid has numerous art galleries and boutique shops. Buying Mexican art makes for a great souvenir or gift for someone back home. Kuxtal Cafe & Mexican Art<\/strong><\/a> (Kuxtal Galeria de Arte Popular Mexicano & Cafe)\u00a0 is one of the most well-known spots for buying art.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s right next to Casa de Los Venados<\/a><\/strong>.<\/a> The owners of the home open up their doors every day for people to come in and view over 3,000 pieces of traditional Mexican artwork. You can tour the gallery and then head to the cafe to buy some pieces to take home.\u00a0<\/p>\n Casa de los Venados has pieces representing every region of Mexico making it one of the best places to buy souvenirs. You can find paintings of Mayan ruins, beautiful Mexican beaches, and famous churches. They also have pottery, magnets, and hand-woven baskets.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kuxtal Cafe is inside the art shop. It\u2019s small but is known for having some of the best coffee and snacks in Valladolid.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is one of the most beautiful convents in the area with pink walls and a stunning altar area. The convent took eight years to build between 1552 and 1560. A waterwheel was added in 1613. Both the waterwheel and the convent are the second largest in the Yucatan.\u00a0<\/p>\n The convent of San Bernadino de Siena<\/a><\/strong> is extremely peaceful. It\u2019s a nice place to visit in the early morning before it gets too crowded. While most of the architecture in Valladolid is colonial, the convent has more of a medieval flare.\u00a0<\/p>\n When you\u2019re done touring the church and convent, make sure to go to the park just outside where you\u2019ll see the colorful Valladolid letter sign. Most Mexican cities including the coastal towns in Riviera Maya have similar signs where the city\u2019s name is spelled out in large letters.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can walk along the popular Calzada de los Frailes street which is lined with colorful houses and cobblestones.<\/p>\n Make sure to snap a few pictures to commemorate your day! If you\u2019re traveling to other cities in the Yucatan, make sure to take photos with all the city\u2019s signs to make a collection.\u00a0<\/p>\n While there aren\u2019t any Mayan ruins in Valladolid, you can take a short drive and visit Chichen Itza<\/strong> and the Ek Balam<\/strong> Ruins located close to Chichen Itza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you only have time to explore one, head to Chichen Itza to see one of the seven wonders of the world. It\u2019s only about a 30-minute drive from Valladolid.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have a rental car, you can book a tour to get to the ruins. Most tours also include a guide that can explain the history of Chichen Itza to you.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ek Balam is not as well known but it\u2019s still worth visiting if you have extra time. Unlike Chichen Itza, you can climb the ruins at Ek Balam. Since it\u2019s smaller and less popular, you can also get better views of the temples and better photos without so many tourists crowded around.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most Chichen Itza tours come from either Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Cancun. You can also explore it independently by renting a car<\/a><\/strong> and driving there yourself.<\/p>\n The Yellow City or La Cuidad Amarilla in Spanish is one of the most popular day trips in the Yucatan. All of the buildings are painted the same shade of bright yellow making for a beautiful photo op.\u00a0<\/p>\n The city isn\u2019t very big, so this is a great choice for a half-day trip where you can head back to Valladolid in the late afternoon. You can tour the small convent in the city and also have traditional Yucatan food in one of the many restaurants in the city center.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the central plaza, there are also the Kinich Kakmo Mayan Ruins<\/strong>. It\u2019s not as big as Chichen Itza or some of the other ruins in Mexico, but it\u2019s not usually busy and is worth checking out while you\u2019re there.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s about 1.5 hours from downtown Valladolid and is one of the only cities in the world where the entire downtown area is painted the same color.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is probably one of the most famous buildings in Valladolid Mexico. It\u2019s a huge church that towers over the entire downtown area. You\u2019re welcome to go inside, but they ask that you dress modestly and don\u2019t take too much noise.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can also take photos inside although the outside of the church is a much more famous photo op. Most people that post on Instagram or other social media sites have a cover photo of the Iglesia de San Servacio<\/strong>,<\/a> so you\u2019ll probably recognize the building as soon as you see it!\u00a0<\/p>\n The best views of the church are from Parque Principal. Around the park, you\u2019ll find tons of restaurants and cafes you can relax in to take a break from walking around the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n Calle de Los Frailes or Caldeza de Los Frailes<\/strong><\/a> is one of the most famous streets in Valladolid. It\u2019s only about a 5 to 10-minute walk from the central plaza. Make sure to bring your camera as the street has stunning colorful buildings.\u00a0<\/p>\n The convent de San Bernadino de Siena and Coqui Coqui Yucatan are both on this street so you visit all three places in one day.\u00a0<\/p>\n After strolling the Calle de Los Frailes, you can have a spa treatment at the Coqui Coqui Yucatan. You need an appointment to even enter the spa and the on-site perfume shop so make sure to plan ahead for this activity.\u00a0<\/p>\n The spa has all the services you could dream of including numerous facials and massages. You can even experience a traditional Yucatan healing ritual.\u00a0<\/p>\n Las Colorados<\/strong><\/a> is one of the only pink lakes in the world and is just a little over an hour from Valladolid. Unfortunately, you can\u2019t swim in Las Colorados (it\u2019s illegal so don\u2019t try) but you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. The water is pink because of the natural red algae and brine shrimp.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before getting to Las Colorados, you\u2019ll need to drive to Rio Lagartos and take a boat to the pink lakes. During the boat cruise, you\u2019ll see plenty of flamingos and alligators!<\/p>\n Every evening around 5:30 p.m. you can immerse yourself in the culture of Valladolid Mexico by watching a traditional dance show in Parque Franciso Canton Rosado<\/strong>. You\u2019ll see Mayan dancers doing the Jarana, one of the most popular dances of the Yucatan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shopping at a local market is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in Valladolid Mexico culture. Valladolid\u2019s main market is the Mercado Municipal<\/strong>.<\/a> If you\u2019re staying in an Airbnb or vacation rental and plan to cook your own meals, shopping here gives you the best selection of fresh vegetables and meats.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are also a few vendors that have craft stalls if you aren\u2019t interested in buying any food.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is consistently voted one of the best restaurants in Valladolid Mexico. Head to Calle 40 to find Conato Cultural 1910<\/strong>. It\u2019s hard to miss with the colorful exterior. They have all the local food favorites as well as a terrace on the roof where you can enjoy some of the best views of the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n Just 20 minutes from Valladolid Mexico you\u2019ll find the city of Uayma with Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo<\/strong> (Iglesia de Uayma). While the original church was completed in the 17th century, it burnt down during the Yucatan Caste War.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since then, parts of the building have been restored including some of the original paintings that were inside. Take a self guided tour of the church and then explore Uayma for a nice day trip from Valladolid.<\/p>\n Valladolid doesn\u2019t have a huge bar or nightlife scene, but there are still plenty of little local places to grab a drink. La Joyita<\/strong> is one of the best places to meet locals and practice your Spanish all while drinking a local beer or margarita.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mexico is full of small churches and the Iglesia de San Juan<\/strong><\/a> is one of the prettiest. You can walk just 10 minutes from downtown Valladolid to reach the church. The neighborhood is quiet and one of the more local parts of Valladolid Mexico.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can also buy ice cream and pastries from the vendors outside the church.\u00a0<\/p>\n Trying the regional cuisine of Valladolid Mexico is one of the best ways to experience the variety of Mexican food<\/a><\/strong> while wandering around this historic town. <\/p>\n A few regional dishes to try are Lomitos de Valladolid, longaniza de valladolid, local traditional candies, traditional ice cream, cochinita pibil and more. Here are the best six restaurants in Valladolid to try during your trip!<\/p>\n Just\u00a0 like the other cities in the Yucatan Peninsula, Valladolid\u2019s climate can get very humid due to its inland location. For the best weather, try visiting Valladolid between November and March<\/strong>. These months are the major tourist season in Mexico though, so you might want to book your hotels and flights well ahead of time to avoid soaring prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mexican monsoon season is usually from June to October<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The good news is that Valladolid Mexico is still under the radar compared to other Mexican destinations. Even during the high season, Valladolid is significantly less crowded than Cancun<\/a><\/strong> or Tulum<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Since Valladolid doesn\u2019t have an airport, you will need to either fly into Cancun or Merida. From the airport, you can either take one of the local buses or you can rent a car to get to Valladolid. Here are more details on both options.\u00a0<\/p>\n Having the option to drive yourself around Valladolid and the surrounding areas gives you a ton of freedom while on vacation. Renting a car<\/a><\/strong> also makes it easier to take day trips and get to the more remote cenotes in the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n Driving around the Yucatan is pretty easy since the roads are well labeled. If you\u2019re coming from Cancun or Playa del Carmen, the roads are mostly highways and toll roads with signs telling you exactly where you\u2019re going.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not comfortable driving or you\u2019re on a tight budget, the bus is a perfect way to travel to Valladolid Mexico. It\u2019s safe and convenient. When coming from large tourist destinations like Cancun or Mexico City<\/a><\/strong>, you\u2019ll find a bus leaving for Valladolid every hour.\u00a0<\/p>\n From Cancun, you can catch the bus from the downtown bus station and be in Valladolid in about 2.5 hours. From Tulum, the trip is only 1.5 hours. There is also a bus from downtown Merida to Valladolid that\u00a0 takes about 2.5 hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you want to buy tickets ahead of time, you can from the ADO website<\/strong><\/a>. You can see all the trip fares and times. Most cities also allow you to buy same-day tickets at the bus station.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Valladolid,](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Where-Is-Valladolid-Mexico_-.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\nWhere Is Valladolid, Mexico?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Map](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Map-of-Valladolid.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n![\"Travel](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Untitled-design-23-min-1440x960.jpg\"\/)
![\"Travel](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Untitled-design-23-min-1440x960.jpg\")
\n<\/source><\/picture>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nValladolid, Mexico Highlights\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Things to Do in Valladolid\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n Psst…Want in on a Secret? \ud83e\udd2b
\n <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n![\"Tropicfeel\"\/](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Untitled-design-24-min.jpg.webp\"\/)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript>\n <\/div>\n1. Swim in a Cenote<\/strong> near Valladolid<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"Cenote](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Cenote-Ikkil.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript>2. Go Art Shopping\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
3. Visit the San Bernadino de Siena Convent\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"San](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/3-min.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n4. Tour the Nearby Mayan Ruins\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Popular Chichen Itza Tours:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Mayan](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/4-min.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n5. Day Trip to Izmal, The Yellow City\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/5.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n6. Visit the Iglesia de San Servacio\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Iglesia](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/6-min.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n7. Explore the Caldeza de los Frailes<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Calle](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/7.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n8. Pamper Yourself at Coqui Coqui Yucatan\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
9. See the Pink Lakes of Mexico\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Pink](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/9.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n10. Head to the Central Square for a Dance Performance<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
11. See the Local Life at the Mercado Municipal\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Mercado](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/11.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n12. Eat at Conato Cultural 1910\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
13. Stop by the Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Ex-Convento](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/13-min.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\n14. Have a Drink at La Joyita\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
15. Visit the Iglesia de San Juan<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Iglesia](\"https:\/\/k7g2e5d2.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/15.jpg.webp)
\n<\/picture>\n<\/noscript><\/figure>\nWhere to Eat In Valladolid\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Best Time to Go to Valladolid\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
How to Get to Valladolid, Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n
Rent a Car\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Bus\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Where to Stay in Valladolid\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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