Looking for the best things to do in Valladolid, Mexico? This gorgeous Yucatán city has so much to offer, including easy access to several archaeological sites and numerous cenotes, as well as plenty of cultural activities.

I absolutely love Valladolid. I think it’s one of the very best places to visit on the Yucatán Peninsula. I’ve spent a great deal of time exploring its nooks and crannies over the past eight years (that’s easy to do when you live in Mérida, of course). Let me help you to plan a perfect trip to Valladolid.

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Valladolid is the second biggest city in Yucatán, it’s a Pueblo Magico and is informally known as the capital of east Yucatán.

This laid-back gem of an under-explored city absolutely deserves more love than it gets. While you’ll see tour buses crowded around the main square, they tend to have brought in day-trippers from the Riviera Maya on their way to or from Chichén Itzá.

Most visitors aren’t getting to see all that the city has to offer or even know what to do in Valladolid, as the tours have strict schedules to keep. (Some tours don’t even let people off the bus, just drive around the main square – seriously!)

Valladolid is a great spot to spend a day or two (or even three if you have time) and if you have a car, it’s a perfect place to base yourself for longer while exploring the middle of the Yucatán Peninsula. I highly recommend adding it to your Yucatan itinerary.

❓ Are you wondering whether to visit Mérida or Valladolid on your trip around Yucatán?

Where is Valladolid?

Valladolid’s location on the Yucatan Peninsula couldn’t be better. It’s just about halfway between Mérida and Cancun / Playa del Carmen, making it absolutely perfect if you’re wanting a short trip from either city or if you’re on a road trip around the peninsula. It’s also the closest big city to Chichén Itzá and is perfectly placed to be a great base for visiting some of the state’s lesser-known areas and many of Yucatán’s most perfect beaches, including El Cuyo and Las Coloradas.

Valladolid was originally founded on the site of nearby modern Tizimin but when the oh so brave conquistadors whined about the mosquitos there it was moved to sit atop Zací, a Maya town that is now sadly buried underneath colonial Valladolid. I’ve written about my view on invaders dumping their towns on top of pre-existing cities in my article about the incredible city of Izamal.

The Best Things To Do in Valladolid, Mexico

Let’s dive into what to do in Valladolid, Mexico. If you’re after cenotes, archaeological sites, shopping, culture, good food, atmosphere, you name it, Valladolid has it. For reals. 

Top Tip: If you love cenotes, Mérida is also an amazing base for exploring these incredible swimming options. 

⭐️ Wherever you’re going in Mexico with kids, our packing list for Mexico with kids will come in handy.

Visit the Palacio Municipal

For a small town, there’s a lot going on, culture-wise. My favourite place to stop in any Mexican town is the Palacio Municipal. There’s a very high chance that you’ll find either murals or large paintings describing the history of the region in these buildings all around the country.

Valladolid’s Palacio Municipal does not disappoint and I’d consider it one of the top things to see in Valladolid. I was also lucky enough to find an amazing guide when I went. She randomly attached herself to me and gave me so much information about the paintings and the region. I hope you find someone as kind and willing to share their knowledge.

Visit the many museums

There is no shortage of museums in Valladolid and they each offer a unique focus on the history and culture of Valladolid and Mexico. Here are a few worth checking out:

Museo San Roque, located just a block from the cathedral, is a fascinating place to visit both for the building itself and the contents of this museum about the history of the city and Yucatán.

Calle 41 #193 x38y40, Centro

Choco-Story, part of a family of museums dedicated to the history of chocolate. The other two are at Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. Here you’ll visit 12 rooms, try some chocolate and even be able to buy some of the famous Ki’Xocolatl chocolate.

Calle 40 x37y39 Centro (just on the main square)

Casa de los Venados, this private home is also a museum of national culture and is one of the most recommended museums in Valladolid. Personally, I haven’t yet visited but I absolutely will be going soonest.

Calle 40,  204 X 41

Museo de Ropa Etnica de Mexico, I haven’t been to this museum yet but I’d love to visit. It’s a museum dedicated to Mexican ethnic clothing.

Calle 41 #195

Stroll the Former Convent of San Bernardino de Sienna

On the edge of Valladolid, at the far end of Calzada de los Frailes (some 700m from the main square), is the Former Convent of San Bernardino de Sienna. I highly recommend heading here for a quiet stroll around the grounds It is one of the oldest colonial complexes in Yucatán, thought to have been completed in 1613.

⭐️ On this site, every night except Monday and Tuesday is the city’s excellent sound and light show. It is in Spanish at 9 pm and in English at 9.25 pm.

Watch the Friars Walk

For something a little unique and quirky, try to catch the Friars Walk which happens every Friday and Saturday at 830pm, beginning at Calzada de los Frailes and continuing to the Convent of San Bernardino, right before the light show begins.

The walk features men costumed as Franciscan monks and it’s free to watch and attend.

Snap a photo at the Valladolid sign

You’ll find the Valladolid sign in Parque Sisal, right in front of the convent, so you might as well snap a photo while you’re there. You know you want to be a cheesy tourist for a second!

Relax in the main plaza

Parque Principal Francisco Canton Rosado, also known as the main plaza. I love this plaza, particularly at dusk when street performers often appear, the birds come into roost and it’s wonderful to just sit and soak up the atmosphere.

Each night, around 5.30pm, you can catch a local cultural dance performance at Parque Francisco Canton. It’s nothing big or fancy, just a group performing traditional Mayan dances or Jarana (a traditional Yucatan dance) for tips. But if you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth pausing to see.

⭐️ New in 2024: A spectacular and brand new video mapping show on the Templo de San Servacio every night from Tuesday – Sunday at 8 pm. Do not miss this. Mexican video mapping shows are out of this world brilliant. ⭐️

Stroll along Calzada de los Frailes

If you love to shop, you’ll definitely want to check out Calzada de los Frailes. It’s the road that runs down to the ex-convent. First check out the artisan market on the side of the main square and then stroll down Calzada de los Frailes enjoying the ambiance, the artisan stores and the great restaurants and cafes.

This street is also known as the most beautiful street in Valladolid and it’s very photo-worthy too.

Visit Chichén Itzá

I don’t think I really need to introduce this wonder of the modern world and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chichén Itzá couldn’t be more famous if it tried!

Most people tend to pair a visit to Chichén Itzá with a cenote after to cool down. Ik-Kil is a very popular one (where most tours stop) but I prefer Yokdzonot, which is owned by a women’s cooperative and has a little restaurant onsite.

⭐️ This tour actually visits Chichén Itzá, Yokdzonot, and Izamal for a pretty epic adventure.

⭐️ Or if you want to visit more cenotes, this tour features 3 cenotes plus the ruins.

⭐️ For a budget option, consider this tour which offers collectivo transport versus a private tour.

Explore Ek Balam

I love Ek Balam. It’s smaller and quieter than many other ruins. It’s well worth spending an hour or two here exploring, listening to the jungle and relaxing at the top of the largest structure whilst gazing out over the jungles of east Yucatán.

On a good day, it’s possible to see both Chichén Itzá and Cobá from the top of the necropolis. 

Since you won’t need a ton of time to explore the ruins, I recommend also visiting a nearby cenote or two, such as Xcanche or Hubiku.

You can also combine Ek Balam with Rio Lagarto and Las Coloradas for an epic full-day adventure. Or you can knock both Ek Balam and Chichén Itzá off your bucket list with this tour, which also visits a cenote.

Explore Coba

Coba is in Quintana Roo, about  45 mins from Valladolid. It’s a sprawling jungle site that reminds me of Calakmul, in Campeche. 

We visited here when the kids were tiny so opted to take a bicycle-taxi around the site. You can absolutely walk around but it’s hot and actually, if you speak Spanish, the bike-taxi driver will potentially be able to tell you all sorts of interesting things about the area. 

If you want to add a cenote stop to your day, consider Multum-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Choo-Ha, which are all close together. Note that they do not have the facilities available at some of the larger cenotes.

⭐️ Read more about Coba and the other Maya ruins in Quintana Roo.

Visit as many cenotes as possible

Cenotes are one of the things that make the Yucatán peninsula so special and exploring them is by far one of the best things to do in Valladolid. There are a few right in the city and many others are easily reachable within an hour. You can also easily add a cenote to a visit to Chichén Itzá, Cobá, or Ek Balam as I noted above.

Here are a few of my favourite cenotes near Valladolid:

• Cenote Zaci -This is probably the best-known cenote since it’s right in the centre of  Valladolid. It’s very popular with locals and visitors. There is a restaurant on-site and the cenote is what’s called an ‘open cenote’.
• Hacienda San Lorenzo Oxman –  Both the hacienda and the Oxman cenote are very beautiful. It can get busy with visitors. Popular for its rope swing. There is a restaurant on site. Just twenty minutes from Valladolid.
• Dzitnup Village with cenotes Samula and Xkeken. A ten-minute drive from Valladolid, these cenotes are very popular with visitors. There is a restaurant on site.
• Suytun – This is one of the most famous cenotes on Instagram, with the photo of someone standing on the concrete platform with the sun’s rays illuminating them. Note that you can only get that specific photo at certain times of the day. You can prebook online and take advantage of their buffet lunch too.
• Sac-Aua – This is one of my favourite cenote experiences on the peninsula, partly because it’s so beautiful and partly for the incredible cave on site. We spent ages exploring the cave before heading into the cenote for kayaking and swimming fun (pictured above). This is apparently the only cenote on the peninsula with a natural island in it. Note that if there have been heavy rains, the island is sometimes covered by water.

For more information about cenotes near Valladolid I recommend using my article devoted to the topic.

⭐️ While you can visit many of the cenotes independently, you can also join guided tours such as this one which visits just 1 cenote or this one which visits several in a day.

Explore the local area by bike

🚴🏾‍♂️ If you’re looking for an active adventure and to immerse yourself in local culture, consider exploring Valladolid by bike.

Visit the Mercado Municipal to grab breakfast, swim in a few cenotes, and then learn to make tortillas with a local Mayan family.

Note that this tour does require cycling around 20km throughout the day. I wouldn’t recommend it for families but if you love to cycle, this is a great option.

🛵 This scooter tour is a great way to continue adventuring after the sun goes down. Though you’ll see many sites you can also visit during the day, it’s a fun way to explore. Stops include the X’kopek apicola farm, a Mexican art exhibit, and the light show at the San Bernardino convent.

Go bird watching

🦜 This bird-watching tour is a full-day event, which visits several popular birding spots early in the morning with the hopes of seeing birds like the Yucatan Jay, Yucatan Woodpecker, and Rose-throated Tanager. Then, in the afternoon, enjoy a local lunch and a stop by the ex-convent.

Rent a scooter

🛵 If you don’t want to rent a car while in Valladolid but want more flexibility than joining tours, consider renting a scooter.

With a scooter, you can easily move around Valladolid but also visit some of the nearby cenotes and Mayan ruins on your own schedule, without relying on a tour schedule.

That said, if you plan on doing a lot of day trips, I would recommend just renting a car as I wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable driving too far from Valladolid on a scooter. But it’s perfect for destinations right outside the centre of town. (We found turtles and all sorts of other animals when we took a birding tour from Valladolid)

Wander the Mercado Municipal

Exploring local markets is a great way to get to know a destination, as you can see what locals are eating and buying. I love to use it as an opportunity to try new foods! It’s also a great place to find souvenirs that are actually local to the area.

Valladolid’s market is known as the Mercado Municipal and you can find fresh fruits and vegetables and butchers as well as artisan items. It’s a great place to buy some groceries if you plan to cook at home and/or find a local souvenir to take home.

Learn about traditional beekeeping

One of the most unique things to do in Valladolid is to visit the Xkopek Beekeeping Reserve. You can learn all about local bees and honey – and taste it too.

It’s a fun spot to spend an afternoon, as they offer a pool, restaurant on-site as well as a dry cenote. There are small cabins on site if you want to stay here and day passes are available if you want to use their pool. When we took the tour here opted to stay the night in the cabins. Highly recommended!

You can visit independently (send a message to +52 985 125 0964 to set up a time) or join this tour from Valladolid.

Try Local Dishes

If you haven’t had a chance to try dishes local to the Yucatan yet, be sure to make it a priority in the foodie city of Valladolid. Some popular options are cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork with an orange sauce), papadzules (crepes topped with a cream sauce), and marquesitas (a dessert crepe often filled with Nutella, served on the street).

Get gelato at Wabi

Yes, a gelato shop deserves its own spot on this list of what to do in Valladolid. This is not your basic gelato, this is gelato so good that people detour into Valladolid just to try it.

The small shop is located at Calle 39 #136, near the main square, and is open from 12pm to 10pm.

Visit the Iglesia de San Servacio

We’re not big church people, which is why the Church of San Servacio is not at the top of this list like it is on most lists of what to see in Valladolid but the truth is, it’s one of the city’s top attractions. And there’s also no way you’re going to miss it, as it’s right in the main plaza.

The San Servacio Church was built in the 16th century but then demolished in 1705 by what is now known as the “Crime of the Mayor“. It was rebuilt into what you see today but to avoid having the altar in the same place it was originally destroyed, they had to build it facing North instead of East like all of the other churches.

The Best Day Trips from Valladolid, Mexico

One of the best things to do in Valladolid, Mexico is to explore nearby cities and towns – especially if Valladolid is your primary base for your Yucatan adventure.

📌 Mérida – Yucatán’s capital city is an easy day trip from Valladolid. Visit the famous Paseo de Montejo, enjoy the museums and culture and architecture of Mérida. If you’re wondering if Mérida is worth a trip, let me absolutely tell you that it is.

📌 Tizimin – This small city is best known for its strange caves and ice-cream.

📌 Izamal – You may have heard of the famous yellow pueblo magico with more archaeological sites IN the city than you can imagine. A trip to Yucatán just isn’t complete if you haven’t been to Izamal.

📌 Las Coloradas – The northeast coast of Yucatán is well worth a visit. Las Coloradas is the name of the small village next to the famous pink salt lakes. Head here to be wowed by the pink water and then by the pristine beaches. This tour combines Las Coloradas with Ek Balam or you can combine Rio Lagartos and Las Coloradas.

📌 El Cuyo –  This little known beach town has an amazing, laid back vibe, some lovely little restaurants and the most wonderful beach. Highly recommended.

📌 San Felipe and Río Lagartos –These two small towns on the northeast coast of Yucatán are two of my favourite places for a weekend getaway,  although day trips are also perfectly possible. They are tiny little places from where you can take amazing tours into areas of incredible natural beauty.

📌 Uyama. Go check out the amazing tiled church in this tiny town. 

The Best Restaurants in Valladolid

Here are some of our favourite Valladolid restaurants to try. You’ll also find many restaurants around the plaza and pretty much all of them are good.

🍽 La Selva (calle 42), was a big hit with my family for well priced, tasty local food last time we visited Valladolid.

🍽 Yerbabuena del Sisal is great for vegans and vegetarians and my meat-eating family was also super happy with their meals here. Highly recommended. 

🍽 Actually, the most memorable thing I’ve put in my mouth in Valladolid is absolutely the ice-cream from Wabi Gelato. It’s so good that people actually make detours on their travels around the state of Yucatán just to have some.

Where To Stay In Valladolid

Valladolid has many different options, in various price ranges, so you’re sure to find something that fits your needs. Here are a few of my favourite Valladolid hotels.

📍 Casa Hotel Valladolid Boutique Hotel is good value and close to the centre of town. I stayed here the first time I stayed in Valladolid.

📍 Hotel Zentik is a really very special option in Valladolid. The hotel has an underground cave pool, a beautiful outdoor pool and the whole place is spectacularly decorated. I was fortunate enough to spend a night here with my travel gang, a trip I’ll never forget.

📍 Eco Camping Valladolid is a fabulously quirky campsite just outside Valladolid. Here you either camp or rent one of the converted vehicles or tree house. (I slept in the tree house here and my kids slept in a VW).

📍 Genesis Eco-Oasis is a great option if you have a car as it’s a thirty-minute drive from Valladolid, in the small village of Ek Balam. Requiring a minimum three-night stay, this little slice of heaven is highly recommended if you have time to spend getting to know the region. My family loved our time here visiting cenotes, archaeological sites and really immersing ourselves in Yucatecan life. 

Check prices and availability on all Valladolid hotels here.

➡️ Let’s talk safety in Yucatán for a second. Yucatán is Mexico’s safest state, making it a perfect spot for a vacation. If you’re interested in reading more about whether Yucatan is safe and how to look after yourself while in Yucatan, you know I’ve got you covered!

Valladolid Mexico FAQs

How to Get To Valladolid, Mexico

Valladolid is easily accessed from other destinations in the Yucatan, such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Merida. Here are a few options for getting there:

By public bus

🚌 The ADO bus line offers great connections between Valladolid and other cities. And unlike many other public buses, ADO buses are clean and usually air-conditioned. You can see the various schedules here.

By rental car

🚗 The other option is to rent a car. This will give you more freedom for any Valladolid activities you may want to do, as many are outside the city. If you plan to visit Chichén Itzá, you’ll be able to beat the tour bus crowds and also visit the more off-the-beaten-path cenotes.

You can check rates on rental cars in Mexico here.

By private transportation

You can also find private shuttles to get you from Cancun or other major cities to Valladolid. It’s pricier but ideal if you’re travelling with a group and don’t want to rent a car.

Book your transport from the Cancun airport to Valladolid here.

🚂 The Maya Train should be operational in early 2024, which offers yet more exciting experiences in this region and Valladolid is one of the main stops on the route.

Is Valladolid Safe?

Yes, Valladolid is one of the safest cities in Mexico and perfectly safe for tourists to explore. Take the normal precautions – aka don’t flash wads of cash about, don’t leave your purse sitting on the table and walk away – and you shouldn’t have any issues.That said, I always recommend getting travel insurance prior to any trip to Mexico. Not for safety reasons but because you can trip and break a leg anywhere and you never know when your airline will “lose” your luggage. I recommend SafetyWing as it offers fairly comprehensive coverage.