Valladolid is quite a small, but charming, town with plenty of excursion options all around it. A very nice surprise!

What to do in Valladolid?

• Ek Balam: Ek Balam is yet another set of Maya ruins in the Yucatan peninsula, but less touristy ones. The site is super nice, relaxing, in the middle of the jungle and the only pyramid I was able to climb in December 21.
  • How to get to Ek Balam? Taxi-collectivos can be found on calle 44 between calle 35 & 37, to negotiate between MXN 170 and 200 (depending on the number of passengers)
  • Price: MXN 413, only cash

• Cenote Xcanché: at the entrance of Ek Balam, turn right to go to the cenote. Yay, finally my first cenote! And the water was not the cold! A super nice experience, but the price was quite high.
  • Price: MXN 170, including a bike for the 1.5kms path to the cenote, dressing rooms and lockers. MXN 700 if you want to do some paid activities (ziplining, rappelling)

• Visit of the historical centre: I recommend you the Free Tour organised by EstacionMexico. They will split your group between English and Spanish-speaking visitofs, and if needed, smaller groups. The Tour starts in the Casa de la Cultura, continues in front of the beautiful and interesting façade of the interesting San Servacio colonial church, goes on to the Calzada de los Frailes (stops in a small shop for some honey tasting and in a small museum) until the San Bernardino convent (light show at 9PM when projectors are not broken by a storm 😦 ) and the beautiful VALLADOLID letters.

• Cenotes: 
  • Right in the centre of the town, you can eat next to Cenote Zaci (and swim when they will have finished some works around it)
  • Cenote Oxman and Cenote Dzitnup & Xkeken are also very close to the city. Unfortunately I couldn’t go due some delay in my planning 😦 But don’t hesitate to cycle or bike there, they look awesome!

• Valladolid is also a good place to go visit the iconic pyramids from Chichén Itzá. Check out my review.

Where to eat in Valladolid?

• Get a cookie or an empanada at Tresvanbien
• Drink some mezcal with a view at Los Frappes (not many other options for bars, it’s a quiet town!)
• Get an instructive meal and tasty beers in Idilio Folklore Cervecero‘s romantic garden
• Casa Conato Cultural is another option for a fancy meal and a delicious cocktail  

Where to sleep in Valladolid?

I booked a double room at Casa Daniels for 33€/night. Large room and bed, nice cozy garden with swimming pool. Only down side: the Wi-Fi was quite bad (I had to login on the neighbouring hostel’s wifi), it was a bit stressful as I needed to book a bus to Holbox. 

Useful tips in Valladolid:

• There’s a small bus station where many buses arrive and leave.
  • I arrived with a bus from Mérida (take a look at 2 days in Mérida) for MXN 278 that took around two hours. And left two days later for Holbox island.

All recommendations are mine, no ads. Prices from December 2021.
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