Valladolid (Yucatán) - Valladolid (Yucatán)

Disambiguation - For toponyms of identical name, see Valladolid (disambiguation).

Valladolid is a city of Yucatán.

To know

Valladolid is a small city in the Mexican state of Yucatán. It is approximately a 45-minute drive from the east (least used) entrance to the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá, for this it is an alternative as a base for exploring the ruins but still has its own charm. Although further away than the city of Pisté, Valladolid is less touristy.

Being inhabited mainly by Mayan populations, the Yucatec language is very widespread. The population still retains its own traditions, visible above all in women's clothing.

The city, which owes its name tocity ​​of the same name in Spain, was awarded in 2004 as the cleanest city in the Mexico. In addition to the public garden, a meeting place for the inhabitants and an ideal place to shelter from the scorching heat, Valladolid offers tourists the cathedral church of San Gervasio and a beautiful monastery dedicated to San Bernardino di Siena, in addition to an urban layout characterized by picturesque streets and beautiful buildings with warm Mexican colors, there are also several cenote (cracks in the ground that form caves with basins of rainwater once fundamental to the primary needs of indigenous populations) the most famous of this is the "cenote Zaci" (mostly open) where it is also possible to bathe in very blue waters.

Geographical notes

Valladolid is a small town of Mexico southern, located in the center of the Yucatán. It is about 70 km from the Mayan site of Chichén Itzá, about 150 km from the city of Mérida, capital of the Federated State of Yucatán and 100 da Tulum.

How to orient yourself

How to get

By car

Valladolid is just off the 180D highway in between Cancún is Mérida, the exit is about 5 km from the center. The old highway runs through the center (Calle 39 to the west and Calle 41 to the east, one-way). Highway 295 goes through the center (Calle 40 to the north and Calle 42 to the south, one way) and goes south to Chetumal and north towards the highway 180D ed Ek Balam.

By bus

There are the colectivos and the ADO buses that connect Valladolid to Cancún (2h), Mérida (2h 15m), and Tulum (1h 30m).

The bus stations are:

• Terminal de Autobuses, Calle 39 No. 221, Center, ☎ 52 985 856-3448. 
• Terminal de Autotransportes de Oriente or Del Centro Terminal, Calle 37 por 54. 

Then there are the spaces reserved for taxis and colectivos (i.e. shared taxis / vans) at various points in the city that lead to other towns and villages in the area. They don't have precise timetables, they leave when they are full.

• UnTrac Taxi Site, Calle 37 between 42 and 44. Taxis and colectivos for Ek Balam and Hunuku (village). 
• Colectivos to Piste & Chichen Itza, Calle 39 No. 215, between 44 and 46 (east entrance of the bus station after Restaurante Squimz and Pharmacy Similares). 
• Colectivos & Taxis to Tizimin, Calle 40, between 35 and 37 (behind Estacionmento Centro). 

How to get around

Valladolid is small enough to be explored on foot.

By taxi

However, you can rent bicycles or take a taxi.

What see

• Parque Fransisco Canton Rosado, the main square surrounded by colonial-style buildings.
• Catedral de San Gervasio, south side of the main square.
• Cenote Zací. A spectacular sinkhole in a public park a few hundred meters from the main square. This cenote is crossed by a path that passes under the stalactites in a protruding area. Come early to avoid the tours. 30 MXN as of September 2015.
• Calzada de los Frailes (Calle 41A) 10 minutes walk from the square. It is a street with colonial houses that ends at the park of the former San Bernardino de Siena convent.
• Ex-Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, about 10-15 minutes from the square. An old convent with a church dating back to the sixteenth century surrounded by a beautiful park.
• Museum of San Roque near the square, the museum contains artifacts of Mayan and colonial origin.

Events and parties

What to do

Valladolid for being a quiet city was seen only as a center where you can spend a night at most. But given its central location it's a great hub from which to explore northern Yucatán. There are various tourist facilities, from accommodation to restaurants and many things to do and buy. During the day you can hike to the beaches of Tulum on the sea of Caribbean o Rio Lagartos overlooking the Gulf of Mexico to see flamingos and crocodiles, explore the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá, Cobá, Ek Balam, Aké, Mayapan, Uxmal and so on. There are about 50 colonial churches to visit in the surrounding area; 3000 cenotes in the area of ​​which at least ten can be reached by bicycle. Many are open for bathing. There are also caves and (dry) caverns to explore on foot while others can be visited by scuba diving. The small villages are inhabited by descendants of the Maya who still speak their own language and perpetuate their own culture. The surrounding nature is luxuriant and numerous animal and plant species can be admired.

Shopping

You can buy wooden products and traditional clothing from the vendors at the stalls in the central square.

• Yalat Boutique (On the main square). It is full of original handicrafts, jewelry and other typical Mexican and Mayan related products, very beautiful. The owner speaks English. 
• Coqui Coqui Perfumery and Spa (in the Calzada de los Frailes to go to the Convent). All the perfumes they sell come from the Yucatan Peninsula, fragrances such as agave or flor de mayo. They also have a nice garden. 
• Casa de los Venados, Calle 40 # 204. Private residence with over 3000 pieces of Mexican art. The owners are American, when they are at home they show people their collection. 

How to have fun

Night clubs

• Maruja Cafe, Bar y Galeria, Calle 41 # 202A (lat south of the main square), ☎ 52 985 856 0999. 8:00-22:00. Bar, Mayan coffee and chocolate, deli menu, outdoor terrace overlooking the park. 

Where to eat

Average prices

• El Meson de Marques (In a hotel located on the central square). Nice environment. 
• Italy house (In Candelaria's pizza, not too far from the main square). Small Italian restaurant, with pizza cooked in a wood oven and cheap. 
• Taberna de los Frailes, Parque Ex-Convento San Bernardino (Barrio de Sisal), ☎ 52 985 856 0689. 10/50 US $. 11:00-23:00. Modern cuisine enriched with herbs from the Mayan tradition. In the park of the old convent. 
• Restorante la calzada, calzade de Los frailes. Mexican cuisine, tacos and fish at medium prices. Also bar open late. 

Where stay

Moderate prices

• AAA Hostel La Candelaria. Hostel 5 minutes walk from the central square. Clean, well maintained and able to provide information. It has a garden and two kitchens. Mixed and female only dorms, private rooms, lockers with locks, continental breakfast, wifi. They rent bicycles. 

Average prices

• Hostal Kinbe, Cnr Calle 38 / Ave 41. double 120 Pesos. 
• Maria De La Luz Hotel (The excellent restaurant overlooks the main square). 6.5 / 10 USD. 
• Hotel Santa Lucia (North of the main square). Two-story hotel with various types of rooms. 
• Hotel Tunich Well (Calzada De Los Frailes). 450 Pesos per night. Eight air-conditioned rooms. Pool. 
• Casa de los Pianos, Calle 21x18, frente al parque central, 97796 Uayma, Yucatan, ☎ 49 30 261 01 937. EUR 30. Nice house, clean. 

High prices

• Quetzal House, Calle 51 No. 218 between 50 and 52 col. Sisal, ☎ 52 985 8564796. from 75USD. 4 star hotel with spa and massages. They also do Yoga and Chi Kung classes. 
• Casa Hamaca Guesthouse, Parque San Juan, Calle 49 # 202-A between 40 and 42 (4 blocks south of the main square in the historic center), ☎ 52 985 1004270. 80/150 USD. Check in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. Eight Mayan / Yucatan themed rooms. All with ceiling fan, wifi and hammock. The staff speaks the Mayan language. Continental breakfast, parking. They also do massages. 

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Valladolid has a bus station from which you can take buses to nearby cities. There are frequent rides, the main companies are ADO and East.

• Mayan ruins of Ek Balaam - Archaeological site about 30 km north of Valladolid (taxi fare 17 USD) recently discovered in the middle of the jungle and still not completely restored. You can climb the highest ruins that have been restored from which you can admire the 360 ​​° panorama.
• Cenote Dzitnup. Two fantastic sinkholes (Samulá & Xkekén) a few kilometers south, before the town of Dzitnup. They have built a tourist square around there, but the guided tours only come in the afternoon. 60 MXN for one or 90 MXN for both. Colectivos from the city cost 20MXN per person (prices September 2015)
• Chichén Itzá, the largest and most famous Mayan site in the Yucatán; Valladolid is close enough to be a convenient base. You can take a collectivo (near the bus station, 30-40 min; 12 USD; also all Oriente buses to Mérida stop at Chichén Itzá - 60-90 min, 2 USD one way).
• Cancún and the coast of Quintana Roo.
• Further west of Chichén Itzá is another beautiful city, Izamal, and beyond it lies Mérida, the capital and largest city of Yucatán.

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