Main square
First-timersAround the square and San Servacio church.
Town guide
Things to do in Valladolid
A colonial Yucatán town with a cenote in the middle of it: pastel streets, a 16th-century convent, cheap food, dozens of cenotes nearby, and the closest base for early starts at Chichén Itzá and Ek Balam.
16
Hostels in the city
8.5
Average, from 9,409 reviews
45 min
To Chichén Itzá
2–3
Days
The best base for Chichén Itzá
Valladolid is a small colonial town in the east of Yucatán state, about two hours from Cancún and Mérida. Its streets of brightly painted houses lead to a main square, the San Servacio church and the Convento de San Bernardino.
It is the closest town to Chichén Itzá, about 45 minutes away, so you can be there at opening, before the tour buses from the coast. Ek Balam, a ruin you can still climb, is half an hour north, and the area is full of cenotes, from Cenote Zací in town to Suytun, Ik Kil and the caves at Dzitnup.
Valladolid is cheaper and calmer than the coast, and has a Tren Maya station. Give it two or three days.
Where to base yourself
Stay near the main square or along the Calzada de los Frailes, the street to the convent.
Calzada de los Frailes
Pretty, cafésThe street to the convent, with bars and shops.
Sisal
QuietThe neighbourhood around the convent.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 9 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Valladolid
Be at Chichén Itzá at opening to see El Castillo, the ball court and the Sacred Cenote before the crowds. Climb the Acropolis at Ek Balam, one of the few big Maya pyramids still open to climbers, for views over the jungle; rules can change, so check.
Rent a bike and ride to the cenotes: Cenote Zací is in town, and Samulá and X'Keken at Dzitnup, Oxman, Suytun and Ik Kil are a short ride or drive away.
Walk the Calzada de los Frailes to the Convento de San Bernardino, where a free light show plays on the walls most evenings. Day trip to the pink lakes of Las Coloradas and the flamingos of Río Lagartos.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
The main square, the churches and the Calzada de los Frailes are free. The evening light show at the Convento de San Bernardino is free.
The square has free music and dancing on some evenings.
The cenotes and the ruins all charge.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
The market and the Bazar Municipal on the square have cheap food stalls; a meal costs €2 to €5. Try longaniza de Valladolid (smoked sausage), lomitos de Valladolid (pork in tomato sauce) and cochinita pibil.
Marquesitas and esquites sell on the square in the evening.
A 10 to 15 per cent tip is usual in sit-down restaurants; check the bill first, as some add a service charge (propina).
Nightlife
Going out
Valladolid is quiet at night: the square, a few bars and mezcal bars along the Calzada, and hostel bars.
Most people are up early for the ruins.
A beer costs €1.50 to €3.
Getting around
Getting around
The town is walkable, and bikes are the best way to reach nearby cenotes. Colectivos run to Chichén Itzá and Ek Balam.
ADO buses link Valladolid with Cancún and Mérida (about 2 hours each), Tulum (about 1.5 hours) and Playa del Carmen. The Tren Maya stops at Valladolid and Chichén Itzá.
Rent a car for Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos, or take a tour.
Costs
What Valladolid costs
Hostel beds start at around €8 to €15 a night, cheaper than the coast. A market meal costs €2 to €5.
Chichén Itzá costs about €32 for foreigners and Ek Balam about €33. Cenotes cost about €3 to €10, and bike rental about €4 to €7 a day.
Pay in pesos. Bring cash for the cenotes.
Safety
Safety and scams
Valladolid is safe and relaxed. At the ruins, hawkers can be persistent; a polite no works.
In cenotes, wear a life jacket if you are not a strong swimmer, and shower before swimming as asked.
Do not drink the tap water; use bottled or filtered water, which most hostels provide. In an emergency, call 911.
Worth the trip
Ruins, cenotes and pink lakes.
Chichén Itzá
The famous pyramid.
Ek Balam
A ruin you can climb.
Río Lagartos
Flamingos by boat.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The equinox and holidays.
Around 21 March
Spring equinox
Chichén Itzá
The serpent shadow on El Castillo; very crowded.
31 October to 2 November
Hanal Pixán
Valladolid
The Yucatán's Day of the Dead.
Early February
Fiesta of the Candelaria
Valladolid
The town's patron fiesta.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Valladolid, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
Mamachá Natural Residence
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Casa Xtakay
Dorms from €15 a night
See dates and book
CHE Valladolid Hostel & Bar
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
Casa Daniels
Rooms from €2 a night
See dates and book
Hostel La Candelaria
Dorms from €13 a night
See dates and book
NEW FRIENDS HOSTEL VALLADOLID & BAR ADULTS ONLY
Dorms from €12 a night
See dates and book
Hostal Las Cruces
Dorms from €15 a night
See dates and book
Valladolid 48
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Hotel Tunich Naj
Dorms from €10 a night
See dates and book
When to go
November to February is the most comfortable time. April and May are very hot. June to October brings rain; hurricane season runs from June to November.
Jan
Mild
Feb
Dry
Mar
Equinox at Chichén Itzá
Apr
Very hot
May
Hottest
Jun
Rain
Jul
Rain
Aug
Rain
Sep
Peak hurricane risk
Oct
Rain
Nov
Hanal Pixán
Dec
Holidays
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Hot all year.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Valladolid prices.
Treat these as a guide. Ruins and cenotes cost extra.
—
- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Valladolid questions
The ones we get asked most.
How do I get to Chichén Itzá from Valladolid?
By colectivo, bus or Tren Maya, about 45 minutes.
How much does Chichén Itzá cost?
About €32 for foreigners in 2026.
Can you climb Ek Balam?
Yes, at the time of writing the Acropolis is open to climb; rules can change.
Which cenotes are best?
Zací, Suytun, Ik Kil, Oxman and the Dzitnup caves.
Is Valladolid safe?
Yes, it is safe and relaxed.
How many days do I need?
Two to three.
When is the best time to visit?
November to February.
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