Valladolid: 5 Must-Try Activities
By Lea C.
Translated from French by Meghan McCallum
With a population just under 57,000, Valladolid is the third-largest city in the state of Yucatán. Even though it’s not on the ocean, it has plenty of history and charm. The tourist area is small and very easy to navigate. You can get there easily on an ADO bus from Cancún or Mérida. Its central location makes it a perfect home base for day trips to see animals, archeological sites, and cenotes!
Without further ado, here’s my list of 5 must-try activities right in Valladolid!
(Click here to check out my video of these activities.)
Take a Free Walking Tour
We explored the city with Free Walking Tour Valladolid (check out their Instagram for info). They have tours in the morning (which include the market) and evening (at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.).
I recommend the last tour, which explores the square, the cathedral, and the Calzada de los Frailones, and finishes at the former convent of San Bernardino de Siena, just in time to see the light and sound show!
The guide can give you recommendations for restaurants and activities, as well as tons of history about the city. If you have time, you can even put your math skills to the test by learning to count with the Mayan numeral system. It’s tough!
Explore the Central Square
The central square is the heart of the city. Here you’ll find tourists and locals alike. It has many uses, and can serve as a landmark for getting around. There are concerts with traditional dancing (both Mayan and more contemporary) at different times throughout the day, and it’s decorated based on the season. Sit on one of the many benches to people-watch, rest between activities, or enjoy an ice cream!
But there’s lots outside of the square, too! Surrounding the square, you’ll find the cathedral, municipal palace (or city hall) – which you can visit for free, and see four paintings recounting the history of the city – and many souvenir shops, street vendors, a library, and much more!
Visit a Cenote
A cenote is a large natural water well where you can swim among the plants and fish! Yucatán is full of them. Cenotes are either closed, semi-open, or open.
There’s even a cenote right in Valladolid, called Zaci (the Mayan name of the city), close to the square and the market. Unfortunately this cenote was closed for renovations during our first visit in December 2022. However, there are many others not far from the city, including two – Samulá and Xkeken – which are easy to get to by bike, thanks to the bikeable path that goes right past them!
The tour group MexiGo Tours offers day cycling trips to visit these cenotes. Check out my video of this activity here!
Walk Around Casa de los Venados
Located near the central square, Casa de los Venados is a museum in an architecturally interesting private home. Two art collectors from the United States collected works (sculptures, paintings, and other art) from all over Mexico here. Guided visits are offered in English and Spanish, and a suggested donation of 100 pesos at the end is well deserved. I was happily surprised by this house and its unusual collection. The art is interesting, strange, and intriguing all at once! The visit takes about an hour and is really worth your time. Check the museum hours here.
Eat the Local Food
Yucatán has several specialties – many of them of Mayan origin, including Sikil P’ak (like hummus, but made with pumpkin seeds… delicious) and salbutes, a fried puffed tortilla with all sorts of amazing toppings.
Traditional tortillas for tacos are made from corn (not flour), and a traditional Mexican breakfast is a dish called chilaquiles. Check out my specific Valladolid restaurant recommendations here!