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A Colonial Town in the Heart of Maya Yucatan

Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico

Valladolid's Cathedral of San Gervasio and Main Square at night

The Cathedral of San Gervasio and the main square.

Mexico // Maya Civilization· Valladolid Mexico· Yucatan Mexico· Yucatan Peninsula Mexico Location: [post_gps_latitude], [post_gps_longitude]

Valladolid is a place to stop and savor. A charming Spanish colonial town in the center of the Yucatán Peninsula, it’s within easy striking distance of Cancun and Merida. It makes for a pleasant, laid-back place to stop for a few days in its own right, but an added appeal is that it’s also a great base for exploring the nearby Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza and Ek’Balam, especially if you want to get the morning jump on the tourist buses rolling in from Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Given its great location in the heart of Mayan Mexico, it’s a bit surprising that Valladolid hasn’t yet become overrun with tourists. The lack of an airport is one good reason. Merida and Cancun, both of which are bigger and have busy international airports, are more than happy to soak up the tourist dollars. But the result is that Valladolid itself remains quiet and relaxed.

The town was built by the Spanish on a Maya ceremonial site. For much of the time after that the indigenous Maya population was repressed, something that has only been redressed in more recent times. Much of the money these days in Valladolid comes from being a financial and administrative hub for local agriculture.

Like so many Spanish colonial towns, Valladolid is laid out on a classic grid radiating from a central town square, in this case, the Parque Francisco Canton Rosado. And this being the Yucatan, there are no rivers or hills to speak of, so it’s an easy place to walk, drive, or ride. Around the town square are some comfortable hotels and restaurants, the town hall, and a 16th-century Spanish colonial Cathedral of San Gervasio with its twin steeples towering over the town. And if you’re lucky enough to be there for one of the seemingly endless stream of Maya celebrations, like the Queen of the Maya Festival, you’ll be in for a treat.

Wandering a little further, by car or bike, both Cenote X’kekén (also known as Cenote Dzitnup) and the Church of San Bernardino de Siena, with its convent next door, are well worth a visit.

Photos of Valladolid

Valladolid Downtown Street Mexico

Valladolid Mexico Street at Dusk

Nativity Scene at Cathedral of san Gervasio in Valladolid

A nativity scene at the Cathedral of San Gervasio.

Night Nativity scene in Valladolid's main square

An outdoor nativity scene in the main square. You can just see the top of one of Cathedral of San Gervasio’s towers in the background.

Candelaria Church in Valladolid, Mexico

Iglesia de la Candelaria, named for the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron of the town.

Valladolid street at dusk with Cathedral of san Gervasio

Audience at the Queen of the Maya 2011 Festival in Valladolid, Mexico

The town’s Queen of the Maya festival celebrations.

Catedral De San Gervasio with stone cross in Valladolid

Dusk view of Cathedral of san Gervasio in Valladolid

Christmas Nativity Scene in Cathedral of san Gervasio in Valladolid

Cathedral of san Gervasio in Valladolid and street

Valladolid Mexico Cathedral of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion

Iglesia de la Candelaria.

Angel Holy Water Cathedral of san Gervasio in Valladolid

Cathedral of San Bernardino Valladolid Mexico

Convent of San Bernardino de Siena.

Arches of Candelaria Church in Valladolid

Iglesia de la Candelaria.

Old Doorways in Valladolid Mexico

Cathedral of san Gervasio in Valladolid

Cathedral of San Bernardino Interior

Inside the cathedral at the Convent of San Bernardino de Siena.

360-degree Virtual Tour of Valladolid’s Main Square

What to Know Before You Go

Valladolid makes for a charming, convenient, and affordable stop for a night or two and if you’re headed to the northern Maya civilization ruins of Chichen Itza, Ek’Balam, or Coba, especially if you’re looking to get away from the tourist crowds of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or the Maya Riviera. There are some charming and quite reasonably priced hotels right on the main town square–I personally like both the restaurant and accommodations of Meson del Marques Hotel–and just a few blocks away is a highly rated hostel, La Candelaria, which is in what was one a nunnery.

Map

License Photos of Valladolid, Mexico

If you’d like to download any of my photos from Valladolid, Mexico, you can license them directly from Alamy here. It includes most of the photos displayed on this page along with many more, and there are licenses for various types of uses, including personal use as well as editorial publication.

What to Know Before You Go

Valladolid is an easy drive from either Cancun or Merida; it’s about half-way between them.

Where to Next?

  • El Castillo at Chichen Itza
    Chichen Itza's Maya Ruins
  • Students at Mayan Ruins of Coba
    Coba's Mayan Ruins on the Maya Riviera
  • Cenote Xkakah
    A Beautiful Underground Oasis at Cenote Dzitnup
  • Ek' Balam Tomb of Ukit Kan Le'k Tok'
    Ek Balam, Maya City of the Jaguar
  • Photo of Tulum Beach at Mayan Ruins on Mexico's Mayan Riviera
    Tulum, The Original Maya Riviera
  • Tikal Mayan Ruins and Morning Mist
    The Mighty Maya City of Tikal
  • King Jose I in Praca do Comercio in Lisbon Portugal with Full Moon
    Lisbon's Royal Town Square
  • Stone of the Sun (Aztec Calendar Stone) at the National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
    Mexico's Cultural Treasures
  • Sunset at 1770 Queensland
    Town of 1770


Travel Advice for Mexico

You can find the latest U.S. Department of State travel advisories and information for Mexico (such as entry visa requirements and vaccination requirements) here.

The British and Australian governments offer their own country-specific travel information. You can find the British Government's travel advice for Mexico here and the Australian Government's here.

Health & Vaccinations

The CDC makes country-specific recommendations for vaccinations and health for travelers. You can find their latest information for Mexico here.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.


Location: Valladolid
Country: Mexico
Coordinates:
      Latitude: 20.690211
      Longitude: -88.201724

      # Maya Civilization
      # Valladolid Mexico
      # Yucatan Mexico
      # Yucatan Peninsula Mexico



About David Coleman

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living.

I’m based in Washington, DC.

You can find my photography gear reviews and tips at havecamerawilltravel.com/photographer.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.

Licensing & Prints

Looking for travel stock photos or prints? I might be able to help. You can search my collection here:

If you already have a buyer account with Alamy and would prefer to use that, you can search my images directly here.

Get in Touch

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Photos by David Coleman. Please contact me for licensing images.
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