SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS

 

San Cristobal de las Casas is located in the central region in the state of Chiapas, 85 km (53 mi) east of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capital. The climate is temperate and humid, with rainfall in the summer and an average year-round temperature of 15º C (59º F).

 

In this city, which has one of Mexico?s most beautiful urban designs, you can discover impressive religious edifices like the Cathedral or the Templo de Santo Domingo. These buildings were restored using a combination of profuse baroque-style details and local architectural elements, which perpetuate the cultural heritage of ethnic groups that live in the surrounding areas, such as the Tzotziles, Tzeltales and the Lacandons. During your stay, you?ll also see exotic collections of crafts, objects of everyday use and pre-Hispanic pieces housed in anthropological and philanthropic institutions such as the Museo Na Bolom or the Centro Cultural de los Altos de Chiapas. In the city?s environs, you can experience a magical atmosphere in towns like San Juan Chamula, which hosts one of the most colorful and celebrated carnivals in the state. From there, you can head out to areas that are rich in natural resources, such as the Huitepec Ecological Reserve, where you can truly appreciate the region?s biodiversity. There?s also El Arcotete, where you can go rappelling down 30-meter (100-foot) cliffs.