SEARCH HOTELS in San Cristobal, MEXICO
San Cristobal travel guide
San Cristobal de Las Casas is a small town located in the heart of Mexico in the state of Chiapas, in a beautiful valley. The state capital is within 98 km. Unlike other Mexican cities, this city has no pre-colonial history.
San Cristobal was founded in 1528 by Spanish colonialists. For quite a long time, the city was a small settlement lost in the mountains under the rule of Guatemala. From 1824 to 1892 San Cristobal received the status of the state capital, but due to the difficult access to the city, the capital was moved to the city of Tuxtla.
Until 1994, San Cristobal remained an almost invisible city. In January 1994, he was captured by the rebels of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, who fought for the rights of the country’s indigenous population – the Indians. After the city was liberated, the situation in the state stabilized somewhat, but the rebels still hold rallies and block roads.
The city has repeatedly changed its name and only in the nineteenth century. it got its modern name San Cristobal de Las Casas. Today San Cristobal is the cultural capital and tourist center of the state of Chiapas. In the surrounding villages, mainly descendants of the Mayan Indian tribes live – Tsotsil and Tzeltal. Each of the villages has its own characteristic features – Indian rituals, national clothes, decorations, distinctive colors, embroidery motifs, peculiarities of needlework, and others.
The main income of local residents is tourism and trade. The textile industry is quite well developed in San Cristobal.
San Cristobal de Las Casas is an amazing town that has no analogs in the whole country. Enchanting streets, old houses, colonial architecture, and the extraordinary air of a bohemian atmosphere attract a huge number of tourists from all over the world. The city’s pedestrianized tourist streets are full of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
way to get there
San Cristobal de Las Casas is a city located 98 kilometers from Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of one of the states of Chiapas. You can get to it along with the Pan-American highway number 190, along the old direction, which gradually rises from the valley into the mountains and reveals a landscape of extraordinary beauty. However, you need to drive carefully, especially in the dark – the road is very winding and unpredictable, and locals drive as if they were riding a horse, not a car.
San Cristobal is the best time to visit
You can book a hotel online in San Cristobal de la Laguna at any time of the year, because in summer there is an average of about 21 degrees of heat (there are all +35 degrees), and in winter – about 14 degrees above zero. It is also interesting to get here on Holy Week and other religious holidays.
Itineraries
The heart of San Cristobal is the central square of Zocalo or the square of March 31. It is here that one of the main attractions of the city is located – the majestic cathedral, erected in the 17th century. in a harmonious combination of Moorish and Baroque styles. The temple was consecrated in honor of the patron saint of the city and all travelers, St. Christopher.
Walking along the square, tourists can also see the building of the Government Palace with columns and arches, built in the 19th century. The second floor of the palace offers a magnificent view of the city itself and its surroundings. Today, the building of the Government Palace houses the city hall.
San Cristobal de Las Casas has several interesting museums. The Amber Museum and the Mayan Museum of Medicine are especially popular with locals and visitors alike.
One of the natural attractions of San Cristobal is the picturesque alpine lakes located to the south-east of the city.
Hotels
Most of the hotels are located in the capital, and from Santo Domingo, it is easy to reach all the attractions of San Cristobal. However, there are several hotels, apartments, and guest houses for those wishing to settle right in the center of events in the city. Families with children and independent travelers can stay there. Each of the establishments provides cozy rooms, good Wi-Fi, and many have their own swimming pool.
Food
In the restaurants of this city, as elsewhere on the island, it is easy to find a variety of fish and seafood dishes, meat dishes like a rabbit in salmorejo or pork and poultry with vegetables, as well as a stew set with sausages and legumes. Boiled potatoes are the typical side dish here, and the sauces are called mojos and vary according to the dish but are most often made with peppers, cheeses, almonds, saffron, and rusks. Since cheese is the first thing that the Spaniards who occupied the island began to produce here, there is a lot of it here and it is very different: fresh, curd, soft, hard, semi-hard, and smoked cheeses made from milk, primarily goats (but also sheep and cows) can be brought from here as a souvenir along with gofio flour. It is also worth trying the local sweets and, of course, wines.
Restaurants
San Cristobal’s restaurants and cafes are a fusion of European, Caribbean, and African cuisines. The main ingredients here are exotic fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh seafood. For vegetarians, there are always separate dishes on the menu and even whole restaurants.
Attractions
The former capital of the Canary Islands boasts a historic center, which has been protected by UNESCO since 1999 and which has remained practically unchanged since the end of the 15th century, when it was founded and built, thanks to peaceful times and remoteness from the coast, retaining its streets, bright colors, Renaissance tower- a symbol of the city, belonging to the Church of Matrice de la Concepciֳ³n, the royal sanctuary of Santisimo Cristo, palaces, the diocese, the monasteries of Claras and Catalinas and the former monastery with the Church of St. Dominic. It is also worth walking from your hotel room to the Monastery of St. Augustine, which housed the first Institute of the Canary Islands in the middle of the 19th century, to the Neoclassical Neoclassical Nuestra Senora de Los Remedios cathedral, to the tunnels and underground crypts from the formation of the city that connect the main city buildings.
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weather
the weather in the city is suitable for recreation all year round. Due to the proximity of the equator, the air temperature here does not drop below + 25 ֲ° ׀¡, and the water temperature – always above +23 ֲ° ׀¡. You need to be more careful with your vacation in September and October when hurricanes are in the Atlantic. The period from November to May is considered the most comfortable time for a vacation: from May the rainy season comes, but most often precipitation falls at night and does not interfere with rest.
Transport
Avoid the crowds and get the most out of your trip to San Cristobal de la Laguna with your rental car. It is very easy to do this: just book a car online, get off the plane and get behind the wheel. Of course, you will need to go through passport control and show your driver’s license to the polite people at the rental company counter, but the idea is in general terms.
You don’t have to navigate the complex public transport system: just get in your car and go wherever you want.
San Cristobal Airport
San Cristobal can serve both domestic and international flights. Friendly staff will help with the passage of passengers through customs and passport control, registration of their luggage and hand luggage. Lounges with comfortable armchairs, bars, restaurants, Duty-free shops, free Wi-Fi will help you to comfortably wait for your flight. Most major airports have a business lounge where you can use the phone, fax or host a business meeting. And for passengers with small children – a children’s room. The most convenient way to get to / from the airport of San Cristobal, Venezuela is by taxi or using a special bus or railway express.