The Ultimate Valladolid Travel Guide

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Your #1 Valladolid Travel Guide – Where to Eat, Sleep, and Play

Valladolid is located deep in the jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. This is becoming a tourist city with nearby Mayan ruins, cenotes, and colorful buildings. It still holds its authentic roots with its traditional foods, colonial style, and vibrant culture. It is a wonderful city to visit because it is situated a short drive to many larger cities. Valladolid is a great place to try traditional Yucatan food at a cheap price.

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Valladolid Travel Guide – Getting There

Fly to Cancun

From Cancun, you can either rent a car and drive or take the popular Ado Bus. We chose to drive as we were traveling to five other Yucatan cities. The toll roads are easy and worth the extra fee. Most of the drive is on a highway that is well maintained and easy to navigate.

Driving Distances

Cancun to Valladolid: 2 Hour Drive, Toll Road Route

Playa del Carmen to Valladolid: 2 Hour Drive, Toll Road Route

Isla Holbox to Valladolid: 2 Hour Drive, Toll Road Route

Tulum to Valladolid: 1.5 Hour Drive

Rio Lagartos to Valladolid: 3 Hour Drive

Merida to Valladolid: 2 Hour Drive, Toll Road Route

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Valladolid Travel Guide – Packing List

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Valladolid Travel Guide – Getting Around Town

Walk: We walked everywhere in Valladolid. Everything is situated around El Centro and the streets are easy to navigate. I always prefer to walk in most cities because you get to see so much more and it is great exercise.

*I wore Chacos every day I was here because they are comfortable walking shoes, stylish, can get wet, and easy to clean.

Drive: I do not recommend driving in this city because of the narrow one-way streets. It is difficult to drive here with many other cars and hard to see around corners. Almost everything in the city is within walking distance. It is nice to have a car for any day trips to the nearby Mayan ruins and cenotes.

Taxi: Taxis are a popular form of transportation in many Mexican cities because it is cheap. Taxis will honk their horn to alert people they are available. I highly encourage anyone using taxis to learn navigational Spanish terms because most cab drivers do not speak English.

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Valladolid Travel Guide – Where to Stay in Valladolid

Budget Friendly ($)

Hostal Gayser

We stayed at Hostal Gayser located just a few blocks from the town center. This is a budget-friendly hotel with simple amenities. It is a hostel so there are shared bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen area. We had a busy schedule so we did not spend a lot of time here. This was a great place that was cheap and safe. We got a private room, that includes a simple double bed, sheets, fan, wi-fi, and bathroom towels.

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Valladolid Travel Guide – Things to do in Valladolid

Shop at the Local Markets

Skip the touristy overpriced stores around the town center and find great deals at the many street markets. They are located all around town, a few of my favorites are the Zaci Market and Municipal Market. I bought some cute handmade leather sandals at the Municipal Market for just $240pesos. You can always offer less if you do not agree with the price!

Stroll Down Calz. Faire

Calz. Faire is the most iconic street in Valladolid because of how colorful the buildings are. This is a very busy street with people walking and cars passing by. The bright colorful buildings line the cobble stone street on both sides creating a gorgeous photo backdrop. This street is well maintained and offers many upscale shopping boutiques.

Swim in the Nearby Cenotes

Cenotes are all over the Yucatan Peninsula, Valladolid is surrounded by them! Cenotes Zaci is located right in town and is easy to walk to for a fun and refreshing adventure. Cenote Suytum is an Instagram-worthy cenote with a large man-made platform in the middle. Cenote Suytum is just a short 12-minute drive from the city center. If you are visiting the Mayan Ruins there are cenotes attached to the Mayan Ruins for an all-inclusive experience.

Day Trip to the Mayan Ruins

There are two major Mayan Ruins near Valladolid, Chicken Itza, and Ek Balam. Chicken Itza is one of the &-Wonders of the world and has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Ek Balam is also a tourist attraction that is far less busy but offers the same Mayan Ruin experience. Both ruins are about a 30-minute drive from the Valladolid town center.

El Centro at Night

At night, Valladolid’s city center transforms with street vendors and people out for dinner. This is one of the most gorgeous city centers we have seen in Mexico. The bright yellow walls and center fountain create the perfect stage for people to hang out and enjoy some street food. The Iglesia de San Servacio lights up invites people in for a religious service. Right before the sun goes down, the birds go crazy and start chirping loudly while flying from tree to tree.

Take a seat in the Iconic Kissing Chairs

Kissing chairs are unique to Valladolid. There are two chairs connected together creating the perfect seats for two people to share a smooch.

Enjoy the many Traditional Yucatan Dishes

Valladolid offers many of the Yucatan Traditional food favorites. Some traditional foods you must try are marquesita, panchos, Sikil P’ak (pumpkin seed salsa), Chaya juice, and Longaniza (Valladolid Sausage).

Visit the Convento de San Bernardino de Siena

Take the Calz. Faire diagonal street to this large historic site. This is an old convent where the leaders of the Mayan people would oversee the town.

Valladolid Sign

After visiting the Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, take some iconic photos at the Valladolid colorful sign. The sign is painted with animals, people, and activities that are home to Valladolid.

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Valladolid Travel Guide – Where to Eat in Valladolid

Valladolid Travel Guide – Where to Eat Breakfast

Restaurant & Pizzeria Oasis

Restaurant & Pizzeria Oasis is a local spot located a few blocks from Valladolid Centro. As you get away from the bustling and touristic center the prices get cheaper and the food gets more authentic. This is a small family ran restaurant serving authentic Yucatán dishes. An amazing restaurant to grab some good breakfast for cheap!

What to Order: Omelets

Valladolid Travel Guide – Where to Eat Lunch

Las Campanas – My Favorite Restaurant!

We dined here twice it was so good! Las Campanas is located right on the corner inside the town center. For being right in the town center, this place serves great authentic food for a reasonable price. The frozen margaritas are delicious and cheaper than most places. Panchos Traditional is an authentic Yucatan dish, similar to a tostada but a bit different. They take two corn tortillas and stuff them with refried black beans then fry them, then add the meat and additional toppings.

What to Order: Chicken Panchos Traditional

Valladolid Travel Guide – Where to Eat Dinner

El Artio

El Artio is a crowd-pleaser with its rich Mexican and Italian dishes. The pasta dishes are ginormous. We dined here for a nice dinner in the center of town right next to the Iglesia de San Servacio (Catholic Church). The complimentary chips and salsa were a great start. The Sikil P’ak (pumpkin seed salsa) was delicious! This was a fabulous dining experience!

What to Order: Longaniza (Valladolid Sausage)

Valladolid Travel Guide – Valladolid Nightlife and Bars

Street Food

All throughout the city, you will find small food carts that serve a range of dishes. In Valladolid, we found many Marquestias, tacos, elote corn, and hot dog stands. They cook the dishes right in front of you. This is a great option for a late-night treat. I absolutely loved the Marquesitas! A Marquesita is a common Yucatan dessert similar to a crepe but more crunchy. You can customize it to your liking with a wide range of fillings and toppings.

What to Order: Oreo + Nutella Marquesita

Travel to Isla Holbox and soak up the sun on the Beach