San Cristobal de Las Casas lies in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, high in the mountains surrounded by pine forests. With its cobblestone streets and red-tile roofs, San Cristobal is a mix of 16th century Spanish influence and a vivid, colorful indigenous culture. 

Here you will find not only beautiful colonial churches, cathedrals and other buildings, but also the largest indigenous market in northern America, where the Maya people from surrounding villages come daily, in their colorful traditional clothing, to sell fruits, vegetables and crafts.

In San Cristobal you can choose from a variety of vegetarian, Mexican, Italian and Asian restaurants, and European-style cafes or eat local foods in small eateries all over town. You can visit indigenous villages during the day (each village has its own particular style of traditional dress) and at night you can listen to live music in different restaurants and bars.

It is cooler in the highlands of Chiapas than in other parts in Mexico: during the rainy season (May to early November), the climate is mild, usually with sunny mornings and rain in the afternoons or evenings. During the dry season (November to May), the days are beautifully sunny and warm, but the nights can be chilly.

You can get to San Cristobal by air, bus or car. There are regular flights from Mexico City and Cancun to Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas. It is a little over an hour by bus or taxi to San Cristobal. We offer pick-up service from the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport. There are also direct overnight buses from Cancun and Mexico City to San Cristobal. Buses in Mexico are comfortable, plentiful and convenient, but let us know if you need more information on how to get to us.

We at Instituto Jovel are happy to help you plan day trips to the surrounding villages and archeological sites and also weekend trips to the jungle, which can include visits to waterfalls and boat tours. There are many, many places to visit!