Real de Guadalupe
Cafés on foot.
Rod Waddington — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Éclusette — CC BY 3.0
A colonial town in a green valley about 2,200 metres up in the Chiapas highlands, the state capital until 1892 and still its cultural capital. Its streets are cobbled, its houses have red-tiled roofs and iron balconies dressed with flowers, and the air is cool and fresh most of the year. Its heart is two long pedestrian streets, the best known being Real de Guadalupe, lined with cafés, restaurants and shops selling crafts and amber, for which Chiapas is famous. The town has an amber museum and a museum of Maya textiles. Around the town lie villages of the Tzotzil and Tzeltal Maya peoples, who come to the town's markets in colourful, hand-woven traditional dress. The big municipal market is a lively place to see the region's life and produce. Respect the indigenous people and do not photograph them without permission, as many dislike it. Evenings are cold, so bring a jacket. It is a good base for Sumidero Canyon and the region's waterfalls.
Cafés on foot.
Shops and a museum.
Highland life.
Central San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas highlands
Mild by day and cold at night almost all year because of the altitude, so bring a jacket. Rain is frequent from May to October.