Chiapas

The colonial village of San Cristobal de las Casas nestled in the grand Valley of Jovel in the state of Chiapas, and is surrounded by majestic forests of pine and oak rich with orchids, ferns and begonias is the crown jewel of the Chiapas central highlands. San Cristobal is in the center of one of Mexico's most authentically indigenous regions. Founded in 1528, San Cristobal was named after its first bishop, Bartolomé de la Casas, who was a fervent supporter of the local Indian rights.

Today San Cristobal (population 120,000) is a classic Spanish Colonial town with a lively and celebrated Indigenous heart. It is a city of cobblestone lanes, red tile roofs, opulent churches and small tree-filled plazas. Long, straight streets ramble up and down several rolling hills that spread outward from the city's main plaza. It is actually a series of traditional barrios (neighborhoods) that trace their roots to the old custom of trades, candle makers, blacksmiths, carpenters and fireworks makers giving each barrio a special magic in a colorful quilt-like quality.