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    Chichén Itzá
    Daniel Schwen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Mexico

    Chichén Itzá

    Point of InterestCulture

    Chichén Itzá, in eastern Yucatán, 120 km from Mérida and over 40 km from Valladolid, was one of the Maya's most powerful centers from the 9th-12th centuries.

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    9. Chichén Itzá
    Chichén Itzá, in eastern Yucatán, 120 km from Mérida and over 40 km from Valladolid, was one of the Maya's most powerful centers from the 9th-12th centuries. You come for the stepped pyramid El Castillo, the 168m Great Ball Court, and the Sacred Cenote, a day trip doable from Mérida, Valladolid, or Cancún. Since 1988, it's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site; in 2007, El Castillo was chosen in a private vote as one of the New Seven World Wonders. Around the equinoxes, the afternoon light on the pyramid's north staircase casts the shadow of a descending snake.
    The Site at a GlanceThe Great North Platform forms the center of the zone, featuring El Castillo, the Great Ballcourt, and the Temple of the Warriors along with the Group of a Thousand Columns. An ancient causeway (Sacbé) leads north from there to the Sacred Cenote. Further south are the El Caracol Observatory and the Nunnery (Las Monjas). You should plan three to four hours for a complete tour.When to VisitThe zone opens daily at 8 AM and closes at 4 PM. Those who arrive at opening will experience the sites more peacefully and during cooler hours. Around the equinoxes in March and September, visitor numbers are particularly high.Good to KnowEl Castillo has been closed to climbing since 2006. Access is exclusively via the Visitor Center (CATVI). In May 2026, the zone was closed for nearly two weeks due to a conflict over vendor stalls and has been reopened since June 1, 2026.

    Sights in Chichén Itzá

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Cenote Sagrado (Holy Cenote)
    Attraction

    Cenote Sagrado (Holy Cenote)

    The approx. 60-meter-wide cenote with vertical walls lies north of El Castillo at the end of an old Maya Sacbé. It was a sacrificial and pilgrimage site, visited even after the city's decline and into the colonial era. Swimming is not possible here.
    Open in Google Maps
    El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan)
    Historic Landmark

    El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan)

    The approximately 24-meter-high stepped pyramid in the center of the Great North Platform is the site's landmark. Its four staircases, including the top step, total 365 steps; around the equinoxes, a snake's shadow appears on the north staircase. Climbing has not been permitted since 2006.
    Open in Google Maps
    Gran Juego de Pelota (Great Ballcourt)
    Historic Landmark

    Gran Juego de Pelota (Great Ballcourt)

    The ballcourt on the west side of the Great North Platform is 168 meters long and 70 meters wide. Between its high side walls, the ritual ballgame of the Maya was played.
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    Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors)
    Historic Landmark

    Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors)

    The step temple, built around 1200, on the east side of the Great North Platform is among the best-preserved structures at the site. In front of and next to it stand rows of columns, belonging to the Group of Thousand Columns, many with carved warrior figures.
    Open in Google Maps
    El Caracol (Observatory)
    Historic Landmark

    El Caracol (Observatory)

    The round building north of the Nunnery Group (Las Monjas) bears its name, Caracol (Snail House), because of the spiral staircase inside. Through windows in the upper part, the Maya observed equinoxes, solstices, and the path of Venus.
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    Cenote Ik Kil
    Park

    Cenote Ik Kil

    Open, cylindrical cenote, minutes from Tren Maya Chichén Itzá station. Descend around 90 steps to the water, about 48 meters deep, where you can swim. Many combine it with a visit to the ruins.
    Open in Google Maps

    Sights in Chichén Itzá

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Cenote Sagrado (Holy Cenote)
    Attraction

    1Cenote Sagrado (Holy Cenote)

    The approx. 60-meter-wide cenote with vertical walls lies north of El Castillo at the end of an old Maya Sacbé. It was a sacrificial and pilgrimage site, visited even after the city's decline and into the colonial era. Swimming is not possible here.
    Open in Google Maps
    El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan)
    Historic Landmark

    2El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan)

    The approximately 24-meter-high stepped pyramid in the center of the Great North Platform is the site's landmark. Its four staircases, including the top step, total 365 steps; around the equinoxes, a snake's shadow appears on the north staircase. Climbing has not been permitted since 2006.
    Open in Google Maps
    Gran Juego de Pelota (Great Ballcourt)
    Historic Landmark

    3Gran Juego de Pelota (Great Ballcourt)

    The ballcourt on the west side of the Great North Platform is 168 meters long and 70 meters wide. Between its high side walls, the ritual ballgame of the Maya was played.
    Open in Google Maps
    Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors)
    Historic Landmark

    4Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors)

    The step temple, built around 1200, on the east side of the Great North Platform is among the best-preserved structures at the site. In front of and next to it stand rows of columns, belonging to the Group of Thousand Columns, many with carved warrior figures.
    Open in Google Maps
    El Caracol (Observatory)
    Historic Landmark

    5El Caracol (Observatory)

    The round building north of the Nunnery Group (Las Monjas) bears its name, Caracol (Snail House), because of the spiral staircase inside. Through windows in the upper part, the Maya observed equinoxes, solstices, and the path of Venus.
    Open in Google Maps
    Cenote Ik Kil
    Park

    6Cenote Ik Kil

    Open, cylindrical cenote, minutes from Tren Maya Chichén Itzá station. Descend around 90 steps to the water, about 48 meters deep, where you can swim. Many combine it with a visit to the ruins.
    Open in Google Maps

    Restaurants in Chichén Itzá

    1

    Las Mestizas

    Restaurant on the main street of Pisté, the village about two kilometers west of the archaeological site. The menu features Yucatecan cuisine; diners can eat indoors or outdoors.
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    2

    Hacienda Xaybe'h D'Camara

    Large restaurant with a well-maintained garden in Pisté, one block off the main road opposite the Hotel Chichén Itzá. Serving Mexican cuisine, many tour groups come at lunchtime.
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    History & Significance

    Rise of a Maya MetropolisThe settlement's origins date back to the Classic Period, though most visible structures today were built in the Late Classic and Early Postclassic periods, roughly between 800 and 1100. During this time, Chichén Itzá was the dominant power in the northern part of the peninsula. Between 1100 and 1200, the city lost its supremacy, but the Sacred Cenote remained a pilgrimage site until after the Spanish conquest.Architecture and AstronomyEl Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulcán, stands approximately 24 meters tall. Each of its four staircases has 91 steps; combined with the step to the upper temple, this totals 365, the same number as days in the solar year. Around the equinoxes, in the late afternoon, the edges of the steps cast triangular shadows onto the north staircase, appearing like a descending serpent. From the circular structure of El Caracol, the Maya observed solstices, equinoxes, and the path of Venus.World Heritage and World WonderUNESCO inscribed Chichén Itzá onto its World Heritage List in 1988. On July 7, 2007, El Castillo was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a privately organized poll, a title without official status.

    Arrival & Visit

    Getting ThereFrom Valladolid (approx. 43 kilometers): Buses and colectivos take 40 to 60 minutes to Pisté; from there, it's just a few minutes to the entrance.From Mérida (approx. 120 kilometers): Buses from the city center take almost two hours; by car, it's 1 hour 40 to 2 hours.From Cancún (approx. 175 kilometers): by bus, rental car, or tour, a good two hours or more.Tren Maya: Since February 2024, the train stops at Chichén Itzá station near Pisté, between Izamal and Valladolid. The station also provides access to the Gran Museo de Chichén Itzá.Opening Hours and AdmissionDaily 8 AM to 4 PM.Admission comprises the INAH fee and a state of Yucatán charge: Foreign visitors pay a total of 676 Pesos in 2026 (105 Pesos INAH plus 571 Pesos state fee), Mexicans 303 Pesos, Yucatán residents only the INAH fee.Entry is exclusively via the CATVI Visitor Center.On SiteThe site is expansive and offers little shade; bring water, a hat, and sun protection. Many combine their visit with a swim in Cenote Ik Kil, just a few minutes' drive from the station.

    Accommodations in Chichén Itzá

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    Nearby

    Valladolid

    Valladolid

    Valladolid, located in the east of the state of Yucatán, is a colonial city with nearly 57,000 inhabitants, colorfully painted houses, and a lively main square. It lies approximately 40 kilometers from Chichén Itzá and is surrounded by cenotes, making it a peaceful base between Cancún and Mérida. Valladolid holds the title of Pueblo Mágico.
    Mérida

    Mérida

    Mérida, capital of the state of Yucatán in the northwest of the peninsula, was founded in 1542 on the ruins of the Maya city T'hó. You come here for the colonial center with churches, plazas, and colorful townhouses, for the Yucatecan cuisine, and for a rich, often free cultural program in the plazas. The city is also a good base for excursions to Maya sites like Uxmal, to cenotes and haciendas.
    Yucatán Peninsula

    Yucatán Peninsula

    The Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico comprises the states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo, and Campeche. It is flat, covered by scrubland, and has few rivers; water flows underground through limestone and emerges in thousands of cenotes. Here lie the great Maya sites, the colonial cities of Mérida and Campeche, and the Caribbean coast from Cancún to Tulum.
    Tulum

    Tulum

    Tulum is located on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, south of Cancún on the Riviera Maya. It is known for its Maya ruins on a cliff directly above the sea, for cenotes in the hinterland, and a long beach lined with boutique hotels and beach clubs. Tulum has grown significantly in recent years, with prices increasing accordingly.
    Uxmal

    Uxmal

    Uxmal, about an hour's drive south of Mérida, was the political center of the Puuc region in western Yucatán from the 8th to 10th centuries. The site is known for its oval Pyramid of the Soothsayer and the finely decorated stone friezes of the Governor's Palace. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.