Chichen Itza

Holidays In Chichen Itza

It has four stairways with a total of 365 steps, corresponding with the number of days in the solar calendar. Scholars once thought that Castillo was evidence of a Toltec invasion (the Toltecs having migrated from the central highlands capital of Tula, north of Mexico city). However, most now agree that the Maya in fact influenced the Toltecs.

Murals and stelae (carved stone pillars) depict warriors, battles and human sacrifice, which belie the long-held image of the Maya as pacifists. There are over 30 reconstructed buildings, whilst hundreds more lie crumbling in the surrounding jungle.  The site also features a ball court, the largest and most impressive in Mexico, and a sacrificial sinkhole ‘cenote’. Chichén Itzá sprawls over more than 39 square miles, of which only about 3 ½ sq miles may be visited. There is a sound-and-light show (performed beneath the Castillo) every evening (included in the cost of the ruins ticket).

The site is normally extremely busy, with large visitor groups travelling from Cancún. Depending on your planned itinerary, we recommend that you stay overnight in a hotel by the ruins and enter the site early to avoid the crowds. In the nearby town of Piste, there are a few simple and rustic restaurants.