By evening the cobblestone streets of the historic center fill with people drifting between the Zócalo and the surrounding blocks, and the cafés and bars along the main walking streets begin to hum with conversation and music.
San Cristóbal de las Casas has an active nightlife centered on the arts, with clubs, electronic events, live concerts, jams, cabarets and niche local cinema. The city's foreign influence shows in its nightlife, which offers reggae, salsa, techno and more. It suits visitors who want a relaxed, walkable evening of music and conversation rather than a large-scale club district.
Where to go out in San Cristóbal de las Casas
1. The historic center
The city's historic center keeps its Spanish colonial layout, with narrow cobblestone streets, red clay tile roofs and wrought iron balconies with flowers. This is where most of the evening activity is concentrated, and it is the setting for the artistic nightlife of clubs, live concerts and jams.
It suits a night of walking between venues rather than committing to one. Because the center is compact, you can move between the plaza, the cafés and the bars on foot.
2. The Zócalo and its surroundings
The main plaza, officially Plaza 31 de marzo but usually called the Zócalo, is centered on a kiosk and surrounded by gardens and the city's most important buildings, including the cathedral and the city hall. It is a natural starting point for an evening, and one bar, El Cocodrilo Bar, is named in the Santa Clara Hotel on the southeast corner of the Zócalo, with nightly music.
This area suits an early part of the night, when you want a central, easy-to-find place to begin before moving on.
3. The street with the bars
Nightly there are many bars with music on the same street, and most of the music in the clubs and restaurants is performed by local musicians. Named venues on this scene include Café Bar Revolución, also called El Revo, and La Viña de Bacco, a wine bar with a good selection of wines and beer, including many from Mexico, where free tapas are served with each glass.
This suits a night of moving from one bar to the next to hear live local music. Note that the sources do not give the name of the street itself, so ask locally or follow the sound.
4. Cafés and chocolaterias
The city's cafés and chocolaterias are part of the evening as well as the day. Cacao Nativa, next to the Templo de San Francisco, serves chocolate to drink, eat or take out and has free Wi-Fi. Yik Café, on Andador Eclesiástico, is a good place to relax with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee and watch the activity in the square. Café Museo Café, run by a collective of indigenous coffee growers from Chiapas, serves organic coffee, including a local variant of spiced café de olla. Café Toyol Witz, in Barrio del Cerrillo, is slightly off the path to the city center and serves Fair Trade, shade-grown coffee.
These suit a quieter start to the evening or a wind-down after dinner, especially if you want to watch the square rather than a stage.
5. The local drink
The local drink is posh, or pox, a hard liquor made from cane that has been used traditionally for healing and partying. It is frequently served in ponche, a pineapple or fruit hot punch with a special bread broken into it.
This suits a cold evening, and it is worth knowing about before you order, since it is specific to the region rather than a standard bar order.
How a night out unfolds
The sources describe nightly music in the bars and clubs and give café and bar hours that run into the evening: Cacao Nativa is open daily until 22:00, Yik Café until 23:00, Café Museo Café until 22:00 Monday to Saturday, and La Viña de Bacco until 24:00 Monday to Saturday. Beyond these, the sources do not specify when people eat, when they typically go out, or how late the night runs.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Spring Fair and Peace (Feria de la Primavera y la Paz) — a weeklong annual fair held in April, showcasing the city's traditional arts and crafts and featuring a Burning of Judas event.
- Holy Week — elaborate rituals and processions, including silent and chanting marchers, house-to-house blessings, passion plays, and after dark the Burning of Judas, with fireworks. The Spring Fair runs concurrent with it, especially on Holy Saturday.
- International Cervantino-Baroque Festival — an annual performing arts festival held in October in the historic center, with musical performances in various genres, traditional and modern dance, poetry readings and theatrical productions.
- Annual Amber Expo — held at the Centro de Convenciones Casa de Mazariegos, exhibiting and selling amber and amber pieces from the area.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of music will I find at night?
The city's nightlife offers reggae, salsa, techno and more, and most of the music in the clubs and restaurants is performed by local musicians. The artistic scene also includes electronic events, live concerts, jams, cabarets and niche local cinema.
Is there a local drink I should try?
Yes. The local drink is posh, or pox, a hard liquor made from cane that has been used traditionally for healing and partying. It is frequently served in ponche, a pineapple or fruit hot punch with a special bread broken into it.
Where can I go for a quieter evening?
The cafés and chocolaterias are a good option. Yik Café, on Andador Eclesiástico, is a place to relax with hot chocolate or coffee and watch the activity in the square, and Cacao Nativa serves chocolate to drink, eat or take out.
When do the festivals take place?
The Spring Fair and Peace is held in April and runs concurrent with Holy Week, especially on Holy Saturday. The International Cervantino-Baroque Festival is held each year in October in the historic center.
Plan your evening around the historic center, pick a starting point on the Zócalo or in a café, and let the music carry you down the cobblestone streets from there.