Town 8 km northeast of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
A Tzotzil hamlet whose hilltop cemetery is crowned by a row of giant turquoise crosses, on the road to Tenejapa.
Romerillo is a small Tzotzil community in the mountains northeast of San Cristóbal, part of the municipality of Chamula, on the road to Tenejapa. Travelers stop here for its cemetery, which sits on a hillside right beside the road and is one of the most striking sights in the highlands.
At the top of the cemetery stands a row of tall wooden crosses, each several meters high and painted in shades of turquoise and blue in the typical highland Maya style. Each cross is said to represent one of the communities that bury their dead here. Below them, the graves are simple mounds of earth, many covered with wooden boards and decorated with pine needles and flowers.
The cemetery comes alive around the Day of the Dead, when families clean the paths and decorate the graves to welcome the souls of their relatives. At any time of year it is a sacred place for the community, so walk quietly, keep to the paths and ask before photographing anyone.
What to see and do
See the row of giant turquoise crosses at the top of the cemetery.
Walk among the graves, covered with boards, pine needles and flowers.
Visit around the Day of the Dead, when families decorate the graves.
Combine it with the Thursday market in Tenejapa further up the road.
Getting there
Romerillo is about 20 to 30 minutes from San Cristóbal by car on the road to Tenejapa; the cemetery is right beside the road. Colectivos to Tenejapa pass through and can drop you here, and some tours from San Cristóbal stop on the way to Tenejapa.
8 km northeast of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
Directions from San Cristóbal de Las Casas on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather cool
Romerillo shares the climate of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, 8 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
See the month-by-month climate of San Cristóbal de Las Casas
Make San Cristóbal de Las Casas your base
Romerillo is an easy trip from San Cristóbal de Las Casas, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around San Cristóbal de Las Casas
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Reserva Ecológica Huitepec
· Nature reserve · 5 km away
A cloud-forest reserve on the slopes of Huitepec volcano, just outside town, with a steep trail through oak and pine. -
El Arcotete
· Nature reserve · 6 km away
An ecotourism park where the Fogótico River runs under a huge natural limestone arch; trails, zip lines and picnic areas. -
San Juan Chamula
· Town · 8 km away
A Tzotzil Maya town whose candlelit church, carpeted in pine needles, holds rituals found nowhere else. No photos inside. -
Grutas de Rancho Nuevo
· Cave · 9 km away
A cave in the pine forest southeast of town with a lit walkway past stalactites, plus horses and trails outside. -
Zinacantán
· Town · 9 km away
A Tzotzil town of flower greenhouses and back-strap weavers, famous for clothing embroidered with bright flowers. -
Tenejapa
· Town · 17 km away
A Tzeltal mountain town with a lively Thursday market and some of the finest weaving in the highlands. -
Amatenango del Valle
· Town · 32 km away
A Tzeltal village on the road to Comitán where women make pottery by hand, including its well-known clay jaguars.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.