Palenque Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
former city state in Central America in present-day southern Mexico
About Palenque
Palenque is a medium-sized archaeological site, much smaller thanTikalorYaxchilan, but it contains some of the finest sculpture, architecture, roof combs, and bas-relief carvings of the Mayan era. The site's many carvings (stelae and lintels) provide fertile source material for historians to study as they seek to understand the site's past. As was common at the time, Palenque was frequently at war with rival city-states, such asCalakmulandToniná(whose warriors sacked the city in the early 8th century AD). Palenque is a well-developed site that's been extensively explored and documented (it's often regarded as the most studied site in the Americas.) Despite the number of excavations, only a small part of the total archaeological site is seen by the public. Almost 90% of the original Mayan
Top Attractions in Palenque
Explore the best things to see and do in Palenque:
- ★Archeological ruins
- ★Motiepa Waterfall
- ★Sombrillas Waterfalls
Where to Eat in Palenque
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Claveles Pizza
- 🍴Cocina del Tio Fide
- 🍴Don Muchos
- 🍴El Caracol De Jade
- 🍴El Langostino
- 🍴El Marino
Where to Stay in Palenque
- 🏨Cabañas Kin Balam
- 🏨El Panchan
- 🏨Hotel Maya Palenque
- 🏨Hotel Maya Tulipanes
- 🏨Jungle Palace
- 🏨Margarita and Ed's Cabañas
Palenque Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 10 sections including: