Chiapa de Corzo is a little town just outside the Chiapas state capital of Tuxtla Gutiérrez. For international travelers, the difference and distance between the two cities can seem negligible. Tours that end up in San Cristóbal de las Casas will also frequently make a stop, or even start, here. Chiapa de Corzo is one of the most historic parts of this central region of Chiapas.
The little town is centered around the very big Plaza de Armas, a main town square. It remains one of the best strolling areas, with surrounding historic streets, terrific food, and artisan works everywhere. But probably most interesting, Chiapa de Corzo is also a starting point for exploration of the stunning Grijalva River valley and the dramatic Sumidero Canyon. Experts will point out that only Palenque is more visited, in Chiapas, than this magnificent canyon.
If that's not enough, the archaeological sites to the south east of the little town are some of the oldest in Mexico. Occupied since at least 1400 BCE, the civilization here reached a peak between 700 BCE and 200 CE. That makes the settlement the repository of some of the earliest writing, and the earliest burials in Mexico. The Spanish settlement whose name we use today was founded more than a thousand years later in 1528.
Chiapa de Corzo is nearly always visited as a side-trip or day trip from Tuxtla. The trip by taxi is short and sweet, but in fact, some visitors will want to stay. Both the canyon and the ruins deserve a good half-day each. There's no reason to not stretch it out to a good four or five days.
