Tickets for Chichén Itzá, Cenote Chichikan & Valladolid: Tour from Cancún or Riviera Maya

Mexico's Maya past still stands proudly at Chichén Itzá, and the domineering sight of El Castillo – the most famous Mesoamerican pyramid – and the stories that go with it will astound you. Your guide will show you the most important sites, before whisking you off to your next stop, an enchanting cenote in Hacienda Selva Maya: a breathtaking limestone cavern you can swim in, then it's onto the colonial city of Valladolid.

Perhaps as far back as the 8th century AD, the Mayans had built a temple to their god, Kukulkán, a feathered serpent, that would cast shadows akin to the image of a snake crawling down the pyramid during the spring and autumn equinoxes. The ancient city is filled with other wonders, so look out for intricate sculptures, towering columns, and the 150-meter-long Great Ball Court, where teams would pit themselves against each other in ritual games.

After exploring in the heat, you can wind down and take in a different kind of beauty with a cenote swim in Hacienda Selva Maya. The circular pit is surrounded by steep, limestone walls where vines hang and a shaft of sunlight strikes through the center of the cavern. If the sight doesn't refresh you, then the water will.

Once your day of activity is done, refuel your body with a buffet lunch in the colonial city of Valladolid. You can explore the 16th-century settlement and snap even more photos to show off at home.