Get your bearings on a short city tour operated by El Coleto Tranvía Turística (Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías, Av. Insurgentes at Calle Hermanos Domínguez, tel. 967/678-0525), a motorized trolley that makes a one-hour loop of San Cristóbal’s key sights; a recorded explanation serves as the guide (Spanish only, English and French in the works). Tours leave from the office (hourly 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 4–7 p.m. daily, US$5 adult, US$3 child); a minimum of four passengers is required.

As the name suggests, iPod tours (Belisario Domínguez 2-B, tel. 967/631-6367, www.ipodtours.com.mx, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, US$18 half-day rental, US$23 one-day rental, US$40 two-day rental, plus US$275 fully refundable deposit) rents iPods that have been uploaded with eight in-depth tours of some of the most important historical sights in San Cristóbal. Each tour lasts between 25 and 45 minutes but, since you control the, er, guide, you can set your own pace.

The content includes maps, photos, and videos and is available in four languages—English, French, Italian, and Spanish. There also is information on activities, hotels, restaurants, and shops around town. Sounds kind of familiar…should we be worried?