Someone asked me recently how many UNESCO sites we have visited? Oh my goodness. A LOT. Yes I should try to add that up, but there are thousands and thousands and we have certainly been blessed to see hundreds. And Merida Yucatan is new addition to the list. We had five days in this beautiful city, and here are my recommendations, Merida A Cultural Gem in Yucatan Mexico.
The Mayans
I have been intrigued by the Mayan Culture since I was in grade school. As a traveler we have explored many of this civilization’s vast and interesting sites. A little history lesson for you; The Maya civilization is significantly older than the Aztec, with the Maya developing complex societies from around 2000 BC and reaching their Classic Period peak (250–900 AD) long before the Aztec Empire’s rise in the 14th century, though both cultures thrived in Mesoamerica and influenced each other.
The Maya civilization developed in the Maya Region, an area that today comprises southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. (Wikipedia)
By the time the Spanish arrived in what we now call Mexico, the Maya people had left their ruling communities such as Chichen Itza (more on this later) but their descendants were still in the region. The Aztecs however had risen to power, and it is their civilization that the Spanish decimated on arrival. And yet today, many people of the area can trace their heritage to both Maya and Aztec ancestors.
Merida History
Merida’s history blends Mayan heritage with Spanish conquest. Founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo on the ancient Mayan city of T’ho, the Spanish used stones from the ruins of T’ho for colonial buildings, creating a unique fusion seen in its architecture. The city became a significant colonial hub. In the 1800’s the process of turning sisal (henequen ) into rope and twine created a very wealthy class of merchants. The wealth is evident today in grand mansions on Paseo de Montejo. Merida in the 21st Century is a vibrant cultural capital, preserving Mayan traditions, distinct cuisine, and colonial charm, making Merida A Cultural Gem in Yucatan Mexico.
Things to do in the City
Take a guided walking tour or do a self guided tour like we did using GPS My City. Highlights for us included:
Plaza Mayor – the main square of old town Merida where people gather day and night and festivals and events take place regularly.
Cathedral de Merida – right on the Plaza Mayor you will find a beautiful cathedral that graces the city, dating back to 1540. It is said to be the second oldest Cathedral in Latin America.
Casa de los Montejo – dating back to 1540, this historic gem has served as a mansion for generations and today houses a bank and museum. Pay particular attention to the ornate facade.
Mercado Lucas de Gálvez is the largest and most central market in Mérida, spanning 45,000 square meters and hosting over 2,000 vendors. Just steps from Plaza Grande, it’s a key destination for local produce, street food, crafts, and daily essentials in the historic city center. I have been to A LOT of markets around the world, and this one blew my mind. Don’t miss it. And while you are in the area, walk through the streets surrounding the Mercado, where the locals do their shopping. It’s like a completely different city than the tourism zone.
Government Palace – don’t expect a bureaucratic building, this lime green gem is home to a fantastic art collection that you must not miss.
Church of the Third Order of Jesus – look closely at the exterior of this cathedral and you can see how it was built (like much of this city) with stones from the Mayan pyramids of Th’o.
Moorish House – a little off the beaten path but worth making the short detour, this beautiful building has been recently restored and expanded. Over the years it has served as the US Consulate, a maternity hospital and a private home.
Paseo de Montejo – Stretching from Santa Ana to the center of Merida, this avenue is where residents have strolled for generations. Home to many of the palaces built during the wealthy sisal period, it is also home to restaurants and shops. Be sure to check out Camara Houses, Canton Palace (home of the Yucatan Regional Museum) and Quinta Mones Molina House with a really interesting museum and self guided tour.
Day Trips Outside the City
East
Chichen Itza – less than two hour drive from Merida is the UNESCO World Heritage archeology site of Chichen Itza. This complex of Mayan ruins includes a massive step pyramid, known as El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan. Chichen Itza thrived from around 600 A.D. to the 1200s. Graphic stone carvings survive at structures like the ball court, Temple of the Warriors and the Wall of the Skulls. There are tour buses and private tours available from Merida. I recommend you arrive before they open at 8am to beat the crowds. The large tour buses arrive around 9am.
Izamal – many Chichen Itza tours also stop for a brief visit to the “Yellow City” of Izamal. I would not recommend a special trip to Izamal, but a brief stop on a Chichen Itza tour is nice. We wandered the colonial streets and convent area, built on top of a Maya settlement from 2000 years ago.
Southeast
Cenotes – the Yucatan Peninsula is home to 10,500 cenotes (at least). These are a collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. The term is a Mayan word originating on the Yucatán Peninsula, where the ancient Maya commonly used cenotes for water supplies, and occasionally for sacrificial offerings. The small town of Homun near Merida is home to multiple cenotes open to the public. You can visit these on your own, but we chose to go with a full day tour, which took us to four beautiful cenotes. We swam in the beautiful crystal clear blue water under ground. It was a great day.
Southwest
Campeche – this beautiful ancient walled city is about two hours from Merida. It is one of the reasons we chose Merida as a central hub to stay and access many things in the surrounding region. I have had my eye on Campeche for some time. This Spanish Colonial city, once a walled fortress, dates back to the 16th century. We really enjoyed the colorful town, walking the remaining wall, the cathedral, the historic fort and the Gulf of Mexico. Being on the sea, the seafood in Campeche is also great, and we had a marvelous lunch at Marganzo Restaurante. Campeche warrants a couple of days if you have the time to spare.
I saved the best for last. We visited Becal to see the art of Jipajapa hat making. This was my favorite thing we did during our Yucatan visit. Becal is an hour from Merida and we made the stop on our way to Campeche. We visited a tiny local museum to learn about the iconic Jipajapa artistic hat making (also known as Panama Hat). Jipijapa refers primarily to a type of high-quality, handwoven hat made from the leaves of the Carludovica palmata plant. The best part though was visiting a local third generation family artisan workshop.
Here we were given a private demonstration of how the fibers are grown, dried, processed and dyed. Then lovely Chari, known around the world for her Jipa talent, gave us a one on one demonstration. We sat in the cool underground cave where the hats are made to keep the fiber moist while handling it. It’s difficult to describe how incredible her nimble fingers are as she created her works of art. Of course I went home with a hat of my own. Do not miss visiting Chari when you are in Becal. Ask your guide to take you to Lool Jipa Chari.
Eating and Sleeping
We spent five night in Merida. The Casa Continental Hotel in the Santa Ana neighborhood of the historic center was a great find. Just outside the busiest area, but close enough to walk to everything. Really kind staff and the rooms were just beautiful. We paid just over $70 USD per night.
Breakfast
We opted most mornings to have fruit and yogurt in our room. We did have an amazing breakfast on our first morning, right across the street from our hotel at Marmalade. Highly recommend.
Lunch
It’s always good to eat where the locals eat and we had amazing, cheap tacos at Taqueria de La Union. We also enjoyed our first ever Gorditas at Gordita Dona Gorda. Watch the ladies make your Gordita as you wait. Fast, cheap, delicious.
Dinner
We headed to Chaya Maya for an authentic Mayan meal and we were not disappointed. Favorite new-to-me foods were the dip made from pumpkin seeds called sikil pak. I also loved the melt in your mouth pork dish marinated in sour orange and achiote called Cochinita Pibil. You must try these dishes when in the Yucatan. I found this recipe online and will make Cochinita Pibil at home.
We loved our simple and healthy dinner at La Santanita near our hotel. We ate here on our first night, and I was introduced to Lime Soup, a local specialty. The chicken and lime combination was superb. I highly recommend. Here is a recipe for Yucatan Lime Soup I found online. This is an easy one to try at home.
Our best meal in Merida was at Teya Santa Lucia. We sat in the outdoor courtyard on a beautiful evening. Instead of entrees we shared several appetizers. We loved the pumpkin dip sikil pak, sausages and panuchos (a fried tortilla stuffed with beans).
How Long Should You Stay in Merida
It became apparent to us very quickly that there are many “snowbirds” or possibly full time American/Canadian expats in Merida. Not surprising as the weather is mild and comfortable from December to March, but summer can be very hot and muggy. The rainy months are June and July.
We spent five nights in Merida and we were on the go everyday. I think I would enjoy a full month in this pretty city, to enjoy more of the cuisine and culture. But if you only have three – five days you can see a lot, just as we did. There is more too, so stay as long as you can in Merida A Cultural Gem In Yucatan Mexico
How to Get to Merida
We arrived by hired car from Cancun, but there are direct flights from the United States and Mexico City. When we left Merida we flew on Viva Air (a very inexpensive no-frill airline) to Querataro then drove on to San Miguel de Allende. Merida is becoming a bigger tourism destination and a new train has also been recently opened that connects Merida to Campeche and Cancun, but schedules are still limited. Learn more about the Mayan Train here. Private buses are also a good option for getting around within Mexico.
Merida A Cultural Gem In Yucatan Mexico
Thank you for reading my post Merida A Cultural Gem In Yucatan Mexico. We loved our time in Merida, our second stop on a month long tour of Mexico. I definitely can see us returning to this city for the culture, the food and the very friendly people, all at a price that is right. Gracias Merida. We hope to see you again soon.
See last week’s post Beautiful Cuba an Amazing Ten Days here.
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