Overview
Founded on a Maya city and grown rich on the henequen fibre trade, Merida keeps a handsome colonial centre of colonnaded streets, churches and the grand mansions of the Paseo de Montejo. It is known as one of Mexico’s safest and most liveable cities, with a lively cultural life, markets and a distinctive Yucatecan cuisine. Hot and flat, it works as a base for the Maya sites, colonial towns and swimmable cenotes scattered across the peninsula.
Highlights
The Plaza Grande is ringed by the cathedral and colonial palaces, and the Paseo de Montejo carries the mansions and museums of the henequen boom. Yucatecan food, from cochinita pibil to fresh marquesitas, fills the markets and squares. Day trips reach the ruins of Uxmal and Chichén Itzá, the yellow town of Izamal and the cenotes and flamingos of the coast.