Three cultures in one town
The Yucatán government calls Izamal the City of Three Cultures, highlighting its blend of pre-Hispanic and colonial heritage with modern life. The state tourism ministry notes it was named a Pueblo Mágico in 2001.
Maya Izamal
According to the state source, settlement dates back to the 3rd century CE, and Izamal was an important city-state between 850 and 1000 CE and a pilgrimage center. Sacbeob, white roads, linked it to other cities. Mexico's INAH records more than 2,500 years of occupation at its ceremonial core.
Colonial Izamal
The colonial town was founded in the mid-16th century on the Maya remains. The convent of San Antonio de Padua was built on the pre-Hispanic platform of Ppap Hol Chak.
The Yellow City
"Yellow City" is its tourism nickname, from the color of its façades, which ties the whole center together.
Tips
- Explore on foot: distances are short.
- Check with INAH which archaeological groups are open.
- Sunset on the yellow façades is the best time for photos.
Izamal from Mérida
The state tourism ministry highlights the road links between Izamal, Mérida and Valladolid. Mary Tours visits Izamal on several trips: Izamal and two cenotes, Izamal and the Santa Bárbara cenotes, Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid and the Maya Train version, plus a transfer. Trips leave from Calle 61 in downtown Mérida.
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 3rd century CE | First settlement (state source) |
| 850–1000 CE | Important Maya city-state |
| Mid-16th century | Colonial town founded |
| 2001 | Magical Town |
Fun facts
- Izamal was a Maya pilgrimage center.
- Sacbeob linked Izamal with other cities.
- It has been a Magical Town since 2001.
Related tours
Towns · 9 h
Izamal and two cenotes
Izamal’s yellow first, then two cold cenotes
from $1,300 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road. The guide uses it to explain where Izamal comes from before you arrive.
- 9:00 AM The yellow town — The convent and its atrium, among the largest on the continent, the baroque altarpiece, and then free time around the streets.
- 10:20 AM On to the Homún ring — Forty more minutes to the cenote area.
- 11:00 AM Yaxbacaltún cenote — The first swim, landing right after the morning’s walking.
- 12:15 PM San Antonio cenote and lunch — A semi-closed cenote that feels nothing like the first one, and lunch served right there.
- 3:15 PM Back to Mérida — Back to Mérida, arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Guide, Entry to both cenotes, Lunch
Not included: Drinks
Cenotes · 9 h
Izamal and the Santa Bárbara cenotes
Izamal early, and the whole afternoon in four cenotes
from $1,550 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal.
- 9:00 AM Izamal — The San Antonio de Padua convent, raised on a Maya platform, the Kinich Kakmó pyramid and the yellow streets.
- 10:30 AM On to Homún — An hour and a quarter through small towns to the cenote grounds.
- 12:00 PM Santa Bárbara cenotes — Five hours inside: Cascabel in a cavern, Chaksikín with its shaft of light, and Xooch and Pool Cocom in the open. You move between them by bike or cart, and lunch is served on site.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour back.
Included: Transport, General culture guide, Entrances, Lunch
Not included: Drinks
Archaeology · 11 h
Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid
Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
- 4:20 PM Valladolid — Francisco Cantón Rosado park with its original railings, the church of San Servacio and the murals in the town hall.
- 8:00 PM Back in Mérida — We drop you off where the day started.
Included: Air-conditioned transport, General culture guide, Regional buffet lunch
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Archaeology · 11 h
Maya Train, Chichén Itzá and Izamal
The Mérida–Izamal leg by train, the rest by road
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Transfer to the station — From the office to the Maya Train station in Mérida.
- 9:18 AM Maya Train ride — Forty minutes from Mérida to Izamal. Ticket included.
- 10:15 AM Izamal — The yellow town, the three-tier Baroque altarpiece and free time on the main square.
- 12:30 PM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Sacred Cenote, the Temple of Kukulkán, the Jaguars and Eagles platform and the Ball Court.
- 2:30 PM Lunch in Kaua — Buffet of typical regional dishes.
- 3:45 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim of the day, with the heat already easing off.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — Two hours on the road back.
Included: Transport, General culture guide, Maya Train ticket Mérida–Izamal, Midday meal
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Transfers · 8.5 h
Transfer to Izamal and Santa Bárbara
The yellow town and four cenotes, with no group schedule
from $2,650 MXN per vehicle
Frequently asked questions
Why is Izamal the City of Three Cultures?
For its Maya, colonial and modern heritage, according to the Yucatán government.
Since when has it been a Magical Town?
Since 2001.
Why is it yellow?
The color of its façades earned it the nickname Yellow City.
How do I get there from Mérida?
On Mary Tours trips that include Izamal or with its transfer.
