The historic center
- Plaza Grande: the city's heart since its 1542 founding, between streets 60, 61, 62 and 63.
- Cathedral of San Ildefonso: built between 1562 and 1598.
- Casa de Montejo: a Plateresque façade from 1549.
- Government Palace: 27 murals by Fernando Castro Pacheco on Yucatán's history.
Paseo de Montejo
A boulevard about 4 km long, inspired by those of Paris, lined with henequen-era mansions, the Palacio Cantón and the Monumento a la Patria. Best at sunset.
Neighborhoods and squares
- Santa Lucía: 1873 arcades and a serenade since 1965, traditionally on Thursdays.
- San Juan: its arch is the only historic entrance arch preserved on the west.
- La Mejorada: a 1610–1624 church and a convent now home to UADY's School of Architecture.
- Santiago: a historic parish church and a neighborhood market.
Eating and shopping
The Lucas de Gálvez and San Benito markets downtown are the city's main markets: fruit, chiles, spices and regional food stalls. Go early and bring cash.
Weather and events
Mérida has a warm subhumid climate with an annual average of 26.6 °C (80 °F); the hottest months run April to August. Walk early or at sunset. Cultural events change, so check the city calendar before planning.
Day trips from Mérida
Mérida is the perfect base for exploring the peninsula. With Mary Tours, the agency with an office at Calle 61 #518-B in the historic center, you can spend a day at:
- Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid, also available with the Maya Train.
- Santa Bárbara cenotes in Homún or Hacienda Mucuyché.
- Celestún, Sisal or Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos, with flamingos in season.
- Bacalar, Isla Mujeres or Tulum and Casa Tortuga, all three with group discounts.
Schedules, prices and availability are in the booking section on this page.
| What | Why go |
|---|---|
| Plaza Grande | Where the city began (1542) and its key buildings |
| Government Palace | 27 murals on Yucatán's history |
| Paseo de Montejo | Henequen mansions and monuments |
| Santa Lucía | Yucatecan serenade |
| Downtown markets | Food and local life |
| Day trips | Maya sites, cenotes, coast and Caribbean |
Fun facts
- Mérida was founded on January 6, 1542.
- Paseo de Montejo is about four kilometers long.
- The Santa Lucía serenade has run since 1965.
Related tours
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
Cenotes · 7 h
The four cenotes of Santa Bárbara
Four different cenotes and a lunch made by hand
from $1,450 MXN per person
See itinerary
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 10:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Homún, through the ring of cenotes.
- 11:00 AM Cascabel cenote — Closed, cave type. You descend inside and the water sits in half-light: the most striking of the four.
- 11:30 AM Chaksikín cenote — Semi-open. You go down between limestone walls painted with Maya-themed murals.
- 12:00 PM Xooch cenote — Semi-open, with a shaft of light that falls straight onto the water mid-morning.
- 12:30 PM Pool Cocom cenote — Open and surrounded by vegetation. You swim along a channel out to the wide part.
- 1:30 PM Regional lunch — Home cooking with hand-made tortillas. Plenty of time to eat without rushing.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour back, arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Certified guide, Entry to all four cenotes, Regional lunch
Not included: Drinks with lunch
Nature · 9 h
Celestún and the pink flamingos
The largest flamingo colony in North America
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half west, out to the port.
- 9:30 AM Boat ride — Flamingo and bird watching, the mangrove tunnel, the freshwater spring and the Maya bath on the sandbar.
- 11:00 AM Lunch by the beach — Fish, octopus or shrimp from the gulf, at a table facing the sea.
- 1:00 PM Free time on the beach — Almost three hours to swim, walk the shore or do nothing at all.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat ride, Lunch from a set menu
Not included: Drinks
Coupon −$300 MXN per personCaribbean · 17 h
Bacalar, the lagoon of seven colours
Seventeen hours for water that changes colour every metre
from $2,800 MXN per person
See itinerary
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM · daily
- 4:45 AM Boarding — We leave from the downtown office. If your accommodation is on the way, we collect you there — agreed beforehand on WhatsApp.
- 5:30 AM Drive to José María Morelos — Two hours. Fifteen minutes there for toilets and to stretch your legs.
- 7:30 AM Drive to Bacalar — Two and a half hours more, now crossing into Quintana Roo.
- 10:15 AM Boat trip on the lagoon — Pirates’ Channel, Cenote Negro, Cenote Esmeralda and Bird Island, with an explanation of the stromatolites and the ecosystem.
- 12:15 PM Lunch — Lunch in the town, beside the lagoon.
- 1:30 PM Bacalar magic town — Three and a half hours free: the San Felipe fort, the square, the piers, the cafés and the crafts.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — Five hours back, with a stop halfway. Arriving around ten.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat trip, Lunch
Not included: Drinks
Coupon −$300 MXN per personCaribbean · 17 h
Isla Mujeres
Playa Norte, which makes every list for a reason
from $2,500 MXN per person
See itinerary
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM · daily
- 4:45 AM Boarding — We leave from the downtown office. If your accommodation is on the way, we collect you there — agreed beforehand on WhatsApp.
- 5:30 AM Drive to Valladolid — Two hours on the motorway, with a fifteen-minute stop.
- 7:45 AM Drive to Puerto Juárez — Two more hours to the pier in Cancún.
- 10:00 AM Isla Mujeres — Sailing the Caribbean, snorkelling at the reef with gear included, a stop at Playa Norte, buffet lunch at the beach club and free time in town.
- 6:00 PM Back to Mérida — Four hours back, with a stop halfway.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat transfer, Snorkelling gear, Lunch
Not included: Environmental tax, Shopping on the island, Extra drinks
Coupon −$300 MXN per personCaribbean · 14 h
Tulum and the Casa Tortuga cenotes
The only Maya city built facing the Caribbean
from $2,500 MXN per person
See itinerary
6:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 6:00 AM Boarding — We leave from the downtown office. If your accommodation is on the way, we collect you there — agreed beforehand on WhatsApp.
- 6:30 AM Motorway to the rest stop — An hour and three quarters, with fifteen minutes for toilets and something light.
- 8:30 AM On to Tulum — An hour and a half more to the Quintana Roo coast.
- 10:00 AM Tulum archaeological site — Guided visit to the walled city: El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the Descending God, with the sea behind.
- 12:15 PM Casa Tortuga cenotes and lunch — Four cenotes of different kinds, with a guided route, trails and changing rooms. Lunch is on site.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Four hours back, with a stop halfway.
Included: Guide accredited by the Ministry of Tourism, Round-trip transport, Lunch, Cenote entry
Not included: Tulum archaeological site entrance, Drinks
Frequently asked questions
What can I do in Mérida in one day?
Plaza Grande, the cathedral, the Casa de Montejo, the Government Palace murals and Paseo de Montejo at sunset.
What should I see in Mérida in 3 days?
One day downtown, one at an archaeological site such as Chichén Itzá and one at cenotes or the coast.
Is there a tour agency in downtown Mérida?
Mary Tours has its office at Calle 61 #518-B, between 62 and 64, in the historic center.
When is the best time to visit Mérida?
December to February, the coolest months.
Is Mérida a good base for day trips?
Yes: day trips leave Mérida for Chichén Itzá, cenotes, Celestún and the Caribbean.
