What to do in Merida - Things to
do in Merida - Yucatan - Mexico
Merida, a city of about 1 million people, is a wonderful mixture of
colonial city and cosmopolitan destination. With Merida as your base, you can
visit cathedrals and churches, Mayan ruins, museums, haciendas and cenotes.
You'll also find movies, theaters, important hospitals, public and private
schools, four universities, shopping malls with such stores as Sear's, and chain
stores such as Sam's, Costco and WalMart as well as the Mexican chains of
Liverpool, Comercial Mexicana/MEGA, Soriana and Sanborn's.
HISTORY
The Spaniard Francisco de Montejo founded Merida on January 6, 1542. When the
Spaniards arrived, Merida was a large Mayan city known as T'ho, situated on what
is now the Main Plaza. It was conquered by the Spaniards, who dismantled all the
pyramids and used the huge stones as the foundation for the Cathedral of San
Idelfonso (1556-1599), the oldest cathedral on the American continent.
The city of Merida offers its visitors a wealth of things to see and is an
excellent base for travelers who wish to explore the surrounding villages, Maya
pyramids, haciendas and beaches.
The following schedule has been designed to help you organize your time
efficiently so as to make the best of your stay here in Merida. These activities
and events can, of course, be mixed and matched. Read your Yucatan Today for
more detailed information.
Day 1
Take the tourist bus at 10:00, 1:00, 4:00, or 7:00 in Santa Lucia
Park. In the evening, enjoy an outdoor concert with traditional Yucatecan
dancing and dress at the Palacio Municipal on the main Plaza at 9 pm.
Take the free walking tour of the Plaza, visit the Casa de Artesanias (Handcraft
House).
Take one of the City Tour buses (Carnavalito or Turibus) to get a feel for the
city.
Evening: Free outdoor concert with traditional Yucatecan dancing and dress.
Palacio Municipal on the Main Plaza. 9 p.m.
Day 2
Travel to the Mayan ruins at Chichen-Itza and the Caves of Balankanche. In the
evening, dance to big band music of the 40´s in Santiago
Park on the corner of Calle 59 and 72 at 9:00 pm. Or watch the University´s
Mexican show at the Peon Contreras
Theatre, calle 60 between 57. Don't forget
Trova Night at the Olimpo at 9:00 pm
Chichen-Itza and Balankanche caves with a late lunch at Hacienda Teya on the way
back to Merida - closes at 6 p.m.
Evening: Dance to and enjoy big band music of the 40's. Santiago Park on the
corner of Calle 59 and 72, 8:30 p.m. Free.
Day 3
Visit Hacienda Teya on the way to the City of Izamal, or take the Convent Route
of Acanceh, Tecoh, Telchaquillo, Tekit, Mama, Chumayel, Mani,and Oxcutzcab. If
you stay in town, enjoy shows at the Olimpo at 9:00 pm.
Start a day excursion to the Convent and Puuc Routes: Convent Route: Acanceh,
Tecoh, Telchaquillo, Tekit, Mama, Chumayel, Mani and Oxcutzcab with lunch in
Mani. Sleep in Oxkutzcab.
Take a horse and buggy ride.
Day 4
Visit the Mayan ruins at Dzibilchantun on your way to the beaches of Progreso,
Chelem, Chicxulub,
Telchac and X-Tampu ruins. Visit the co´op next to the church in Dzilbilchaltun.
Perhaps you might like dinner at Hacienda Xcanatun on your way back. Or there is
also an open-air concert in downtown Merida featuring Yucatecan dress, dance,
music and folklore.
Excurtion to Puuc Route - Lol Tun Caves, Kabah, Labna,Sayil, Xlapak and Uxmal
with Light & Sound option. Stop at Hacienda Yaxcopoil visit their museum.
Evening: Free Serenade at Sta. Lucia Park C. 60 by 55 - open-air concert
featuring Yucatecan dress, dance, music and folklore, 9 p.m.
Day 5
Go shopping at the markets, Pasaje Picheta or the best in the city, Casa de las
Artesanias on Calle 63, with handcrafts from Yucatan made by Yucatecans with the
best prices in the city. In the evening, enjoy the University serenade in the
Main University building on the corner of Calle 60 and 57 at 9:00 pm
Shopping, visit the native markets, Pasaje Picheta or the best in the city Casa
de las Artesanias with handcrafts from Yucatan made by Yucatecan artesans.
Check out Merida's malls.
Evening: University serenade, main University building on the corner of Calle
60 and 57, 9 p.m.
Day 6
Dzibilchantun pyramids, museum and cenote. Beaches: Progreso, Chelem,
Chicxulub, Telchac and X-Cambo ruins. Flamingo lookout tower in Uaymitun.
Evening: 8 pm Free Noche Mexicana Paseo de Montejo & Calle 47. Free “Heart of
Merida” festival - Plaza & Calle 60 up to Calle 53. 8 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Day 7
Don't forget to visit the handcraft market Lucas de Gálvez, it has
everything. Visit Merida on Sunday - an outdoor handcraft market and food
festival on the Main Plaza, and up Calle 60 to Hidalgo Park and Santa Lucia
Park - streets are closed, live music 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Explore the caves in Loltun and travel the Puuc Route: Kabah, Labna, Sayil,
Xlapak and Uxmal. Stop by Hacienda Ochil or Yaxcopoil as you return for the
Fiesta Mexicana on Paseo Montejo & Calle 47 at 7:00 pm.
MERIDA & YUCATAN Hotels and haciendas
YUCATÁN
Located in southeastern Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. Borders the states of
Campeche and Quintana Roo. Yucatan has a hot and humid climate. During your stay,
you can visit the state capital, Merida, where you can take a stroll down Paseo
Montejo, the city’s main avenue, which is lined with beautiful palaces, old
buildings and 19th-century mansions. All that and much more makes the so-called
White City one of the most visited destinations in the country. In the
surrounding areas, you can visit old henequen haciendas, many of which have been
converted into luxurious hotels with museums, restaurants and spa services.
You can also visit the town of Valladolid, where you’ll find numerous sinkholes
(ponds connected by underground streams), the ideal spots to go swimming or cave
diving. There’s also the magical town of Izamal, where you can check out the
magnificent Ex-Convent of San Antonio de Padua, which has the largest atrium in
the Americas.
In this state you can also visit the interesting Mayan archaeological zones,
such as Uxmal, Kabah, Labna, Sayil, Dzibilchaltun and the impressive ceremonial
grounds of Chichen Itza, which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
Among the notable sights there are the Observatorio (Observatory), also known as
the Caracol, the Juego de Pelota (Ball Court) and the Piramide de Kukulcan (Pyramid
of Kukulcan), where you can witness the shadow image of a plumed serpent descend
on the pyramid’s stairs every spring equinox.
Yucatan also offers beautiful natural environments, such as Celestun, the
natural habitat for hundreds of pink flamingoes, or Ria Lagartos, where you can
go kayaking through the mangroves. During you visit, don’t forget to try the
Yucatan’s famous regional cuisine.
Places of Yucatan:
Calakmul and Champoton, Campeche, Caves, Celestun, Cenotes, Chelem, Chicxulub, Chichen Itza, Convent Route,
Daytrips, Dzibilchaltun, Dzilam Bravo , Edzna, Ek Balam , El Cuyo, Golf Club of Yucatan , Hacienda Petac, Hacienda Route ,
Hacienda Yucatan, , Holbox,, Izamal, Kixil Kiuic. Merida,Yucatan Museum ,
Oxkutzcab, Playa Maya , Progreso, Progreso Marina, Punta Laguna, Puuc Route, Colonial Homes , Reef Yucatan Hotel, Ria Lagartos, San Crisanto Mangroves,
Tekax, Telchac Puerto,, Ticul, Tizimin, Tulum, Uxmal, , Valladolid,Xcambo
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