Located in the southeastern part of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Mérida is a city with a rich history and plenty of things to do. The city was founded in 1542 by Spanish conquistador Francisco Montejo on the site of the ancient Mayan city of T’ho, which means that you will find both colonial buildings, as well as historic Mayan temples.
The city also has plenty of museums, art galleries and local markets. One of the things I loved about Mérida is that you can watch traditional dance shows and Mayan ball games on the main plaza every week – for free! It gives you an insight into Mexican culture you won’t get anywhere else.
Whether you want to explore the architecture, try delicious Mexican food, learn more about Mayan history or swim in cenotes, Mérida is truly a unique destination in Mexico. Its warm hospitality, colorful festivals, and rich culture ensure that Mérida is the perfect place to discover the heart of the Yucatán Peninsula.
In this blog post you will read about the best things to do in Mérida, where to eat and where to stay. In general, I would recommend you to stay for 2-3 days, depending on how much you want to see in the area.
How to get to Mérida
By plane
Mérida has an airport, so if you’re traveling from another country the easiest way to get to Merida is by booking a flight. The local taxis will take 25 minutes to get to the city center and cost 17$ (300 MXN). The Colectivo bus will take about 50 minutes and will cost 0.45$ (8 MXN) per person.
By ADO bus
ADO is a well-known bus company in Mexico that provides long-distance bus services. ADO operates a vast network of routes connecting various cities and towns across Mexico. It’s an easy, comfortable and affordable option to travel around Mexico.
By Colectivo
A Colectivo is the local bus in Mexico and the cheapest way to travel. If you’re traveling from Cancun or other Mexican cities you will most likely have to change several times and there is no fixed schedule. Colectivos usually drive when they are full, which means you never know how long you will have to wait.
Getting around in Mérida
Mérida is a big city, but if you are staying in the city center all of the most important sights are within walking distance. If you want to explore some ancient Mayan cities and cenotes you will have to rent a car or book a tour. We ended up booking an AirBnB Experience and had a fantastic experience (more about that later).
Best time to travel
The best time to travel to Mérida, Mexico, is during dry season from December to April. You will have little to no rainfall and sunshine every day, but it’s also the busiest time of the year. Wet season might be a good option for you if you’re traveling on a budget, because the prices for accommodation and tours will be lower. The landscape is lush green during this time, but of course you will also have a lot more rain showers. We visited Mérida at the end of March and didn’t have a single rain shower.
9 Best Things to Do in Mérida
1. Explore the historic center
Wander through the heart of Mérida’s historic district, where you’ll find colonial buildings, beautiful plazas, and historic cathedrals. Don’t miss the Plaza Grande (Main Square), where you can visit the Cathedral of San Ildefonso and the Palacio de Gobierno. If you are staying in the city center all of the important sights are right in front of your doorstep. It’s important to keep the size of Mérida in mind, because it’s a really big city. Generally saying, if you are staying close to Plaza Grande everything will be within walking distance.
2. Watch a Mayan Ball Game
Pok Ta Pok is considered one of the oldest known team sports in the world, dating back over 3,000 years. The game was played on a large, narrow court with a hoop or ring mounted high on the wall in the middle. The goal was to throw a heavy rubber ball through the hoop, using only their hips, thighs and upper body to hit the ball. The team members were painted with body art and wore feathers and headdresses. At the final round the ball was lit on fire! Luckily the team captain is not beheaded at the end of the ball game, unlike in historic Mayan tradition.
3. Try Mayan / Yucatán Food
You will love the food in Mérida for two good reasons: it’s delicious & it’s cheap. When we traveled to Mérida we found this little Gorditas restaurant, called Gorditas Doña Gorda, right next to Plaza Grande. Before this day I had never tried Gorditas in Mexico and I had no idea what I was missing out on. Gorditas are stuffed corn dough pockets that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I personally loved the Gorditas filled with mushrooms or scrambled eggs. The name “gordita” means “little fat one” in Spanish, referring to their chubby or plump appearance. One Gordita costs 1.17 USD (20 MXN)
Something you have to try as well are Marquesitas! Marquesitas are a delicious Mexican street food dessert, popular in the state of Yucatán. These sweet treats are made from a thin, crispy rolled-up batter similar to a crepe or waffle cone and are typically filled with a variety of sweet fillings. The traditional way to eat Marquesitas is with nutella and cheese. It might sound weird, but it’s actually really tasty!
4. Watch a Vaqueria (traditional Dance Show)
Vaquerias are traditional celebrations of music and dance unique to the Mexican state of Yucatán. The traditional Vaqueria is influenced by the traditions of both the indigenous Maya and the Spanish. Today, nobody has to travel outside Mérida to a hacienda or village to see a traditional Vaqueria.
Every Sunday at 1 p.m. or Monday at 9 p.m. you can experience this beautiful and unique celebration in the heart of Mérida. You will see men, women and children dressed in traditional clothes, performing different dances. There is one dance where they balance trays with drinks on their heads! Accompanied by life music, this is an event you definitely shouldn’t miss in Mexico.
5. Visit the Mayan city Uxmal
Uxmal is one of the most significant and well-preserved ancient Mayan cities in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It’s located about 78 kilometers (48 miles) south of Mérida, so you will need to rent a car or book a tour to see it.
Uxmal was founded around 500 AD and is famous for its well-preserved architecture, characterized by intricate geometric patterns and mosaics. The first thing you will see after walking inside it is the Pyramid of the Magician (Pirámide del Adivino or Pyramid of the Sorcerer). This stepped pyramid has an oval base and stands approximately 100 feet (30 meters) tall. According to legend, it was built in a single night by a dwarf who was conceived by a sorceress.
We decided to book an AirBnB Experience to see the Uxmal ruins and some cenotes, which I can highly recommend to you. The tour is organized by Omar, a local who knows where to find the best cenotes in the area. He is super funny and open-minded and will make you feel like you’re doing a day trip with an old friend.
6. Swim in cenotes
There are about 6,000 cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula and you should definitely see a few on your Mexico trip. On our AirBnB tour with Omar we visited Cenote Yaal Utzil, Cenote X Batun and Cenote Dzobacam.
Cenote Yaal Utzil
Cenote X Batun
Each of them is beautiful and special in its own way. What I loved about cenote Yaal Utzil is that the water is super clear and you can jump in from different points. Cenote X Batun feels really natural, like a secret cenote nobody knows about and you can see lots of fish.
Cenote Dzobacam
Cenote Dzobacam
Cenote Dzobacam is my personal favorite, because the water is super clear and the cenote is really deep, which makes it feel more mystical, because you can’t actually see the end of it. Finding these cenotes on your own can be a little tricky, because you need to drive on dirt roads to find them and you will most likely have no signal in the area.
7. Walk the Paseo de Montejo
Paseo de Montejo is one of the most historic avenues in Mérida and known for its European-inspired architecture. The avenue is named after Francisco de Montejo, the Spanish conquistador who founded Mérida in 1542. At the southern end of Paseo de Montejo, you’ll find the Monument to the Homeland (Monumento a la Patria). Throughout the year numerous events and festivals take place on this avenue, including parades, art exhibitions, and cultural performances.
8. Explore the Street Market
Every Sunday you will find a street market on Plaza Grande in Mérida with arts & crafts from Yucatan. If you want to buy some souvenirs this is the place to go. If you’re not in Mérida during the weekend you can simply explore the streets around Plaza Grande and you will find many souvenir shops. We found a really great shop on Calle 59 in Mérida, which felt more like walking into a museum instead of a souvenir shop. There are many places like this where you can buy high quality products made by Mayans.
9. Visit the Pasaje de la Revolución
The Pasaje de La Revolución is a roofed passage next to the cathedral in Merida. It hosts art exhibitions and is decorated in different ways throughout the year. When we visited the passage they had a beautiful exhibition with different plants and colourful light. It’s definitely worth checking out on a trip to Merida, plus the entrance is usually for free!
Where to stay in Mérida
We decided to stay at Hostel Zocalo, which is in a beautiful colonial building right in front of Plaza Grande in Mérida. What I loved about this hostel are the high ceilings and old architecture. If you’re walking through this hotel you feel like this building could tell 100 stories of the history.
There is a rooftop where you can relax, but the best spot in the hostel is the restaurant. Did I mention that breakfast is included? You get to choose from their breakfast menu and the dish of the day, sit on a little balcony and get the best view on the main square in Mérida.
Mérida is a really unique and culturally rich city that is definitely worth a visit. What I loved most about Mérida are the cultural events, like the Mayan ball game and the traditional dance show, as well as the Uxmal ruins and the cenotes. This city has something for everyone.
