Things to Do in Merida

Mostly unexcavated, the Chacchoben ruins (Zona Arqueológica de Chacchoben) make up the largest and most visited Maya archaeological site in Costa Maya. Here moss-covered temples sprout from a lush jungle, attracting visitors who want to learn about Maya history, including the collapse of the ancient civilization.

The second oldest cathedral in the Americas, the Mérida Cathedral (Catedral de San Ildefonso) was built atop a Mayan temple in the 16th century. Notable for its relatively austere façade and surprisingly stark Moorish interior, Mérida Cathedral also houses some of Mérida’s most significant religious artifacts, including the Christ of Blisters statue.

This ancient site south of Merida is considered to be among the last of Yucatan’s great Mayan cities, having functioned as the region’s political and cultural capital for over 200 years after the fall of Chichen Itza. The sprawling site is home to some 4,000 structures, including the Temple of Kukulcan and several family dwellings.

As one of the lesser-visited Mayan ruins on the Yucatán Peninsula, the archaeological site of Kabah offers an escape from the crowds at Uxmal and Chichén Itzá. Visit Kabah—the second largest site in the Puuc region after Uxmal—as part of a multi-ruin tour and take time to marvel over the ornate Palace of the Masks which is covered in a rare repeating motif of the rain god, Chaac.

Often considered the Champs Elysees of Mexico, tree-lined Paseo de Montejo is one of the few examples of French Colonial architecture in predominantly Spanish Colonial Mérida. Developed in the late 19th century with money from the region’s henequen boom, Paseo de Montejo—one of Mérida’s longest avenues—is nowadays lined by mansions, hotels, and restaurants which retain their elaborate, original facades.

This 19th-century henequen plantation is today a living museum, immersing guests in Merida’s colonial heritage as they explore the site’s working machines, sprawling grounds, and horse-drawn railways. The hacienda is also home to a restaurant and hotel, as well as a traditional Mayan dwelling and private cenote.

Once one of the Yucatán’s most prominent estates, the remarkably preserved Hacienda Yaxcopoil offers an in-depth insight into the region’s colonial history. Originally built in the 17th century and spread over a vast 22,000-acre (8,900-hectare) agave plantation, Hacienda Yaxcopoil is now preserved as a museum, which showcases the Yucatán’s pre-Colombian, Spanish colonial, and henequen boom years.

Situated at the heart of Mérida’s historic center, bustling Plaza Grande is home to the city’s 16th century San Ildefonso Cathedral, one of the region’s most important contemporary art establishments, and more. Visitors can relax in this leafy plaza—popular among visitors and locals alike—or use it as a jumping-off point for further exploration of the city.

Originally built in the 16th century, the Montejo House-Museum--one of Mérida’s oldest buildings--is now a bank and free-to-enter museum. There, visitors can explore the permanent, four-room collection of historic furniture and three exhibition halls which typically house artworks. However, the main draw of Casa Museo Montejo is the original and elaborate Spanish Plateresque-style façade, one of a few of its kind in the Americas.

Situated just 17 miles (28 kilometers) outside of Mérida city center, Dzibilchaltún offers a quieter alternative to other Mayan sites such as Uxmal and Chichén Itzá. Here, visitors can explore over 8,000 astronomically and religiously significant archaeological structures, including the Temple of the Seven Dolls, as well as the Cenote Xlacah swimming hole and the Mayan People Museum.