Merida Yucatan
The Colonial Spirit of Mexico, Merida Yucatan
Merida is the bustling capital of the State of Yucatan and its largest city, but it still manages to remain quaint and intimate. The silver and friendly smiles (you will understand what I meant when you will arrive in Merida) of the Yucatecans will welcome you in this colonial city of Mexico, center of many Mayan ruins, other mexican traditional cities and natural attractions.
It has a population of about 750,000 and is known as “White City”; there are many explanations, but the most accepted is because of the large use of white limestone and white paint this traditional city depicts much of the splendor of Colonial Mexico.
For many, the beauty of Merida Mexico is found in the history which is represented in so much of the areas past being present in the here and now.
Merida is living two realities.
The reality of an indigenous past (partly cancelled from the Spaniards), one colonial, “more recent” and a modern and dynamic present. These 3 elements create a magical and particular atmosphere for all those people who decide to book a travel to Merida. The city seems to stand still in the past and present in more ways than one. For example, many of its buildings were constructed using stones expropriated from the Mayan ruins and some of those stones can still be seen today in the walls of Merida's main cathedral.
For centuries, geography made it difficult, for the Yucatecans, to communicate with the rest of Mexico. Left in seclusion for many years, the people of this region have cultivated a distinct contemporary society that is unique in Mexico. Nowadays Merida has good connections both by land and by air.
In the past, it has only been a stopover on the way to the magnificent Maya ruins. Lately, more and more people have discovered what a great treasure the city of Merida is. It is surrounded by one of the richest collection of ancient ruins found anywhere in the world. Most sites are easily explored as part of escorted day-trips to nearby archaeological zones.
Chichen Itza and Uxmal, two archaeological sites different from each others but very close...
Chichen itza is the most important archaeological place of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in the Yucatan Peninsula and one of the most visited tourist destinations in Mexico.
The late-Classic Maya site of Uxmal (pronounced "oosh-mahl" and meaning "thrice-built") is one of the most complex and harmonious expressions of Puuc architecture. The Magician's Pyramid is also known as the Pyramid of the Dwarf, after a legend about a mystical dwarf who reached adulthood in a single day after being hatched from an egg, and who built this pyramid in one night.
Well, not too far from Merida, these two archaeological sites are some of the most important witness of the Mayan empire.
Because of its tranquility and cleanliness, Merida has become a popular place for families from other Mexican states. The small women of Merida walk through the streets with marvelous flowered dresses, the Huipils, typical of these parts.
Merida is full of attractions and things to do!
It can get pretty hot here in Merida. When it's just one of those days, nothing says relief and refreshment like the cenotes! The natural wonders of the Yucatan are countless and some of the most important and curious are the cenotes (say-NOH-tays) or sink holes.
The life in Yucatan would not be same without them, millenarian subterranean rivers with clear water that inspire to the adventure. Legends, romance and brave feats resonate in the humid walls of the hidden Cenotes to the solar light, and so that the tourist accedes to them are necessary to have an expert guide.
Cenotes are magical, mysterious, enigmatic and unique in the world and were once the only resource for fresh, sweet water in the Yucatecan jungle.
Around Merida, in the dense forest, there are many cenotes to visit and some of the most important are: Cenote Dzinup , Cenote Cuzama, Cenotillo, Cenote Xcalah and Cenote Ik kil.
Just few hours from Merida you can reach amazing natural biospheres and reserve.
Famous for its enormous flamingo colony and large variety of other species, in the north of the Yucatan, Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve is a must-see attraction. Crocodiles, flamingoes, limulus, mantas, ibis and much more attract all those visitors who wants to stay in touch with nature.
Then, Located 60 miles southwest of Merida, there is Celestun. Well-known not only for its amazing seafood restaurants, but also for its river or ria, where beautiful flamingo colonies (The best time of the year to see these gorgeous pink flamingos is between March and August), the "petrified forest" and fresh water springs survive thanks to the conservation. Every tourist guide suggests a visit to this bird sanctuary and nature reserve, and we do it too.
Where Yucatan meets the state of Quintana Roo, sits Punta Laguna. Guided tours through some of the jungle trails reveal a wealth of exotic plants and animals, as well as partially buried pre-hispanic ruins. Punta Laguna is house of spider monkeys, jaguars, howler monkeys, pumas, coatis and a wide variety of birds.
From the city of Merida you can also visit the Riviera Maya. Buses, taxis and Colletivos leave from Merida every day to get to Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Spend some days of your Merida vacations along the Riviera Maya if you want to complete your vacation to Mexico, because it offers sparkling blue sea, powder soft white sand beaches, spectacular scenery, wonderful wildlife, a wealth of water sports, fine restaurants and amusing nightlife.
If nothing can unrivet you from Merida Yucatan, we suggest you to visit the colored and vast municipal market, a few blocks from the Plaza Mayor. It is a maze of stalls and shops that beckon visitors to spend the day browsing and browsing. You will have opportunities to buy fresh, juicy and delicious fruit and vegetables along the road.
Yucatan cuisine is well known throughout Mexico. Try, at the restaurants in Merida, the traditional "Cochinita Pibil", "Sopa de Lima", “Poc Chuc”, “Chilmole”, “Papadzules” or maybe “Panuchos” and “Salbutes” accompanied with a fresh “Michelada” are phenomenal, tasteful and delicious dishes that represent the flavors of Merida. Habaneros and "recados" are the basic ingredients in Yucatecan cuisine, so, be carefull...
At the end of the supper we suggest to try "Xtabentun". This is an alcoholic drink made with honey from a regional flower of the same name, rum and anise seed. Honey is frequently found for sale along the road in used whiskey bottles.
After dark, people head outdoors, and the Plaza Mayor, Paseo de Montejo, Parque Hidalgo and Parque Santa Lucia are the spots to be seen.
On many evenings, the latter offers free concerts, mariachis, dance performances, or public readings by nationally renowned poets. In the Merida’s graceful historic center, streets are lined with colonial-era mansions that have been carefully restored to house stylish boutique hotels, restaurants serving Yucatecan and international cuisines, shops, galleries, museums and private residences.
The hotels and haciendas in Merida offer great hospitality, historical and colonial taste in its architectures.
Some of the Haciendas and hotels in Merida are:
