How to Spend a Day in Mérida, Mexico
If you’re looking for some tips on how to spend a day in Merida, Mexico, then you’ve come to the right place. Whether you want to visit the local crafts market or check out the historical city centre, I’ve got everything you need to know in one place.
Merida is the cultural capital of the Yucatan, rich in Mayan history and full of cobbled streets and stunning vibrant architecture. You could easily take your time and spend 5+ days in Merida, but if you are tight for time discover how you can make the most of Merida in just one perfect day!
Getting to and from Merida
We actually flew into Merida from Mexico City. Getting from Merida airport to our hostel was super simple, as soon as we got to the airport we just followed the signs for taxis and we paid 300 pesos (£13) for the two of us and they dropped us off right in front of our hostel.
Alternatively, another great way to travel around the Yucatan and the rest of Mexico is by ADO bus. After a few days in Merida, we hopped on an ADO bus to Valladolid and it was super simple, the buses have air-con, charging ports and even movies! I booked all of our tickets through the ADO website (link here) about 2/3 days before the journey to get the best price, just have a little patience with the website it can be very slow sometimes.
The Perfect Day In Merida
We started our day off with a free walking tour of Merida, which I highly highly recommend, I loved every minute of it. Our guide (shout out to Gabriel Petch) was such a gem, he had all the jokes as well as fantastic recommendations and really taught us a lot about Mérida. It kicked off from Parque de Santa Lucia at 10 am and is a fabulous way to see the sights of Merida. (Find the tour linked here)
Our walking tour finished in the breathtaking Plaza Grande and as it was a Sunday the park was lined with street vendors, food stalls and even live entertainment. It’s worth noting that the buildings and museums around Plaza Grande are free to enter.
As it was a Sunday a few of the surrounding buildings were closed but we did go check out the lavish interiors of Casa de Montejo and also stopped by the oldest cathedral in the Americas, Catedral de San Ildefonso.
After all the walking and exploring we decided to grab a snack and took a pew on one of the many park benches. We decided to follow Gabriel’s recommendation and try a marquesita, which most certainly didn’t disappoint. I am a huge cheese fan and this was the tastiest cheese I have ever eaten, my mouth is watering thinking about it right now.
What is a Marquestia?
It’s like a sweet hard wafer roll that gets filled with queso de bolsa(cheese that looks like a giant Babybel), you can opt for other fillings such as nutella, caramel, jam or mix them up altogether if you wish. You absolutely can’t leave Mexico without trying one!
Whilst we were chilling in Plaza Grande we noticed a stage set up in front of the Town Hall so we went to see what was happening. Turns out there was a reenactment of the movie Coco, so obviously I had to stay and watch for a while! You will find in often in the evenings or Sundays the Plaza Grande comes to life, with live music, performances and a lot of people dancing.
After all the excitement of the morning, we headed back towards Parque de Saint Lucia, stopping by the gorgeous Plaza Hidalgo to snap some photos. After securing the gram pictures we decided we were still rather hungry and as we hadn’t tried much authentic Yucatan cuisine we chose Chaya Maya for some late lunch.
We opted for some delicious tacos and also tried the ‘Maya miracle plant’ Chaya with pineapple juice, which was surprisingly refreshing, highly recommend a visit here, you even get free chips and dip! After our bellies were full and our legs were starting to ache we headed back to the hostel for a well-deserved rest in the hammocks.
In the evening we met up with some people from our hostel who suggested we go and check out La Negrita Cantina. And guys I can’t recommend this place enough, with live music, cocktails, good vibes and just a whole crazy atmosphere you have to check it out!
Other Merida Highlights
Day Trips from Merida
Izamal
Wander around this Pueblo Magico, known as the yellow city of Yucatan. As well as streets lined with picture-perfect worthy buildings, there’s a lot of history around Izamal as well. You could either take a guided tour or just hop on the local bus from Merida and explore of your own free will.
Make sure to visit the Pyramid Kinich-Kakmo for some gorgeous views of this colourful town, it’s free to enter just get ready to climb up some steep steps.
Progreso
Fancy a day trip to the beach? Progreso is the closest beach to Merida, you can just hop on a bus from the Autoprogreso terminal in Merida and be by the coast in under an hour. With the longest pier in the world, beach clubs and plenty of restaurants, you’ll be set for the day. Going in the week is advisable as it can get pretty busy at the weekends.
Whilst in Progreso it’s also possible to catch a boat to the El Corchito Ecological Reserve to see some racoons, coatis and freshwater turtles. You will also find 3 cenotes to swim in at El Corchito to cool off after the boat ride through the mangroves.
Spend the day at local cenotes
Cenotes are a highlight of the Yucatan Peninsula and a with plenty of guided tours going from Merida it’s a great day trip idea. The majority of cenotes are found in the Yucatan Peninsula and are formed when the porous limestone soil caves in creating a sinkhole which can be filled with rain water or through the flow of underground rivers.
For more information on the best cenotes to visit whilst in Merida check out this blog post from the blog Adventure in You.
Chichen Itza or Uxmal
Check out some ancient Mayan ruins by visiting either or both Uxmal or Chichen Itza. Both are accessible from Merida whether you chose a guided tour or would prefer to take it at your own pace.
Chichen Itza is now one of the seven wonders of the world and for that reason, you’ll get a lot more tourists, however, it’s still a fascinating site with so much history. Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage site and unlike Chichen Itza, you can actually climb and explore inside and outside of some of the ruins which gives a more interactive feel to the trip.
With so much of Merida more to see, please let me know your Merida recommendations in the comments below.
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