15 best things To do in Merida, Mexico

exploring ancient Mayan ruins, swimming in cenotes, taking in cultural performances, and indulging in Yucatecan cuisine. These are just a few of the numerous remarkable things to do in Merida. read on for a closer look whatsoever this Mexican city has to offer.

Despite being a state capital and popular destination for nomads, expats, and retirees, Merida has lived in the shadow of nearby Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. After all, many travelers who come to this part of Mexico head straight to the beach. 

With the nearest beach being 40 km (25 miles) away from Merida, this implies the most significant city in the Yucatan Peninsula has long been an afterthought.

But, that’s all changing.

Conde Nast Traveler recently named Merida the best small city in the world. Travelers are finally taking notice, and Merida is ready for its time in the spotlight.

Even though I’ve spent the better part of the last three years living in Mexico, I hadn’t travelled to Merida until recently.  

I’m pleased to say that Merida did not disappoint, and it’s one of the best places to go in Mexico. It’s a dynamic city with various attractions and places to visit.

I’m thrilled to share some of the best things to do in Merida with you in this post. Vamos, chicos!

İçindekiler
1. explore Centro Historico & The Zocalo
2. Swim in Cenotes
3. Go museum Hopping
4. learn about Mayan Culture
5. check out Chichen Itza
6. travel the Ruta Puuc
7. hit the Beach
8. Day trip to Pink Lagoons
9. eat delicious Food
10. Take a cooking class (one of the best things to do in Merida for foodies)
11. admire the architecture on Paseo de Mantejo
12. Experience Ruta Bici
13. See cultural Performances
14. catch a Football Game
15. Go Cantina Hopping
Now You know What to do in Merida

1. explore Centro Historico & The Zocalo

Kicking off our list of things to do in Merida is a walk around the city’s Centro Historico. Apparently, only Mexico City and Havana, Cuba have larger historic centers than Merida, so there’s a lot to see and do here.

Join a walking Tour

I recommend joining the totally free walking trip for an informative and entertaining introduction to the city. It starts at 10AM each day in Santa Lucia Park and lasts about two hours. 

On this short tour, you’ll get introduced to the history, culture, and traditions of Merida.

While the trip is free, it’s customary to suggestion your guide for a job well done. A good suggestion for a walking trip like this is 100 pesos (about $5). Head to their site to sign up for the tour. 

There are also some terrific options on Airbnb Experiences for exploring Merida’s historic center. You can jump on a 2-hour walking trip in the evening with a local expert in cultural and natural tourism. Click here to check it out and book your spot.

If you’re wondering what to do in Merida when you first arrive, joining a walking trip is a good bet. 

Explore The Zocalo Independently

Even if you sign up for one of the tours, it’s worth it to spend some extra time exploring the Zocalo on your own. This tree-lined park is very much the heart of the city and is the best place to soak up the local culture.

The park is home to a huge Mexican flag and the colorful Merida sign, which is a should for your Instagram feed. It’s also surrounded by the most well-known and essential landmarks of the city.

These include the Merida Cathedral, Municipal Palace, Casa de Montejo, and the Governor’s Palace. The latter is home to some amazing murals depicting the city’s history. They’re all totally free to visit, so take your time and delight in them all!

There’s also a totally free walking trip of the Zocalo given by the city’s tourism board. It starts at 9:30AM on the ground floor of the Municipal Palace, click here for directions. 

2. Swim in Cenotes

One of the most refreshing things to do in Merida – a city that is typically boiling hot – is cooling off in the surrounding cenotes. If you’re not familiar with these, they’re essentially natural sinkholes.

These are found all over the Yucatan Peninsula and number in the thousands. during the hottest time of the day, there’s nothing better than hiding from the sun and swimming in a cenote. 

There are various cenotes all around Merida, so, just take your pick!

A terrific option for enjoying a few cenotes is this trip that check outs three — Cascabel, Chaksikin, and pool Cocom.

The full-day trip starts at 8:45AM and includes swimming in three cenotes, plus lunch, transportation, guide, and entrance fees. Click here to learn much more about this top Merida attraction.

Another highly-rated trip is this Airbnb Experience that check outs two different cenotes along with a stunning hacienda. The cenotes aren’t on the regular traveler track and you’ll many likely have them to yourself!

Along the way, your local guides will instruct you about Mayan culture. Food, transport, guide, and entrance fees are included. Daha fazlasını öğrenmek için buraya tıklayın.

3. Go museum Hopping

In and around the Zocalo you’ll find several different museums, including Casa de Montejo. built in the 1540s, it was the mansion of the conquistador Francisco de Montejo. these days it’s a museum that’s totally free to visit, making it one of the most popular things to do in Merida.

Before you head in, be sure to take a closer look at the facade of the building. It depicts the Spanish conquistadores standing on the heads of the local Mayans — a pointer of the horrific realities of colonialism in Mexico.

On the best side of the cathedral, there’s a covered walkway called passage of the Revolution. This is where you’ll find another completely totally free museum, this one focused on the art of Fernando Garica Ponce and other Mexican artists. 

Completing the trifecta is the museum of the City of Merida, where you can learn all about the city’s history from the time of the Maya to the present. It’s located just a few blocks from the Zocalo, click here for directions. 

4. learn about Mayan Culture

A common misconception among visitors to Mexico is that there are no Mayan people around anymore. I’ll admit that I was guilty of thinking this when I first traveled there numerous years ago. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

It’s estimated that around 60% of the population of Merida is of Mayan heritage, and this is a city of nearly 1 million. Mayan culture is very much alive and well here, blending with Spanish, French, British, and modern-day Mexican influences.

One of the top places to see in Merida is the city’s terrific museum of the Maya World. The building itself is quite an outstanding sight, and it holds a large collection of Mayan artifacts.  

The museum is actually located quite a distance from the city center. You can hop on the bus bound for Progresso and tell them you want to get off at the museum or just get a cab out there. Uber is also available here and works very well in my experience.

It’s open from Wednesday to Monday from 9AM-4:30PM and costs 150 pesos for foreigners. On Sundays, it’s totally free for residents of the Yucatan, so I’d recommend going on another day. 

5. check out Chichen Itza

Visiting Mayan ruins is without a doubt one of the top things to do in Mexico. A terrific thing about traveling to Merida is that you can easily reach numerous of the most epic ruins on a day trip. 

Without a doubt, the most well-known Mayan city of all is Chichen Itza. one of the new seven Wonders of the World, this is an amazing place to visit. Looking up at the enormous pyramid known as El Castillo is an breathtaking experience, to say the least.

Being such a popular destination, it’s very easy to sign up for a trip to Chichen Itza. It’s a bit far from Merida (about an hour and a half), but it’s certainly worth the journey!

You can hop on this highly-rated small group trip that includes transport, a guide, a check out to a cenote, lunch, and more. Click here to book your spot. 

Another solid option is an Airbnb Experience with a local man who is a certified trip guide in history and archaeology. His trips run from 6AM-3PM and are highly rated. Click here to check it out. 

Note: you might be thinking that 6am departure is early, but the line-ups and crowds can be substantial at Chichen Itza, and the sun can be intense — it’s best to go as early as you can. 

6. travel the Ruta Puuc

While Chichen Itza is by far the most famous, there are tons of other options for going to Mayan ruins in the area. From Merida, you can travel the Ruta Puuc to see a handful of different Mayan sites. 

Among these, the largest and many popular is Uxmal. It’s a UNESCO world Heritage site and one of the most essential places in the Mayan world. having been to all the big ones, I can honestly say Uxmal is my favorite Mayan site I’ve visited.

You can just catch a local bus there and back, although you may end up waiting a while on the side of the road for the return bus as we did. The bus costs 80 pesos per person each way.

A much more comfortable check out can be delighted in on this Airbnb ExperChoco Müzesi’ne de göz attınız. Kılavuz, taşıma ve içecek dahil olmak üzere kişi başına sadece 30 $ ‘a mal olur, ancak giriş biletlerinizi örtmeniz gerekir. UXMAL 418 (17 $) Yabancılar için Pesolar ve Müze 180’dir.

Ayrıca, Kabah, Labna ve Xcalak gibi bölgede daha küçük bir kalıntı var.

Bunların hepsini görmenin bir yolu kiralık bir arabayla. Toplu taşımaya yapışmayı tercih ederseniz, tek seçenek Pazar sabahı sabah 8’de otobüsü yakalar. Daha küçük kalıntılarda hızlı durur ve UXMAL’ı keşfetmek için birkaç saat verir.

Bir basit ve daha az yorucu bir seçenek, hem Uxmal hem de Kabah’yı kontrol eden bu yolculuk. Fantezi bir otelde bir rehber, taşıma, öğle yemeği ve bir havuz zamanı bulunmaktadır. Geziler saat 8: 30’da başlıyor. Çok daha fazlasını öğrenmek ve yerinizi ayırtmak için buraya tıklayın.

7. sahile vur

İç şehir olarak, Merida’daki plaja yürüyemezsiniz. Biraz çaba harcıyor, ancak La Playa’da bir süre arıyorsanız Progreso’ya bir günlük gezi buna değer.

Progreso büyük bir yolcu gemisi limanıdır, bu yüzden kesinlikle bu gezgin vibe var. Söylendiği söyleniyor, plaj gerçekten iyi ve şehirden CerveZa ya da iki tane zevk almak için müthiş bir kaçış.

Eğer oraya yeterince erken kalkarsanız ve motive olursanız, bölgeyi keşfetmek için bir şoför kiralayabilir veya bir günlük gezi için kaydolabilirsiniz. Yarım günlük bir turda ekolojik bir parka, tuz göletleri, pembe bir gölü ve küçük bir Maya sitesini kontrol edebilirsiniz.

Progreso’ya kadar kalkmanın en uygun yolu yerel otobüsü yakalamaktır. İstasyon, Zocalo’nun güneyinde birkaç blok uzaklıktadır, yol tarifi için tıklayınız. Sadece her yönden 19 peso veya yaklaşık 1 $ maliyeti.

8. Pembe lagünlere günlük gezi

Merida’da yapılacak en iyi şeylerden biri, şehir dışından yaklaşık 100 km uzaklıktaki bir biyosfer rezervi olan Ria Celestun’a bir günlük gezi yapmaktadır. Güzel plajları, mangrovları ve düşük yağmur ormanlarını keşfetmek için buradaki yolculuğa değer.

Konumu, haliç ve tuzlu sudan denizden bir tatlı su karışımı yarattığı için belirgin bir yer. Alan esas olarak, kışın buraya akan pembe flamingoları için bilinir.

Rezervi kontrol etmek için, mangrovlar ve öğle yemeğinde bir tekne yolculuğunu içeren tam günlük bir gezi için kayıt olabilirsiniz. 8: 45’te Merida’dan ayrılıyor, çok daha fazlasını öğrenmek ve rezervasyonunuzu yapmak için buraya tıklayın.

9. Lezzetli yemek yiyin

Merida gerçekten bir foodie’nin cennetidir. Burada çok lezzetli yemekler var, bütün kalışınızı yediğinizin etrafında planlayabilirsiniz. Sokak yemeklerinden ve yerel pazarlardan kaliteli yemek için, hepsi burada.

Meksika, dünyanın en iyi yiyeceklerinden bazılarına ev sahipliği yapıyor, Yucatecan yemekleri Meksika’nın her yerinde tanınan ve iyi sebepler için.

Çok iyi bilinen yerel yemek kesinlikle Cochinita PIBIL’dir – asidik bir narenciye suyunda marine edilmiş ve Annatto ile tereddüt eden bir çukur pişmiş domuz eti tabağıdır. Esasen daha iyi bir şekilde daha iyi çekilmiş domuz eti gibidir ve onunla tacos yapmanız gerekir!

Buradaki diğer zorunluluklar, POC Chuc (Marine edilmiş domuz), SOPA de Lima (Lime Çorbası) ve Papadzules – Sert haşlanmış yumurta dolu Mısır ekmeği ve bir kabak çekirdeği sosu ile kaplanmıştır. Garip geliyor ama lezzetli!

Bu olağanüstü yemek turuna kaydolursanız kahvaltı atladığınızdan emin olun. Önce yerel bir pazara, sonra bir deniz ürünleri restoranı ve nihayet bir jelato dükkanına götürür. Seyahat 10: 30’da başlar ve kişi başı 55 $ için üç saat sürer.

Ayrıca bir pazarı kontrol ettiğiniz bu popüler Airbnb deneyimi var ve ardından yerel bir evin içinde birkaç vejetaryen yemekleri örneklemektedir. 4-7PM’den geçer ve her biri 58 dolar.

Meksika mutfağı çok çeşitli ve lezzetli. Onu nasıl deneyimlemeyi seçerseniz (tur, sokak standları, restoranlar, sahilde “