The “White City”, as Merida is called because of the abundance of white buildings, was the first of the settlements founded in the Yucatan by the Spanish conquistadors. An extensive transport network connects the city to archaeological sites, natural parks, and the Gulf Coast, so Merida is a great starting point to start traveling to all these destinations.
Merida is the capital of the Yucatan Peninsula. See ANDYEDUCATION for education and training in Mexico.
How to get to Merida
Mérida’s Manuel Crescencio Rejon International Airport receives direct flights from Mexico City, Houston, Miami, Las Vegas and some European cities.
From Moscow you can fly by airlines:
- Lufthansa: Moscow – Frankfurt am Main – Mexico City – Merida;
- KLM: Moscow – Amsterdam – Mexico City – Merida;
- Air-France: Moscow – Paris – Mexico City – Merida.
One option is to fly to Cancun and from there take a regular bus.
By bus
Merida is a major transport hub of the peninsula, so there are a number of terminals from which buses depart in different directions.
Buses (mostly 1st class) to Mexico City, Palenque, San Cristobal, Villahermosa leave from the CAME terminal (Calle 70). The station has an ATM, a card phone and a left-luggage office.
Cancun can be reached from the Noreste terminal (Calle 67, between Calle 50 and 52). From here there are buses to Tikul, Tizimin, Rio Lagartos and other cities.
If you are going to Uxmal and Ruta Puuk, go to the Terminal de Segunda Clase (Calle 69), also known as Terminal 69.
Be careful when traveling on local buses – cases of theft are not uncommon, especially for night flights.
Buses to Cancun, Campeche, Hethumal and Playa del Carmen leave from the bus stop located inside the Fiesta Americana Hotel (Calle 56A). We go to Progreso from the terminal of the same name (Calle 62 N 524 between Calle 65 and 67).
Car rental
You can rent a car at the airport or on Calle 60 between Calle 55 and 57, where the offices of Budget, Avis and Hertz are located. On Calle 57A between Calle 58 and 60 there is a Mexico Rent-a-Car office.
In places where parking is prohibited, the curbs are painted yellow (do not look for the corresponding signs).
How to navigate in the city
The city was founded according to a certain plan, with the formation of colonies and massifs. Within each colony, the streets (Calle) intersect strictly at right angles. Basically they have no names, only numbers, but even those that have been given a name (major highways) still have their own number.
When an address is indicated, to facilitate orientation, they often write the streets between which the desired one is located. Also on the signs, in addition to the street number and the name of the colony, postal codes are given. Houses are numbered from west to east and from north to south.
Cuisine and restaurants
Like everywhere else in Mexico, the city is full of restaurants and cafes where they cook tasty and very inexpensive. Most of them are located in the city center.
Las Palomas Bistro (near the Opera House) – A restaurant serving local and international cuisine, perfect for a romantic dinner on an outdoor terrace surrounded by tropical vegetation. One of the best fish restaurants is Kantun (Calle 45, between Calles 64 and 66). At La Parilla (on Paseo Montejo), be sure to try Sopa de Lima, chicken lime soup.
Buy fresh pastries from the bakery at Plaza de La Bandera, and when you leave, don’t pass by a family-run business selling home-made tamales, which are especially delicious.
Shopping and shops
Mérida’s main market, Mercado Municipal Lucas de Galvez, is located on the corner of Calle 56A and 67. Here you can buy almost everything from tortillas to hammocks, which are famous for local craftsmen.
A good hammock can be bought for 250-1000 MXN, not dollars, as you may be led to believe.
In the Santa Lucia Park, at the intersection of Calle 60 and 55, on Sundays from 11:00, the Bazar de Artesanias, a handicraft fair, is open. {{}}
Entertainment and attractions of Merida
The Cathedral of San Il de Fonso, one of the oldest temples in Mexico (built 1561-1598), rises from the east side of the Plaza Grande. In a small chapel to the left of the altar, a replica is kept (the original was destroyed during the Mexican Revolution) of the main Christian shrine of Merida – the statue of Christ Cristo de las Ampollas.
On the south side of the square is the house of the city’s founder, F. de Montejo (1549). Currently, Banamex Bank is located here. Pay attention to the bas-reliefs on the facade of the building.
Just behind Hidalgo Park, on Calle 60, stands the Iglesia de Jesus church, built in the 17th century. order of the Jesuits. Like many others on the peninsula, it was erected from the ruined Mayan temples by the forces of the enslaved Indians themselves. If you look closely, on the western side of the structure you can see 2 stones with Mayan symbols that have survived on them.
North of the Iglesia de Jesus is the pompous building of the Teatro Peon Contreras, an opera house built and decorated by Italian architects during the Heneken boom. El Paseo Montejo – a picturesque green street with many cafes – the best place for an evening promenade.
A 30-minute drive from the city is Hacienda Yaxcopoil – one of the plantations restored and open to tourists, where in the early 20th century. they grew agave or heneken – a plant from which bast fiber is obtained. Thanks to the production of this fiber (sisal), Merida then reached an unprecedented economic prosperity. On the territory, in addition to the estate, there is an exhibition hall with Mayan cult and everyday life items discovered nearby, a souvenir shop and a cafe.
Artists in Mexico (Calle 60, No. 405, between 43 and 45, Santa Ana Merida, Colonia Centro) – a place where you can not only see the process of creating art objects, but also take part in it directly – teachers of contemporary art will help you discover your talents. Classes (in English) are held on Thursdays and Fridays. There is also a gallery where you can buy your favorite works.
Merida has a zoo with inhabitants of the fauna of the peninsula, as well as some exotic species. Corner of Avenide Itzaes and Calle 59, open from 06:00 to 18:00.
Museums of Merida
Archaeological and Historical Museum of Yucatan (corner of Paseo Montejo and Calle 43). Open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00, on Sunday – from 8:00 to 14:00. Monday is a day off.
Contemporary art galleries:
- Macayon Pasaje de la Revolucion, between Calle 58 and 60, next to the Cathedral. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00, admission is free
- Merida on Calle 59, No. 452-A, between 54 and 52, Mejorado, Centro. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 10:00 to 15:00
Developments
The main event of Merida – the annual Carnival, the largest in Mexico – is held in March.
Almost every evening in numerous parks in the city center there are concerts, creative evenings, folklore performances, which you can enjoy completely free of charge. For example, an orchestra plays on Thursdays in Santa Anna Park, and everyone can dance.
And in the city zoo on Thursday at 16:00, the musical program “To remember is to live” begins – dancing to the music of the 30s and 40s.