Mérida combines a distinctive gastronomic identity with a wealth of historical buildings. This gives you two different focuses to consider when planning your trip: regional cuisine and architectural history. Which of these has a greater influence on your choice of holiday rental depends on the topics you would like to include in your days.
Historic district and individual landmarks
Past and present meet in the Centro Histórico. Mérida was declared a Zona de Monumentos Históricos in 1982. The protected area covers 8.795 km² and is spread across 659 city blocks. It includes 3,906 historically valuable buildings, constructed between the 16th and 19th centuries. These figures describe the wider urban context; individual buildings each add their own distinctive features.
The Catedral de San Ildefonso is considered the first cathedral built on the American continent and also the oldest cathedral in Mexico. The Palacio de Gobierno contains 27 murals by Yucatecan painter Fernando Castro Pacheco. The Museo Casa Montejo is a rare example of Plateresque civil architecture in the Americas; its original 16th-century façade is considered a Renaissance work of art.
Paseo de Montejo and cultural themes
Paseo de Montejo was inaugurated in 1888 and illustrates the heyday of Yucatán’s henequen industry. You can explore the avenue on foot, by bicycle or in a horse-drawn carriage. The Monumento a la Patria also stands along Paseo de Montejo: its sculptures, carved directly into stone, depict stages of Mexican history, from the pre-Hispanic period to the Mexican Revolution.
The Palacio Cantón, which houses valuable archaeological pieces from Maya culture, is also located on Paseo de Montejo. Other cultural highlights include the Museo de la Ciudad de Mérida and the Palacio de la Música. The city museum documents Mérida’s history from its origins to the present day in themed galleries featuring archaeological pieces, art, photographs and historical documents. The Palacio de la Música is an interactive museum dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional and popular Mexican music. The museums cover distinctly different topics: city history, archaeological collections and music sit alongside the city’s historic architecture.
Regional cuisine and gastronomy
Mérida is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The Centro Histórico Calle 60 gastronomic corridor runs along Calle 60 from Plaza Grande to Calle 47 at Parque de Santa Ana. Traditional cuisine meets modern culinary offerings here. Mercado Lucas de Gálvez is another local market; regional market dishes include salbutes, panuchos, lime soup and relleno negro.
Festivals also bring different facets of gastronomy to the fore. The Mérida Gastronomy Festival and the Koobén Festival showcase and support local chefs, while giving culinary students opportunities to further develop their skills in the field. The annual Chicharra Festival promotes Mérida’s local gastronomic identity and specialities. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, check the latest event dates.
Getting around Mérida
There are two Tren Maya stations in Mérida. Check the latest operating details before travelling. Another city service is Circuito Enlace: this free, accessible and safe transport service helps older people, people with disabilities, pregnant women and adults accompanying young children access points of interest in the city centre. As service information may change, check before your trip whether the service is operating.
Mérida’s varied attractions can help you tailor your search for a holiday rental to the interests you would like to spend time exploring while you are there.
Discover more destinations: Xcunyá, Progreso, Temozón Municipality and Sinanché.
Go to the main travel guide: Yucatán.
