Mérida

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Mexico, Yucatan, Merida, Plaza de la Independencia, Palacio Municipal (city hall)

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Overview

Since the Spanish conquest, Mérida has been the cultural capital of the entire Yucatán Peninsula. A delightful blend of provincial and cosmopolitan, it is a town steeped in colonial history. It's a great place to explore, with narrow streets, broad central plazas and the region’s best museums. It’s also a perfect place from which to kick off your adventure into the rest of Yucatán state. It has excellent cuisine and accommodations, thriving markets, and events happening just about every night.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Gran Museo del Mundo Maya

Mérida

A world-class museum celebrating Maya culture, the Gran Museo houses a permanent collection of more than 1100 remarkably well-preserved artifacts,…

Regional Museum of Anthropology, housed in a 19th century building, Paseo de Montejo, Merida, Yucatan State, Mexico, North America

Palacio Cantón

Mérida

This massive mansion was built between 1909 and 1911, though its owner, General Francisco Cantón Rosado (1833–1917), lived here for only six years before…

Catedral de San Ildefonso

Mérida

On the site of a former Maya temple is Mérida’s hulking, severe cathedral, begun in 1561 and completed in 1598. Some of the stone from the Maya temple was…

Casa de Montejo

Mérida

Casa de Montejo is on the south side of Plaza Grande and dates from 1540. It originally housed soldiers, but was soon converted into a mansion that served…

Plaza Grande

Mérida

One of the nicest plazas in Mexico, huge laurel trees shade the park’s benches and wide sidewalks. It was the religious and social center of ancient T’ho;…

Palacio de Gobierno

Mérida

Built in 1892, the Palacio de Gobierno houses the state of Yucatán’s executive government offices (and a tourist office). Don't miss the wonderful murals…

Teatro Peón Contreras

Mérida

The enormous Teatro Peón Contreras was built between 1900 and 1908, during Mérida’s henequén heyday. It boasts a main staircase of Carrara marble, a dome…

Iglesia de Jesús

Mérida

The 17th-century Iglesia de Jesús was built by Jesuits in 1618. It's the sole surviving edifice from a complex of buildings that once filled the entire…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Mérida is one of Mexico’s finest cities.

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Best Time to Visit

Mérida's cultural calendar is the gift that keeps giving. Pick the perfect time for your trip with our guide to the best time to visit Yucatán's capital.

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Plan with a local