Mérida is the largest city and the capital of the southeast Mexican state that holds the same name as the peninsula, Yucatán. The city was most likely nicknamed “The White City of the Yucatán” due to the number of historical buildings that are dressed in white. The buildings around them however, are quite colorful. Mérida was one of the very first cities established by the Spanish and is where the Conquistadors were based out of for more than 200 years.
This colonial city was founded by Leon and Montejo, of the famous Montejo family, in 1542. The city was named after the town of Mérida located in Extremadura, Spain. The Montejo’s are specifically famous for having founded the three largest cities in the Yucatán; Campeche, Mérida, and Valladolid.
The original Montejo family home was built in 1549 and can still be visited today. The mansion is currently a museum in the historic city center. Mérida is jam packed in elements of colonialism complete with colorful facades, iron wrought balconies, and random cobble stoned streets. These elements combined with the cuisine and history make it an important cultural center of the peninsula.
The Montejo family, along with the Spanish, built the city of Mérida on top of the ancient Mayan city of T’ho. They used several foundations of the Mayan structures while also using locally sourced stones to build the façade.
Many of the historic buildings colored white have an interesting contrast with the colonial colors that surround them. The buildings are dressed in the purest Spanish architecture from Salamanca, Spain. The city has seen a surge and renaissance, with a large amount of restoration to the beautiful historic buildings.
The city of Mérida is land locked and about 33 kilometers (or 22 miles) from the Gulf of México. The state of the Yucatán is bordered by Quintana Roo on the east, with Campeche to the west. The area features a tropical savannah climate that averages around 33-38°c (or about 91-100°f) with an average humidity of 71%.
It is generally recommended to avoid travel in July when the temperatures soar during the hottest time of year, averaging 44-48°c (or 111-118°f). July is rainy season along with mosquito season so be prepared if you decide to visit during the summer.
Mérida has the third largest Centro Historico (Historical Center) in Latin America, behind both Havannah, Cuba and Mexico City. According to the 2020 census there are more than 1,161,000 people in the city alone. The cultural elements of Mérida have seen a mix of influences from the Native Mayan culture, the Caribbean, Mexican, European, and even the Middle East. This created a unique blend of foods and flavors that are significantly different from the average Mexican cuisine.
Being the cultural center that Mérida is, they are rife in museums, art, restaurants, movie theaters, and shops. Dancing and music hold a strong cultural importance in day-to-day activities of the locals. The city simultaneously holds true to being a modern city with lots of hotels, shopping malls, auto dealerships, with plenty of leisure facilities as well.
The best place to try some salsa dancing is at the tourist bar La Negrita, every day at 6pm where they feature a live salsa band. There are several delicious coffee shops to check out, but according to the locals the best in town is Manifesto Café. A café that offers several organic Mexican coffee beans prepared in several different artisan styles.
Street Food and Delicious Plates
If you’re looking to get some street food, then don’t miss out on Santiago Park. Everyday vendors fill the complex in the center of the park, inside and out, ready to provide the vast variety of flavors from Yucatecan cuisine. This cultural center features a wide range of spices and flavors. Dishes that range from traditional plates, found all over the country, to region specific dishes that blend a melody of cooking styles.
Take the time to try interestingly flavorful plates such as Cochinita Pibil (pork slow roasted underground), Poc Chuc (pork marinated in citrus and cooked over a grill), or Queso Relleno (a literal block of cheese, gutted and stuffed with turkey or pork and smothered in a white sauce). Each of these dishes are special in their own right and barely scratch the surface of what Yucatecan cuisine has to offer.
Mérida was incredibly prosperous between the 19th and 20th centuries, from local Hennequin production. Hennequin produces a strong fiber that was most commonly used in ropes. During the turn of the 20th century, it is believed that Mérida was the home of more millionaires than any other city in the world.
This is especially reflected in El Paseo de Montejo (or The Montejo Walk). Paseo de Montejo was named after San Francisco Montejo, one of the founders of Mérida. This is also where some of the most iconic buildings and monuments of the city are found, such as the stunning fountain designed in Mayan art named Monumento a la Patria.
The walk was inspired by the likes of the infamous French Boulevard. The street is lined with incredible mansions built in the European architectural style and shrouded with tree cover along with several round abouts. Many of the mansions have been restored and now serve as office buildings for both banks and insurance companies.
Mérida is home to one of the most important Mayan museums in all of México, El Gran Museo del Mundo Maya (or The Grand Museum of the Mayan World). However, I’ll cover the museum more extensively in its own blog post, as it covers the artifacts found at all of the important archeological sites found in the region.
Some of the biggest highlights of Mérida and why most visitors stop in for a visit, is due to their access of world class ruins and numerous Instagram ready cenotes. The ancient city of Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and only an hour south of the city. Also relatively close is the ancient city of Chichen Itza, which was named one of the “7 New World Wonders.” Although it is highly recommended to make the excursion to Chichen Itza from the nearby colonial town of Valladolid. I will be writing a much more in-depth article on both of these incredible sites.
The cenotes of Cuzama are something special as well. They are regarded as some of the best cenotes of the Yucatán and only a short-day trip from Mérida. However, I loved them so much that I will be covering these much more extensively in a complete guide and their own post.
I thoroughly enjoyed Mérida, and would absolutely return to this beautiful city. A city that is full of incredible museums, world class food and some of the best cenotes in the Yucatán. With more time I’d love to check out the coastal beach towns or the nearby colonial city of Izamal, which is famous for being painted in a golden yellow; not to mention the several smaller ruin sites that I’d love to dig into as well. Overall, Mérida is pretty heavily trafficked tourist destination but a gem all the same. I would definitely recommend to stop in for a visit if you find yourself exploring the treasures of the Riviera Maya and the Yucatán Peninsula.
