MERIDA
The charming and magical city of Merida is located in the state of Yucatan, about 177 km (110 mi) from Campeche and 320 km (198 mi) from Cancun. Thanks
to its tropical climate and cool winds that blow in from the nearby coast,
temperatures range between 28º and 35º C (82º and 95º F) throughout most of the
year.
Founded upon the ruins of the
Mayan city T’ho, which was constructed with white limestone and means "Face of
Infinity," Merida is known today as the White City. It has beautiful and
solidly built colonial buildings that house the city’s history, art, traditions
and culture. In the downtown Historic Center, you can visit the city cathedral,
an impressive 16th century construction. Or you can go to
interesting museums, such as the Yucatan Museum of Archaeology, which you’ll
find in Palacio Canton, an elegant building dating back to the Porfirian era. You can also take a ride in a horse-drawn
carriage down the city’s main avenue, Paseo Montejo,
which is lined with 19th century mansions and well-known hotels.
It’s a pleasant tour blending sights of old and new.
While
in Merida, you can try many of the exquisite dishes
characteristic of Yucatecan cuisine. Papadzules and panuchos are made with stuffed corn
tortillas and bathed in hot sauce. The traditional cochinita pibil is pork marinated in orange juice and served with
beans and red onion.
You can
also use Merida as a base
to visit old henequen haciendas just several kilometers outside of the city.
Many of them have been converted into luxurious hotels. As part of the exciting
tour of Merida’s environs, you can check out some
amazing cenotes (sinkholes) in underground river
systems and you can take in beautiful natural scenery at the Reserva de la Biosfera Ria
Celestun, a biosphere reserve and habitat of hundreds
of pink flamingos. Also near the White City are many spectacular archaeological
zones where you can discover the grandeur of the ancient Mayan culture at sites
such as Uxmal, Dibilchaltun
and Chichen Itza.
