The breadth of things to do in Mérida makes the capital of the Yucatán Peninsula the perfect spot for a two-day sojourn on your Mexican odyssey.
Located around three-and-a-half hours from Cancun, all the best things to do in Mérida make for a perfect one or two-day excursion.
If you want to see more authentic everyday Mexico on your break or you’ve seen all the best things to do in Cancun. But this is no ordinary metropolis.
In this blog, we’ll introduce you to amazing Mérida and create the ideal two-day itinerary to allow you maximum adventure time in the capital.
And the great thing about this trip to Mérida is; you could make a quaint pit stop in vibrant Valladolid on your way through.
A brief introduction to Mérida
Before we get into the two-day plan, we thought we get you and Mérida a little more acquainted.
If you’ve never heard of it before, Mérida is the capital of the state of Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. When you’re dealing with the capital of a state which includes incredible destinations like Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and Valladolid, then you know it’s a pretty special place. But what makes it so good?
Well, like any capital city, there are a million things to do in Mérida. Plus, the city is incredibly walkable, so getting around from attraction to attraction is relatively easy on foot. Or you could just grab a cheap Uber for long jumps.
2-Day Mérida Itinerary at a glance
Day 1 – Culture vulture day
- Walking tour
- Grand Plaza – grab a bite in the plaza
- Palacio de Gobierno
- Walk the Paseo de Montejo
Day 2 – shopping and swimming
- La Casa de las Artesanias
- Mercado Santiago – lunch at the market
- Cenote Chacsinicche
Day 1
Take a walking tour
A great option whenever you explore a new town or city is to find a local free walking tour. This one in Mérida allows you to take in the majesty of the squares, churches, and colonial architecture in the popular Historico Centrico area of the city.
On this awesome excursion, you’ll see points of interest like Museo Casa Montejo, Catedral de Mérida, Parque de Santa Lucía, and Plaza Grande among others. Which leads us to our next stop.
Explore the Grand Plaza
Acting as a quaint central hub for the city, Grand Plaza is a bustling square. Here you’ll find shops, street performers, restaurants, street food vans, and bars.
Perfect for people-watching, this is a great opportunity to grab a light lunch you can eat on a bench in the square while getting some great people-watching done.
On your way out from exploring the square, you should definitely take the chance to have your picture taken at the Mérida sign.
Palacio de Gobierno
Mérida is known as ciudad blanca or white city. However, a lot of the buildings now seem to be adopting beautiful pastel hues. One such old location is Palacio de Gobierno.
This grand mint green palace plays host to the Yucatan’s State Government and has been doing so since the 1890s. But you’ll find more here than just policymakers and statutes.
The walls are adorned with beautiful local works of art which tell the story of Mérida, including how the Maya people struggled against the Spanish invaders. In fact, you can even take a tour of the building and see the amazing art gallery inside.
Walk Paseo de Montejo
You won’t be able to miss this main road through the city. Think Paris’s Champs-Élysées meets an LA boulevard. The wide pavements and ample tree coverage make walking the Paseo de Montejo a great way to spend a couple of hours.
The busy stretch is lined with mansions, galleries, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and bars if you fancy stopping in somewhere to get out of the sun for a while.
When you’re done with your coffee, carry on along the street until you come to the vast roundabout and the Monumento a la Patria or Flag Monument. This provides a perfect photo op and the most picturesque turning point on your stroll.
Day 2
La Casa de las Artesanias
If day one of this two-day sojourn was all about culture then today is about shopping and indulging. The perfect place to start is La Casa de las Artesanias.
You know those quaint, colourful artisanal Mexican crafts you’ve seen? Well, this place is like a supermarket for them. The huge, kaleidoscopic store offers thousands of incredible figurines which make ideal souvenirs.
But the best part is they’re all fair-trade pieces made by women from the local area and indigenous groups.
Mercado Santiago
Visiting a local market is one of the best things to do in Mérida. These bustling hubs are perfect for interacting more with the locals and buying unique wares like spices, clothing, and crafts.
Mercado Santiago is probably the most central market in Mérida, which means it’s one of the best for seeing everyday city life. Also, with lots of street food stalls cooking up delicious local cuisine, it’s the perfect spot to stop for some lunch.
Cenote Chacsinicche
Although Mérida is Yucatan’s bustling hub, it’s still got plenty of natural attractions to shout about. You’ll see exactly what we’re talking about if you grab a bus or Uber about 1 hour out of town and check out Cenote Chacsinicche.
One of the best cenotes in the area for swimming and diving in, Chacsinicche is an Instagrammer’s dream. With tree roots falling down into the opening and pure sunlight hitting the crystal blue water, it’s super picturesque.
Take your swimming equipment and take a dip in the cooling waters. You definitely won’t regret it!
Don’t forget, you could win a trip to Mexico with our latest competition! Just like the Bailey’s did.
Best places to eat in Mérida?
If you’ve just got a couple of days to check out the best things to do in Mérida, then you want to know you’re massaging your senses with the best experiences. That goes for grub too.
There are some incredibly trendy eateries in the city. In fact, the culinary reputation of Mérida and Yucatan cuisine, in general, is growing all the time. And some of the best restaurants in Mérida are placing Yucatec cooking at the heart of their offering.
But, perhaps the two best spots for eating in Mérida are Calle 60 and Paseo de Montejo.
Calle 60
Calle 60 is located just around the corner from Historico Centrico. This bustling street is where the city’s most fantastic bars, cafes, theatres, galleries, and, of course, restaurants can be found.
Top 5 restaurants on Calle 60
- Mercado 60 – the Mérida Food Hall offers lots of options
- Shibumi Sushi – for the best sushi in the area
- La Tratto Santa Lucia – perfect for pizzas
- Los Trompos – Ideal Mexican cuisine (try the tacos!)
- Bistrola 57 – exciting Yucatan & international fusion
Paseo de Montejo
Elsewhere, you should keep your eyes open when strolling Paseo de Montejo. One end of it is actually known as Restaurant Row.
Top 5 restaurants on Paseo de Montejo
- Manjar Blanco – so good it made it on to Netflix!
- El Catrin Merida – Yucatan delights in a trendy setting
- La Bottega – smaller plates and craft beers by Monumento a la Patria
- Trattoria La Pasta Montejo – perfect pasta in Mexico
- La Pigua – for delicious seafood
On Paseo de Montejo and Calle 60 you’ll be able to sample some of the finest food in the area at the best and trendiest eateries. Perfect for finding somewhere special to eat after a long day of exploring (and for Instagramming your plate too).
Discover Mérida on your Mexican adventure
As we said, Mérida is just a few hours from the immaculate coastlines of Cancun. But if you’ve got a longer stay planned then it’s definitely worth a one or two-day trip out.
Click the button below and we’ll show you some amazing places to stay in Cancun, perfect for that longer break. So, there you have it, no excuses for not exploring anymore!
