Yerba Santa Mérida Ornate Yucatecan restaurant located in the Minaret on Paseo Montejo.
Arcano Modern Mexican cuisine and tasty cocktails
Micaela Mar & Leña Yucatecan restaurant located in the Gastronomic Corridor (Calle 47). Put your name in and walk down to Parque la Plancha!
Habibi Heavenly Middle Eastern food!
La Chaya Maya Casona Yucatecan restaurant located in a colonial-style home. We recommend the panuchos, queso relleno (for our cheese lovers!), and a refreshing agua de jamaica (made from hisibiscus flowers). Ask about trying your hand at making a few of your own tortillas to enjoy with your meal!
La Pigua Fresh seafood restaurant with a vibrant coastal ambiance
Hacienda Teya A little out of the way, Teya is an hacienda and a renowned restaurant. We recommend the empanadas de chaya and the sikil pak for the table!
Dulcería and Sorbetería Colón For the ice cream lovers, a stop at the beloved institution is a must! El Colón has been serving up delicious ice creams and sorbets since 1907. You can't go wrong with any flavors, but some of our favorites include: coco, guayaba, mango, limon, mamey, mantecado. The list goes on and on!
Marquesitas You will see stands selling this typical street food of Mérida; it is a must try! It is a sweet crepe filled with edam, a salty Dutch cheese. We recommend ordering it topped with nutella. Experts say it is the best Dutch-Yucatecan collaboration to date, second only to the Ver Ploeg Vargas girls.
El Lagarto de Oro Great cocktails and live music
Catrin 47 Mexican cuisine and creative cocktails with dinner-time video mapping show each night
Flamel Speakeasy with vintage decor and craft cocktails. Reservations are recommended
El Gran Museo Del Mundo Maya Features over 1,160 artifacts, blending ancient textiles, religious items, sculptures, and ceramics with modern digital systems for an immersive experience in Mérida's history and Mayan culture.
Open Wednesday to Monday 9 AM - 5 PM. Tickets are around $9 per person
El Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca (MUGY) A museum for food lovers. Learn about the ingredients and flavors of Yucatecan cuisine. Check out the live demonstration of Mayan cooking methods, from making tortillas by hand to covering whole pigs with coals and roasting them in the ground to make Cochinita Pibil. Sample the traditional dishes in the sunny courtyard or one of the rooms of the grand 19th-century building.
Open Monday-Thursday 11 AM - 11 PM, Friday 11 AM - 12 AM, Saturday 9 AM - 12 AM, Sunday 9 AM - 11 PM
El Museo Palacio de la Música Museum dedicated to the celebration of the traditional and popular Mexican music. Renowned for its striking architectural design, which blends modernity with traditional elements inspired by the region's rich cultural heritage.
Open Wednesday to Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM. Tickets are around $12 per person
El Museo Casa Montejo Mansion built in the 16th century by Francisco Montejo y León, the founder of Mérida, and served as the family's residence for generations. Showcases a diverse collection of artifacts, documents, and artworks related to the history and culture of Mérida and the Yucatán Peninsula.
Open Sunday 11 AM - 2 PM, Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM - 6 PM
Museo de Arte Contempoáneo Ateneo de Yucatán Showcases a diverse collection of contemporary and historical art
Open Monday - Saturday 10 AM - 2 PM
La Catedral de Mérida - San Ildefonso One of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas.
El Palacio Municipal Mérida's city hall boasts stunning architecture and is located in the heart of downtown.
El Paseo de Montejo One of the most famous boulevards in Mérida. We highly recommend grabbing an ice cream from Sobertería Colón and admiring the grand mansions on foot.
El Paseo is home to several landmarks –
• El Palacio Cantón Houses the Regional Museum of Anthropology and History.
• Las Casas Gemelas (The Twin Houses) As the name suggests, their architectural symmetry is one of the reasons they stand out along the boulevard.
• La Casona Inbursa In present day, it is a bank but you might be able to peak your head in and check out the beautiful courtyard.
• El Minaret Stands out amidst the colonial-era buildings for its distinctive architecture feature commonly found in Islamic culture.
• La Quinta Montes Molina The site of our wedding!
• El Monumento a la Patria Commemorates Mexico's history and independence and features striking sculptures and architectural elements.
El Parque La Plancha Historic railway yard turned vibrant green space for cultural events and community activities
Sillas Confidentes Throughout downtown Mérida, you'll see s-shaped chairs, like the ones in the picture. Take a seat and share a secret or a longing gaze with a loved one!
Boutique specializing in exquisite fragrances inspired by the Yucatán Peninsula
Casa T´HŌ Concept House
A beautiful home on Paseo Montejo with a courtyard in the center, featuring boutique shopping, local art, and delicious drinks and snacks.
Mérida en Domingo Each Sunday, el centro becomes a pedestrian haven! Enjoy the live music, delicious street food (marquesitas are a personal favorite), and crafts. If exploring by bike interests you, bike rentals are available 8 AM - 12:30 PM. Download the En Bici - Get around Merida app to find bikes near you.
Yucatan Today As you're planning your trip to Mérida, we highly recommend taking a look at this bilingual publication.
Premier Adventures Destination Tours has put together a package of bilingual tours for our interested guests. Additionally, you're able to create your own itinerary
• City Tour Mérida Guided tour through downtown Mérida
Duration: 1.5 Hours
• Uxmal & Choco Story Museum Transportation to and guided tour of Uxmal (one of the most important archaeological sites of Mayan culture) and Choco Story Museum (visit the former hacienda to learn about the history of Mayans and their connection to chocolate)
Duration: 10 Hours
• Magical Towns & Cenote Transportation to and guided tour through San Antonio de Padua Historical Convent, the Arqueological Site of Kinich Kakmo in Izamal, Chichikan Ecotourist Park, and swim in Chichikan's cenote
Duration: 12 Hours
• Chichén Itzá & Cenote Tsukan Transportation to and guided tour through Chichén Itzá (one of the New 7 Wonders of the World) and Cenote Tsukan.
Duration: 9 Hours
• Beach Day & Sayachaltun Reserve Transportation and guided kayar tour through the mangroves of Sayachaltun natural reserve and a day pass to the Telchac Beach Club.
Duration: 11 Hours
There are larger group tours for (10 or more) or private tours for smaller groups. If you are interested in joining a group for a tour, we highly encourage you to reach out to the agency. Be sure to mention that you're a guest of "La Boda de Aida y Edward"
Please see more details about the tours here. You can email Maira (comercialpremieradventures@gmail.com) or send a WhatsApp message (+529999182812) to schedule your tour!
Progreso Beach (40 km from Mérida)
Offers sandy shores, fresh seafood, and the opportunity to explore the historic Progreso Port, a major maritime hub with a rich heritage dating back to the late 19th century. We recommend having a drink at the historic, Art Deco beachfront house Casa del Pastel.
Hacienda Mucuyché (50 km from Mérida)
A colonial era estate that originally served as an henequen plantation. Nowadays, you can visit the estate, snorkel in the cenote (natural sinkholes found throughout the Yucatán Peninsula), and eat some of the most delicious food!
Izamal (70 km from Mérida)
Known as the "Yellow City" due to the color of many of its builidings, Izamal offers a blend of Mayan and colonial history.
Celestún (90 km from Mérida)
Home to a wide variety of wildlife. Most notably, it is boasts one of the largest flamingo reserves in the world. Tens of thousands of flamingos will congregate there beginning in November for mating season.
Chichén-Itzá Ruins (120 km from Mérida)
It's not a trip to the Yucatán peninsula without a visit to one of the wonders of the world, about a 2-hour drive from Mérida. See our "Local Services" section to schedule transportation and a guided tour to see the ruins.
Casa de los Venados (160 km from Mérida)
Two Chicagoans with a love of Mexican folkloric art restored a mansion in the town of Valladolid, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a tour of their home which boasts a collection of 3,000+ works of art.
Museo de Ropa Étnica de México (160 km from Mérida)
For the textile lovers, this small museum is a short walk from Casa de los Venados and houses a collection of traditional and contemporary clothing that reflects the rich diversity of ethnic cultures across the country.
Las Coloradas (290 km from Mérida)
Famous for its striking pink salt flats and crystallizer ponds, created by the high salt concentration and unique microorganisms.