Mérida holds the colonial soul of the Yucatán, spreading its orderly streets and pastel façades across the heart of the peninsula, a short distance from the Gulf of Mexico. Nicknamed the "white city" for its limestone houses, it was founded by the Spanish on the remains of the ancient Maya city of T'hó, and to this day it weaves together European heritage and indigenous culture. The hub of city life is the Plaza Grande, shaded by great trees and overlooked by the Cathedral of San Ildefonso, one of the oldest on the American continent, and the Casa de Montejo. From here runs the stately Paseo de Montejo, a tree-lined avenue flanked by nineteenth-century mansions that recall the golden age of henequén, the agave fibre that enriched the region. Mérida is also a city of fragrant markets, live music in the squares and a refined Yucatecan cuisine, with dishes such as cochinita pibil, panuchos and sopa de lima. Its location makes it the ideal base for exploring an extraordinary archaeological heritage: the Maya sites of Uxmal and Chichén Itzá, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the lesser-known cities of the Puuc Route and the cenotes hidden in the countryside. Lively yet relaxed, safe and authentic, Mérida invites you to discover the Yucatán to the rhythm of its golden sunsets.
