ESPECTACULAR THINGS TO DO IN MERIDA YUCATAN

Here are the activities you can't miss on your next escape to the "white city". Surprise yourself with its century-old architecture and unique beaches!

1. Take a walk along the famous Paseo Montejo, the longest (just over 5 km) and most beautiful avenue in Merida. Admire its old large houses dating from the colonial and Porfiriato periods, they will surprise you! 2. Take a ride in Calandria (a kind of horse-drawn carriage) through the main streets of the Historical Center of the city; it will allow you to see, from another angle, several buildings, monuments and squares of the "white capital". 3. Get to know the Canton Palace, a spectacular building in the Neoclassical style that today houses the Regional Museum, with its fantastic collection of pieces of the Mayan culture. 4. On Paseo Montejo itself, admire the imposing Monument to the Fatherland. Don't miss the detail of each of its engravings that evoke different moments of the history of Mexico and of the Yucatan in particular. 5. In the center of the city, admire the facade of the famous Palace or house of Montejo, ordered to be built by the conqueror of the region, Francisco de Montejo, towards the second half of the 16th century. Today, this building is home to an elegant museum sponsored by Fomento Cultural Banamex.

6. Visit the Cathedral of San Ildefonso, which has recently had a spectacular new lighting system that allows spectators to admire its beautiful architectural details even better at nightfall. 7. Eat a marquise of ball cheese or peanut cream in any of the public squares and parks located in the downtown area of Merida.

8. Visit the Macay Museum, located next to the Cathedral, and admire its magnificent collections of art objects ranging from Mayan pieces to complex artistic expressions such as graphics, concept paintings, watercolors and digital art! 9. Taste the best of Yucatecan cuisine (panuchos, salbutes, lime soup, cochinita pibil, among other delicious dishes) in the different restaurants located in the first square of the "blanca" Merida. We recommend you to visit Los Almendros, a traditional establishment located in the surroundings of Parque La Mejorada. 10. Get on the Turibus which, with stops at various strategic points in the city, will allow you to get to know different corners of the capital while you take the most entertaining photos in the company of your partner, friends or family. You are sure to have fun! 11. On weekends, take part in the interesting legendary tours organised in the city centre. With several years of experience, this original "story dramatization" is gaining more and more fans and followers every day. 12. If you like history, sign up for the guided tours that leave from the Plaza Central in Merida every day - and at various times. Sign up in advance for the tourist information modules located under the arches that decorate the Palacio Municipal building.

13. Buy hats and guayaberas, the typical garments of the

state of Yucatan, in any of the establishments located in the downtown area and at various points of Paseo Montejo. It looks like a whole meridian with these light fiber textiles that are already imposing fashion all over the world!

17. Also visit the archaeological zone of Chichen Itza, located 120 km east of the Yucatan capital following the highway to Cancun. In this fantastic capital of the Mayan world, you cannot miss El Castillo, El Cenote Sagrado and the curious construction known as El Caracol or El Observatorio. 18. Only 45 minutes from Merida is Celestun, an incredible reserve where, at dawn or at dusk, hundreds of flamingos show off their pink plumage posing on the banks of the river or near the mangrove and spring areas. A natural spectacle that you cannot miss! 19. Due to its peculiar geography (limestone soils where cenotes abound), Yucatan is an invitation to explore these curious natural formations that are nothing more than water mirrors connected underground. In the surroundings of Mérida, we recommend you to venture to Cuzamá, where after an incredible journey in a truck (a kind of mule-drawn wagon) you can swim in the transparent waters of three fantastic cenotes. Don't miss out on them!

20. Another tour that you can do starting from the ancient Ti'ho (that's how the Mayans called the settlement that preceded the colonial Merida) is the one to discover the haciendas of the region. If you take the road to Progreso, you can stop and see the Xcanatún hacienda; if you go to Cancún, the Teya or Temozón haciendas; and to Campeche, the Poxilá haciendas, among other wonderful buildings now converted into luxury boutique hotels. You'll love them!