MERIDA MEXICO GENERAL OVERVIEW

Merida is the capital city of the state of Yucatan. Known as "White City" because of the large use of white limestone and white paint this traditional city depicts much of the splendor of Colonial Mexico. This is by no means to say that Merida still exists in a time warp and the contrary could be said. There is old and new exhibited in everything from fashion to architecture.

The Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Montejo founded present day Merida in 1542. An insight into the horrendous pain and suffering of the people who were brutalized by the conquering conquistadors exists in magnificent paintings that are on display in the Governor's Palace located in downtown Merida.

Left in seclusion for many years because of the difficulty of traveling to Merida the people of this region have cultivated a distinct contemporary society that is unique in Mexico.

Merida is a safe place to visit and the people are warm and friendly. I asked a friend once about crime in Merida and he simply stated that there was no place to run there. Being such a close-knit society I took it to mean that violent acts of crime are simply not committed here that often because they are more or less one big family.

There is lots of traffic in Merida, especially downtown. Taking the local bus can be tricky if you do not speak Spanish. The majority of streets are one-way and the bus routes wind all over the place and if you are not on top of things you can end walking more than you expected.

If you are in relatively good shape and don't mind the heat [it's hot in the summer] then you can walk to almost every attraction if you stay near the downtown main plaza. This is a great way to get to know the city and once you figure out the street [calle] numbering system, getting lost is unlikely.

The biggest problem you will encounter in Merida is finding a hotel with a swimming pool that fits into your budget. You may want to inquire if the pool is indeed in operation before you make your booking if you feel you need to have the use of a pool, especially in the summer months.

Merida is nothing like Cancun or Playa del Carmen and if you want to experience Mexican culture while staying relatively close to the Caribbean Sea then Merida is a great place to go. There are lots of interesting shops to browse in, if you seek some familiarity, the Merida WalMart is well stocked and also has a food-court.

Outstanding regional dishes and traditional music and dances local to this region can be found in restaurants, theatres and shops housed both near the main plaza and in palatial mansions along Paseo de Montejo - a boulevard fashioned after Paris' Champs Elysée.

Progreso, Merida's port city, is 30 kilometers north and is an interesting area to visit to see the salt-flats and flamingos.

Being centrally located, Merida is a practical hub to explore numerous ruin sites and ecological wonders. Many charters fly into Merida or you can take a four-hour bus ride from Cancun. There are also two highways connecting Cancun and Merida plus many roads winding their way through the jungle from Tulum.

MERIDA HOTELS

For current Merida hotel and resort information including rates, availability and secure on-line reservations please see:
Merida Hotels and Resorts

  Transfer from Merida airport is not available.

Otoño Cultural
October marks the beginning of the Otoño Cultural, the Fall Cultural Festival. The festival brings many special cultural events to Merida for about six weeks starting in early October.

Events this year include a free Tango exhibition and various other musical performances, kicked off by a concert by Celso Pena, one of Mexico's most important musicians. (You can find out more about Señor Pena at his entertaining website www.celso.com.mx)

Music is what it is all about this fall in the Yucatan. At the beginning of October, Placido Domingo filled the night skies with his singing at the sacred Mayan site of Chichen Itza, Yucatan's very own Wonder of the World. Over 6000 spectators watched and listened as Placido sang a Mayan duet with a local singer and, for another number, donned a Mariachi costume. Despite the fact that the concert was almost canceled due to objections from INAH, the Mexican Institute of Anthropology and History, in the end the present won out over the past, and the event was a rousing success.

On October 9th, the BBC is holding a tribute to the Beatles with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performing in the convent atrium in Izamal. And then, completing the musical picture this fall, Juanes, the famous Latino pop star, will be holding his concert at the Carlos Iturralde Stadium on Tuesday, October 14. This Columbian rock musician and pop star has won more 12 Latin Grammys and is also known throughout the Latin world for his good looks and humanitarian work with Colombian victims of anti-personnel mines. All of Merida is looking forward to these concerts.

Merida Tattoo Convention
On October 11 and 12, Merida will host the fourth annual Tattoo Convention, featuring tattoo artists from around Mexico, the US and Europe. The convention will feature two days of shows and contests, as well as entertainment for participants. Yucatan Living's friend, will be one of the featured artists at the event.

Day of the Dead
As the end of October, all of Merida will be preparing for the Day of the Dead.

The altars built for this celebration have grown to be a spectacular art form in Yucatan, with expositions and contests that are worth traveling to see. The first of these 2008 expositions is to be held on Oct. 24 at Centro Cultural Jose Marti. The twist here is that viewers are going to be watched for their reactions to the altars in this show that is called Mirada Joven: Otra perspectiva del dia de muertos (The Young View: Another Perspective on the Day of the Dead).

A new event this year will be a Day of the Dead parade, starting at the church at L'Ermita and progressing to the cemetery, where altars will be set up by the local residents. Yucatan Living's offices are in this neighborhood, so we hope to have some great photos of the event on our website soon thereafter. To see photos from previous celebrations,

Each year, Merida comes more alive in the fall and winter seasons, as tourists continue to come from far and wide to experience the unique Mayan culture that is thriving in the Yucatan. Those of us who are residents here are looking forward to a very active and interesting winter season… We invite you to join us!

ESTEBAN COLBERTO

Merida is home to the legendary Matador and award winning pastry chef Esteban Colberto.

A household name in Mexico, Esteban's humble beginnings are widely known and even taught as fables in schools.

Senior Colberto presently hosts his own highly popular Mexican language newscast "Colberto Reporto Gigante".

MERIDA CLIMATE

Merida Weather Review [For each month of the year].

Includes: Average Temperature, High/Low Temperature, Relative Humidity And more...

MERIDA TOURIST INFORMATION

Information for tourists can easily be found downtown at:

Tourist Information Center
Corner of calles 60 and 57A

City Tourist Office
Calles 59 and 62

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Plaza Principal
From the Main Plaza (also called Plaza Principal) you can see The Cathedral, on the east side of the Plaza, Palacio Municipal which is Merida's town hall built in 1735, Casa de Montejo, former home of the conquerer of Yucatan and Palacio de Govierno. Horse and buggy rides can be picked up from the Plaza which will take you sightseeing or back to your hotel.

Casa Montejo
Casa Montejo is an excellent sample of Spanish Colonial architecture. Construction on this grandiose home of the founding fathers of Merida started in 1549.

Cathedral
This magnificent cathedral is known for the murals depicting the meeting between Montejo and the Mayan King Tutl Xiu. Construction of this cathedral began in 1561.

Palacio de Govierno
The Governor's Palace houses 27 wall size murals illustrating the somewhat violent bloody history of the Yucatan. The artist spent his entire life working on these paintings.

La Ermita de Santa Isabela
A quiet relaxing place with beautiful gardens and statues. It is located just outside of the city wall.

Paseo de Montejo Boulevard
Historical boulevard fashioned after those found in Paris, France. Stately homes, shops and quaint restaurants. The Merida WalMart is located at the north end of the boulevard, which is quite surprising.

Regional Anthropology Museum
Home to many original stone carvings from nearby Mayan sights. This museum also contains rare objects made of brass and copper [who says the Mayans did not use metal].

The University of Yucatan offers folkloric regional dancing on Friday nights at calle 60 by 57.

Sunday is the day of the outdoor handicraft market and food festival in Merida. Happening at Main Plaza, Hidalgo Park and Santa Lucia Park from 9-9 and Casa de las Artesanias from 9-1:30.

Thursday the Santa Lucia Park hosts the Yucatan Serenade, an open air concert featuring Yucatan dress, dance, music and folklore starting at 9:00. Santa Lucia Park is located at calle 60 and 57.

ATTRACTIONS NEARBY

Celestún
Located 80 km west of Merida on Highway 281. Celestún is a small fishing village and bird sanctuary on the Gulf of Mexico in the Western Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Inland waterways provide a natural habitat for flamingoes, herons and other tropical birds. If you are lucky you may see a flock of flamingos flying over you which is quite an experience.

Hacienda San Pedro Ochil
Located about 50 km south of Merida on the road to Campeche. Convenient for visitors to Uxmal and other nearby Mayan ruins. Contains Museum of Yucatan Peninsula Haciendas and shops with local artisans working on different typical folk-art and clothing.

To learn more visit:

Komchén de los Pajaros
Located 35 km northeast of Merida - 50 km from Rio Lagartos.
The Komchén Bird Sanctuary is a private non-profit organization created at Hacienda Henequenera. This sanctuary provides facilities for the practice of ecotourism. Its mission is "to sustainably develop and conserve a nature reserve and at the same time improve the living conditions of local people".

To learn more visit:

Rio Lagartos
Located about 85 km east to Tizimín and 30 km north. Declared a wildlife refuge in 1979, the Rio Lagartos Reserve covers over 100,000 acres of a wide variety of habitats including flamingoes, howler monkeys, crocodiles, jaguars, pheasants and white tail deer.

To learn more visit:

Uaymitun
Flamingos can also be seen at Uaymitun, just north east of Progreso. Visit the lookout tower that is right next to the road. Entrance is free and the caretakers will even lend you binoculars.

Izamal
Izamal is located 45 minutes northwest of Merida via car, a bit more by bus or van. Upon arrival head to the Government Palace to see the large model of the entire town and the tremendous amount of Mayan pyramids that sprinkled about. Pope John Paul visited the Franciscan Convent in 1993. The Museums of the Community is located under the Convent in front of the 5 de Mayo Park.

Valladolid
Valladolid is located halfway between Merida and Cancun. It is a small, quaint town that still preserves a colonial flavor. The majority of the townspeople still wear typical dress of the Maya. Cenote Dzitnup is great for swimming. The San Roque Museum has huge murals depicting Mexican history.

Cenote Ik Kil
Ik Kil is a favorite cenote near Chichen Itza.

To learn more visit:

Club de Golf de Yucatan   Merida now has an 18 hole par 72 golf course/country club complete with swimming pool, steam baths, weight-room, children's park, mini golf, pro shop and restaurant.

Built on what was once the grounds of the Mayan ruins of Dzbilchaltun. Dzibilchaltun is one of the oldest known sites in Mayan world. This city and its surrounding area was believed to be home to over 8000 structures spread over nine square miles.

If you are staying in Merida with your family, especially during the summer months then you might want to consider spending the day here, even if you don't play golf.

The club also offers Spinning and Jazz classes as well as nine tennis courts.

Memberships are available to local visitors spending the winter months here.

Facilities include: 18 hole golf course, swimming pool, mini-golf, 9 tennis courts, vapor room [sauna], weight room, children's play park, pro shop and restaurant.

Designer:	Felix Mier y Teran y Vicente Erosa
Holes:	18
Par:	72
Yards:	6,590
Location:	Carr. Merida - Progreso km 14.5

The club has a , [everything is in Spanish].

Club de Golf de Yucatan is located just off the Merida-Progreso highway just outside Merida.

RUIN SITES

Ruin sites located within a reasonable distance from Merida are:

Acanceh* Ake* Chichen Itza*** Chacmultun* Dzibilchaltun** Ek Balam**

Extempo* Izamal* Kabah* Labna* Mayapan** Oxkintok*

Sayil* Xlapak* Xcambo* Uxmal*** Yaxuna/Xcan Ha*

*** large site       ** medium site       * small site

View Ruin site Map for this area.

For more information regarding visiting ruin sites please investigate