Mérida Overview

A teeming center of food and culture, Mérida (pop. 1.7 million) is the hub of the Yucatán Peninsula. With a rich blend of indigenous history, colonial influence, and modern international flavor, the city is the oldest continuously settled place on the peninsula, known to the Maya as T’ho (“Place of the Fifth Point” in Mayan), then to the Spanish as the “The Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Mérida.” The modern city was built in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo. During the nineteenth century, a boom in henequén (a hemp-like fiber) fueled city growth, and an aristocracy began to settle here. Mérida earned the title of Ciudad Blanca (the white city) for the white splendor of its stucco center. Modern Mérida continues to serve as an important center of culture and business. The city strikes a balance between old and new, the international influences and tourists side by side with locals and traditional customs. Mérida’s commercial centers burst with jipis (Panama hats) shipped from Campeche, hammocks from Tixcocob, and henequén from all over the peninsula. The ever-crowded zócalo is the hub of the city and the site of frequent public fiestas , especially on Sundays, when families, musicians, dancers, and food vendors come out to enjoy the city. For independent travelers, Mérida serves as a comfortable, cosmopolitan, and budget-friendly base to explore Mayan ruins, inland cenotes, and the coast.

Intercity Transportation

• Flights: Licenciado Manuel Crecencio Rejon International Airport ( MID; ☎946 1530), 7km southwest on Mex. 180. Taxis to the centro 110 pesos. Most airline offices are on Paseo Montejo and in Plaza Americana, the shopping center in the Hotel Fiesta Americana. MID services: Aeroméxico, C. 56 N. 451 at Av. Colón, in the Plaza Americana (☎964 1780 or 800 021 4010; www.aeromexico.com); American Airlines (☎800 904 6000); Aviacsa, Paseo de Montejo 475 x 37 y 39 (☎925 6890 or 800 006 2200; www.aviacsa.com); Continental (☎800 900 5000; www.continental.com); Delta (☎800 123 4710); Mexicana, Prolongación Montejo 91 X 17 (☎924 6633 or 800 801 2010; www.mexicana.com); MexicanaClick (☎800 112 5425; www.click.com.mx).
• Buses: Leave from 5 stations depending on the destination. Buses departing from terminals other than the first-class CAME make more stops and tend to be cheaper. Before setting out, confirm which terminal you want at your hotel or hostel, and check to see if a colectivo would better suit your purpose. Mérida’s 2 largest terminals are southwest of the centro. The zócalo is 15min. by foot from both. Walk north to C. 63, then turn right and walk another 4 blocks from the other.
• • 1st-class station (CAME): C. 70 555 x 71 (☎924 8391). ADO (☎800 702 8000; www.ado.com.mx) sends buses to Campeche (2½hr., every hr. 6am-11:45pm, 136 pesos); Cancún (every hr. 6:30am-midnight, 300-350pesos); Chetumal (4 per day 7:30am-11pm, 280 pesos); Chichén Itzá (6:30, 9:15am, 12:40pm; 100 pesos); Mexico City (22hr., 6 per day 10am-9:15pm, 1200 pesos); Palenque (8:30am, 10, 11:50pm; 364 pesos); Playa del Carmen (10 per day, 5am-midnight, 258 pesos); Puebla (20hr., 4:30pm, 1000 pesos); San Cristóbal de las Casas (7:15pm, 434 pesos); Tulum (6:30, 10:40am, 12:40, 5:45pm; 194 pesos); Valladolid (2hr., 11 per day, 120 pesos); Veracruz (15hr., 9pm, 730 pesos); Villahermosa (10hr.; 14 per day, most in late night or evening; 426-500 pesos).
  • 2nd-class station (TAME): C. 69 544 x 68 y 70 (☎923 2287). To: Campeche (92 pesos); Cancún (35 per day, 194 pesos); Chichén Itzá (6 per day, 54 pesos); Playa del Carmen (7 per day, 160-214 pesos); Ruta Puuc (leaves 8am, returns 2:30pm; round-trip with 30min. stop at each ruin; 140 pesos); Tulum (8 per day, 121-186 pesos); Valladolid (6 per day, 74 pesos) Uxmal (1¼hr., 5 per day 8am-5pm, 40 pesos).
  • Noreste Station: C. 50 531 x 67 (☎924 6355). To: Celestún (2hr., every hr. 5:15am-8:30pm, 41 pesos); Izamal (every hr. 7am-9pm, 30 pesos); Mayapán (1½hr., 8:30am and 4pm, 15 pesos); Piste (2hr., every hr. 6am-8pm, 55 pesos); Tizimín with connections to Chiquilá (Isla Holbox); Río Lagartos, and San Felipe (16 per day, 65-83 pesos); Valladolid (3hr., every hr. 6am-midnight, 90 pesos) and other smaller towns. Colectivos wait just outside the station and run to Cuzama (1½hr., every 30min. 8am-6pm, 14 pesos) with stops in Acanceh.
  • Autoprogreso Station: C. 62 x 65 y 67 (☎928 3965). Sends buses to Dzibilchaltun (30min., 7 pesos) and Progreso (every 20min., 13 pesos).
  • San Juan: Sends buses and colectivos south to Ticul and towns along the Ruta Puuc.

Local Transportation

• Public Transportation: Municipal buses run daily (6am-midnight, 5 pesos). Buses usually drop you within a few blocks of your destination. The destinations listed on the windshield provide an approximate route. Taxis colectivos (also known as combis or camiones ) charge 5 pesos for any destination in the city; drop-offs are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Taxis: Some taxis are metered, identifiable by the “taximetro” sign on top. Others charge by zone, charging about 30-40 pesos for a trip within the centro. They do not generally roam the streets. Taximetro (☎928 3031 or 945 7500.) For a shorter wait, call one of the others at Radio Taxis Grupo (☎982 1504 or 1171). Stands are located around the parques, along Paseo de Montejo, at the airport, and in the zócalo.
• Car Rental: Mérida has a proliferation of car agencies, including the standard international agencies. Yucatán Today sometimes offers coupons.

Orientation And Practical Information

Mérida sits on the west side of Yucatán state, 30km south of the Gulf of Mexico. The zócalo (also known as the Plaza Grande), bordered by C. 60, 61, 62, and 63, anchors the historic center, splitting the city in half. Recent growth has fueled increasing urban sprawl. Traditionally wealthy areas stretch north along a series of bank-lined roads, culminating at the Yucatán Country Club. In the south, government housing projects fill impoverished neighborhoods such as San Jose Tecoh, home of the municipal prison. Even-numbered streets run north-south, with numbers increasing to the west; odd-numbered streets run east-west, increasing to the south. Most attractions and services are within easy walking distance from the zócalo.

• Tourist Information: ☎942 0000. On the Plaza Grande, in the Palacio Municipal, C. 60 (☎930 3101; www.yucatan.travel). Open M-Sa 8am-8pm, Su 8am-2pm. Offers guided tours of the zócalo (1½hr., daily 9:30am, free). Rents audio tours with walking tour maps of the centro histórico. (4hr. 80 pesos, 20 pesos per extra hr.) Other locations include Palacio del Gobierno, C. 61. (open M-Sa 8am-9pm, Su 8am-8pm), the Teatro Peón Contreras, C. 62 (☎924 3954; open daily 8am-9pm), and near the US consulate (open daily 8am-8pm). The tourist offices, most museums and hotels, and many restaurants distribute copies of the invaluable Yucatán Today (www.yucatantoday.com), a bilingual city guide that provides detailed city maps, schedules of events, and coupons for  free margaritas.
• Travel Agency: Yucatán Trails, C. 62 482 x 57 y 59 (☎928 2582 or 5913; www.yucatantrails.com.mx). Canadian owner Denis Lafoy is a great source for info and hosts parties for travelers the 1st F of every month. Check the agency or Yucatán Today for details. Open M-F 9am-7pm, Sa 9am-1pm.
• Consulate: US, C. 60 330 x 29 y 31 (☎942 5759, emergency switchboard 942 5700). Open M-F 9:30am-1:30pm. Emergency hours for American citizens M-F 7:30am-4:30pm. Closed Mexican and American holidays, and the 2nd and 4th W every month.
• Banks: Banamex (☎924 1011), in Casa de Montejo on the Plaza Grande. Has a 24hr. ATM. through the courtyard. Open M-Sa 9am-4pm. Other banks cluster on Paseo de Montejo and C. 65.
• American Express: Paseo de Montejo 492 x 41 y 43 (☎942 8200 or 8210 ext. 42201). Open M-F 9am-6pm, Sa 9am-1pm. Money exchange closes 1hr. earlier.
• Luggage Storage: GuardaPlus, on C. 70 x 69 y 71, at the TAME terminal. Serves 1st- and 2nd-class bus stations. 5-12 pesos per hr. Open 6am-10pm.
• English-Language Bookstores:   Amate Books, C. 60 453A x 51 (☎924 2222; www.amatebooks.com). An excellent selection of Mexican classics, travel books, and translations of Latin American novels. Also offers a secondhand book section. Open Tu-Su 10:30am-1:30pm and 3:30-8:30pm. English Language Library, C. 53 524 x 66 y 68 (☎924 8401; www.meridaenglishlibrary.com) is a good stop for those in town for a bit longer. Open M 9am-1pm and 6:30-9pm, Tu-F 9am-1pm, Sa 10am-1pm. Those looking to read in Spanish should head for Librerías Educal, C. 60 499 x 59 y 61 (☎930 9485), inside the Teatro Daniel Ayala Pérez. A range of Spanish literature and non-fiction, from classics to contemporary works. Open daily 9am-9pm.
• Laundry: La Fe, C. 61 518 x 62 y 64 (☎924 4531), 1 block west of the zócalo. Open M-F 8am-7pm, Sa 8am-5pm. Another on C. 64 x 57 y 55 (☎252 0702). 50 pesos per 3kg. Open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 8am-3pm.
• Emergency: ☎066.
• Police: Reforma x 39 y 41 (☎925 2034 or 942 0070; tourist police ☎942 0060), accessible by the Reforma bus.
• Red Cross: C. 68 533 x 65 y 67 (☎065 or 924 9813).
• 24hr. Pharmacy: Farmacia YZA, C. 62 and 63 (☎924 1490), on the zócalo. MC/V.
• Medical Services: Centro Médico de las Américas, C. 54 365 x C. 33A (☎927 3199, ☎926 2111), for serious illnesses. Clínica de Mérida, C. 32 242 x 27 y 29 (☎942 1800).
• Internet Access: Internet cafes are plentiful throughout the city, as is Wi-Fi. Cibercafe Sta. Luci@, at C. 62 and 55. 12 pesos per hr. Open daily 8am-midnight.
• Post Office: C. 53 469 x 52 y 54 (☎928 5404). Open M-F 8am-5pm, Sa 8am-1pm. Mexpost inside. Postal Code: 97000.

Accommodations

For those who love bargains and colonial architecture, accommodations in Mérida will be a treat. What were once elaborate, turn-of-the-century private mansions now offer affordable lodging near the main bus station and the Plaza Grande. The hotels right outside the second-class bus station and a few blocks south of the Plaza have tempting offers, but the neighborhood is something of a red-light district and is not recommended for nocturnal meandering. That said, crime against tourists here is very rare.

• Nómadas Youth Hostel, C. 62 433 x 51 (☎924 5223; www.nomadastravel.com). Mérida’s oldest and most well-known hostel offers clean dorms with soaring ceilings, an outdoor kitchen, patios, live trova performances, and free weekday salsa lessons. Trips to cenotes, Celestún, and other attractions can be arranged. Ask for a spot toward the back (away from the noisy street) and near a fan. Continental breakfast included. Laundry sinks available. Separate girls’ bunk. Bunks 98 pesos. Private en suite doubles start at US$25. Lights out policy at 11pm. Cash only.
• Sta. Lucia Hostel (HI), C. 55 512 x 62 y 64 (☎928 9070; www.hostelstalucia.com). Mérida’s newest hostel joins the already crowded scene with the HI stamp of approval. Separate male and female rooms and a few private A/C-equipped rooms share an immaculate bathroom and a pleasant kitchen/patio space. Private rooms entered through the dorms. Breakfast with eggs and fruit, lockers, and internet included. On-site tourist agent can help set up daytrips to nearby beaches and ruins. Dorm 90 pesos; private rooms 220 pesos. 10% HI discount. Cash only.
• Hostal Zócalo, C. 63 x 60 y 62 (☎930 9562). One of the best locations in town. Housed in an annex of the Montejo mansion next door. Small dorms with large, soft beds. Cheery communal kitchen. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the busy zócalo. The abundance of private rooms accounts for a slightly older clientele. Breakfast and lockers included. Reception 24hr. Check-out noon. Beds 135 pesos; private rooms 280-500 pesos. Cash only.
• Hotel del Peregrino, C. 51 488 x 54 y 56 (☎924 5491; www.hoteldelperegrino.com), in a bright blue colonial mansion a few blocks from the city center. Former hostel turned upscale, with clean private rooms. Leafy patio, kitchen, and upstairs terrace. Price includes breakfast and Wi-Fi. 1-2 people 490 pesos; 3-4 people 590 pesos; each additional person 120 pesos.
• Hotel Trinidad, C. 62 464 x 55 y 57 (☎923 2033; www.hotelestrinidad.com). Choose from colonial- or modern-style rooms at this hotel that once appeared in Art Forum magazine. Rooftop hot tub, enormous TV with DVD and digital cable, outdoor kitchen, and pool access at a neighboring hotel. Breakfast included. Singles and doubles with fan and shared bath 250 pesos, with private bath 380 pesos, with A/C 400 pesos. 50 pesos per extra person. MC/V.
• Hotel Trinidad Galería, C. 60 456 x 51 (☎923 2463; www.hotelestrinidad.com). Dusty artwork decorates every nook and cranny of this quirky, overgrown colonial mansion. Clean rooms, each devoted to a different art movement. 2nd fl. rooms have much better light and breeze. Couches and fountain with live turtles in the lobby. Large outdoor pool and Wi-Fi. Reception 8am-9pm. Singles and doubles 350 pesos, with A/C 450 pesos; triples 520 pesos. V.
• Hotel Montejo, C. 57 507 x 62 y 64 (☎928 0390; www.hotelmontejo.com), 2 blocks north of the zócalo. Large wooden doors open into rooms with baths, A/C, TVs, window porticos, and high ceilings with wooden beams. 2nd fl. rooms get more air and light. Lush garden patio and restaurant downstairs. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi. Singles 490 pesos; doubles 590 pesos; each additional person 100 pesos. MC/V.
• Casa del Tio Dach, C. 61 446 x 50 y 52, (☎924 5931; www.lacasadeltiodach.com.mx) Slightly farther from the zócalo than other options, Tio Dach doubles as an art gallery, offering small rooms with no windows. Travelers who prefer privacy will like the rooms, which fit 2 people at dorm prices. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi. 150 pesos per bed. Cash only.
• Casa Bowen, C. 66 521B x 65 y 67 (☎928 6109), between the main bus station and the zócalo. Slightly aging colonial mansion. Rooms have fans and firm beds. Rooms in the adjoining building are not as attractive, but still comfortable. Parking available. Reservations recommended July-Aug. Singles 180 pesos; doubles 270 pesos, with A/C 400 pesos; each additional person 50 pesos. Cash only.

Food

As the cultural and political capital of the Yucatán, Mérida’s chefs work overtime introducing the uninitiated to the distinctive flavors of the area’s Cuban-influenced Yucatec cuisine. Try sopa de lima (soup with freshly squeezed lime, chicken, and tortilla), pollo pibil (chicken with sour orange and herbs baked in banana leaves), poc-chuc (pork steak with pickled onions, doused in sour orange juice), papadzules (chopped hard-boiled eggs wrapped in corn tortillas served with pumpkin and tomato sauce), or huevos motuleños (refried beans, fried egg, chopped ham, and cheese on a crispy tortilla, garnished with tomato sauce, peas, and fried plantains). The cheapest food is at the mercado, particularly on the second floor of the restaurant complex on C. 56A at C. 67. (Open M-Sa 6am-7pm, Su 6am-5pm.) The Mercado de Santa Ana at C. 60 and 47 is smaller and much cleaner—the cleanest stalls will be the busiest. (Open M-Sa 6am-8pm, Su 8am-2pm.) A supermarket, San Francisco de Asís, C. 65 x 54 y 52, is across from the market in a huge gray building. (☎924 3011. Open M-Sa 7am-9pm, Su 7am-5pm.)

• La Casa de Frida, C. 61 526A x 66 y 66-A (☎928 2311). This beautiful addition to Mérida’s restaurant scene is host to Mexican specialties like chile en nogada (poblano stuffed with ground meat and fruits, covered in a pecan cream sauce and pomegranate; 105 pesos) and creative vegetarian dishes (80 pesos). An attentive staff will make you feel relaxed among the cacti, twinkling lights, and Frida Kahlo reproductions. Entrees 65-130 pesos. Open Tu-Sa 6pm-midnight. Cash only.
• Cafe la Habana, C. 59 511 x 62 (☎928 6502). This large cafe with A/C and a giant coffee-roasting machine is at the heart of Mérida’s vibrant scene. Always busy, it is a great place for coffee (from 14 pesos), people-watching, and checking email (12 pesos per hr.). Breakfast specials from 35 pesos. Open 24hr. MC/V.
• Savia, C. 59 x 52 y 54 (☎134 5414). A little bit of Berkeley in Mérida, Savia offers a friendly respite for vegetarians. Thumb through National Geographics® (en español) or chat with the waiter over daily specials like vegetarian chilaquiles (30 pesos, with juice) and fruit salad (18 pesos, 21 pesos with yogurt). Open daily 7:30am to 4pm. Cash only.
• Cafe Chocolate, corner of C. 60 and 49 (☎928 5153). Cafe Chocolate is half student hangout, half unpretentious art gallery. Your waitress, when she becomes bored of her conversation on her laptop, will weave past sculptures and paintings to bring you delicious smoothies (19-29 pesos), a caprese salad (49 pesos), or pollo al mole (65 pesos). Bilingual poetry readings Sa 6-8pm. Open M-Sa 7am-midnight. Cash only.
• Dulcería y Sorbetería Colón, Paseo Montejo x 39 y 41 (☎927 6443). At some point on the Paseo Montejo, you will realize that the sun has destroyed any desire to continue moving. Instead of lying prostrate on the sidewalk, come here, sit in the ample and shady outdoor seating area, and have a generously sized portion of sorbet (25 pesos). Flavors run from chocolate to lime to guanabana. Pastries 6 pesos. Open daily 9am to midnight. Cash only.
• Restaurante Amaro, C. 59 507 x 60 y 62 (☎928 2451). Popular with tourists seeking a night out in a calm setting. Attentive service and intimate candlelit tables in a quiet courtyard with live music and a variety of healthful Mexican meals. Great vegetarian dishes like eggplant curry (62 pesos), chaya (leafy vegetable similar to spinach) crepes (69 pesos), and apple pie with wheat crust (30 pesos). Live regional trova guitar 9pm. Tango show F 8:30pm, cover 100 pesos. Open daily 11am-2am. MC/V.
• Cafetería Pop, C. 57 501 x 60 y 62 (☎928 6163). Mérida’s oldest cafe, this spotless, retro diner recently celebrated its 36th anniversary. Cheap, well-prepared food served by attentive waiters. Superior coffee (15 pesos) and banana splits (45 pesos). Breakfast specials (28-48 pesos) served until noon. Entrees 28-65 pesos. Open M-Sa 7am-midnight, Su 8am-midnight. MC/V.
• Pane e Vino, C. 62 496 x 59 y 61 (☎928 6228), in the center of town just across from Teatro Mérida. The slow service at this dimly lit restaurant caters to romantic vacationing couples looking for Italian treats and hearty salads (50 pesos). Homemade gnocchi with fresh pesto 75 pesos. 10% service charge included on all meals. Open daily 9am-9pm. MC/V.
• Los Almendros (☎928 5459) and Los Gran Almendros (☎923 8135), both at C. 50 493 x 57 y 59. Upscale, world-famous Yucatec food with picture menus make these the ideal places to splurge on local delicacies. Poc-chuc (grilled pork steak) or pavo en relleno negro (turkey with dark sauce; 90 pesos). Live trova at Los Almendros and instrumental music at Gran Almendros. Los Almendros open daily 10am-11pm. Gran Almendros open daily 1-5pm. MC/V.
• Restaurante y Ciber Fut & Food, C. 69 524 x 62 y 64 (☎928 3854). Fut & Food’s menu and prices mirror those of dozens of holes-in-the-wall in Mérida. It is this restaurant’s ample, airy space looking out on the charming neighborhood park that makes it stand out from the rest. Tacos 5 pesos. Open daily 7am to 7pm. Cash only.
• Cafe el Hoyo, C. 62 487 x 57 y 59 (☎928 1531). Catch up with Mérida’s hip youth at the high tables in the red-painted courtyard. Game room off the side contains classics like Clue®. Waffles all day starting at 50 pesos. Coffee frappes from 30 pesos. Also serves local beer (20 pesos) making it a popular Friday afternoon stop. Open M-Sa 9am-11:30pm. MC/V.
• Bistro Las Palomas, C. 60 488 x 55 y 57 (☎924 8824), inside Hotel Casa del Balam. A quiet, elegant restaurant with a number of Yucatec specialties for 110 pesos. For the indecisive, the Combinación Maya comes with pibil, poc-chuc, longaniza and queso relleno for 130 pesos. Open daily 7am-10pm. MC/V.
• Vito Corleone, C. 59 508 x 60 y 62 (☎928 5777). Vito Corleone is the Don of pizza in Mérida’s downtown scene, making offers you can’t refuse. Look for the huge, hanging antique bicycle, the giant, wood-fired oven, and the swarms of people spilling onto the street with steaming slices of favorites like margarita (25 pesos for a small). Takeout and delivery also available. Open daily 10am-10:30pm. Cash only.
• Restaurante Mérida, C. 62 498 x 59 y 61 (☎116 3489). Recommended by locals for cheap, dependable Yucatec cuisine. Entrees, like cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork in citrus juice) and pollo en escabeche (marinated chicken), are a bargain at 35 pesos. Open daily 7:30am-1am. Cash only.
• Mc. Taco, C. 56 520 x 63 y 65 (☎928 6989). If you don’t think your stomach can handle the food from the stalls in the market next door, Mc. Taco is a nearby alternative. Small but clean and air-conditioned. You can get standard Mexican enchiladas with a Coke (45 pesos), or kibi frito ( kibbe, a spiced Lebanese meat patty; 28 pesos). Open M-Sat 8am-8pm, Su 10am-5pm. Cash only.

Sights

Mérida stands as a testament to the lengthy and often tumultuous history of the Yucatán. Rimmed by historic palaces, modern Oxxo stores, and a towering cathedral, the busy zócalo is the capital’s social center. On Sundays, the surrounding streets are closed to traffic as vendors cram into stalls. Yucatec folk dancers perform in front of Palacio Municipal while crowds of people stroll along the cobblestone streets. If you can’t make the Sunday festivities, don’t fret. Mérida has daily cultural activities in the many plazas, as well as a host of markets, theaters, and museums to explore. Free 1½hr. walking tours of the zócalo begin at 9:30am in the information office at the Palacio Municipal.