17 BEST THINGS TO DO IN MERIDA MEXICO: A CITY GUIDE.
Merida, the capital of the Yucatan state is a thriving and bustling Mexican city. As an inland city, often it is overlooked with travellers choosing to visit Cancun and other seaside resorts. However, it has a lot to offer the keen traveller – especially those into food, culture and city vibe.
Read on to find out why we think that Merida is worth visiting and the best things to do in Merida by day and by night.
Don’t have time to read the full post?
Merida top picks 😍
Short on time? Some of our top recommendations for Merida are:
Accommodation 🏨
- BUDGET – Che Nomads hostel or Majikal B&B
- MID-RANGE – Kuka y Letras
- LUXURY – Rosas & Xocalate
Tours & Activities🎫
- Tequila and salsa dancing at Mezcaleria La Fundancion
- Drinks at La Negrita Cantina
- Food & market tour – Eating with Camen Tour
Tips 💡
Spend plenty of time wandering in Merida without an agenda – you are bound to come across something fabulous!
Transport 🚌
Take the Ado bus from Valladolid or many other local cities. There is also an airport in Merida.
Why Merida is worth visiting
Merida was one of the most culturally enriching stops on our Yucatan Peninsula travels. Merida is an inland city, the capital of the Yucatan province and home to over 2 million people.
It has been designated as Pueblos Magicos (a magic town) by the Mexican government owing to it’s cultural heritage.
For tourists, it is fast becoming a hot spot, with many travellers from Canada, the US and Europe visiting. The public transport links, central location and international airport are also adding to the appeal of Merida as a destination.
The reason that we chose to visit Merida, is that we thought it might feel less like a tourist resort and more like a real Mexican city. We were looking for something a little more authentic and I feel that we found that in the streets of Merida.
As soon as I stepped off the bus, I instantly liked Merida.
It is busy, bustling and at times chaotic. But, it feels simultaneously serene and also safe. The nickname of Merida is “The White City”, so called because the frequent use of lime stone to build much of the city.
But, many people also reference the fact that Merida is the safest city in Mexico and that the “white city” refers to the culture of peace and surrender.
How long should you spend in Merida?
Merida is quite sprawling. If you spent two days there, you could still feel that you haven’t fully scratched the surface, especially when it comes to the food and nightlife.
I would recommend at least three, preferably four days if you want to get under Merida’s skin a little, or if you plan to take any day trips.
Best things to do in Merida Mexico
Hopefully we’ve convinced you to visit. Here are the best things to do in Merida by day and night.
1/ Food Tour in Merida
The number one activity for any foodie in Merida is to take a street food tour. We booked our wonderful street food tour in Merida with Eating with Carmen Tours.
The reason that we love a food tour, is that you are able to hit the ground running and find the best food places quickly. Where possible, we always try to book a food tour on our first day in a new city.
The Eating with Camen Tour in Merida lasts for three hours and takes you to THE BEST places for Gordita, El Pastor, Cochinita, Recado Negro and way more. We were so stuffed and deeply satisfied after our whistle stop food tour in Merida, plus it was a great way to meet fellow travellers.
2/ Visit the Cathedral and Plaza Grande
Plaza Grande is bang in the centre of the city. This is where you’ll find the obligatory “Merida” sign, as well as the main tourist attractions. The main square draws large numbers of crowds, whatever time of day and night.
Take a moment to do some people watching, enjoying a seat in one of the Mexican “confidante” chairs.
The Merida Cathedral stands proudly overlooking Plaza Grande. It is free to enter and look around, but do note the limited opening hours – normally from 16:00 to 18:00.
3/ Anthropology Museum
Merida has a number of museums – one of the best, particularly if you are interested in Mayan culture is the Anthropology Museum (Museo Regional de Antropologia). It costs around $5 per person to visit and you can expect to be there for between 90 minutes and two hours.
Currently the exhibits are about Ek Balam and another Mayan Archeological site. If you plan to visit Ek Balam or have visited, the museum is potentially more interesting for you. Exhibits are in Spanish but you will be provided with an online information pack with the translation in English should you need it.
4/ Wander the streets of Merida
If all else fails in Merida, you can reliably find enjoyment by wandering the pretty streets. Every corner I turned, I wanted to take photos of the attractive buildings and street scenes.
Some of the best areas to wander, are around the Santiago district – centered by the pretty Parque de Santiago. Santiago is a bit of an expat hotspot and you’ll find various small art galleries dotted around, as well as food stalls and trendy coffee shops like Manifesto, which makes a mean cold brew.
The other area worth exploring, beyond the main plaza, is around Parque Santa Lucia to the north of the centre. This area is busy at any time of the day and the pretty streets are filled with fancy coffee places and boutique shops.
5/ Explore the food market
Merida has a wonderful labyrinth like food market. If you like the idea of getting lost amongst rows and rows of brightly coloured chili and the waft of spices – then you will love the food market in Merida.
Spend an hour or so here exploring and sampling local food – there are various little food stalls in the market. They are very welcoming to tourists, but a few words in Spanish are helpful to have to hand too.
6/ Shop in Merida
We aren’t huge fans of shopping, but the shops in Merida had us tempted.
There are various places, many of which are filled with things that you would never need in a million years. But, there are some great bargain clothing stores in the centre of town that are worth a browse.
Further out, into the Santa Lucia and Santiago areas, you will also find more boutique stores selling beautiful Mexican handicrafts, such as luxury soaps and garments.
7/ Visit the Merida Museum
The Merida City museum is a free small museum near to the food market. It’s worth popping in, particularly if you’re interested in the history of the city.
Don’t expect to spend long here, perhaps around 30 minutes. The building is cool and beautiful and it makes a welcome break from the heat of the city.
8/ Visit Museo Casa Montejo
Museo Casa Montejo is a small and free museum in Merida. A former house belonging to the Montejo family, it has been beautifully preserved. You can expect to spend around 30 minutes here viewing the house and exhibits.
9/ Dine out
Restaurants have become Merida’s show piece. The gastronomic scene is flourishing. For a full on tasting menu, Nectar is the most popular in town – you may have recently seen it featured on Eva Longoria’s show, Finding Mexico.
The other big hitter in town is the Museum of Gastronomy, which is open as a restaurant for lunch and dinner. If you want a table, book well in advance. It has become extremely popular.
Do note, we found that Merida had very few “casual eateries” that were open into the evening. There are plenty of fancy restaurants, but if you want casual Mexican food, it is best found during the day.
Our favourite late night haunt was the excellent Gordita place on Plaza Grande, which opens until 21:00. But you can expect queues around closing time!
10/ Visit a Cantina
Cantinas are like informal bars that are found everywhere in Mexico. Merida has a few, although many in the centre are more party bars than the traditional Cantina.
The most popular is La Negrita Cantina which has late night live music and party vibes, as well as free snacks. By Merida’s standards, it is a little over priced and you will most likely have to queue to get in, but it’s worth if if you want to let loose whilst in Merida.
11/ Salsa in Merida
Wednesday nights in Mezcaleria La Fundancion are for salsa. Turn up at 21:00 every Wednesday with your dancing shoes and you’ll be treated to a free salsa class. Beginners and those with two left feet are welcome too!
12/ Try a brewery in Merida
Merida has a few breweries and craft beer bars that are well worth a visit for beer lovers. Many offer happy hours as well as late night live music. Bacab Cerverceria was our favourite – a modern and spacious brewery where beer is made on site. Apostol Tap Room is a good craft beer hole to follow after a few in Bacab. It’s a convenient four minute walk away too!
13/ Tequila Tasting in Merida
I’m not aware of any specific tequila tasting tours in Merida, but we found a bar – Mezcaleria La Fundacion – that offers the opportunity to try a tasting of either Tequila or Mezcal. After this, you can then order one of the GIANT margaritas on offer and spend some time enjoying live music in the bar.
14/ Watch a light show in Merida
One of the great things about Merida is that there is some sort of cultural event taking place every night. Light and Sound shows are really popular in this part of Mexico and Merida is no exception.
On Wednesday, look out for events at Casa Monteejo at 20:00. You can see a subtitled Video mapping show. On Saturday the Merida Cathedral is lit up at 20:30. Both shows are totally free.
15/ Local dance show in Merida
On Thursdays at 20:30, you can find Yucatecan Serenade, a display of local dance in Parque Santa Lucia. This is a traditional display of dance and music that has taken place in Merida for many years. On Sunday’s at 13:30 in Plaza Grande, you can see a longer session too. The best bit, this is all free!
Tuesdays in Parque Santiago are pretty special – turn up at 20:30 to watch local people, mostly older generations, dancing with their partners. Watch from the side lines, or join in.
16/ Visit a beach near Merida
The best beach town near to Merida, in our opinion, is Progreso. A short 45 minute bus ride or drive away, is this vibrant beach town complete with a 6km wide sandy beach.
Find our more about visiting Progreso here.
17/ Visit Mayan Ruins near Merida
Both Chichen Itza and Ek Balam are around two hours drive from Merida. It is possible to visit both, especially if you choose a tour to make things easier.
Personally, we think Valladolid is a better base to visit these sites, but it is possible from Merida.
Where to stay in Merida Mexico
Merida is a large city, but the centre is quite confined. Try to stay in the historic centre or just on the edge of it, rather than further out. The hotels we have selected below are in great locations to access the main tourist sites in Merida.
One of the reasons that I love Merida, is that everything is aesthetic. The hotels are no different – effort is made to ensure that design features are elegant. Here are our recommendations for some of the prettiest hotels in Merida.
BUDGET: Budget solo travels in Merida will love the Che Nomads hostel, a luxury style hostel with an outdoor pool and communal space. For couples traveling on a budget, Majikal B&B is an excellent choice. A boutique style B&B, but without the high price tag. Double rooms with balconies start at $40 per night.
MID-RANGE: Kuka y Letras is a tiny boutique hotel on the edge of the city centre towards the Santiago district. It is exceptionally decorated in muted and stylish tones. Guests love the location and the exacting standards of the hotel.
LUXURY: Merida offers many luxury hotels, but possibly the most notable in the city is Rosas & Xocalate. An achingly chic Hacienda style design hotel in the centre of the city, towards the trendy Montejo district. It has a pool to cool off during the sticky city afternoons and a tequila bar for the even stickier nights.
How to get to Merida Mexico
One of the best things about Merida, is that it’s very central in the Yucatan and well connected by transport.
Merida by bus
Ado Bus is the best way to get around the area. You can get many buses to Merida from different parts of the Yuctan and beyond. Valladolid to Merida takes around two hours on the bus, as does Campeche to Merida. But you can connect from Cancun, Tulum and beyond.
We used Bus Bud to book our Ado bus connections. You can check rates and bus times below.
Merida by airplane
One of the little known facts a about Merida, is that it has an airport. You can connect to many international airports in the USA as well as to Mexico City and Oaxaca.
Where to next in the Yucatan?
- Cancun – beaches & food
- Tulum – beaches, yoga and nightlife
- Holbox – island paradise
- Bacalar – paddle boarding and relaxing
- Celestun – flamingos & laid back beach
- Progreso – fun beach town
- Sian Ka’an – nature reserve
- Merida – gastronomic city & culture
- Campeche – glamorous historical city
- Valladolid – history & culture
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
Join our subscriber list for new posts with awesome travel tips. Don’t miss them!
Subscribe below to our newsletter for tips, thru hiking, adventures and insights to places unseen.
Yucatan at Christmas: what to expect
YUCATAN AT CHRISTMAS: WHAT TO EXPECT. Every year, we love getting away at Christmas. Ideally to visit somewhere hot, exotic and totally different to home. We spent Christmas in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula — and it was, in the best possible way, unlike any Christmas we’d known before. There’s something quite magical about being in a…
Why Bacalar Should Be Your Next Travel Destination
IS BACALAR WORTH VISITING? HERE’S WHY WE THINK IT SHOULD BE YOUR NEXT TRAVEL DESTINATION. Bacalar, a town in the South of Mexico, a stone’s throw away from the Belize border is a really rather splendid place. So much so, that the Mexican tourist board recently designated it “pueblos magicos”, literally a magical town. Bacalar…
Is the Yucatan worth visiting for independent travellers?
IS THE YUCATAN WORTH VISITING FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELERS? When you think of the Yucatan, you might think about just Cancun. Visions of sun loungers, luxury hotels with swim up bars and maybe raucous nightclubs like Coco Bongo. It doesn’t exactly sound like the ideal destination for independent travellers i.e. those people who aren’t looking for…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Most of our planning is done using other blogs, but you can’t beat a guide book at the bottom of your case. Click yours below to find on Amazon here and get the travelling started!
USEFUL LINKS FOR FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORT
CHECK LATEST FLIGHTS
ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Please note that some links on our website are partnered with affiliates. Using an affiliate links does not make it more expensive for you to purchase. We receive a small commission whenever you buy something which in turn allows us to keep writing independent travel guides and your support is greatly appreciated.
3 responses to “17 unique things to do in Merida, Mexico”
[…] much there is in the area to thrill any traveller. From white sand beaches, to vibrant cities like Mérida, incredible history at Chichen Itza and stunning natural parks. There’s plenty to enjoy for a few […]
[…] you’re still not decided between Campeche, Merida and Valladolid. You can find our comparison of the three cities […]
[…] can find our detailed guide to the best things to do in Merida here. Or continue to read […]