A journey through the Mayan culture

When you travel, you are looking for more than a tourist attraction? Do you like to know the roots, history, traditions, and customs of the inhabitants of each place? Then you are what is known as a cultural traveler, and we have the perfect destination for your next adventure.

Yucatán is situated at the southwest of Mexico, recognized for being the cradle of the Maya Civilization and where the Mayans founded important cities as Chichén Itzá, Izamal, Motul, Mayapán, and Ek 'Balam, now better known as Merida.

Merida, the capital, is full of history and Mayan secrets. Its rich cultural heritage is the product of the mixture of the Mayan, Spanish, and African cultures during the colonial era, later influenced by the French and Lebanese. It is one of the cities with the best quality of life in the country and one of the safest in America, for these reasons is called The White City.

To discover the capital of Yucatan and its surroundings we recommend an itinerary of 3 to 5 days. To start this travel experience we will depart from the Cancun International Airport, since it is one of the busiest in the country, although Merida also has a small airport.

Our first recommended stops are two magical towns on the way to Merida. The first is Valladolid, two hours from Cancun airport, here the magic begins!

Founded in 1543, Valladolid is a small and very picturesque city, the perfect place to start tasting the delicious traditional Yucatecan food, such as cochinita, salbutes, panuchos, relleno negro, poc chuc and a long list of typical dishes, one better than the other in the local market and buying beautiful local handicrafts in the central square. We also recommend you take a night walk near the Franciscan Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, there is a sound and light show, where the history of the place is told.

One hour and forty minutes away from Valladolid, you will find Izamal, the second magical town. One of the most important attractions of this city is the Convent of San Francisco de Padua, built in the 16th century on top of a great Mayan pyramid. With its 75 arches that form an impressive corridor that encloses an esplanade of 7,806 square meters, it is the second biggest in the world. Its ocher yellow color is the perfect contrast for your next photo!

Of course, we can’t speak about Yucatan without mentioning the Cenotes. These formations began as an underground chamber produced by the dissolution of limestone due to the infiltration of rainwater millions of years ago. Over time the cavity increases in size, and the cenote ends up coming to the surface due to the collapse of the upper part. It is estimated that there are more than 2,400 formations in the region. If you are a good swimmer, this is an unmissable experience. Immersing yourself in its cold waters connects you with history and nature in an incomparable way.

Some of our top on the list are Suytun, Zací, Dzitnup, Ik Kil, Zazil Tunich, and Choo-Ha, visit at least a couple, totally worth it!

Between Valladolid and Izamal you can find Chichén Itzá, it is one of the main archaeological sites of the Yucatan peninsula declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and one of the 7 wonders of the modern world in 2007. Touring this heritage from 250 AD will take about 3 hours.

Finally, we will arrive at the capital, one hour from Izamal we will find Merida.

Here we recommend you take a walk along Paseo Montejo, the longest and most beautiful avenue in Mérida, where you can admire its old mansions dating from the colonial and Porfirian times.

The Cathedral of Merida was built with stones from adjacent Mayan ruins and is the oldest in continental America. The Historic Center of Merida is the second largest in the country, only behind Mexico City. Do not miss the Monumento a la Patria , the Casa Montejo, and the Macay Museum; they will be perfect elements to complement your historical-cultural tour.

Cozy, safe, and full of culture, are just some of the characteristics that describe Yucatan. In the surroundings of Merida, you will find incredible hotel options, within historic haciendas in the middle of nature that offer an unforgettable luxury experience. If you want to know our accommodation recommendations and other additional tips, visit our Instagram @tairsluxuryexperiences and subscribe to this blog to discover all the local secrets of this and other destinations.

Discovering a city or country from the hand of locals can completely change your perspective and travel experience. TAIRS Luxury experts can help you create the perfect itinerary and join you at every step so that you will not only visit the destination but will also live it!