7-Days of Charm: Escape to Mérida, Mexico

Check into your lodging. You’re probably already feeling the heat, so grab your suit and take your first of many dips in the hotel or hacienda’s pool. This should be a required amenity for any lodging you take. Relax and enjoy a laid-back afternoon supper/early dinner at Manjar Blanco. Head to the Plaza Grande by 8 pm, where you’ll step back centuries watching a live ball game of the ancient Mayan sport Pok ta Pok.

Sunday mornings in Mérida are for bicycle rides on the Bici-Ruta Maya, where streets are closed every week for this community ride. Cycle down the Paseo de Montejo and through the downtown streets with local families and visitors alike. You can find a bike for-hire company or just grab one of the En Bici bikes. Spend the afternoon perusing artifacts at the Museo de Antropoligía e Historia. It is housed in an ornate mansion that you likely biked by earlier in the day. Finish with a stop for mezcal and fried snacks at La Negrita or El Cardenal Cantinas.

Hit the road in your rental car or your tour bus for a day trip to the World Heritage Site ruins of the Uxmal. Just an hour’s drive away, the ruins are a remarkable collection of Mayan architecture. Chichen Itxa may be the more well-known of the surrounding ruins. Uxmal is typically less crowded, has more iguanas free roaming the grounds and you can still climb many of the pyramids. Stop for lunch at The Pickled Onion in Santa Elena. It’s likely not to be very crowded, but the meal will be pleasing, and the owner may step out for a conversation. On the way back to Mérida, there are several cenotes to stop for a cool down. Choose either Cenote X’batun for the lily pads or Dzonbacal for the hidden vibe.

Take the “Taste of Yucatán” class at Los Dos, where you’ll sample regional cuisine, including indigenous ingredients and cooking methods. Breakfast, a walking tour of the central market, the cooking class, wine/beer and your afternoon feast are all included. Spend eight hours cooking, eating and learning with local experts. Walk off your comida fuerte with a stroll to the Plaza Grande and Parque Hildalgo. Relax for a bit in the “confident” seats. Finish with a sorbet or milkshake at El Colon, serving these sweet treats made from fruit since 1907.

Note: Taste of Yucatán is only offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reservations must be made in advance.

Time to get back on the road for a day trip to the Celestún Biosphere Reserve. Enjoy a quick breakfast on your way out of town at Soco, for photo-worthy croissants. Just after you cross the bridge into town, stop at the Mangroves of Dzinitun for a guide-led canoe trip. Traverse through the dense mangroves, keeping your eye out for birds, fish, reptiles and maybe the flamingoes. The tour also ends in the otherworldly salt flats. Head through town to the beach to grab lunch under the shade at Restaurant La Boya and watch the boats ferrying locals and flamingo watchers come in and out of the harbor. Make sure to order the large ceviche, made from fresh local fish. On the way back into Mérida, stop off at the only Costco with a cenote in the parking lot.

Now that you’ve got your bearings, spend the day walking the streets keeping an eye out for the red and white Esquinas de Mérida on the corners of various buildings. The plaques often feature a drawing or name that is based on a legend or event related to that location, and there are over 650 in the city. Do a little souvenir shopping at the mercados (San Benito and Lucas de Gálvez are across the street from each other). Grab some tacos for lunch at Wayan’e. Optional, take a drive out to the edge of the Yucatán jungle for some tranquility at Plantel Matilde. It was designed by artist Javier Marín and his architect brother, Arcadio Marín. End your vacation with a celebratory dinner at Museo de La Gastronamía Yucateca.