Merida Profile
|
| Capital of Yucatan State, Merida was an important Maya city called T'ho that resisted Spanish domination for several decades. Hot and sultry, Merida today is a busy metropolis that attracts many tourists, both foreign and domestic. In addition to being a good base for touring the region, this friendly city offers loads of cultural activities and has an active ex-pat population. |
|
|
|
| Swimming | | | hotel swimming pools; cenotes (sinkholes) in surrounding countryside for the adventurous |
|
| Snorkeling | | | the blue Caribbean is about four hours away; some snorkeling in cenotes |
|
| Diving | | | Caribbean coast four hours away |
|
| Bike Riding | | | Busy city streets make riding dicey |
|
| Fishing | | | In Progreso, or with fishermen along the north coast |
|
| Walking | | | Lots of neighborhoods and city walking, but noisy traffic, smelly buses |
|
| Good Food | | | Cochinita pibil (pit-cooked pork in banana leaves); sopa de lima (fresh lime-sparked chicken soup); panuchos (puréed black bean-stuffed corn tortillas); hot chile habanero |
|
| Art | | | Art museum |
|
| Reading | | | Has an excellent English-language lending library |
|
| Supermarket | | | Several large supermarkets |
|
| Museums | | | Small anthropology museum |
|
| Ruins | | | An excellent base for visiting nearby ruins as daytrips or overnight excursions |
|
| Sightseeing | | | Excellent day trips to see ruined Franciscan monasteries, small towns, or the north coast |
|
| Spanish School | | | several major Spanish schools |
|
| Tennis | | | 1 few courts at major chain hotels |
|
| Handicrafts | | | Wonderful hammocks, huipiles and guayaberas, some "Panama" hats, but fewer crafts than one might expect |
|
| Shopping | | | Plenty of shops, some nice silver jewelry, but far from exceptional |
|
| Movies | | | Several movie theaters with English-language films |
|
| Sporting Events | | | major birding festival |
|
| Jungle | | | A major city, but surrounded by scrubby low jungle |
|
| Colonial | | | A colonial city, unfortunately old mansions mainly replaced by 20th-century blight |
|
| Ocean | | | Progreso, Gulf of Mexico, 40 minutes away; Caribbean 4 hours away |
|
| Lake | | | No lakes, but area full of fascinating sinkholes (cenotes) for bathing |
|
| Country | | | Aging haciendas turned B&B, some for sale |
|
| Town | | | Merida is a busy city, but old neighborhoods invite exploration |
|
| City | | | A friendly, bustling city perfumed by bus fumes |
|
| Humid | | | Exceptionally hot and humid |
|
| Luxurious | | | Some elegant haciendas turned B&B; 5-star hotels |
|
| Mid-Range Hotels | | | Plenty of mid-price hotels, some charming, others somewhat run-down |
|
| Budget Hotels | | | Lots of budget hotels, a few hostels |
Spanish Language
Mexican Slang
Proverbs
Expressions
Vocabulary
Miscellaneous
Retire in Mexico
Dentists in Mexico
Mexico Travel Guides
Mexico Maps
Driving Distances
Weather in Mexico
Event Search
Events by City
Real Estate
Rentals
Hotels
Buying Real Estate
How to get an FM3
Budget Airlines
Buses in Mexico
Best of Mexico
Meal Deals
Articles
Reading List
Funny Signs
Only in Mexico
About
Free listings
Submit a Site
Resources
Contact
