Colonial Merida and Mayan Dzibilchaltun

This tour is similar to the big-boy tour companies, but ours is lighter on its feet, which means we can do more; plus, since it is personalized, you don't have to wait for those folks in the bathroom or that amateur photographer who wants to take that one last picture before getting on the bus.

Our tour takes you and your group (no strangers) to the main square in Mérida, here we

  • visit the Palacio de Gobierno aka state government buildings with its murals that depict the Yucatan's violent history painted by the famous Yucatecan painter Fernando Castro Pacheco

  • check out the Montejo house, now a bank and museum (unfortunately closed on Mondays) that was once the founder of the city's residence. Note the Spanish conquistadores standing triumphantly on the heads of wailing Mayans, carved in stone on the elaborate facade. Very photogenic

  • pop into the cathedral of San Ildefonso, the oldest cathedral on the North American mainland. The inside is pretty austere and un-decorated thanks to ransacking and burning many years ago, when the political powers of the day determined that the church had too much power. If you are lucky you will see/hear a mass

  • stop for a refreshing sherbet at Sorbeteria Colon, that has been open and serving Merida's citizens since 1907 (included)

From there, we head towards the Dzibilchaltun Mayan ruins but make a pit stop at a very local street-front taqueria that often has standing room only. Probably some of the best tacos you will ever eat and the never-ending stream of locals stopping for a bite is proof of this place's popularity. We will eat some tacos and try horchata, jamaica and chaya con piña drinks (included)

THEN, we go to Dzibilchaltun for a visit to this Mayan site (entry and tour included) and get a guided visit of the site. NOTE: A swim in the cenote is NO LONGER possible due to ongoing issues with the water and disruption of the delicate ecosystem there. It’s best to visit the site after touring Merida in that most of the other cruisers will already be on their way out, making it a less crowded experience for you.

As usual, this tour includes an on-board cooler with refreshments of your choice (let us know in advance, por favor) to keep you hydrated and happy. Also, remember that ALL our tours are customizable so feel free to let us know what to leave out, or add to this itinerary.

Possible Options on this Trip

Merida's giant main market - stroll through miles of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and fish markets, food stalls, hardware aisles, live animal sections and exotic spices in giant bags and barrels. If you are lucky you might hear some live music in there as well. We may have to take out Dzibilchaltun (above)

Shopping - Guayaberas, embroidered shirts and blouses, Yucatecan crafts, Mexican silver, grocery and liquor stores, hammocks... whatever. We may have to take out Dzibilchaltun (above) if you want to a lot of this.

Lunch - Merida has some GREAT restaurants so we could skip some of the cultural items and concentrate on trying some terrific Yucatecan cuisine, which is nothing like "Mexican" food you may have back home. In fact, it is one of the things that makes the Yucatan famous throughout the entire country and people like Martha Stewart, Rick Bayles and others have come here to learn something. Because of time constraints, we may have to take out Dzibilchaltun (above) if you prefer a sit-down lunch.

If any of this sounds interesting, let us know on the booking form and we will plan a special day just for you and your group, based on what YOU want to experience.