The capital of Yucatan State, Merida is a charming colonial city in a tropical locale and one of the conquistadores' first strongholds in New Spain. Built over a Mayan settlement, Merida retains a strong Mayan influence even today: Many people still speak the language, and women dress in white
huipiles, long sacklike dresses with lacy hems and elaborate embroidery.
The city has good shopping, fine restaurants and hotels, and a couple of nice squares and markets, as well as friendly people. There are three main reasons to visit Merida: first, to try tasty Yucatecan dishes such as huevos motulenos (fried eggs on crisp tortillas served with peas, ham and black-bean paste) and cochinita pibil (pork seasoned with the Yucatecan spice achiote, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked overnight in an open-pit barbecue); second, to use it as a base for touring Uxmal, Chichen Itza and other Mayan ruins; and third, to take part in "Sundays in Merida," when the streets of the old city are closed to traffic, and the downtown plaza fills with food booths and native craftspeople selling their wares at excellent prices (look for hammocks, baskets, pottery and traditional Caribbean shirts called guayaberas).
Other Merida sights include the Cathedral de Saint Idelfonso (one of the oldest in North America, graced with grand domes and gorgeous rose windows), the Governor's Palace, the Church of the Third Order of Jesus (an old Jesuit church), several plazas (where free evening concerts often take place) and the Regional Anthropology Museum (with impressive Mayan artifacts, paintings and jade carvings).
Bird-watchers should make the trip to Celestun (60 mi/100 km west of Merida), where there's a biosphere reserve that's home to more than 300 species of birds. A local estuary is one of only a handful of breeding grounds for pink flamingos. Visit September-April to see the spectacle of thousands of flamingos taking flight over the water. It's best to rent a boat early in the morning. Merida has a small airport with daily flights from Mexico City, Cancun and other cities, including Houston and Miami. 720 mi/1,160 km east of Mexico City.
