SURROUNDING
AREAS, TOURING AND NOTABLE PLACES
Touring in Merida ? A long time ago the city of
Merida was surrounded by seven arches, of which
you can still find the San Juan arch to the
west and the Dragones and el Puente arches to the
east, which is a good place to begin your
tour of the White City?s streets
and buildings.
As you go
down 61st Street,
you?ll come across the Ex Cuartel de Dragones (former
barracks), which was also used
as a hospital during the 18th
century. Continue walking toward the downtown area
until you reach the legendary
Paseo Montejo, the city?s most important
avenue, which is lined with
shopping centers, restaurants and stores housed in beautiful 19th-century
buildings. Along the avenue, you
can stop to take a look at el Monumento a la Patria, a monument that pays
homage to the art of
Mayan sculptures and the most
important figures in Mexican
history. The monument is the
work of Romulo
Rozo, who also created some structures
in Las Americas Park, Merida?s most beautiful
park.
As you walk
down 59th Street
you?ll find la Pinacoteca del Estado
"Juan Gamboa Guzman," where
works of various national and foreign artists
from the 17th to 19th century are on display. Continuing
down the same street, you
can admire the buildings of the Autonomous
University of Yucatan and the
Casa de Cultura. Later you
can visit some of the city?s
old neighborhoods, where you can see
la Iglesia de
la Tercera Orden,
located at 60th Street and 59th Street, and Santa Lucia, at 60th Street and 55th Street, where every Sunday
night artists sell all kinds of
crafts and food stalls offer
Yucatecan fare. In Santa
Ana, located on 60th
Street and 57th Street, you can see several public
squares and churches.
As you continue
the tour, you can visit the Ateneo Peninsular, a French-influenced architectural work built in 1916. Finally, you?ll arrive at
the Plaza Principal (the main square), a perfect place to find a restaurant or to visit
the cathedral, the Palacio Municipal and la Casa de las Artesanias Mayab on 65th Street.
Touring near Merida ? Begin your tour
in the downtown area of the
White City, where you can have
breakfast in one of the restaurants
surrounding the main square. After
visiting the cathedral, go to
the Palacio Municipal, which
has an eclectic façade with Moorish
details. You?ll also see a slender,
central clock tower and eagles adorning
the arches on the first
floor in art deco style. Then
rent a car and get on
the Merida-Cancun Highway 180 and make your
first stop at Km 12.5 at the
Hacienda San Ildefonso Teya, which has been converted into a posh hotel with comfortable rooms. The hacienda also has beautiful gardens and rents
halls for special events and parties. Further
ahead, at Highway 180?s Km 26, you can stop off at Hacienda Katanchel, an old construction
where they used to process
henequen for textile products. The Hacienda Katanchel is also a world
famous hotel. Continuing the tour, at Km
72 you can take a turnoff that will
lead you to the magical
town of Izamal,
where you?ll find the Yucatan
Peninsula?s largest pre-Hispanic construction:
The Temple of Kinich Kak Moo.
There you can also visit the
Ex Convento de San Antonio de Padua. The former convent
has the largest courtyard in Latin America and it
is surround by arches. It was
at this place that former Pope John Paul II gave
a Mass service in 1992, which is why
all of the
houses and buildings in the downtown area are painted yellow and white, the
colors of the Vatican.
Return to Highway 180 and head for archaeological
zone Chichen Itza in the direction
of Cancun. Chichen Itza was
an ancient capital of the Mayan
people. Nearby, the town of
Valladolid lies about 160 kilometers
from Merida, where you can buy
all kinds of crafts in marketplaces,
visit the San Gervasio Church, or admire the turquoise blue waters at cenotes
(sinkholes) Zaci and Dzitnup. The
latter is hidden inside an
inconspicuous cavern, in which the lighting
allows you to appreciate the
beauty of the rock formations.
The tour ends
159 km
(98 mi) from Valladolid in Cancun, Mexico?s most famous
beach destination, where you can marvel
at the white-sand beaches and
the spectacular hotel zone that spans
more than 25 km (15 mi).
