
Mérida
Mérida, capital of the state of Yucatán,
is known as the White City. Although the downtown area still preserves its
unique, age-old flavor, Mérida is a lively, modern
city that combines the best of its bohemian and provincial traditions with a
contemporary life style.
The city atmosphere is mixed with the poetic
creativity of its inhabitants, qualities that are highly appreciated by
Mexicans. In Mérida there is always music and
dancing, great ambiance, and a lot to see and do, a combination that guarantees
the success of any incentive trip.
Location
Mérida is located in eastern México, in the state of Yucatán, near the coast of the Gulf of México and 828 miles
away from México City.
Air Transportation
The following airlines serve Mérida:
Aeroméxico, Mexicana, Aerocaribe, Aerocalifornia, Aviacsa, and Continental.
Climate
The climate is hot and semi arid, with rains at the
end of the summer.
Hotels
Eight deluxe hotels with a total of 763 rooms are
located in the Mérida metropolitan area. Six of them
were once old haciendas that functioned as henequen (sisal) plantations, and
have been converted into luxurious hotels, equipped with all modern comforts,
that are ideal for small, exclusive and highly personalized incentive trips.
These hotels make ideal places from which to visit
major attractions such as Uxmal, Chichén
Itzá and the city of Mérida.
Special Venues for Events
The former henequen (sisal) haciendas near the city
provide spectacular venues for gala dinners and special events, and they have
the banquet services necessary to host these affairs. To dine in town, there
are a number of restaurants that feature regional shows, making them especially
appropriate for incentive groups.
|
Season |
Minimum (°F) |
Maximum (°F) |
|
Spring |
72 |
90 |
|
Summer |
81 |
100 |
|
Fall |
68 |
86 |
|
Winter |
63 |
82 |

Tourism
Main Tourist Attractions of the City
In addition to its excellent infrastructure, Mérida has several artistic and cultural programs;
delicious regional cuisine; Folklore; age-old customs and traditions;
exquisitely made handicrafts; typical markets and modern malls.
Attractions include:
• Zócalo (Main Plaza).
•
Cathedral.
• Government Palace.
• Montejo House.
• Macay Museum.
• City Museum.
•
Anthropology and History Museum.
• Folk Art Museum.
• State University Patio.
Main Tourist Attractions in the
Surrounding Area
• Progreso and Telchac offer
visitors white sandy beaches and
calm sea.
•
Archeological Sites; Chichén Itzá,
Dzibilchaltún, Uxmal,
Oxkintok, Xcambo, Ek Balám, Labana
Y Mayapán.
•
Valladolid and Izamal are picturesque villages very
close to Mérida.
• Colonies of flamingos inhabit the waters
of Celestún, Uaymitun
and Rio Lagartos.
• Cenotes (sink holes) and Caverns
•
Old henequen (sisal) Haciendas, like Hacienda Ochill,
40 miles
south of Mérida on the road to Campeche, that have been
renovated and now function as hotels and restaurants.
Special Activities for Incentive Groups
Natural and Urban Landscape
Mérida’s Historic Center is eclectic because its architecture
blends the traditional and the modern. Paseo Montejo, which is the main tourist avenue, still preserves
some of the old mansions that date from the golden age of henequen. The modern
part of the city extends north, towards the Progreso
highway.
Shopping and Art
The best buys in Mérida are
the local crafts; embroidered dresses, hats and hammocks.

Nightlife and Shows
Thursday evening beginning at 7pm, on the Santa Lucía Plaza, there is a Yucatán
traditional music and dance performance.
In Uxmal, which is a short
distance from Mérida, there are regularly scheduled
presentations of México’s most famous light and sound show. It is customary to
combine the show with lunch at one of the haciendas located in Mérida’s metropolitan area.
Mérida’s nightlife is synonymous with variety. Sidewalk cafes,
restaurants, movies, theatres and discotheques are located in the Historic
Center as well as in the more contemporary neighborhoods.
Unique Attractions
Mérida makes an excellent base for visiting archeological
sites, ecological reserves, cenotes, haciendas or
colonial cities.