Back

Walking tour of Merida

Merida at night

Stroll through the pretty colonial core of the regional capital, discovering historic mansions and churches before taking a promenade in a horse-drawn carriage.

Founded more than 450 years ago on the site of an important Mayan city, the relaxed capital of the Yucatán peninsula has a grandeur and elegance undiminished by the ages. Much of the colonial architecture was built with stones from toppled Mayan temples, and the cultural vestiges of the Maya are equally intertwined in the city's modern-day society.

The main sights are clustered within a compact area, so a walking tour is an ideal way to visit them while getting your bearings. Begin at the main square, shaded by laurel trees and surrounded by handsome buildings including Latin America's oldest cathedral. Visit Casa Montejo, the grandiose home of the city's founder, complete with ornate porticos. Next, take a look around the Governor's Palace, with its collection of unflinchingly graphic depictions of the region's violent history, before a final promenade along the stately boulevard of Paseo de Montejo in a horse-drawn carriage – a fitting mode of transport for exploring this sedate and historic city.

Mexico
Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan

Holidays Walking tour of Merida

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Pool at a hotel in Mexico

Private Journeys

Mexico

Luxury Mexico: Yucatan in style

11 days from £5,300pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Dancers in traditional dress in Mexico

Private Journeys

Mexico

Value Mexico: Mayan Yucatan and coast

8 days from £2,090pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Beaches and coast of Tulum, Mexico

Private Journeys

Mexico

Self-drive Mexico: Discover the Yucatan Peninsula

13 days from £2,320pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Day of the Dead

Private Journeys

Mexico

Signature Mexico: Cultural heartlands to Caribbean coast

15 days from £4,420pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Finn Clennett
    Finn Clennett - Travel Expert

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

0 1 2 3 4 5