Destination: Mérida — Tips & Tales

I am easily influenced by any travel and new cultural experience but my recent visit to Mérida was particularly impressionable - not just as a destination but as a lifestyle and energy.

We landed late in the evening at Mérida International Airport from Mexico City. You can also fly direct through Miami or Houston.. I instantly noticed the sparkling clean airport and a unique sense of orderly energy for Mexico. As it so turned out, Yucatán, of which Mérida is the capital, is known for its safety and cleanliness amongst any Mexican state. Thankfully this is not at the expense of the region’s charm and magic and was particularly welcomed during these days of pandemic traveling.

Our base for the next two weeks was the little known Gulf coast 30 minutes north of Mérida near the harbor town of Progreso where we could enjoy the coast's natural beauty in isolation from the crowds (a separate post to follow). Naturally I was curious to explore the heart of the region that I had started to read and hear so much about and would not miss the opportunity to explore Mérida, even during the pandemic.

Our first excursion into Mérida was to the north of the city for groceries which is closer to Progreso and has the best supermarkets like Chedraui. For lunch nearby, we tried La Tradicion which is a local restaurant serving traditional Yucatecan dishes. It is here that I tasted my first cochinita pibil, the region’s most famous meat dish with slow-cooked pork in achiote, and Panuchos which is another regional favorite of refried tortillas topped with black beans and pulled Turkey with habanero. I also started with a Sopa de Lima which is a regional soup made with the local citrus (limetta) and shredded chicken for a sour but not acidic flavor balanced with the mix of chicken broth and generous toppings of fried tortilla strips. We washed our meal down with refreshing Agua de Jamaica, which is a hibiscus iced tea drink made from dried hibiscus flowers, and Horchata, another traditional Mexican Agua Fresca made from rice and evaporated milk. Delicious all around and filling without feeling too heavy. What is perhaps surprising is that you wont find fish or too much seafood in local recipes despite the peninsula nature of the region.

On our next visit into Mérida we explored the downtown Centro neighborhood to get a sense of the lifestyle. It immediately felt different from the rest of Mexico and even quite European. This is likely because of the colorful Spanish colonial architecture, French style boulevards and the growing movement of international artists making Mérida their home. The combination of Merida’s artisanal roots, raw beauty, affordable historic architecture and perhaps the Mayan energy of the Yucatán have been attracting both Mexican and international artists, restaurateurs and artisans for the past 10-15 years. Though many shops, restaurants and galleries were closed due to the pandemic, there were plenty of open air attractions near the main square, Plaza Grande, where we admired the imposing early colonial Catedral de Mérida- San Ildefonso, and enjoyed one of the tastiest ice-creams I’ve ever had from Pola Gelato Shop- we tried the Vanilla, Tamarind, Chocolate with Chillies and Naranja Agria with Cherries which were all delicious and worth a trip to Mérida in itself!

Our day trip to Mérida wouldn’t have been complete without a mandatory artisanal market visit at Mercado Principal y Taller de Arte Maya - Hunab Ku which a local recommended to us. This mostly open air market has a beautiful courtyard and hosts a selection of Mayan artisanal crafts such as handmade colorful hammocks, crisp white linen Guayaberas made in Kimbila and lightweight straw hats woven in the caves of Santa Cruz all local of Yucatán. Our final stop of the day was the Museo de la Gastronomia Yucateca (MUGY) which could not have been a more perfectly timed visit as we caught the chef taking the very slow underground cooked Cochinita out for a tasting with fresh made corn masa tortillas in the beautiful backyard staged with traditional Yucatán huts and details. Tasting the braised pork melting in our mouths was more than enough to convince us to stay and enjoy a meal in the open air courtyard. This time we accompanied our meal with Mezcal margaritas- classic lime and perfectly fresh!

Please read on for more Mérida discoveries here, including a guide for where to stay, eat/drink and visit.