Even before we moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, we were excited about visiting The City of Merida! With plenty of cultural activities and events, there is something for everyone. Plus, many of the events are free.
There are dance groups and music festivals almost every night in one of the many parks in the downtown area. In addition, there is also the theater (we had a private tour - more about this later), The Merida English Library, and the many different museums and art galleries.
Our first stop after taking a taxi from the ADO bus station in Merida was to Hotel Luz en Yucatan for check in. We dropped off our overnight bags and proceeded to enjoy the city. We had a wonderful lunch right across the street from the hotel at Cafe Club Restaurant. Don't be fooled by the "small looking" entrance. Once you enter the restaurant, you realize the place is rather large, with separate dining areas to accommodate special events. And the owner, along with their staff were the friendliest people I've ever met. And, the food was amazing! In fact, they had the best vegetarian pasta dish I have every eaten (see photos at bottom of post). After eating lunch and chatting some more with staff, we decided to walk around town and take photos. Walking the town was easy and relaxing as we watched the city come to life with excitement and activity.
With all that walking and photo taking, it was time to find a place for dinner. We decided to try La Tradicion Restaurant (see photos at bottom of post). This is a nice restaurant with professional staff and modern decor. The food is more traditional Mexican, but I managed to find something on the menu that would accommodate my "plant-based diet". After our leisurely dinner, we continued to explore the town square and enjoy some of the bands that were playing. To finish our night, we stopped at a local Diary Queen for a treat.
Now it was time to get back to Hotel Luz. If the taxi driver had not pointed it out, we would have missed the hotel. With so many little shops and doors all the over the place, it was difficult to know that we were at the hotel. When we first got to the front door, we had to ring a doorbell and speak into a intercom system. Once they verified our reservations, they came to the door and escorted us onto the grounds. Once checked in, they provided us with a front door key so that we would not have to ring the doorbell to enter.
This was a little unsettling to me at first. The first thing I thought was "what type of place had my husband made reservations at"? But once inside, I immediately relaxed. The hotel is huge and very lovely inside. There were people at the pool enjoying themselves and visiting with each other. The rooms are very large with some having kitchenettes. And the water pressure in the shower was just wonderful! Let's just say that Mexico is not known for its high water pressure. Anyway, enough about the rooms and the hotel. I have plenty of photos below for you to enjoy. I do want to mention one last thing about the hotel. There is no restaurant on site. However, the hotel does provide you with a list of wonderful local restaurants.
The next morning it was time to hit the town square for the main purpose of our trip; to attend the Sunday Festival to check out all the crafts, and to see the wonderful Teatro Jose Peon Contreras.
But before we started, we headed out for breakfast. There were several places serving breakfast, and it was not hard to spot the most popular places based on the long waiting lines and the traditional Mexican menu. We opted instead to find a place that offered more options, so we went to the El Castellano Hotel where they offered brunch style breakfast with a variety of choices at the El Salmantino Restaurant.
Now it was time to get busy...and we were not disappointed! The festival offered everything you could possibly think of. But I won't bore you with the details. I've posted over 100 photos for you to enjoy showing all the arts and crafts your heart ever desired. And the Teatro Jose Peon Contreras Theater is simply breathtaking. It reminds me of a cross between The Capital Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah, and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. We were able to have a private tour of this magnificent building. Just standing there one could envision the ladies dressed in their evening gowns with elbow length gloves, and gentlemen looking dapper in their tuxedos. With opera glasses in one hand, and glossy theater programs in the other...the room is filled with music and excitement as they wait for the curtain. It is truly a lovely venue. You get the picture.
So then it was time to go. We took a cab back to the bus station to board the ADO GL bus home to Playa del Carmen. Our time in Merida was short, but sweet. It's a time we will always remember.
If you ever get a chance to visit Merida, run, don't walk, and enjoy.
Additional resources for Merida:
YUCATAN TODAY
EXPLORE YUCATAN
TRIP ADVISOR
PHOTOS:
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| Luz En Yucatan Hotel |
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| Club Cafe |
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| Walking around town |
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| La Tradicion |
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| Hotel Castellano |
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| Sunday craft festival |
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| Teatro Jose Peon Contreras |
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