Merida, a city known for its cleanliness and safety, is the capital of the state of Yucatan and a great starting point for excursions to Chichen Itza and other Mayan ruins. The city itself offers many historical attractions such Casa de Montejo, constructed in the 1540s for Francisco de Montejo, a Spaniard who seized the city from the Mayans.

Merida is also home to the 16th-century Cathedral of San Idelfonso, the oldest cathedral on the American continent. See murals depicting the history of Yucatan at Government Palace, shop for handicrafts, jewelry, fruits and vegetables at local markets, and observe the dress, folklore and dancing of the Yucatan at an open-air concert downtown.