Merida City Tour with Mundo Maya Museum

We will explore the historical centre of Merida, built more than 450 years ago on the site of T’ho, an ancient Mayan city. We will visit the magnificent Cathedral of San Ildefonso, built with the stones of ancient Maya temples. Construction of this cathedral began in 1561, and it is therefore the oldest one in Latin America. Inside we can find murals depicting the meeting between Francisco de Montejo, founder of Merida and the Mayan King Tutl Xiu. We will visit Casa Montejo - the grandiose home of Francisco de Montejo, and the Governor's Palace, housing 27 huge murals by Don Fernando Castro Pacheco illustrating the somewhat violent history of Yucatan.

From the beautiful tree-shaded Plaza Principal (central square) we can take pictures of the Cathedral, the Palacio Municipal (town hall), Casa Montejo, and the Governor's Palace. We drive along the historical boulevard Paseo Montejo, fashioned after the Champs Elysees with its stately homes, shops and quaint restaurants.

Finally we will visit the Mundo Maya Museum with its spectacular building structure, this museum displays a magnificent collection of more than 500 pieces: textiles, religious objects, engravings, books and historical documents, as well as the heritage from the pre-Hispanic era which includes steles, bas-relief, and stone sculptures.