About Mérida

About Mérida and Yucatán

• Yucatán is the safest state in Mexico (no US State Dept travel warning).
• Mérida is widely recognized as one of the (if not the) safest cities in Mexico.
  • Has not seen cartel activity.
  • Large US Expat community lives there.
• Mérida is a typical Mexican city (population approx. 970,000). Although it is located about 190 miles east of Cancún, it is not a major tourist destination for foreigners and therefore has maintained it's local charm.
• The city is designed in a typical colonial style. There are many historic sites, including the Catedral de San Idelfonso, built in 1598, the first in the continental Americas, and the Paseo de Montejo.
• The population is 60% indigenous Maya, and the Mayan language is spoken throughout the region.
• Mérida has 8 major museums, 6 cultural centers, 15 performance spaces with regular programming, and free weekly nighttime cultural events such as Mayan ball game, Vaquería traditional dance show, outdoor concerts, open air markets, etc.
• Mérida is in close proximity to important cultural/historic sites like Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Celestún Biosphere Reserve, and the Mayan pueblo Izamal.