The best 1 week Yucatán itinerary – focus around Mérida
If you are planning a trip to Yucatán, Mexico, you probably already know that you want to visit the world famous Chichén Itzá, spend some time relaxing on the beach, & maybe even relax in a cenote but you may not have figured out much else. And let me promise you that there is sooooo much to do in Yucatán that you really will have to be strict with yourself!
With just one week in this glorious part of the world, you’re going to need to do some planning to ensure you make the most of it! The State of Yucatan has caught travellers’ attention and its capital, Mérida was recently rated as the second safest city in the Americas. With a vibrant culture and arts scene and easy day-trip access to beautiful beaches, small towns or pueblos, and loads of ancient Mayan ruins, Yucatán State is quickly becoming a favourite holiday destination.
In this article we’ll be helping you to plan the very best 1 week in Yucatán itinerary for you. We’ll cover
→ Exploring Mérida, Yucatán’s gorgeous capital city including all the free activities available to visitors
→ How to visit the other cities, towns and pueblos magicos (magical towns) in Yucatán
→ The best beaches, archaeological sites and cenotes to visit when you only have one week to explore Yucatán
If you want to miss the useful planning info and head straight to the itinerary, click right here!
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Just an FYI:
1️⃣ By the time you finish reading this article you’re going to be wishing you had more than a week to spend in Yucatán
2️⃣ You’ll also have a much clearer idea of how your 1 week Yucatán itinerary will look
😉
Where to stay with 1 week in Yucatán
If you have 1 week in Yucatan, we recommend that you base yourself in the gorgeous city of Mérida and take day trips.
You could do a short road trip, but with just 1 week it really makes sense not to move around too much. We want you to relax and enjoy yourself and we are confident that there is more than enough to keep you busy in and around Mérida for your one-week vacation in Yucatán.
🏨 MexicoCassie’s favourite elegant hotel: Caza Azul Monumento Historico – If pure traditional elegance is what you’re looking for, look no further than this gorgeous slice of Mérida’s history. Price includes a wonderful breakfast.
→ Check rates and availability now
🏨 🦜 Best Quirky Boutique Hotel: Casa San Ángel – this is an absolute gem of a hotel, perfectly located at the Remate de Montejo within walking distance of everything you’ll want to explore. This isn’t a ‘swanky’ hotel, rather it’s a deliciously quirky place and definitely one of the most interesting hotels in town. There is A.C in every room and a nice outdoor pool.
→ Check rates and availability now
🏨 ♻️ Best Eco Hotel: Kuka Y Naranjo – if ethical living and a serious commitment to sustainability matter to you, then you can’t beat this small, boutique hotel in Mérida. With just 8 rooms in the main hotel and 3 more in their second space, you will feel immediately relaxed here. There is a lovely outdoor eco-pool and every room has A.C. The funky hotel restaurant serves up delicious vegan takes on local cuisine.
→ Check rates and availability now
🏨 MexicoCassie recommended great value hotel: Hotel La Piazzetta – located on Plaza Mejorada, this is a gorgeous little hotel with beautifully appointed rooms, and incredibly kind and welcoming owners
🏨 Best Hostel: Che Nomadas – this long standing popular hostel in Mérida remains my top pick for hostels thanks to its great location, clean rooms (private & shared), fab atmosphere, great bar and good pool.
→ Check rates and availability now
🐾 Because Mérida is such a pet friendly city, there are plenty of pet friendly hotel options available to visitor.
🗺️ Or, if none of these work for you, you can use the interactive MexicoCassie accommodation finder
How to get to Yucatán
✈️ The best way to get to Yucatán is by flying into Mérida International Airport (MID). For many travellers, that means at least one stop at either Houston, Dallas, Miami, or Mexico City
🚌 ADO buses service the whole peninsula and further afield. It is possible to get a bus to Mérida from Cancun, Tulum or even CDMX
→ You can check bus timetables and buy tickets via the ADO website or via BusBud – from personal experience I recommend BusBud because there’s less chance of them randomly cancelling your ticket and not telling you. Yes, this happened to MexicoCassie.
Top Tip: When booking your flight, always check flights to Cancun as well as Mérida. If you are travelling on a budget, you could consider arriving in Cancun and taking the super efficient and comfortable ADO buses to Merida or renting a car.
Yucatán is one of Mexico’s safest states, making it a perfect spot for a vacation.
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to safety in Yucatán for more information
How to explore around Yucatán
🚗 Driving
Driving offers you freedom from other people’s schedules and allows you to visit places buses or tours might not offer. Roads in Yucatán are well maintained and cops are not dodgy.
→ Check rental options and prices here
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to renting cars and driving in Yucatán
🚝 Train
The Maya Train offers yet more exciting experiences in this region and Mérida, Izamal and Valladolid are all main stations along the route.
👣 Tours
When you only have a week to play with, booking tours through aggregate companies like Viator or GetYourGuide is often a good idea. Having other people take you to show you the best of the state without having to organise anything yourself is a very good idea, especially when you only have a short amount of time to play with.
⭐️ I’ve included links to some of the best tour options below.
Best time to visit Yucatán
Really there is no bad time to visit Yucatán.
🔆 November – March when the weather is dry and warm is the very best time to visit making spring break a great option for a trip to Yucatán
🔆 🔆 April – May are very hot so if you enjoy the heat and humidity, you’ll be fine. Others may struggle with the mid-day heat but that’s when the beach and cenotes are the most refreshing!
☔️ June – October is the rainy reason and although tropical storms and hurricanes are rare, they do occur. During the rainy season most days will have an hour or so of rain. Humidity is high
1 week Yucatán itinerary hit list
As we said above, we reckon the best thing to do is to base yourself in Mérida so that your evenings can be used to enjoy the amazing free cultural activities hosted by the ayuntamiento (local government) and the fabulous restaurants Mérida has to offer.
👧🏽 And, of course, if you’re visiting Yucatán with kids, don’t forget to pick up a copy of Cassie’s guide book, “Yucatán with Kids” to ensure you find the very best options for the younger members of the family.
Suggested 1 week Yucatán Itinerary
Day 1 – Mérida culture day – museums, wander through Centro and along the magnificent Paseo de Montejo
Day 2 – Day trip to a Mayan archaeological site such as Chichén Itzá, or Uxmal
Day 3 – Mérida Food – explore the market, Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca and sample traditional street food
Day 4 – Day trip to a cenote
Day 5 – Mérida Culture day – explore the cemetery and browse for souvenirs (in shops, not the cemetery)
Day 6 – Day trip to the beach
Day 7 – Day trip to a colonial town/pueblo magico such as Valladolid or Izamal
Mérida activities
Walking in Mérida
Mérida’s historic centre is the second largest in Mexico and it’s a really great place to enjoy aimless wandering. Don’t miss the main plazas: Plaza Grande, Santa Ana, Santa Lucía. Or, of course, the magically beautiful Paseo de Montejo.
For those who prefer a structured stroll, Mérida City Council provides free Mérida walking tours with a local guide (each tour takes about ninety minutes) daily Monday to Saturday at 9.30 am and 5 pm. Or you can pre-book a tour if you don’t love the uncertainty of strictly controlled numbers on the free tours.
Mérida museums
These are some of the most popular museums in Mérida but it’s worth keeping in mind that there are actually over 20 museums in the city.
Gran Museo de Mundo Maya – Located in the north of the city, this is a fabulous museum where, in addition to their regular exhibits about Maya history, they almost always have special exhibits on.
Quinta Montes Molina – a living replica of a traditional (upper class) Yucateca family home
Anthropological Museum (Palacio Canton) – an important look at the history and cultural heritage of the region
Museo Casa Montejo – this was the first colonial home in Mérida and has been restored and turned into a free museum
Palacio de la Musica – an interactive and modern museum about the region’s musical history
Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca – honestly, It’s a bit of a stretch to call this a museum; micro-museum if we must. It’s more of a restaurant with a small exhibition area but we loved the location and feel of the place. It’s a good opportunity as to see how they make the famous (and delicious) Yucatecan dish, Pibil.
💀 The cementerio general, just south of centro, is worth a visit. You can learn a lot about Merida’s social and political history while strolling through this large and colourful cemetery. This cemetery is where Mérida’s Paseo de las Animas begins during Día de los Muertos.
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to the museums of Mérida
Free activities in Mérida
Mondays: Vaqueria. Watch a local dance troupe perform traditional dances and enjoy the witty poetry that is interspersed with the dancing.
Tuesdays: Remembranzas Musicales. Everyone, old, young, local, visitor, just piles onto the dance floor and enjoys dancing to the live band.
Wednesdays: Dialogos del Conquistador. This is part video mapping, part theatrical performance at the house of the Spanish Conquistadors, the Montejo family.
Thursdays: see the Jarana, a traditional Yucatecan dance.
Saturdays: Poc-ta-Poc (traditional Mayan ball game) demonstration, Noche Mexicana and the Isla de Luz video mapping show twice a month.
Sundays: Biciruta. The city closes down parts of the historic centre and everyone comes to cycle and skate. There are loads of stands dotted around the route renting bicycles, some built for two or more! Local artists come and set up on the side of the Paseo Montejo section to sell their wares. And if you don’t fancy a bike ride, there are a number of cafes where you can sit, have a bit and take in the vibrant scenery.
→ Read the full Mexico Cassie guide to the free activities in Mérida
Shopping options in Mérida
✅ Around Plaza Grande / Parque Santa Lucia. Calles 60 – 62 and the roads between them in particular
✅ Around Parque Santa Ana
✅ Paseo de Montejo – don’t miss Casa T’hó, Tejon Rojo, Matilda, or Cielo Hamacas
✅ All around Lucas de Galvez Market and the still fairly new upstairs artisanias section of the market
Lucas de Galvez Market: Though tourists may visit this market, don’t be fooled, this is a market for locals. You’ll find huge sacks of spices, pyramids of every local fruit and vegetable imaginable, fish and meats, flowers, tools, souvenirs jewellery, and amazing custom-fit leather sandals made to measure as you wait.
In the streets around the market are more small stores selling great souvenirs, traditional goods and more. You’ll also find “piñata street”, which is great if you’re in town for a birthday or Christmas celebration.
Day trips from Mérida
Mérida is wonderful for many reasons, its incredible location being one of them. We promise you that no Yucatecan adventure is complete without at least one archeological site, one cenote, and time at the beach.
Maya archaeological sites
Realistically, if you’re in Yucatán for one week, you’ll probably only only be visiting one ruin unless you’re a Maya ruin nut (like MexicoCassie). For most people this will be the modern wonder of the world, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chichén Itzá but others may wish to see something a little different, a little less crowded and more off-the-beaten-path.
Option 1: Chichen Itza and Cenote
It’s perfectly possible to visit Chichén Itzá in a day from Mérida whether you choose to visit as part of a tour or alone. The most popular day trips include a stop at a cenote on the way home to cool off and marvel at the beauty of these ancient swimming spots.
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to visiting cenotes near Chichén Itzá
👣 MexicoCassie recommended 5 ⭐️ Chichén Itzá tour option: from Mérida enjoy a day trip to Chichén Itzá, Cenote Yokdzonot and Valladolid – a three-in-one of the incredible ruin, one of MexicoCassie’s favourite cenotes in the region and the gorgeous city of Valladolid. Perfection!
Option 2: Uxmal followed by a visit to the Choco-Story Museum
Uxmal is one of the most important sites of Mexico and the largest of the Ruta Puuc sites. Like Chichén Itzá, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And though there are tourists and vendors, it is a much quieter and more tranquil experience than Chichén Itzá.
👣 MexicoCassie recommended 5⭐️ tour option: take a private day trip to explore Uxmal and the nearby Choco-Story Museum with a fully bilingual guide, private vehicle and lunch.
Option 3: for the real archeological enthusiasts – the Ruta Puuc
The Ruta Puuc is a series of five archaeological sites all built in the same style. The name Ruta Puuc means hill route which is funny because Yucatán is really flat. But when everything is so flat, even the slightest bulge causes excitement.
→ Read more about the Ruta Puuc here
👣 MexicoCassie recommended 5⭐️ tour option: take a full day private tour of the Ruta Puuc. The tour includes guided tours around Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, and Labná as well as lunch, refreshments and private transport to & from your hotel.
Other nearby ruins include Mayapan, Dzibilchaltun and Xcambo
Yucatan’s incredible beaches
You really can’t spend a week in Yucatán and not check out the gentle beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. You may also see the Yucatan coast referred to as, “La Costa Esmerelda“, the Emerald Coast, so named because of the the gorgeous green water and perfect white sands.
➕ If you’re travelling with children, it’s good to know that Yucatán’s beaches are some of the most family friendly in Mexico.
Option 1: Progreso, El Corchito and Xcambo
A great option is to combine a beach day in Progreso with a visit to the open cenotes at El Corchito and even a visit to the archaeological sites of Dzibilchaltun or Xcambo.
Progreso is a busy and popular beach town about thirty minutes from Mérida. You can get there by bus but if you want to combine it with El Corchito and explore the vicinity, you should hire a car or driver for the day.
The beachfront is full of local restaurants, bars, and beach clubs. The Malecon is a large pedestrianised walkway where one can cycle, skate, or amble peacefully. There are climbing structures, trendy container coffee shops and food vendors along the length of the Malecon. Walk far along enough to the left of the main pier on a windy day and you can stop and watch kite surfers take majestic leaps through the air.
If you have a car and the energy to visit a small but beautiful ruin then Xcambo is probably something you should consider visiting while you’re in Progreso.
→Read the full MexicoCassie guide to Progreso
Option 2: Celestun and Flamingos
The Celestun biosphere is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its delightful pink flamingos. Tourists often see the flamingos and then return to Mérida, not realising that the beach here is gorgeous. Taking a tour in the biosphere and then following it with fish tacos on the beach makes a pretty perfect day out as part of your one week in Yucatan.
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to Celestun
👣 MexicoCassie recommended tour: spend a day exploring Celestun, take a boat ride on the ría to find the flamingos, and then relax on the gorgeous beach after. The tour doesn’t include lunch but your guide will give you great tips on where to eat in Celestun.
Option 3: Isla Columpios
This is a fairly recent addition to the beach day activity options from Mérida. Head towards Chuburná Puerto and keep going until you can’t go any further. Here you’ll find both the amazing and wild Playa Chuburná Puerto and the small boats (lanchas) waiting to take you to Isla Columpios where you can relax, play on the swings (columpios is ‘swings’ in Spanish) and enjoy yourself.
👣 MexicoCassie recommended tour: take a full day tour that includes transport to the islands (minibus & boat), time relaxing around Isla Columpios, and free time in Progreso too.
Yucatán’s magnificent cenotes
Before you decide if you want to visit a cenote (you do) you should know what one is, right?
Geologically speaking, cenotes are natural sinkholes caused by collapsing limestone bedrock, exposing the groundwater below. The Yucatán Peninsula is absolutely covered with cenotes and underground rivers linking them. Cenotes were used by ancient Mayans as sources of freshwater, and as such they built cities near them. They also considered the crystal-clear waters of cenotes to be sacred entrances to the underworld.
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to cenotes near Mérida to see which one(s) you want to visit during your one-week trip.
→ If you’re visiting with kids, be sure to read the MexicoCassie guide to kid-friendly cenotes
👣 And if you’d really rather just take a tour than get to a cenote under your own steam, use the MexicoCassie guide to the best cenote tours to find your tour.
Option 1: Hacienda Santa Barbara
There are four cenotes on this one site. The entry ticket you choose gets access to various options (as well as transport there on the horse-drawn trailer). All cenotes are accessed via stairs and all are deep water. The newest opened cenote has an elevator for people with reduced mobility. This is the ONLY cenote with lift access on the whole peninsula.
This option is a good idea if you’re at all nervous about the idea of swimming in a big hole in the ground as there are lifeguards at every cenote.
👣 MexicoCassie recommended tour: take a guided tour to the Santa Barbara Cenotes that includes a stop to check out the gorgeous ruins in Acanceh before arriving at the cenote site. Lunch, a guide and transport are all included.
Option 2: Homun Cenote Circle
Homun is a small town about an hour from Mérida. It is famous for the ring of cenotes just outside town. There are approximately 10-15 cenotes you can visit and these cenotes are wilder and more rustic than somewhere like Santa Barbara so if you’re feeling adventurous, grab your car, swim suit and let’s go!
→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to visiting and enjoying the Homun Cenote Circle
🚘 Note that the best way to explore Homun is with your own car – you can pick up a guide in Homun pueblo should you wish to do so
Explore Yucatán’s colonial towns and pueblos pagicos
Realistically, if you have one day to visit another city, you’ll most likely visit either Izamal or Valladolid. If you’re interested in visiting less famous pueblos magicos while in Mérida, this is also possible. Motul, for example, is just a short drive from Mérida and is a delightful small town.
Day trip to Izamal
The famous ‘Yellow City’ of Izamal is about 70km (just over an hour) from the centre of Merida. It has recently been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The main draw of the small and cute city of Izamal is that the town centre is entirely yellow including the convent in the middle of town. Entry to the convent is free and there’s a small museum at the back of it that charges a nominal fee.
The city is known to have had around 12 pyramids before the Spanish arrived. Three of these have been at least partially restored and you can climb up Kinich-Kakmo, the largest of them, for free.
Don’t miss tzic de venado tacos while in Izamal. Tzic is the Mayan word for shredding and venado is venison. The meat comes dressed with a sauce made from sour orange and is served with cilantro and radishes.
Izamal is an easy drive or you can take a bus or colectivo from downtown Merida. If you don’t feel like getting there under your own steam, an organised tour is always an option.
Day Trip to Valladolid
Yucatán’s delightful second city, Valladolid is also a great option for a day trip. It’s located right in the middle of the Yucatán Peninsula and is one of my favourite places to explore. With the gorgeous Calzada de los Frailes, a street full of boutique shops and restaurants (photo above), the main plaza, flanked by an imposing cathedral, and even cenote Zaci right in the centre, Valladolid is really a treat for all.
➡️ Read more about visiting Valladolid
If you’re in Yucatán for longer, then this is also a good half-way point on your way to:
➡️ The pink beaches of Las Coloradas
➡️ The pristine perfection that is El Cuyo beach
➡️ Cancun to swim with whale sharks
➡️ Holbox to relax and enjoy the gentle waters and island life
A final word on a 1 week Yucatán itinerary
There are so many options for anyone who is lucky enough to have one week to explore the beautiful state of Yucatán. Whether this is your first time in Mexico or you are a seasoned visitor, we hope you can use this itinerary as a jumping-off point and craft your own perfect 1 week Yucatán itinerary.
⭐️ Check our ready made Yucatan Itineraries ⭐️
🚗 Off-the-beaten-track in Yucatan
➕ Read the MexicoCassie guide to renting cars and driving in Yucatán
⭐️ Is Mérida worth visiting? – check the answer to this question now!
⭐️ Read up on the Maya Train Route to see if it’s something you could enjoy
