After covering Morelia and Oaxaca City the other day, this week on the $10 series, we're going back to Mexico! And this time, we're going to Yucatan Peninsula to see how what you could get in Merida on the budget!
Thanks to Shelley of Travel To Merida, we're going to find some budget-friendly things to do around the vibrant capital city of Yucatan state in Mexico.
Merida, Mexico, is located in the Yucatan Peninsula and considered the Mayan Cultural Capital of Mexico. It is a beautiful and colorful colonial city, and there are so many amazing things to do in Merida — particularly travelers who love photography, history, and food!
While $10 USD is not much in the U.S., when converting that into Mexican pesos, you end up with about $185 pesos. With this much in Merida, a city with quite a few free things to do, you can enjoy some of what the city has to offer.
Did you know?
Merida in the Yucatan State of Mexico is not the only city in the world in the world. Apart from Mexico, there are three other cities in three different countries using “Merida” as the name. The countries include the Philippines, Spain, and Venezuela. However, Merida in Mexico is the largest Merida city compared to others.
Take a free walking tour in Merida.
Start your day with the Free Merida Walking Tour, offered by the Merida Tourism Office, and taking place each day at 9:30am with English-speaking guides. On the tour, you'll see the noteworthy buildings, streets, artisan shops, and more, located in Centro Historico (Historic Downtown).
Try some traditional Yucatan food.
After the tour, head to Mercado Santiago to some traditional Yucatecan food. While everyone associates Mexico with tacos, in the Yucatan Peninsula, the cuisine is a bit different. Here in Merida, you'll want to try local delicacies like cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, panuchos, and marquesitas.
In Mercado Santiago, you'll find the famous La Lupita Taquería, where you can try a cochinita pibil panucho. La Lupita, which was featured on the Netflix show, Salt Fat Acid Heat, is a great place, frequented by locals.
Cost for two panuchos and a drink: $75 pesos.
Stroll down the Paseo de Montejo.
Next, take a stroll down the Paseo de Montejo, Merida's beautiful tree-lined street. It is two miles long, with many historic mansions, museums, statues, cafes, shops and more. Make sure to check out the Monumento a la Patria, Palacio Canton and Casas Gemelas for photos.
Beers and Botanas around Lucero Cantina.
After walking the Paseo, head to Lucero Cantina for some. beers and botanas. At Merida cantinas, if you're buying drinks (beer or even soda), you're served complimentary botanas, or snacks, similar to getting free tapas in some parts of Spain. Cost for two beers and tip: $75 pesos.
When the sun goes down in Merida, the marquesita vendors come out. These are large rolled-up crepes, commonly found only in the Yucatan Peninsula, which the locals eat with Nutella and cheese. They are the perfect sweet treat, and cost $30 pesos.
Contributor: Shelley from Travel To Merida.
Shelley is a former Miami travel magazine editor who ditched the office for the world! After traveling to 14 states in Mexico, she settled down in the colorful colonial city of Merida. Here, she runs Travel To Merida, which helps visitors plan their dream trip to Merida, Mexico.
