Mérida is beautiful, but the best of Yucatán begins once you leave the city. Not far away you’ll find Pueblos Mágicos, Maya pyramids right on the town square, contemporary art hidden in the jungle and crystal-clear cenotes.
Here are our five favorite day trips, with what not to miss, what to eat and how to get around.
Izamal, the yellow town: what to do and what to eat
Izamal is one of Yucatán’s best-known Pueblos Mágicos (“Magical Towns”), and for good reason. Almost the whole town is painted yellow and white, so walking its streets feels like stepping into a postcard.
What to do in Izamal:
- Visit the Convent of Saint Anthony of Padua. Completed in 1561, it has one of the largest atriums in the world.
- Climb Kinich Kak Moo. A huge Maya pyramid dedicated to the sun god, a few blocks from the center. From the top you can see the whole town.
- Just walk around. Stroll around town and take photos against the yellow façades and cobblestone streets.
- Where to eat in Izamal: Kinich, for proper Yucatecan cooking. Order the cochinita pibil, venado almendrado (venison in almond sauce), panuchos, papadzules, guacamole or sikil p’ak — an addictive pumpkin-seed dip — and their traditional flan for dessert. The restaurant is an institution in Yucatán, known for staying true to the original recipes of the region’s classic dishes.
Maní, Pueblo Mágico: Maya history and melipona bees
Maní is quieter and less known, but it’s steeped in history. In its discreet way, we think it brings together Yucatán’s most characteristic traditions: meliponaries, the traditional Maya homestead, convents, embroiderers and local food.
The town was the capital of the Tutul Xiu, one of the great Maya ruling families. And something happened here that marked history: in 1562, in front of the Convent of San Miguel Arcángel, Friar Diego de Landa burned Maya codices and images.
Today Maní is known for something much sweeter: its meliponaries. Several families raise the melipona, a bee native to Yucatán that the Maya have cared for over centuries. On a tour you learn how it lives, why it matters so much to the jungle and how its honey is harvested. At the end, taste it: it’s like no other.
Plantel Matilde: Contemporary Art in the Yucatán Jungle
This place doesn’t appear in many guides, and it’s one of the most striking things you’ll see in Yucatán. In the community of Sac Chich, on a former agave field, sculptor Javier Marín and his brother, architect Arcadio Marín, built what they call a “habitable sculpture.”
It’s the studio and gallery for Javier Marín’s monumental sculptures, set around a large reflecting pool, with a lookout above the treetops. Art, architecture and jungle in one place.
How to visit: if you’re staying at Galopina, we arrange access and the visit directly with their team. Visits are guided, in Spanish or English.
Acanceh: a Maya pyramid right on the town square
In Acanceh, about 28 km from Mérida, you’ll see something found almost nowhere else: a Maya pyramid right in the middle of town, next to the church and the houses.
Don’t miss the Palace of the Stuccoes, a building whose frieze is decorated with stucco figures preserved for more than a thousand years. The archaeological site is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s a short visit, perfect to pair with another stop.
Cenotes near Mérida
You can’t come to Yucatán without swimming in a cenote. Around Mérida lies the Ring of Cenotes, with dozens of crystal-clear pools. Our favorites are the most rustic ones, where the tours haven’t arrived yet: Kankirixché, Noh Mozón, Su-Hem and Nah-Yah.
We cover it all in our guide to the best cenotes near Mérida.
Route ideas for your day trips from Mérida
- Mayan history and bees: Acanceh in the morning, then lunch and a meliponary in Maní in the afternoon.
- The yellow Town: all of Izamal, unhurried, with Yucatecan food at midday.
- Art and water: Plantel Matilde in the morning, then a rustic cenote to cool off.
Getting around: rental car or private driver?
Public transportation to these towns exists, but it’s slow and runs infrequently. You have two much more comfortable options:
- Rent a car. Total freedom to plan your day. The roads in the area are quiet and easy to drive.
- Hire a private driver. If you’d rather not drive, they stay with you all day and know the roads. At Galopina we can arrange it — just ask when you book.
Where to stay to explore the area around Mérida
The ideal is to stay right in the middle of all these places.
Galopina is a five-suite hotel with private terraces in Seyé, 35 km from Mérida, inside the Ring of Cenotes. It holds a MICHELIN Key 2026. From here, Acanceh, Maní, Izamal, Plantel Matilde and the cenotes are all close by, and at the end of the day you come back to rest in the jungle. Discover the suites.
Things to do near Mérida: frequently asked questions
Izamal and Maní are two of the prettiest and easiest to visit in a day. Izamal is famous for its yellow streets, Maní for its Maya history and meliponaries.
About 72 km, a little over an hour by car. From Galopina it’s 55 km to Maní.
A place where melipona bees, a species native to Yucatán, are raised. In Maní you can visit several and taste their honey.
Yes. If you’re staying at Galopina, it’s only 7 km away and we arrange the visit directly with their team.
The most comfortable way is to rent a car or hire a private driver for the day. Public transportation exists, but runs infrequently.
A good option is to stay outside the city, close to the towns and cenotes. Galopina is in Seyé, 35 km from Mérida, between Acanceh, Maní, Izamal and the Ring of Cenotes.
