Curated Road TripsCurated Road Trips
    39 Activities

    History and Nature on a Route Between Cancún and Mérida

    History and Nature on a Route Between Cancún and Mérida
    Starts from

    Cancún

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Activities

    39

    Duration

    3 days

    Length

    346 mi

    Guide details

    Starts from

    Cancún

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Duration

    3 days

    Length

    346 mi

    • History and Culture
    Map preview
    TCS Roadtravel

    TCS Roadtravel

    • Learn about the Mayan past at Chichén Itzá, one of the New Wonders of the World.
    • Be dazzled by the colours of Magic Villages, such as Izamal.
    • Enjoy traditional Yucatecan cuisine.
    • Admire the natural beauty of the cenotes and the knowledge of small communities.
    • Relax in a traditional Mexican hacienda.
    How about getting to know one of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World, visiting small charming villages, eating traditional food, and bathing in the Mexican cenotes, some of the most beautiful natural formations in the area? You can enjoy all this and more on this three-day route linking Cancún and Mérida.
    On the first day, we suggest you visit one of the thousands of cenotes that exist in the Yucatán peninsula but don’t receive mass tourism, so you can enjoy it more. After visiting Valladolid, the third most populated city in Yucatán, and a stroll through the magical town of Uayma to admire one of the most beautiful temples in the area,we suggest you spend the night near the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá to be there first thing the next day.
    The second day will be dedicated to marvelling at the ruins of Chichén Itzá and learning about the Mayan past. Afterwards, you can visit another cenote and learn about the activities of some of the local communities, along with a visit to another Magic Town: Maní. You’ll spend the night in a traditional Mexican hacienda from 1640.
    On the third day, you’ll visit the colonial towns of Mérida and Izamal. The latter was the first Magic Town in Mexico and stands out for its yellow monochrome. For lunch, we suggest you taste typical Yucatecan dishes. At the end of the day, you can have dinner at a colonial hacienda on the way back to Cancún and remember all the places you visited.
    A great three-day trip to enjoy the history and nature of Yucatán! Note: as some distances are long, remember to always carry water, fruit or a snack. And always carry Mexican pesos in cash.
    Compare different car rental companies conveniently online via the TCS car rental platform. Whether in Switzerland or abroad, whether on holiday or on business trips. With TCS, you remain mobile and flexible and benefit from the best rental car offers, including many advantages and services.
    Book Car Rental Now

    Categories

    How about getting to know one of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World, visiting small charming villages, eating traditional food, and bathing in the Mexican cenotes, some of the most beautiful natural formations in the area? You can enjoy all this and more on this three-day route linking Cancún and Mérida.
    On the first day, we suggest you visit one of the thousands of cenotes that exist in the Yucatán peninsula but don’t receive mass tourism, so you can enjoy it more. After visiting Valladolid, the third most populated city in Yucatán, and a stroll through the magical town of Uayma to admire one of the most beautiful temples in the area,we suggest you spend the night near the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá to be there first thing the next day.
    The second day will be dedicated to marvelling at the ruins of Chichén Itzá and learning about the Mayan past. Afterwards, you can visit another cenote and learn about the activities of some of the local communities, along with a visit to another Magic Town: Maní. You’ll spend the night in a traditional Mexican hacienda from 1640.
    On the third day, you’ll visit the colonial towns of Mérida and Izamal. The latter was the first Magic Town in Mexico and stands out for its yellow monochrome. For lunch, we suggest you taste typical Yucatecan dishes. At the end of the day, you can have dinner at a colonial hacienda on the way back to Cancún and remember all the places you visited.
    A great three-day trip to enjoy the history and nature of Yucatán! Note: as some distances are long, remember to always carry water, fruit or a snack. And always carry Mexican pesos in cash.
    Compare different car rental companies conveniently online via the TCS car rental platform. Whether in Switzerland or abroad, whether on holiday or on business trips. With TCS, you remain mobile and flexible and benefit from the best rental car offers, including many advantages and services.
    Book Car Rental Now
    TCS Roadtravel

    TCS Roadtravel

    • Learn about the Mayan past at Chichén Itzá, one of the New Wonders of the World.
    • Be dazzled by the colours of Magic Villages, such as Izamal.
    • Enjoy traditional Yucatecan cuisine.
    • Admire the natural beauty of the cenotes and the knowledge of small communities.
    • Relax in a traditional Mexican hacienda.

    Travel itinerary

    Valladolid, Uayma, and the Natural Beauty of the Cenotes
    12 Activities

    Day 1

    74 mi3 mi

    Valladolid, Uayma, and the Natural Beauty of the Cenotes

    Welcome to the first day on the road! Today you’ll have the chance to admire the natural beauty of the Yucatán, visit a city that is included in the list of Mexico's Magic Towns, and photograph one of the most beautiful temples on the peninsula. Amongst nature, you’ll discover the cenotes, which are water wells that in Mayan culture were sacred sites because they represented the entrance to the underworld. There are open, semi-closed, and closed cenotes (the latter are the ones in the caves). There are thousands of cenotes in the Yucatán Peninsula, but not all of them can be visited. Of those that can be visited, some are overcrowded and heavily modified by the presence of buildings and people. Others, on the other hand, are more natural and are managed by local communities. Today, you’ll visit one of the latter, the cenote of Choj-Há. The itinerary continues through the colonial city of Valladolid, where you can walk around and learn about its history, and then continue with a walk through the small village of Uayma, where one of the most beautiful churches in the area is located. In Valladolid, you’ll also be able to taste local food. We propose you end the day in a hotel near the ruins of Chichén Itzá, to enjoy the surrounding nature and a well-deserved time of relaxation in the swimming pool. You have to renew your strength for the next day!
    The Magic of Chichén Itzá and Small Communities
    16 Activities

    Day 2

    143 mi3 mi

    The Magic of Chichén Itzá and Small Communities

    On this second day, you’ll visit one of the New Wonders of the Modern World: the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá. The proposal is that you arrive at the ruins very early in the morning and enjoy the archaeological remains and their history. After lunch, we suggest you visit one of the many cenotes to be found in this area. In this case, we also suggest that it be one of the less visited ones so you can avoid the crowds. For this reason, you can visit the Lol-Ha cenote, in the Yaxunah community. After the cenote, you can choose to drive to the colonial hacienda near Mérida, where you’ll spend the night, relax and have dinner there or, beforehand, take a detour to the small Magic Town of Maní. In Maní, you can learn about the local handicrafts and honey production, which is very famous on the peninsula. Enjoy the day!
    Colonial Cities: Mérida and Izamal
    11 Activities

    Day 3

    120 mi4 mi

    Colonial Cities: Mérida and Izamal

    Welcome to the third day on the road! Before returning to Cancún late in the day, you can visit two beautiful colonial cities: Mérida and Izamal. The city of Mérida is the capital of the state of Yucatán and preserves several colonial buildings, through which you can get to know part of its history. You’ll have the whole morning to walk through its main streets, squares, and monuments. You’ll have lunch in a traditional hacienda from 1683, where you can taste the most typical dishes of the area. Afterwards, you’ll visit Izamal, the first Mexican Magic Town, also known as the yellow town because the whole of its historic centre is painted yellow. You’ll be able to take some beautiful pictures! On your way back to Cancún, you’ll stop for dinner on the road to say goodbye to these three wonderful days. Remember that the car rides tend to be a bit long, so always take water, fruit, or a snack with you.
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    Curated Road Trips

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