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Photo: Joeldesalvatierra, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A compact, well-preserved pre-Columbian site, Mayapán was the political capital of the Maya in the Yucatán Peninsula from about the late 1220s until 1440s. Unlike at other Mayan sites, climbing of pyramids is permitted, and worth the effort. Hourly buses to Mayapán can be picked up at Terminal Noreste (listed above). Tell the driver you'd like to go to the 'ruinas', and he will drop you off at the beginning of the dirt road; from here it's a 5-minute walk to the entrance. There are toilet facilities but no amenities, so bring your own water.
Mayapan is a Pre-Columbian Maya site a couple of kilometers south of the town of Telchaquillo in Tecoh Municipality, approximately 40 km south-east of Mérida and 100 km west of Chichen Itza; in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. Mayapan was the political and cultural capital of the Maya in the Yucatán Peninsula during the Late Post-Classic period from the 1220s until the 1440s. Estimates of the total city population are 15,000–17,000 people, and the site has more than 4,000 structures within the city walls, and additional dwellings outside.
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A former sisal plantation which has been restored and opened up to the public. Sisal, the rope made from the fibers of the henequen plant, put Mérida on the map in the 1900s and made millionaires out of many landowners of that time. The rope came to be known by the name of the port town, Sisal, where it was shipped from to places around the world. Henequen was (and still is) planted throughout the Yucatán Peninsula. The industry crumbled after about 30 years for various reasons, leaving many haciendas in ruin. Today many of those haciendas have been restored, and Sotuta de Peón is an example of one which can be visited without spending the night.
Another good example of a hacienda kept in a state of arrested decay as a museum.
15,000 seat professional baseball stadium that is home field for the Leones de Yucatan, who play a 114-game schedule from March to August (a bit longer if they make the playoffs). The team is part of the Liga Mexican de Beisbol, Mexico's top professional baseball league. Clean, modern stadium with open sight lines.
15,000 seat mixed-use stadium that is home field for the Venados de Yucatan, a professional soccer (futbol) team that is part of the Expansion League.
This church was built in the 18th century, and although it hasn’t been well maintained it is worth a visit for the baptismal font as well as the painting of St. Anthony, located in a small niche. The charming garden with small chapel is also worth seeing.
This is the newest church in the centro, with construction begun in 1756 and completed in 1796. Of particular interest is the distinctive scalloped vaulting over the main entrance, as well as a wall-top defensive walkway surrounding the building, used for surveillance in case of revolt. An annual procession takes place here on 12 December in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe.