Merida & Cancun with Chichen Itza
Discover the highlights of Mexico's Yucatan
Three Mexico must-sees in one trip! See the colonial charm of Merida, explore the Mayan genius of Chichen Itza, and swim in warm turquoise water in Cancun.
What's Included
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Merida (MID), out of Cancun (CUN)
- Round-trip airport transfers
- 3 nights in Merida at the Hotel Gran Real Yucatan, or similar
- Merida Street Food Tour with lunch
- Santa Barbara Cenotes Tour with lunch
- American breakfast daily plus 2 lunches in Merida
- Full-day transfer from Merida to Cancun, including private tour of Chichen Itza
- 3 nights in Cancun at the Krystal Cancun, or similar (all-inclusive basis)
- Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily (all-inclusive plan) while in Cancun
Great Ways to Explore
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See the genius of Mayan engineering at Chichen Itza, named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
- Spend your days lounging on the beach in sunny Cancun on the Caribbean Coast.
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Taste the unexpected and unique flavors of Yucatan cuisine, from cochinita pibil to panuchos!
-
In Merida, the capital of Yucatan, enjoy two tours taking you around the city's highlights and food scene.
-
Stay at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun and relax the days away.
City, beach, and historic ruins - this 6-night tour of Merida, Chichen Itza, and Cancun ticks all the boxes for the ultimate Mexico vacation!
Spend three nights in Yucatan's capital and largest city, Merida. Stroll the tree-lined streets of La Ciudad Blanca (the White City) as you learn all about its fascinating history. Loosen your belt as you sample some of the Yucatan's finest dishes and snacks on a local food market tour.
From Merida, head to Cancun but not without stopping at Chichen Itza. Explore the stepped pyramids, temples, columned arcades, and other stone structures of this ancient Mayan site, including the massive Kulkulcan Pyramid (El Castillo).
End your vacation in sunny Cancun. Spend your days lounging on white sand beaches, snorkeling, and swimming at your all-inclusive resort. This is the perfect and relaxing way to end your Mexico vacation!
Helpful links for
travel to Mexico:
Please note that some recommendations in the following suggested itinerary may not be included in your package. Check What's Included above for full details on inclusions.
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Merida (MID), out of Cancun (CUN)
- Round-trip airport transfers
- 3 nights in Merida at the Hotel Gran Real Yucatan, or similar
- Merida Street Food Tour with lunch
- Santa Barbara Cenotes Tour with lunch
- American breakfast daily plus 2 lunches in Merida
- Full-day transfer from Merida to Cancun, including private tour of Chichen Itza
- 3 nights in Cancun at the Krystal Cancun, or similar (all-inclusive basis)
- Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily (all-inclusive plan) while in Cancun
-
See the genius of Mayan engineering at Chichen Itza, named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
- Spend your days lounging on the beach in sunny Cancun on the Caribbean Coast.
-
Taste the unexpected and unique flavors of Yucatan cuisine, from cochinita pibil to panuchos!
-
In Merida, the capital of Yucatan, enjoy two tours taking you around the city's highlights and food scene.
-
Stay at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun and relax the days away.
City, beach, and historic ruins - this 6-night tour of Merida, Chichen Itza, and Cancun ticks all the boxes for the ultimate Mexico vacation!
Spend three nights in Yucatan's capital and largest city, Merida. Stroll the tree-lined streets of La Ciudad Blanca (the White City) as you learn all about its fascinating history. Loosen your belt as you sample some of the Yucatan's finest dishes and snacks on a local food market tour.
From Merida, head to Cancun but not without stopping at Chichen Itza. Explore the stepped pyramids, temples, columned arcades, and other stone structures of this ancient Mayan site, including the massive Kulkulcan Pyramid (El Castillo).
End your vacation in sunny Cancun. Spend your days lounging on white sand beaches, snorkeling, and swimming at your all-inclusive resort. This is the perfect and relaxing way to end your Mexico vacation!
Helpful links for
travel to Mexico:
Please note that some recommendations in the following suggested itinerary may not be included in your package. Check What's Included above for full details on inclusions.
Prices From:
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Day 1. Welcome to Merida!
Welcome to Merida, Mexico! The capital of Yucatan, also known as the "White City," is filled with colonial charm, interesting museums, and fabulous food.
Tonight, try your first taste of Yucatan cuisine! The most popular dish is cochinita pibil, slow-roasted pork flavored with citrus and annatto seeds, which gives the dish its signature burnt orange color.
Transfer to Merida hotel
Check-in - Hotel Gran Real Yucatan
Just a 10-minute walk from Parque Principal and the plaza in downtown Merida, the Gran Real Yucatan Hotel offers elegance among the city, including pools with garden views, free Wi-Fi, a business center, and a concierge desk. Guests can use the on-site laundry facilities, arrange poolside massages, and indulge in the full-service restaurant. Guests can enjoy sitting out on the terrace overlooking the gardens, sipping drinks and nibbling light snacks from the bar as well.
Rooms are styled modernly with dark wood furniture and ceramic floors, with a private balcony overlooking the pool or garden, LCD TVs, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a safe, and private bathrooms. You could walk to the Government Palace and the Museum of Anthropology if you're looking for quick fun off the premises.
Day 2. Merida
In the morning, get a crash course on Yucatan cuisine and try some of the most famous dishes and snacks! Melding traditional Mayan and European flavors, Yucatan food is not the typical burritos and tacos when you think of Mexican food. On this tour, visit a local market, seafood restaurant, and gelato shop!
After the tour, consider a visit to the Museum of Anthropology, which is home to a collection of exclusive artifacts from the Maya civilization to present day.
Merida Street Food Tour (3 hours)
Discover Yucatan gastronomy, a mix of European and Mexican flavors, by visiting the food area of a local market, a seafood restaurant, and a gelato store. Taste the Yucatan's most popular dishes and snacks like cochinita pibil (a pork stew flavored with citrus and annatto seeds) tamales, panuchos (black bean filled tostadas), and empanadas. Wash it all down with a fresh juice!
Day 3. Merida
Today, enjoy your tour to three different cenotes with lunch. After you return, explore Merida at your leisure! Roam around the roomy halls and courtyard of the Palacio de Gobierno (Governor's Building), built in the late 1800s. From the balcony, you will have excellent views of San Ildefonso Cathedral.
Santa Barbara Cenotes Tour with lunch
On this full-day tour, ride a horse-driven wagon and stop at three different cenotes! Each cenote is different due to the way it was formed. These geological formations were considered sacred for the Mayan civilization as they represented a connection between the living and the underworld. Through them, they could reach the gods and show them their appreciation by sending gifts. They believed this way they’ll never run out of the vital element - water.
Day 4. Merida - Cancun
Say goodbye to Merida as you transfer to Cancun. On the way, stop and enjoy a tour of Chichen Itza, the world-famous complex of Mayan ruins! This UNESCO site is an impressive engineering feat.
Arrive at your all-inclusive resort in Cancun and enjoy your first night in Mexico's beach playground.
Check-in - Krystal Cancun
Enjoy your fun in the sun while staying at the Krystal Cancun right on the ocean and across from the Cancun Convention Center. Guests can enjoy its oceanfront pool, the sauna and hot tub, the business center, laundry facilities, and a tour desk that can help arrange excursions. The hotel also offers buffet breakfast at its restaurant as well as Mexican cuisine, or guests can enjoy a drink at the bar.
Rooms feature air conditioning, a safe, a minibar, cable TV, and private bathrooms. A short walk will bring you to the beach front or the many shops and restaurants surrounding Krystal Cancun. You can also find excellent activities along Playa Delfines, like swimming, surfing, snorkeling, fishing, and sailing.
Full-day transfer from Merida to Cancun, including private tour of Chichen Itza
En route from Merida to Cancun, stop and explore Chichen Itza, built by the Maya between 600 and 900 AD. It was abandoned by the end of the 10th-century and re-established in the 11th and 12th centuries, possibly by the Toltecs. Visit the Ball Court, site of sacrifices; El Castillo, a formidable building dedicated to the high priest; and the Cenote Sagrado.
Your guide will explain in depth the beautiful architecture and the knowledge of the cosmos of the Mayans. Learn about the "Sac be" or white path that takes you to the Sacred Cenote where it is believed that the Mayans offered sacrifices to Chaac, the god of water.
The Mayans built Chichen Itza as the most amazing display of dexterity in mathematics and astronomy, with Kukulkan (El Castillo) at the center. In the late afternoon, as the sun goes down, it casts its shadow on the northern stairs, resembling the descent of the “Feathered Serpent.”
Day 5. Cancun
The next two days are yours to spend at leisure in Cancun! After a hearty breakfast at your resort, consider visiting the Maya Museum, which holds one of Yucatan's most important collections of Maya artifacts. Besides a museum, there is an archaeological site worth exploring called San Miguelito on the same grounds.
For an authentic feel of Mexican culture, visit Mercado 23, an open-air market that's the oldest in the city. Treat yourself to yummy tacos or a fresh juice at this locals-only market!
Day 6. Cancun
Today, consider taking a day trip to Isla Mujeres (Island of Women), an island about eight miles off the coast of Cancun. The crushed-coral beaches are some of the most beautiful in Mexico, while the calm turquoise water is practically heaven on earth! The 4-mile long island is manageable enough for a day trip and is a 20-minute ferry ride from Cancun.
Day 7. Depart Mexico
Your Yucatan adventure ends today. After breakfast this morning, depart for Cancun Airport for your flight home.
Transfer to Cancun airport (CUN)
Fly home!
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