Beyond Bingo: The Enduring Legacy of Mexican Lotería
Mexican Lotería is not a complex game. Its modern form, a tabletop game of chance, functions much like Bingo. A cantor (caller) draws a card featuring an image and a name. Players cover the matching image on their tabla (board)…
FEATURED
Beyond Bingo: The Enduring Legacy of Mexican Lotería
Mexican Lotería is not a complex game. Its modern form, a tabletop game of chance, functions much like Bingo. A cantor (caller) draws a…
A 7-Year Rescue Mission Ends With a Major Award for Hotel SevillaThe win adds another chapter to an already-decorated year for the property and its owner, Mexico City-based Grupo Habita, which Hospitality Design named its 2026 Hotelier of the Year earlier this spring.
A corner property in Mérida’s historic center that sat in ruins for years has just claimed one of the hospitality world’s more competitive design…
Spiders and Howlers: Yucatán’s Charming Species of New World Monkeys
Other than human beings, Yucatán is home to two species of primates, these being howler and spider monkeys.
A Guide to Eating Your Way Through Oaxaca’s Markets
The markets of Oaxaca City are not designed for tourists. They are the city’s working kitchens and warehouses, places where the business of feeding…
Lifestyle
Why Mérida Keeps Landing on ‘House Hunters International’
In 15-plus years, the show has returned to the city more than a dozen times,…
Au revoir BC66: Mérida’s Beloved Bistro Closing After 13 Years
The bohemian and charming BC66 Cultural Bistro will serve its last croque madam at the…
Mérida Ranks 6th for Cycling As Bike Use Ticks Up
Mérida has earned a spot among Latin America’s top cycling cities — sixth place, according…
Why the Trees on Calle 60 Never Had a Chance
The stretch of Calle 60 that leads into Mérida’s Corredor Gastronómico (Gastronomic Corridor) is getting…
Local TV: Why Mérida Was So Very, Very Late to the Party
Local television arrived late to Yucatán. Very late. On January 31, 1963, when XHY-TV Canal 3 flickered to life in Mérida. The station—now known as SIPSE Televisión—became the first broadcaster in the entire Yucatán Peninsula and southeastern Mexico. Even if…
HISTORY
Culture
Mexico’s Top Arts Medal Goes to Sculptor Gerda Gruber
A sculptor who left Vienna half a century ago and eventually found her artistic home…
Chicharra Festival Celebrates 8 Years in Colorful Xcalachén
There is a neighborhood in the south of Mérida where the smell of fried pork…
Conchas: A Guide to Mexico’s Best-Selling Pan Dulce
Conchas (Spanish for “shell”) is a traditional Mexican sweet bread known for its round shape…
Made in Yucatán: 100+ Years of Hot Sauce, Beer, Cookies and More
Yucatán has produced several well-known brands with long histories, many of which have been continuously…
Nojpetén, Tayasal, and the Fall of the Last Great Maya City
Nojpetén holds a special place in Mesoamerican history as one of the last Maya polities to remain independent
Archaeology
Nuevo León’s First Pre-Hispanic Museum is Great News, But Far From Perfect
The Museo de los Antiguos Mexicanos, which opened in San Pedro Garza García, on the…
Of Serpents and Deities: The Many Meanings of Snakes in Mesoamerica
In the religious and cosmological systems of ancient Mesoamerica, the serpent was a central and…
Talking About Maya Trade as Social Force at Palacio Cantón
Trade routes, goods, and the merchants were bound up with politics, cosmology, and everyday ritual…
Understanding the Meaning Behind the Famous Masks at Kohunlich
The era of construction at what today is the archaeological site of Kohunlich spanned well…
What Are Gatitos and Why Are They Falling From the Sacred Ceiba Tree?
When the pods of the great ceiba tree split open each spring on the Yucatán Peninsula, something remarkable happens. Thousands of fluffy white seeds burst forth and take to the air, drifting across roads, fields, and village plazas. Locals have…
Nature
Spiders and Howlers: Yucatán’s Charming Species of New World Monkeys
Other than human beings, Yucatán is home to two species of primates, these being howler…
What Are Gatitos and Why Are They Falling From the Sacred Ceiba Tree?
When the pods of the great ceiba tree split open each spring on the Yucatán…
Ocelots Are the New Invasive Species in Cozumel
Ocelots are experiencing population declines throughout much of their natural range, which stretches from Texas…
Octopus Farm in Sisal Under Threat by Mexican Lawmaker
Most people have never heard of octopus farming. But the only such operation in the…
Artist Juan Pueblo Has the Most Open Studio in Mérida
When Juan Pueblo shares his canvas with other artists, he thinks about how rappers work. “In rap, there is always collaboration between artists. If musicians can do it, why not painters?” says the effusive Mérida-born painter, whose full name is…
People
Mérida Painter and Writer Enrique Trava Díaz Dies at 69
Enrique de Jesús Trava Díaz, a painter and writer known for his contributions to the…
Joanna’s 50-Year Journey of Love and Life in Yucatán
Fifty years ago, what began as a work assignment became a life-defining decision. In January…
Christian Rasmussen: A Visual Explorer’s Legacy in the Yucatán
Christian Rasmussen has spent over five decades blending a sharp artistic vision with careful anthropological…
Joann Andrews, Environmental Pioneer in Yucatán, Dies at 96
Joann Andrews, founder of Pronatura Península de Yucatán and a leading force in conservation across…
Casa Serena: An Architect’s Personal Vision On the Market at Cabo Norte
A contemporary residence represents something rare in luxury real estate: a home designed by an architect for himself.
REAL ESTATE
Colonial Palace: Mérida home for sale turns heads up, down and around
A highlight of the most recent Mérida Showcase of Homes was this stunning Colonial Palace on…
A Mérida Couple Finds Peace in a Weekend Quinta
Photographs by Richard Leo Johnson Around the corner is an early 20th-century movie theater refashioned…
Five Lots Join Together for One Giant Slice of Paradise
Escape to your private paradise with this breathtaking beach compound nestled along 40 meters of…
Is This the Most Luxurious Mansion in Mérida?
A French-style mansion reminiscent of Versailles is on the market in Mérida for just over…
A 7-Year Rescue Mission Ends With a Major Award for Hotel SevillaThe win adds another chapter to an already-decorated year for the property and its owner, Mexico City-based Grupo Habita, which Hospitality Design named its 2026 Hotelier of the Year earlier this spring.
A corner property in Mérida’s historic center that sat in ruins for years has just claimed one of the hospitality world’s more competitive design awards. Hotel Sevilla took the Small Hotel prize at the 22nd annual HD Awards, presented by…
LODGING
Luxury & Elegance at the Best 5-Star Hotels in Mérida
Whether you prefer colonial mansions or something altogether newer and more modern, the best 5-star…
Enjoy Authentic Old Mexico @ These Historic Luxury Hotels in Mérida
Travelers are turning to accommodations that offer authentic Ycatan experiences. Find out more with these…
Decu Downtown Mérida — Luxury with Local Flare
Located in Mérida’s historic downtown, Decu Downtown is a unique hotel that seamlessly combines luxury…
The Most Unique Places To Stay in Mérida
Fancy a litle fun with your next fancy getaway? These unique places to stay in Mérida are…