Campeche Has IT ALL

From Mayan Ruins in Campeche, to Campeches beaches, pueblos magicos, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Campeche City, this off the beaten path Mexico State in the Yucatan Peninsula offers a lot for visitors. The one thing it doesn’t have — huge crowds! Campeche (“Kam-Peh-Che”) has been one of the country’s best kept colonial secrets for many years. The city is one of the most picturesque colonial centers in Mexico, but it is still remains largely undiscovered by foreign tourists. An old Mayan trading port, Campeche is the capital city of the state which bears its name. Although the Spaniards first discovered this place in 1517, the opposition they were greeted with kept them from settling here until 1540, when Francisco de Montejo (who founded nearby Merida) gained sufficient control to establish a settlement in the area. With its exports to Europe of local timber, silver, and gold, the port prospered and became the primary trading port of the Yucatan. Campeche, spans limestone hills, rainforests and Gulf of Mexico beaches. Its namesake capital is a colonial-era harbor city with baroque Spanish architecture, cobblestone streets and a walled historic district that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Campeche’s appeal is enhanced by the long and broad waterfront it has stretching along the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a popular place in the evenings for people who want to watch the sunsets and also an extraordinary stage from which to experience thunderstorms roll in off the Gulf. This old walled city with its narrow streets, pastel colored houses and an old-world, colonial feel is one of Mexico’s best kept secrets, although as travelers begin to venture further south from Merida and the Mayan ruins nearby, they are beginning to discover and experience this true gem. Next time you find yourself in Mexico’s Yucatan region, be sure to visit this colonial wonder—your time spent here will be well rewarded.