Merida

Yucatán's capital, Mérida, is steeped in colonial and Mayan history and is a thriving metropolis today. Plaza de la Independencia is the heart of the city, surrounded by the colonial Mérida Cathedral and the Iglesia de la Tercera Orden, both of which were constructed around ruins from ancient Mayan temples. The 16th-century palace Casa de Montejo is a remarkable example of the colonial plateresque style.