Mérida

We didn’t just visit Mérida: we lived there — twice for six months, in an apartment, at the locals’ pace. The “White City”, capital of Yucatán, is one of Mexico’s safest and most pleasant cities: colonial architecture, the grand mansions of Paseo de Montejo, lively plazas where people dance on Sundays, and a cuisine worth the trip on its own. It’s also the best base in Yucatán: Chichén Itzá and Uxmal, the turquoise cenotes of Homún, the yellow town of Izamal, the pink flamingos of Celestún and Progreso beach half an hour away. After a year of life there, we know its markets, its cantinas and its quiet café mornings — and we go back whenever we can.

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