Campeche

The small port city of Campeche, located on the Gulf of Mexico, 178 kilometers southwest of Mérida, makes a great outing. Be sure to include, at the same time, the nearby archaeological site of Edzná (see below). At the heart of Campeche is a colorful small Spanish Colonial town whose stone walls, battlements, watchtowers, and churches still stand. You can stroll through the cobbled streets of the old town and walk along the top of the massive walls that once kept out the English, French, and Dutch pirates who preyed on the rich port cities on the Gulf of Mexico during the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Few tourists know about Campeche, but it is a jewel, well worth a visit both for its intimate glimpse of the Spanish Colonial period and for its small museums that contain archaeological treasures from the surrounding region. At the south edge of town is a picture-perfect fort, the Fuerte de San Miguel, set on top of a hill with commanding views of the sea. Inside is a superb museum, renovated in 2001. Ceramic figurines from the Island of Jaina and steles with carved surfaces and hieroglyphic writing can be viewed here; but, above all, don’t miss the incredible jade pieces from rich burials at the ancient site of Calakmul. These astonishing items consisting of bead necklaces, large ear spools (large round ear ornaments), and mosaic jade masks are some of the rarest and most beautiful objects remaining from the Classic Period of the Mayan culture.