20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN CAMPECHE

Maybe, next to Yucatán and Quintana Roo, Campeche loses some prominence. But do not even think that this state lacks super interesting places, if you give it a try we are sure that it will surprise you. In the state of Campeche there are impressive ruins (such as those of Calakmul or Edzná), coasts characterized by delicious cuisine (ains, those prawns!) And a capital full of charm (and World Heritage Site!) In this post you we count 20 things to see and do in Campeche:

First of all let us clarify something: Campeche is the name of the state, its capital called San Francisco de Campeche (but most people know it as Campeche).

Curiosity: Does it sound like you? term "campechano"? Its origin comes just from Campeche, the Spaniards returning from Mexico and who had been living in Campeche described the inhabitants of that land as friendly, available and very close.

1. Walk through the 59th Street, the most beautiful in Campeche, full of colorful houses and shops. At night it is the one with more atmosphere, especially in the section between streets 8 and 12, which is filled with terraces where to dine and have some cheap beers (there are several places that offer happy hour, our favorite: Mint).

2. This street begins at Earth Gate and goes to the Sea Gate. You can climb both, to the door of the Earth for 15 pesos, and to the Puerta del Mar through the Museum of Maya Architecture. Both doors had a defensive end: Campeche became one of the most prosperous cities in Mexico and pirate attacks were frequent.

3. On Calle 59 there is also the beautiful Church of San Francisquito, well worth a visit.

4. As well as the Lieutenant King's House, a colonial house that belonged to the "lieutenant king", a title that the king of Spain conferred on the Viceroyalty. Today it is a museum house where the offices of the Regional Center of the National Institute of Anthropology and History are located.

5. The most beautiful square in Valladolid is the Independence Square (In colonial times it was known as Plaza Mayor and later as Plaza de la Constitución). Here stands one of the safety pins of the city ...

6. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the Yucatan Peninsula. It is baroque in style, with two large towers, and was built in 1705. Here is also the Museum of Sacred Art. Admission to the cathedral is free.

7. At night you can attend the Sound and light show, which is projected in the facade of the Cultural Center Palace. It starts at 8 pm and tells the story of Campeche, as well as its traditions. In principle it is projected every night, although we could not see it even one of the 3 times we tried: we do not know why but there was no videomapping. At that same time there is another show of light, sound and dances in the Earth Gate wall, although this costs 50 pesos.

8. If you want to travel to the past, without time machine or na, go to Casa 6 Cultural Center. It is a museum house that recreates a wealthy 19th century Campeche house. In it you can see several rooms and an interior patio. The entrance costs 20 pesos.

9. The Church of San Román It is one of the most beloved places by the campechanos, and it is that the venerated one is kept insideBlack christ. The Christ is fitted in ebony and its history is most curious: the legend tells that the ship where this crucifix was being transported was in the middle of a shipwreck because of a terrible storm. But the Christ came alive and took the reins of the ship, saving all sailors from death. The church is somewhat far from the center, but if you have a car you plant yourself there in a plas plas.

10. Enjoy the typical dishes of Campeche, like for example the bread of cazón, the shrimp to the coconut, the bean with pig or the ceviche. They are also very present in the local cuisine of Yucatan dishes, such as cochinita pibil. The best place to eat seafood It is next to the sea, in an area where there are several restaurants (palapas) to the north of the city (you can see it on the map below). And of course, 59th Street! In this post we suggest several restaurants where to eat in Campeche well and cheaply (coming soon).

11. Visit the Tukulná Crafts House, where typical crafts of Campeche are exhibited. It is a perfect place to buy occasional souvenirs.

12. If you like visiting local markets, write this name: Pedro Sainz de Barneda Market. Chaotic, bustling, colorful and 100% authentic!

13. One of the most exclusive places to stay in Campeche is the Hacienda Uayamon, and if you have no budget problem, you can sleep here on the last day. It is located about 30 km from the city of Campeche. Cheap is not, but everyone who stays says that the experience is unique. Here you can see the prices and make the reservation.

14. There are a few archaeological excursions Very interesting, not too far from Campeche. We definitely recommend the deposits of Edzna and those of Uxmal. Edzná visited it on the way to Calakmul, Uxmal was before arriving in Campeche, coming from Merida. Worth both!

15. As we anticipated before, Campeche was a very precious area for pirates: it was one of the richest regions of the time and the attacks were many. To repel the attacks, numerous bastions and walls were built in San Francisco de Campeche. Today you can walk through the 6 bulwarks (the one of the Soledad, the one of San Pedro, the one of San Francisco, the one of San Juan, the one of Santa Rosa and the one of San Carlos), by a twostretch of walls and by two strong (that of San Miguel and that of San José).

16. If you like museums, we recommend these two: Mayan Architecture Museum, which is located in the Baluarte de la Soledad, right in front of the sea. Here you can see architectural remains of many Mayan areas (Puuc, Chenes, Rio Bex, Calakmul ...). The entrance costs 45 pesos. And the Archeological Museum of Campeche, in the Fort of San Miguel, which has 10 rooms full of objects and Mayan archeological pieces. Visiting it costs 55 pesos.

17. The Pier, the promenade from the city, it is the best place to watch the sunset. It is always very lively, but being about 3.5 km you will never have the feeling of being in an overwhelming place. Right there (in front of the door of the Sea) are the famous Campeche lyrics (perfect for taking a selfie selfie).

18. If you want to take home a good souvenir, get yourself a jipi hat, which is made from the fibers of the leaves of the Carludovica Palmata. They are typical of the entire region and specifically of the town of Becal (not far from Campeche, where there is also a very interesting museum).

19. An original activity is the night walk through the legends of Campeche. From the hand of the Serene, the most important places of the historic center of Campeche are visited and some of the legends and mysteries of the city are narrated and interpreted. Here you can find out.

20. One day we decided to explore the coast of Campeche and went to the Nice beach. The entrance costs 2 pesos per person and if you go by car there is a parking lot guarded for 10 pesos. When we were there, the beautiful beach was normalucha, but undoubtedly everything was mounted very well: there are palapas that you can rent for a few pesos, restaurants and access for people with disabilities. It is a half hour drive from Campeche city.

We leave you this interactive map where we point out everything to see and do in Campeche.

Hopefully this post from things to see and do in Campeche help you! We personally found it a super nice city, it was one of the great surprises of the trip to Mexico and we would return without hesitation. If you know other recommended things leave us a comment, because we do not rule out returning in the future hehe.