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Things to do in Izamal

Our most recommended things to do in Izamal

From Mérida: Chichén Itzá, Izamal, Valladolid, & Cenote Trip

1. From Mérida: Chichén Itzá, Izamal, Valladolid, & Cenote Trip

Spend a day full of culture, history, and cuisine on a multi-stop guided tour from Mérida to Izamal, Valladolid, Cenote Chichikan, and Chichén Itzá, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Discover traditional cooking during a live demonstration. Enjoy breakfast, a buffet lunch, and entry tickets. After meeting your guide in Mérida, head to the archeological site of Chichén Itzá. Walk through the center of this thousand-year-old place and see highlights like the Temple of the Warriors. For breakfast, enjoy a packed meal. Later, transport your senses to the root of regional cuisine, one of the greatest legacies of the Mayan culture, during a demonstration of the region’s unique gastronomy. Learn about tradition and innovation in the use of plants, vegetables, and wild fauna. Enjoy a buffet lunch of local products, then let yourself be enchanted by the story and cultural richness of two magical towns of Yucatan during the next stops. Explore Valladolid, known for its natural beauty, cobbled streets, coffee shops, restaurants, and delicious food. Stop at the main plaza for some free time to wander before moving on to Izamal. Learn why the town's houses are all painted yellow and fall in love with its colonial architecture, dating back to the 16th century. Spend time at the main landmark: the Convento de San Antonio de Padua. In between the Valladolid and Izamal stops, seize the chance to take a dip in the cool waters of Chichikan Cenote. 

From Mérida: Chichen Itza & Izamal Guided Day Trip

2. From Mérida: Chichen Itza & Izamal Guided Day Trip

Experience the beauty and history of Chichen Itza and explore on a guided day trip leaving from Merida. Learn more about the ancient civilization who built Chichen Itza, take a refreshing swim in a cenote, visit the Temple of Kukulcan, and wander through Izamal. Leave Merida with the guide and travel to the beautiful and historical site of Chichen Itza. Enjoy a two-hour guided tour where you will learn about the history and significance of the site and its most important buildings, such as the Temple of Kukulcan (El Castillo), the ball game court, the Observatory, and its adjacent Temple of the 1000 columns. Take some time to discover the site at your own pace, and admire the monuments and take pictures as you explore. Continue the tour by moving on to the Xcajum Cenote and learn more about the sinkholes that are part of the world's largest network of underground rivers. Indulge in a delicious meal next, and enjoy a variety of local foods. Move on to one of Mexico's most beautiful towns, Izamal. Learn more about the city, known as the "city of three cultures" for its multiple cultural influences. Stroll through the streets and admire the yellow and white buildings for which the town is famous. Finish the tour in Izamal before returning to pickup points in Merida, and relax and enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Izamal: 2-Hour Walking Tour

3. Izamal: 2-Hour Walking Tour

Wander through this colorful city while a local guide brings its stories to life. Visit Parque Itzamna in the historic center and marvel at the San Antonio de Padua Convent. View the city from atop the Kinich Kak Moo Pyramid and learn why this city was dubbed the "City of Three Cultures."

From Mérida: Day Trip to Valladolid and Izamal

4. From Mérida: Day Trip to Valladolid and Izamal

Discover the culture and heritage of Yucatecan on a day trip from Mérida to the cities of Izamal and Valladolid. Benefit from round-trip hotel transfers, and savor a delicious buffet meal during the tour. After pickup at your hotel, the experience begins with a panoramic visit to the colonial city of Valladolid. Pass through beautiful neighborhoods, and admire the architecture of monuments such as the Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, and the Cathedral of San Gervasio. Following the tour, you'll enjoy some free time to explore these sites at your own pace. Continue to a buffet restaurant for a delicious lunch of local Yucatecan dishes. After your meal, take a dip in the cool waters of a cenote by the restaurant. Head towards Izamal, and soak up the atmosphere of this picturesque place. Admire the yellow-painted houses, and learn why this city is known the city of the three cultures. See its pyramids and visit the Franciscan convent, before returning to your hotel in Mérida.

Cancun: 3-Day Ek Balam, Chichen Itza, Uxmal & Pueblos Tour

5. Cancun: 3-Day Ek Balam, Chichen Itza, Uxmal & Pueblos Tour

Welcome to a 3-day adventure in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico! Day 1 Begins with a 30-minute pickup service to the ancient Ek Balam ruins, where a 2.5 hour tour explores the rich history of the Mayan civilization. Then, visit the Chichikan Cenote for a 2-hour immersion in local traditions, food, and crystal-clear waters. After a 45-minute stop in the "Yellow City" of Izamal, end the day with a city tour in Merida. Day 2 Starts with a 30-minute pickup to the Uxmal ruins for a 1 hour and 45 minute tour, followed by a visit to the Sotuta de Peon Hacienda for a 2 hour tour and typical meal. After a 45-minute cenote swim, end the day with free leisure time in Merida. Day 3 Begins with a 30-minute pickup to Chichen Itza, a 2 hour and 45-minute tour of the famous ruins, followed by a 45-minute stop in Valladolid and a visit to a breathtaking cenote for a meal and leisure time. After a 2-hour journey back, the 3-day adventure ends with memories to last a lifetime.

Frequently asked questions about Izamal

What top attractions are a must-see in Izamal?

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What people are saying about Izamal

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 17 reviews

Hermoso Lugar

One of the best guided tour experiences ever! The tour was very good organized: we got breakfast and water, the group was not big, the bus was comfortable, with air condition, our driver, Pablo, was good and professional. Our guide Hector made our day really perfect: he is very knowledgeable, polite and professional, we learned a lot about Mayan culture, colonial culture, Mexican traditions and food, he answered all of our questions and gave a lot of recommendations. All locations we’ve visited were amazing! We arrived to Chichén Itzá at the right time in the morning and it was not crowded, the lunch was delicious, cenot was beautiful and not very touristic, with a very nice chill zone. Highly recommend!

GUide from Elinor tours was excellent, though day was long. GYG gave me wrong information about pickup/drop off. They told me only one location was possible and that was some distance from my hotel. In fact, they picked up passengers about a block from my hotel and luckily I was able to be dropped off there. To get to the pickup spot, I had to take a cab. I specifically asked GYG about pickup/drop off and they gave me wrong information. They even told me they’d contacted the tour provider about the issue, but if they had, they would have learned about the alternative pickup/drop off info.

Great experience! Quite a long day but so much was packed into this tour. Our guide, Carlos, was very informative and well-organized; he made sure we stuck to our schedule and we made it back to Merida on time. Of course, people will say that not enough time was spent in Vallodolid or Izamal but those deserve separate trips of their own. However if you have limited time and are ready for a long day, then this is a wonderful tour. The cenote was also very beautiful.

It's definitely a long day, but you certainly cover some ground, and it's a great way to get to see a bunch of different places in one tour. Chichen Itza was fabulous, there was a really good selection at the lunch buffet, and the visit to the Cenote was a massive highlight!

This trip takes you to 4 of great places to visit in the Yucatan Ouf guide was the best - Carlos spoke on both spainish and English and was so well versed on the areas he shared with us - it was a long but so worth while day - would highly recommend this tour