With beautiful surroundings, friendly people, and an easy pace of life, Campeche is made for walking. Its more than 1,000 refurbished facades and renovations, grand mansions, monumental buildings, and ornate churches can be sampled in half a day or savored, along with a few day trips, over a week.
Inside the City Walls
The natural starting point is the modest but exceedingly pretty zócalo, or Parque Principal, bounded by calles 55 and 57 running east and west, and calles 8 and 10 running north and south. On Saturday nights and Sundays, streets close down and bands tune up in the gazebo. People set up tables in the streets, and an exuberant street party ensues. Construction of the cathedral on the north side, whose crown-shaped bell towers dominate the square, began in 1650 and was finally completed 150 years later. A pleasant way to see the city is to take the tranvía (trolley) tour leaving the plaza approximately every hour between 9am and 1pm and 5 to 9pm. The cost is 80 pesos for a 45-minute tour.
Outside the Walls: Scenic Vistas
Malecón -- Not everything Campeche has to offer is lodged in the past. The flurry of renovation also lined about 3km (1 3/4 miles) of the waterfront with this broad, palm-lined sea walk, encompassing fountains, cannons, exercise stations, gardens, and monuments. The jogging and bike path bustles with energetic locals in the cool of early morning and late-night hours. Join them as the day's heat breaks for a sunset you won't soon forget.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
