All about Campeche in Mexico
Updated: February 9, 2025
Main Category: Day Trips
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Author: Tobias
Campeche is the capital of the state of Campeche in Mexico and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Campeche is about 175km away from MĂ©rida. The journey by car takes about 2h 10min from the city center of MĂ©rida and the place is most of the time tranquilly.
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Campeche
Campeche - actually San Francisco de Campeche - is the capital of the state of Campeche in southeastern Mexico and the closest major city to MĂ©rida. Campeche was founded on October 4th in 1540.
The city center of Campeche has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 due to the well-preserved colonial architecture of the old town and the fortifications with several bastions.
You will find an old town with beautiful colonial houses and authentic Mexican flair. Due to its somewhat remote location, there is not a lot of tourism. Campeche is perhaps something like an insider tip. It is definitely worth a visit and has some remarkable sights.
El MalecĂłn (shore road)
The approximately three kilometers long and 8m high city wall was once built around the old town to protect of Campeche against pirates and is still quite well preserved.
You can take a walk on it and get a good overview of Campeche. And along to the sea leads a seven kilometer long boulevard with Cafes and restaurants, which is called by the locals El MalecĂłn (shore road).
On Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:00 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 8:00 pm and again at 9:00 pm, the light and water show "Fuentes Marinas PoesĂa del Mar" (Poetry of the Sea - Marine Fountains) take place at the MalecĂłn. If you are in the city at this time, you should not miss them.

The central square
The central square is the "Plaza de la Independencia" - the Independence Square. From Friday to Sunday, every day at 8:00 PM, a free light and sound show takes place in the square. If you want a good seat, you should come early.

The square is at the heart of Campeche's historic center, surrounded by important landmarks. In the evenings, the area comes alive with locals and visitors enjoying the illuminated surroundings.
Cathedral of Campeche
Right next to the main square is the beautiful Cathedral of Campeche, "Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la PurĂsima ConcepciĂłn" which means "Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception".
The Cathedral's construction began in 1540 and was completed in 1760. Its Baroque façade features two slender towers, each built during different historical periods. Inside, you'll find sacred art pieces, including "El Santo Entierro," a representation of Christ in a coffin, which is paraded through the city on Good Friday.
More attractions
Another landmark of the old town is the bright yellow church "San Roque y San Francisquito" with the tower with four steeple bells. And also the baroque church "Ex Templo de San Jose" belongs to one of the most beautiful buildings of the city.
There are two historical entrance gates to the city, the "Puerta de Tierra" (the gate of the land) and the "Puerta de Mar" (the gate of the sea). Between the two gates is the car-free Calle 59, which invites you to stroll with its many small stores, cafes and restaurants.
Destinations around Campeche
If you're in the Campeche area, there are some great spots nearby that are worth visiting. One of them is the Mayan archaeological site of EdznĂĄ, located about 45 minutes northeast of the city (roughly 50 kilometers away).
Something else you might want to keep in mind: although Campeche sits by the sea, there isnât a beach right in the city. If you're looking to swim or relax by the water, the closest option is Playa Bonita, a beach in the fishing village of Lema, about 13 kilometers south of Campeche. You can get there by bus or take a cab from the city.
How to get to Campeche from MĂ©rida?
Campeche is a long trip but very easy to reach by car from MĂ©rida, just take highway 180 southwest. There are also ADO buses that run directly between MĂ©rida and Campeche (it's about 2.5 hours on the bus from MĂ©rida), and they are perhaps the best way to get there (in MĂ©rida at ADO TAME, Calle 69, No. 554, between Calle 68 and Calle 70).
The ADO bus station of Campeche is located outside the city center, so you will have to take a cab to get downtown (it is about a 15 minute taxi ride). There is also a small airport in Campeche. However, direct flights to Campeche are only available from Mexico City.
Image Source (letters): ©Sharon Hahn Darlin, flickr, CC BY 2.0, Link
Image Source (cathedral): ©Ralf Roletschek, flickr, GNU Free Doc. License, Ver. 1.2, Link
The pictures were modified (resized, image improvements)
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