All about Lost Places in Mérida, Mexico (2025 Guide)

Every country has its own "lost places" – abandoned houses, hotels, train stations, airports, and factories. In some places, entire villages or towns are left empty, with nature slowly taking over as the buildings fall into decay.

In Mérida, old colonial buildings often sit unused, sometimes due to unresolved legal issues or simply because the owners lack the funds to maintain them.

These abandoned buildings are usually off-limits to visitors, as they are well-protected with high walls – a common sight in Mexico, where property is often surrounded by sturdy barriers to create a private fortress-like space.

If you’d like to see more, check out my photo blog about Mérida's lost places.

Some abandoned places, however, have been brought back to life with great effort.

For example, many of Mérida’s old haciendas (for examplale Hacienda Mucuyché) have been transformed into hotels, restaurants, or spas, with parts of the original structures left unrestored to preserve their authentic, old-world charm.

While they aren’t truly “lost” places in the traditional sense, their atmosphere still evokes the past and can make for some fantastic photos if you’re looking for that historic vibe during your visit.

The largest project in Mérida, by far, was the transformation of the vast old train station grounds into the new Gran Parque La Plancha.