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Historic avenue · Mérida, Yucatán
Paseo de Montejo
Tree‑lined avenue north of Mérida's center, with mansions from the late 19th and early 20th centuries built with sisal wealth, some opened as museums.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Paseo de Montejo
Paseo de Montejo is a wide avenue north of Mérida's historic center, opened in the late 19th century and inspired by the boulevards of Paris. It was built during the time when sisal, the agave fiber used for ropes, brought great wealth to Yucatán, and the wealthiest families erected their mansions there.
Along roughly 5 km are mansions in varied styles, from neoclassical to art nouveau, with gardens, iron fences and sculptures. The Casas Gemelas, two identical mansions, and the Palacio Cantón, which houses an anthropology museum, are among the best known. In the middle of the avenue, the Monumento a la Patria depicts Mexico's history in stone.
The wide sidewalks and trees make the avenue a good place to walk or cycle. On Sunday mornings part of it closes to cars and welcomes cyclists.
Several mansions have been converted into museums, banks, restaurants and shops, and some can be visited inside.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 1 to 2 hours.
Best time
In the late afternoon or on Sunday morning, when part of the avenue closes to traffic. Check the opening hours of the mansions that are open to visitors.
How to get there
It starts about 1 km north of Plaza Grande. You can get there on foot, by bicycle, taxi or in tourist carriages.
Tip
Enter the Palacio Cantón to see one of the mansions inside. Continue to the Monumento a la Patria.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Paseo de Montejo
Why does Paseo de Montejo have so many mansions?
They were built by families who became wealthy from sisal, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.
Can you enter the mansions on Paseo de Montejo?
Some, like Palacio Cantón, are museums open to visitors.
Is Paseo de Montejo far from the Plaza Grande?
It starts about 1 km to the north.