Things to do in Campeche, Mexico’s walled Rainbow City

Why did a sleepy Gulf port need two kilometres of walls? And why does almost nobody stop here on the way between Mérida and Palenque? Campeche has a pirate past, a church that once doubled as a lighthouse and a rule that no two neighbouring houses can share a colour. These are the best things to do there.

Often referred to as Mexico’s ‘Rainbow City’, Campeche is a colourful city located on the Yucatán Peninsula. Look, I’ll level with you. Campeche is not one of Mexico’s most popular travel destinations like Cancún and Tulum. It’s often overlooked by tourists, which is a shame as it is an underrated city with plenty to offer those who do visit.

I drove down from Mérida on my Mexico road trip, and exploring this brilliant colonial city turned out to be one of my favourite things to do in Mexico. Not that many tourists make it to Campeche, which is a total shame, as the old colonial centre is hella pretty and it’s got its own kind of cool, unpretentious, sort of sleepy but totally wow thing going for it.

What makes Campeche genuinely distinctive is its history. Founded by Spanish conquistadors in 1540 on the site of a Maya settlement, it became Spain’s primary port for the Yucatán Peninsula and, as a result, one of the most targeted cities by pirates in the entire Caribbean.

That pirate history shaped everything about the place: the extraordinary fortified walls, the compact walled city, the bastions that still stand today. In 1999, UNESCO recognised the historic centre as a World Heritage Site, citing its unique military architecture and the remarkable preservation of more than 1,000 colonial buildings. Walking inside those walls, it is easy to see why.

The best things to do in Campeche

Stroll around the streets of the Centro Histórico

One of the best things to do in Campeche is to stroll around its UNESCO-listed city centre.

Unlike most Mexican cities, the centre here is quiet, with an intimate, small-town feel. That sense of calm is not accidental: it is the product of centuries of careful preservation, partly driven by the city’s relative economic slowdown in the 20th century, which meant fewer of its colonial buildings were torn down and replaced.

The result is one of the most intact Spanish colonial historic centres in Mexico. The layout follows the classic Renaissance checkerboard grid of the colonial period, with even-numbered streets running north to south and odd-numbered streets running east to west, all contained within the hexagonal ring of the city walls.

Take a peek at the many colonial buildings and structures housed within the fortified city walls: pastel-coloured houses and bright yellow churches included. There are also some grand colonial mansions built by families made wealthy by New World trading. The best way to experience the historic centre is simply to walk it without a fixed plan, letting the colour and scale of the place reveal itself gradually. Simply stroll around and take it all in in its majestic glory.

Wander the colourful streets

If the Centro Histórico is the structure, the colours are the soul. Entering the walled city for the first time, most visitors stop mid-street, not in front of any particular building, but before the street itself: an unbroken succession of facades in yellow, pink, cobalt blue, terracotta, mint and gold that stretches as far as you can see. It is genuinely one of the most visually striking streetscapes in Mexico.

The colours are not a modern invention or a tourism initiative. They arrived gradually over the 18th and 19th centuries, when the merchant families of the city’s prosperous trading era began finishing their houses in lime plasters mixed with natural pigments from mineral earths, plant dyes and imported colourants from across the Spanish colonial world.

The style is known as Campechano, and shows a strong Andalusian influence: one or two-storey houses with high ceilings for ventilation, large windows, internal courtyards and those vivid, multi-coloured facades with white moulding around the edges. The colours also carried social meaning. Cobalt blue and deep blue were associated with the wealthiest buildings: blue pigments were significantly more expensive than earth tones, while mint and sage green became more common in the 19th century during the Porfirian period.

Today the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia maintains a register of approved facade colours for the protected UNESCO zone, and there is a local ordinance ensuring that no two adjacent houses are painted the same colour. The city effectively assigns each building its shade. The result is that what looks like an exuberant accident of history is actually a carefully maintained system, and it works beautifully.

What strikes you as you walk is that this is not a museum street. Most of the buildings you pass are homes. People live inside these facades, hang laundry from the ironwork balconies, sit in the courtyards behind the heavy wooden doors. This is a city that happens to be very old and very beautiful, and that has chosen to keep it that way. Wander without a plan, let yourself get a little lost, and stop whenever the light hits a particular wall in a particular way. It will happen often.

Admire Campeche Cathedral on the main square

Overlooking the main square in the city with its two soaring bell towers is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, also known as Campeche Cathedral. Work on the church began as early as 1540, making it one of the oldest churches in Mexico. The building was only finished in 1760 following the completion of the west steeple, known as La Española, and its twin on the other side came later still.

Given its long history, the church draws on both baroque and neoclassical influences, with an elegantly understated interior that is brought to life at night with breathtaking illuminations. I’ll have to make a confession: I didn’t go inside, but the exterior is beautiful enough to catch your eye, and it dominates the centre in the best way possible.

Entry to the cathedral is free. Nearby, the Chapel of Jesús Nazareno and the Museum of Sacred Art are worth the small admission fee, with impressive collections of artworks and religious objects.

Have sundowners at Casa Vieja del Río

The cocktails at Casa Vieja del Río are just as good any time of day, but it’s the views at sunset that make this place really special. Just a stone’s throw away from the cathedral, at Calle 10 No. 319, the long upstairs terrace is the perfect place to watch as the warm hues of the setting sun bathe the cathedral in golden light.

It opens in the afternoon (from around 3.30pm) and serves food as well as drinks, but the margaritas are what most people come for.

Do a double take at the Ex Templo de San José

Can we all just take it as a given that the architecture in Campeche is something else? But once in a while you come across a building so cool that it stops you in your tracks. The Ex Templo de San José is that building, and it made me do a double take.

Built by the Jesuits in 1716 on the site of an earlier chapel to San José, the patron saint of carpenters and shipbuilders, it was used as a Jesuit church and then (rather bizarrely) as a lighthouse. Its baroque facade is covered in blue and yellow tiles, and the lighthouse turret still sits on top of one of its towers. Today it belongs to the Instituto Campechano and hosts exhibitions and cultural events, so check what’s on, and be sure to look up at that facade as you walk around the city.

Dine on Calle 59

Campeche is one of the most vibrant cities in Mexico, and one of the places where this is particularly evident is Calle 59. This street runs between the city’s two main gates, the Puerta de Mar and the Puerta de Tierra. Along it are many historic houses and facades painted in a rainbow of colours, and because the central stretch is only accessible to pedestrians, you can walk around freely without worrying about traffic.

While walking down this colourful street, you will pass by some of the best restaurants and cafés in the city, many with great deals and happy hours throughout the day. What makes dining here truly special is the outdoor seating along the lively cobblestone street. For those wondering where to eat, Luz de Luna is worth visiting for its local flavours, and Chocol Ha café for its chocolate tamales, which are genuinely some of the more distinctive things you can eat here.

If you are visiting at night, stop by Rincón Colonial, a lively Cuban-style drinking establishment on Calle 59 that served as a location for the 2001 film Original Sin with Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie. Join in with some botanas (appetisers) and a local beer.

Walk down the malecón

One of the most popular spots in the city amongst locals and tourists alike is the malecón. It is a picturesque promenade that runs for around 6.3 kilometres (4 miles) along the Gulf of Mexico.

This charming public space has plenty of walking paths passing by a series of monuments, including the statue of La Novia del Mar (the Bride of the Sea), the Poesía del Mar fountains and the large, colourful Campeche sign. For those hoping to grab that perfect Instagram pic, this is the ideal spot.

Along the malecón, you will also see many people walking, cycling, or having picnics. It is also one of the best places in the city to watch the sunset, and the Pasaje Román Piña Chan footpath links it to the walled centre in a few minutes.

Explore the Edzná ruins

One of the most impressive examples of Maya architecture in the region, the Edzná ruins are located around 55 kilometres from the city, roughly an hour’s drive, and make for an excellent day trip.

The site has a long history. It was first settled as early as 600 BCE, and had grown into a major city by 200 CE, with a population that at its peak reached around 25,000 people. Edzná was a regional capital with strong political and commercial ties to Calakmul and Piedras Negras, and its architecture reflects influences from multiple Maya traditions: Puuc, Petén and Chenes styles are all visible in the buildings, the result of its position at the crossroads of several powerful Maya polities.

The city also developed an extraordinary system of canals and reservoirs to capture and retain rainwater, as the site lacked a natural water source. The canals were later used for trade and defence, which helps explain the city’s long period of growth and influence.

Its decline remains a mystery, and the city was eventually abandoned around 1450, long before the Spanish arrived, which means, unlike so many Maya sites, its story was not ended by the conquest. The name Edzná is usually translated as House of the Itzás, and archaeologists believe the site was occupied and influenced by the Itzá Maya long before they established their famous city at Chichén Itzá to the north.

The lesser-known status of Edzná means far fewer tourists, which adds to the magical atmosphere of the place. The standout structure is the Pyramid of the Five Floors, a temple-palace hybrid that is genuinely unlike anything else in Maya architecture, combining residential and ceremonial functions in a single towering structure.

Wander the old city walls

In its heyday, the city was constantly under pirate attack, a consequence of its position as the primary Spanish trading port on the Yucatán Peninsula, which made it one of the wealthiest and most tempting targets in the Caribbean.

The most dramatic of these attacks was the Sack of Campeche in 1663, when the English buccaneer Christopher Myngs and his deputy Edward Mansvelt assembled the largest pirate fleet ever seen at the time: 14 English ships joined by French and Dutch privateers, totalling more than 20 vessels and over 1,400 men. The fleet, which included a young Henry Morgan, landed at night and attacked at dawn. After a two-hour battle, the Spanish garrison of 150 militia was overwhelmed, the city was occupied for two weeks, and the pirates left with 14 additional vessels from the harbour. It was a raid that became a model for buccaneer attacks across the Caribbean for decades afterwards.

The attack, combined with further raids in the 1680s, finally forced the King of Spain to act. Construction of the city walls began in 1686 and took more than 50 years to complete. The resulting fortification, which is over two kilometres long and up to eight metres high, made it one of the most heavily defended cities in the Americas. Seven of the original eight bastions remain today, and several house small museums: the Museum of Maya Architecture and the city museum are particularly worth visiting, and you could spend an entire day working through all of them.

Visit the archaeological museum at Fort San Miguel

Guarding the city are two fortresses: Fuerte San Miguel and Fuerte San José el Alto, both built by the Spanish to protect against pirate invasion. Between them, Fuerte San Miguel offers the better experience: it includes an impressive drawbridge, moat and cannons, dates back to the late 18th century and sits on a hill above the Gulf, with views back over the city.

The Museo de Arqueología Maya within the fort houses many Maya artefacts from Calakmul and Edzná, including burial art, jade masks and treasures recovered from the sea. The highlight is a stunning jade funerary mask from the kingdom of Calakmul: one of the finest pieces of Maya funerary art you will see anywhere in Mexico. Across town, Fuerte San José el Alto holds a museum of underwater archaeology, with finds from shipwrecks off the coast.

Soak up the sun on a Campeche beach

If you’re visiting during the summer, you cannot skip out on a trip to one of the coastal city’s beautiful beaches.

One of the most notable beaches is Playa Bonita, and it is ideally located just 20 minutes from downtown. It also ticks all the boxes for a thrilling day by the sea. This includes soft, white-sand shores, plenty of cabañas, and calm waters perfect for swimming.

For more great beaches, head to the sleepy town of Sabancuy. Here you will find several beautiful, unspoilt beaches located on the coastline between Campeche and Ciudad del Carmen. These beaches pass by rainforests and limestone cliffs, providing some of the most breathtaking views.

Taste some delicious food at the market

If you are uncertain about what to eat, take a trip to the Mercado Principal (Mercado Pedro Sáinz de Baranda), a large indoor market situated near the Baluarte de San Pedro, just outside the walls. It is home to dozens of stalls serving a wide selection of food and drink, and some especially good regional pickups including tamales, tortillas, pan de cazón (tortillas layered with shredded dogfish and black beans, Campeche’s signature dish) and tranca, a baguette stuffed with roast pork. To wash it all down, try agua de lima, a refreshing sweet lime drink. The market is also a good place to shop for fruit, vegetables and flowers, and is open every day from 7am to 5pm.

Visit Centro Cultural Casa No 6

To catch a glimpse into how Campeche’s upper class once lived, be sure to pay a visit to Centro Cultural Casa No 6, on the main square. The building now serves as a museum that aims to teach visitors more about the city’s changing fortunes and global trade relations through the furniture on display.

A visit to this 19th-century mansion is like taking a step back in time. And at a small fee, it is well worth it. Here you will find a peaceful courtyard along with a bedroom, living room, and kitchen. Each of these rooms boasts old Cuban-style furniture. In addition to the rooms, there is also a small boutique bookshop on site.

While the Centro Cultural Casa No 6 is beautiful, you can get a feel for the city’s pre-revolutionary era by peeking into many of the houses in the area. This speaks to how well the town has preserved its heritage.

Marvel at the Museo de Arquitectura Maya

Located right inside the city wall in the Baluarte de la Soledad, beside the main square, the Museo de Arquitectura Maya houses an impressive collection of Maya artefacts from various sites including Edzná, Becán and Santa Rosa Xtampak.

The highlight is its rooms full of carved stelae, and every piece has explanations in English as well as Spanish, making it one of the more accessible places in the region to learn about Maya culture. After viewing the exhibits, head up to the top of the old city wall that houses the museum for sweeping views over the historic centre.

Relax at the Xmuch’haltún Botanical Garden

Situated inside the Baluarte de Santiago and surrounded by the old city walls, the Xmuch’haltún Botanical Garden takes its name from the Mayan phrase meaning “water that springs from the earth”, a fitting name for a garden that hosts a lush variety of tropical plants, many of them used in Mayan medicines or for dyeing fabrics and thatching homes.

At the heart of the garden is a beautiful fountain that feeds into canals irrigating the plants throughout. It is a tranquil contrast to the colonial fortifications surrounding it.

See the night show at the Puerta de Tierra

The city is more laid-back when compared to some of Mexico’s other cities. However, there is still plenty of fun to be had once the sun goes down.

From 1732, the Puerta de Tierra (Land Gate) served as the main entrance to the city from the land side. Today, it is no longer the main gate to the city. However, it remains a must-see landmark for those visiting, and the stretch of wall beside it is one of the longest you can walk.

To get the most out of your trip, it is recommended that you visit the landmark at night, when it hosts a light and sound show about the city’s battles with pirates, usually on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm. Places are limited, so check the schedule and buy tickets at the gate earlier in the day.

Alongside the show, you can take a night walk along the city walls. For those seeking a fun night out in the old town, a trip to the Puerta de Tierra will not disappoint.

Drink at the best bars in Campeche

It would be rude to visit without checking out its laid-back night-time scene. While plenty of the best bars are on Calle 59, there are good spots throughout the city. Native is an idyllic rooftop spot ideal for a margarita or two as the sun sets, while Homero Taberna and Barko 59 are cosy boltholes for a craft beer alongside hearty Mexican food.

Know before you go

To make sure you get the most out of your visit, here are some important things to know before you go.

• Where is Campeche? Campeche is in the south-east of Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula, on the Gulf of Mexico coast, about two hours’ drive south-west of Mérida.
• Getting there: It’s an easy two-hour drive from Mérida, which is how I arrived. The Tren Maya also links the two cities in about two hours and 20 minutes, and carries on to Palenque, while ADO buses run throughout the day from Mérida, Cancún and Palenque.
• How long to stay: Two days is enough to cover the main attractions in the city itself. Three days gives you comfortable time to add a day trip to Edzná without rushing.
• Best time to visit: January and February are the best months, with average temperatures around 25°C and lower humidity. March and April are warmer and more humid but still enjoyable. The summer months bring heat and humidity, which are not ideal for long days on your feet.
• Where to stay: Stay inside the walls so everything is walkable. Hotel Socaire is a spacious base with a pool, a short walk from the Parque de la Independencia and the seafront, while Hacienda Puerta Campeche is a luxury hotel in restored 17th-century houses by the Puerta de Tierra. With fewer accommodation options than Mérida, the best places can get booked up, so book well in advance.

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