4 days of pirate walls and jungle pyramids in Campeche

Campeche's old walled town, on foot. A cathedral on a calm main square, the land gate, the pedestrian streets with their painted houses and the sea gate where goods once arrived. Everything is a flat, short walk, so start early and rest in the shade at midday.

1. Breakfast

   Eggs, beans and strong coffee

   Eggs with black beans and warm tortillas, with a strong coffee, a plain start before the heat in a cafe near the cathedral square.

   Local tip Eat early, before the sun is high.
2. 1
   MorningIndoor

   Campeche Cathedral

   The cathedral on the main square of the old town, a church of the Immaculate Conception built over a long stretch of the colonial period, with two towers and a pale, carved front. The square in front of it has trees, benches and a bandstand, and it is where the town meets. It is a working church, so stay quiet during services.

   Go when Morning, while the square is cool and quiet.

   Local tip It is a working church, so cover your shoulders and stay quiet during services. Sit on a bench in the square afterward and watch the town wake up.

   

   About 7 min walk0.5 km
3. 2
   Midday

   Puerta de Tierra

   The land gate of the old walls, on the side that faces inland. The town was walled in the 17th century after pirate raids, and this was the main way in by road. A bastion stands beside it, and the walls are easy to follow on foot from here.

   Go when Midday, before the heat, or late afternoon.

   Local tip Walk a little way along the top of the walls if they are open. The stone holds the heat, so bring water and a hat.

4. Lunch

   Pan de cazón

   A dish of Campeche: layers of tortilla filled with shredded dogfish, black beans and a tomato sauce, eaten with a squeeze of lime.

   Local tip Ask for the sauce on the side and eat it soon after it is made.

   About 5 min walk0.4 km
5. 3
   Afternoon

   Calle 59 and Calle 57

   Two of the pedestrian streets of the old town, lined with painted houses in pastel colours, with iron balconies and tiled floors. Calle 59 runs between the two gates and has arcades and cafes. Walk slowly and look up at the cornices.

   Go when Afternoon into evening, once the shade returns.

   Local tip Look up at the colours of the houses and down at the old tiled floors in the doorways. Stop in the shade of an arcade when the sun is strong.

   About 2 min walk0.2 km
6. 4
   Evening

   Puerta de Mar

   The sea gate of the old walls, where goods from ships once entered the town. Today it opens onto a small plaza, and the walls on either side hold the bastions. A good place to be as the light turns gold and the town comes out to walk.

   Go when Evening, as the light softens (about 5:43 PM).

   Local tip Stand in the gateway and picture the ships at the quay beyond it. It is a good place to wait for the evening walk.

7. Dinner

   Shrimp and a cold drink

   Campeche is known for its shrimp, served in a cocktail with lime or fried with garlic, at a table where the street is cool.

   Local tip Ask what came in today, and drink plenty of water.

More of the walls and the museums in them. A bastion that holds Maya stone carvings, a botanical garden on another, the fort on its hill above the sea with a museum of Maya objects, and an evening on the Malecón, the waterfront promenade.

1. Breakfast

   Sweet bread and coffee

   A warm roll or sweet bread with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, in a cafe near the walls.

   Local tip Ask for what the baker made that morning.
2. 1
   MorningIndoor

   Baluarte de la Soledad

   A bastion of the old walls that now holds the Maya Architecture Museum, with carved stone panels and stelae from sites across the state, arranged around a small courtyard. A cool, indoor start to the day.

   Go when Morning, as an indoor start.

   Local tip Look closely at the carved stone and ask what each stela once recorded. A cool, shady stop when the weather is hot or wet.

   About 4 min walk0.3 km
3. 2
   Midday

   Baluarte de Santiago garden

   Another bastion of the walls, whose inner courtyard has been turned into a small botanical garden of tropical plants, with paths and shade. A quiet, green stop for the heat of the day.

   Go when Midday, in the shade.

   Local tip A small garden of tropical plants set in a bastion. Take your time, and carry water on a hot day.

4. Lunch

   A fish lunch in the shade

   Grilled or fried fish with rice, a salad and tortillas, with a fruit drink, at a shaded table.

   Local tip Choose a table in the shade, and eat a little slowly in the heat.

   About 13 min by car or transit4.4 km
5. 3
   AfternoonIndoor

   Fuerte de San Miguel

   A fort on a hill south west of the town, built in the 18th century to guard the coast, with a moat, ramparts and cannons that look out over the Gulf. Inside, a museum shows Maya objects from sites across the region. A short taxi ride from the old town.

   Go when Afternoon, once the heat begins to ease.

   Local tip Walk the ramparts for the view over the Gulf, and ask the taxi driver to wait or to come back for you. The museum inside is a cool, indoor stop.

   

   About 12 min by car or transit3.6 km
6. 4
   Evening

   Campeche Malecón

   The waterfront promenade that runs along the Gulf outside the old walls, a place for a long walk, a cold drink and a look at the water. In the evening the locals come out to stroll, cycle and watch the light on the sea.

   Go when Evening, as the heat eases (about 5:43 PM).

   Local tip Walk along the water rather than along the road, and stop at a stall for a cold drink. It is where the town spends its evening.

7. Dinner

   Street snacks on the seafront

   Small tamales, fried snacks and fruit cups from the stalls along the waterfront, eaten as the town cools.

   Local tip Share a few between two, and pick the busiest stall.

A day trip inland by road to Edzná, a Maya city set in open country with a wide plaza and a tall pyramid, then back to the walled city for the evening on a bastion over the sea. Start early, since the sun is strong by midday.

1. Drive from Campeche MalecónAbout 51 min by car42.7 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   A big breakfast before Edzná

   Eggs, beans, tortillas and strong coffee, to carry you through a morning in the sun.

   Local tip Pack water and a snack, since the site has few shops.
3. 1
   MorningBest early

   Edzná

   A Maya city inland from Campeche, set in open country. The central pyramid, called the Building of Five Floors, rises above a wide plaza, and the people who lived here dug canals and water works around it. Climbing rules can change, so check ahead on what is open.

   Go when Morning, as early as you can.

   Local tip There is little shade in the wide plaza, so bring a hat and water. Ask about climbing rules on the day, and walk slowly to look at the stonework.

   

4. Lunch

   Pork baked in banana leaf

   Pork marinated in a sour orange and spice paste, then baked in a banana leaf, a dish of the peninsula, served in tacos with pickled onion.

   Local tip Add the hot sauce a little at a time.

   About 51 min by car42.5 km
5. 2
   Evening

   Baluarte de San Carlos

   A bastion on the sea side of the old walls, at the western edge of the town, that looks out over the Gulf. It holds a small museum about the defences of the port. A fine place to end the day, since the sun sets over the water.

   Go when Late afternoon into evening (about 5:43 PM).

   Local tip Walk to the end of the bastion for the view over the water, and see the small museum about the defences of the port.

6. Dinner

   A seafood supper by the Gulf

   Grilled fish or a plate of shrimp with rice and tortillas, as the light goes over the water.

   Local tip Share a fish between two, and leave room for something cold.

A very long day south. The road runs through forest and farmland to the Calakmul biosphere reserve and a Maya city whose pyramids rise above the canopy, with a fortified site on the way back. Check the road, the distance and any guide or entry rules ahead, and think about staying nearby the night before.

1. Drive from Baluarte de San CarlosAbout 2 h 55 min by car208.0 km

   Where Day 3 ended.
2. Breakfast

   A big breakfast before the long road

   Eggs, beans, tortillas and a large coffee, to set you up for the long drive south.

   Local tip Pack water, fruit and snacks, since the road has few shops.
3. 1
   Midday

   Calakmul

   One of the largest Maya cities, deep in the Calakmul biosphere reserve, a vast area of protected forest. Tall pyramids stand among the trees, and from the top of the highest the forest spreads in every direction. Wildlife such as monkeys and birds lives in the reserve, but it cannot be promised on any visit.

   Go when Morning, as early as your road allows.

   Local tip The road in is long, so check its condition, the distance and any guide or entry rules ahead, and consider a night nearby. Bring water, food, repellent and a layer, and keep wildlife at a distance. It cannot be promised.

   

4. Lunch

   A packed lunch in the shade

   A simple lunch of sandwiches or tortillas with fruit, eaten in the shade, as the site has few places to eat.

   Local tip Carry more water than you think you need, and take your rubbish with you.

   About 1 h 3 min by car58.1 km
5. 2
   Afternoon

   Becán

   A Maya city that was fortified with a deep dry moat around it, on the way back toward the main road. Tall towers and a long plaza stand among low forest, with passages and rooms to explore. A good stop to break the long drive.

   Go when Afternoon, on the way back.

   Local tip Look for the dry moat that circled the city, and the narrow passages through the towers. Bring repellent and water.

   

6. Dinner

   A plain supper after the long road

   A bowl of soup or a plate of tacos, a simple supper at the end of a long day on the road.

   Local tip Order something light, and plan the morning after to be slow.