Progreso Shore Excursion: Merida City Sightseeing Tour with Dzibilchaltun Archeological Site

Your shore excursion to Merida and the Dzibilchaltun archeological site begins with a shuttle ride to a specific meeting point from the Progreso port at 8:30am. Once you reach the meeting point, you meet your guide and relax in your plush reclining seat on a luxurious Mercedes Benz minivan as you take in the sights along the Yucatan Peninsula and enjoy soft drinks on board the vehicle.
Upon arrival in Merida, embark on a panoramic city tour with your knowledgeable guide, who will point out important sites of interest. Get to know Merida’s delightful and bustling city center, which boasts plenty of colonial churches and mansions to admire. You’ll become acquainted with the fashionable Paseo de Montejo, a tree-lined avenue built at the turn of the 19th century and famous for its beautiful French-style residences.
Referred to as ‘the white city,’ (La Ciudad Blanca) for its clean, white buildings that seem to sparkle in the sunshine, Merida was established when the henequen industry was at its peak. Admire the wrought iron railings, carved wooden doors and charming courtyards as you stroll along the lovely boulevard.
Your guide will make a stop at the The Grand Mayan World Museum – a perfect place to encounter Yucatecan history and cultural identity. With approximately 750,000 objects in its collection, the vast and contemporary exhibition space presents the Mayan civilization as a continuously living culture that has survived beyond the glory of its archaeological past.
After stopping for lunch in the museum cafeteria (own expense), continue 10 miles (16 km) north to the archaeological site of Dzibilchaltun. Once a major Mayan city, Dzibilchaltun was continuously occupied for thousands of years before it became a villa with an open chapel during the colonial era. Follow your guide to the Temple of the Seven Dolls, where numerous stucco decorations as well as seven small figurines were excavated from under the ruins of a later temple pyramid.
Finally, head to the Xlacah Cenote, located at the center of the city ruins. Believed to have been sacred to the ancient Maya and used in ritual – due to the artifacts retrieved from its 140-foot (43-meter) depths – the cenote is now used as a swimming hole. Feel free to jump into the clear water for a refreshing swim before returning to the Progreso cruise port at 2:30pm.