Izamal is known as the Yellow City for good reason. Everything in the city center is yellow! But it is also known as the City of Hills. The hills aren’t just hills though. They are the remnants of ancient Mayan temple-pyramids. Izamal is a small city with charm, ruins, friendly people, and interesting history. And it’s a cheap day trip! Read on for how to visit the Yellow City of Izamal for $5.
Why is Izamal a Pueblo Mágico?
Pueblo Mágico translates in English to “Magic Town.” It is a program in Mexico to give this status to cities with significant natural beauty, culture, cuisine, arts, traditions and history. Izamal’s photogenic city center easily makes it worthy of the designation, but there’s so much more to admire here besides the yellow paint.
The city was founded somewhere between 750-200BC and was continuously occupied until the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. Five large pyramids and structures still reside in Izamal, and there are even ruins that are still being found ’til this day. Some are even right next to local families’ property! It’s also an important location in the Roman Catholic religion. Pope John Paul II visited in 1993 and some of the saints statues at Izamal supposedly perform miracles.
How do you get to Izamal?
Izamal is only 45 miles (72km) east of the city of Mérida. This translates to about an hour drive. The easiest and cheapest way to visit the Yellow City of Izamal is by taking the bus.
- The Noreste Bus Station has only a few departures each day, due to COVID-19. There’s an 8:50am departure and the next one is at 1:50pm. Catch the 8:50!
- The bus costs 33 pesos each way ($1.65 USD) for the Oriente 2nd class bus.
- Buy the bus ticket at the Noreste Bus Station and then walk up the block to Terminal 50 for the bus departure.
- The Izamal Oriente Bus Terminal is located right in the city center and has a few departures heading back to Mérida. There’s a 2:30pm and 5:30pm. We caught the 2:30 bus.
What is there to do in Izamal?
- Walk around and admire the city center coated in yellow. Stray away from the center to get a feel for typical life in the city.
- The Convento de San Antonio will most likely be your first stop on your visit to the Yellow City of Izamal. The Convent of St. Anthony of Padua was completed in 1562 and the open atrium of the Monastery is still the 2nd largest behind the Vatican.
- Parque 5 de Mayo & Plaza Izamal – people watch as the locals gather for helado after Sunday mass. Chat with the friendly people of the city in these main squares. Almost all the people of Izamal speak Maya as a first language, but many speak Spanish and some even speak a little English. As a local told us, “life here is quiet and peaceful and everyone knows everyone.”
- Walk through and grab a bite at the Izamal Market.
- Explore the ruins! Pirámide Kinich Kakmó is the most famous and you are able to climb to the top and get some pretty amazing views of the surrounding area. Due to the pandemic, Pirámide de Itzamatul and Arqueológica de Izamal are currently closed, but you can see them from outside the gates and there are even some ruins to see amongst peoples homes!
What can you eat in Izamal?
Izamal is full of treats to snack on.
- Go for some traditional Yucatecan food in the market. Tacos, tortas, salbutes, panuchos, cochinita pibil, relleno negro de pollo and more.
- Delicious fresh mango with chamoy.
- Helados (ice cream), marquesitas (kind of like a rolled up crepe with cheese, nutella and really any topping you want) and snow cones.
- Chicharrones de harina (Duritos) and peanuts with lime and chili
- Deer meat is a delicacy that can be found if you ask around. It’s more common on the weekend and a local told us that although it’s technically not legal to sell, it’s been going on for generations so it’s still a local staple.
Is visiting Izamal worth it?
The truth is there isn’t much to do in Izamal and it’s probably not worth staying overnight here, but for a day trip, absolutely! And when you factor in the cost of around $5 for a visit, how could it not be worth it? The Yellow City of Izamal is great for strolling around for a few hours, taking some cool photos and mixing it up with some locals. If you’re in Mérida for an extended period of time, hop on the bus and take a day trip to Izamal. See the costs of our trip below:
- Round trip bus ticket – 66 pesos
- Torta for lunch – 15 pesos
- Mango with chamoy – 10 pesos
- Peanuts, chicharrones de harina and water – 18 pesos
- TOTAL – 109 pesos ($5.45 USD)
Pin it for later!
Traveling to Mexico or Latin America? Check out our posts on:
- 5 Reasons Mérida, Mexico Is A Great Digital Nomad Destination
- The Best Tacos in Mérida
- What You Should Know Before Visiting the Tulum Ruins
- An Unexpected Mayan Spiritual Experience in Uxmal
- How to Get from Mérida to Chichén Itzá
- Visiting the Mayan Ruins of Dzibilchaltún
- What You Can Get for $10 in Mercado Lucas de Galvez
READY TO VISIT IZAMAL?
**Please note, this post contains affiliate links to products and services. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, which helps us keep the blog up and running.**
