Introduction

Travelers are drawn to Campeche’s charming colonial capital, also called Campeche, and its Mayan archaeological treasures, including Edzna, Chicanna, Xpuhil, Calakmul and Becan.

A town of about 50,000 people, the city of Campeche was neglected for years, its colonial-era homes crumbling and dilapidated. Today pretty pastel-colored facades with white trim and delicate wrought-iron balconies line the cobblestone streets and UNESCO has declared the city a World Heritage Site.

Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the city was the principal seaport on the Yucatan Peninsula from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and subsequently a major target of pirates such as Lorenzillo, Diego “The Mulatto” and William Parker. To protect the port from attacks, the Spanish Crown ordered the fortification of the city.

Remnants of the original fortress that surrounded the entire town still stand, including ramparts and gates, giving the city a decidedly romantic, swashbuckling air. The ramparts now house museums and the Land Gate is the site of a dramatic light and sound show that relives the pirate era.

Old-fashioned streetcars offer one-hour tours of the city center, departing from the main plaza at 6 and 8 p.m. Tours to Edzna, the closest major ruin to Campeche, located just 55 km/34 miles away, depart daily from Baluarte Santiago (Santiago Rampart) at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

A luxury hotel, Hacienda Puerta Campeche, has opened in the heart of the historic district.