Travelers are looking inland now that Cancun and its nearby cities are luring an international party crowd.

Mexican tourists have long made Mérida, the capital of Mexico's Yucatán state, which is about an hour's drive inland from the Gulf coast, their destination. This calm, peaceful city offers a seductive blend of cultures, and the food is bursting with regional ingredients. With the recent influx of new eateries, shops, and chic hotels, Mérida is gradually developing into a stand-alone international attraction.

Mérida is the ideal size to explore over a long weekend and serves as a great starting point for exploring the region's attractions, including restored haciendas, cavernous cenotes, Mayan ruins, and more. It's simple to take in the city's vibrant street culture, stunning architecture, and distinctly slow pace thanks to regular nonstop flights from Mexico City and beyond.

​​​​Friday
 

Taqueria La Lupita, one of the greatest vendors of cochinita pibil in the city, is located in the Mercado de Santiago. Get there early to get into the local food. (Yucatecos prefer heavy breakfasts, and by 1:00 PM, items are starting to run out.) Don't overlook the Lechon tortas, which come topped with chicharrones that are crispier than potato chips, or the agua de chaya, the region's signature green beverage created from a wild green that resembles spinach.

Go for a stroll along Paseo de Montejo, the main thoroughfare in Mérida. Numerous significant structures, recognizable structures, and pastel-hued homes may be found along the broad, tree-lined roadway. As you proceed, stop at Márago Coffee for an espresso before heading to Casa T'h, a concept store with items created by cutting-edge Mexican designers including Carla Fernandez.

Just a few doors away, Dulcera y Sorbetera Colón is a must-visit on every vacation to Mérida. This famous ice cream shop, established in 1907, serves sorbets and ice creams in local tropical flavors like mango, coconut, Meyer lemon, and soursop. Consider a campo la, a tall glass shaped like a sundae that is topped with icy milk and your preferred sorbet.

Visit the boutique hotel Rosas & Xocolate on Paseo de Montejo, which is renowned for its wellness initiatives. The spa includes massages and body treatments made with locally-ground cacao, and each of the suites with high ceilings has its outdoor tub.

Dine at the recently opened Hacienda Teya restaurant downtown. Originally noted for its cultivation of henequen, an agave used for fiber, the main hacienda, situated just outside the city, was established in 1683. Eventually, it grew to be famed for its cookery. The new urban branch, like the storied original, produces superb renditions of classic meals like Sopa de lima, a chicken consommé flavored with the indigenous bergamot of the area, and superb cocktails.

Saturday
 

It's time to travel deep into the jungle to Uxmal, which many consider being the best Mayan archaeological site on the peninsula. Compared to Chitzén Itzá, Uxmal is far less congested and possibly much more stunning. The best way to get there is to rent a car. It's only an hour away, but you'll want the flexibility to meander. You may also travel there via taxi, bus, or tour group.

Spend some time admiring the intricate friezes and tall pyramids of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was constructed between 700 and 1,000 CE. A dip is then necessary. The Yucatán is covered in cenotes, which are underground waterways that connect natural sinkholes. These pools of pure water frequently resemble those found in otherworldly landscapes. (There are countless numbers. Even the Costco in Mérida's parking lot has one.) Every cenote is unique; some are open-air and bordered by sheer rock sides, while others are more akin to caves that must be descended into and are home to bats and stalactites.

The adventurous can pull into one of the many sideroads with hand-painted signs promoting a cenote if they have a rental car. Life jackets, strong platforms, and guides are other possibilities with a little more infrastructure. Cenote Kankirixché in Abalá is a semi-open cenote with a wooden staircase and platform to access the water, only 30 minutes from Uxmal. It's perfect for snorkeling with a depth range of two to fifty meters. Cenote Yax-Há is a multi-room, cave-like cenote with swinging ropes and ladders that is located nearby Abalá. Families love the nearby Cenote X'Batun because it is close, surrounded by vegetation, quite shallow, and covered in floatable lily pads.

The Yucatán's haciendas and cenotes are its other undiscovered gems. Many of them have retained their stunning on-site mansions and traces of the area's agricultural past because they were historically financed by henequen farming. A must-see is Hacienda San Pedro Ochil; make reservations for lunch and a tour of the opulent gardens in advance. Arrive at the hidden James Turrell installation as twilight falls; it's an hour-long light display projected onto a tree at the base of a cenote.

Make the hour-long drive to Hacienda Santa Rosa, one of five haciendas that the Luxury Collection has transformed into boutique hotels throughout the peninsula. The old, bright blue manor where the 11-room Santa Rosa is located provides access to numerous Mayan monuments. After a nightcap on the patio, retire to comfortable sheets and stillness.

Sunday
 

Wake up to a breathtaking view of the tropical forest and the kind of peace that can only be found in a remote location (with good wifi, of course). Spend the morning strolling the grounds after enjoying coffee and a platter of fresh papaya on the patio. The garden is incredibly lush and contains patches of local herbs that are used to create on-site medicines. The region's renowned Melipona bees, which produce a sort of rare honey that is used locally as medicine, are housed in platform hives further inside. Before you make the hour-long drive back to Mérida, buy a jar to take home.

A leisurely meal at the posh Te Extra restaurant, run by Joaquin Cardoso and Sofa Cortina, two of Mexico City's top chefs. The city's mix of old and new is reflected in the cuisine, which includes cold pea and mint soup, grilled octopus with sour orange, and even a cocktail prepared with a henequen distillate that has a mezcal-like flavor.

A 10-piece local band plays in the open square of the Parque Francisco Canton in the early evening while older couples dance. A marquesita, a crispy, salty-sweet rolled crepe made with shredded gouda cheese, is available in food courts. The dish is a staple of the area and is best enjoyed as the sun sets.