Introducing Campeche
Campeche is a colonial fairyland, its walled city center a tight enclave of perfectly restored pastel buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, fortified ramparts and well-preserved mansions. Added to Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites in 1999, the state capital has been so painstakingly restored you wonder if it’s a real city. Nearly 2000 structures have been renovated. But leave the city’s walls and you’ll find a real Mexican provincial capital complete with a frenetic market, a quiet waterfront malecón (pedestrian walkway) and old fishing docks.
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Besides the numerous mansions built by wealthy Spanish families during Campeche’s heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries, two segments of the city’s famous wall have also survived, as have no fewer than seven of the baluartes (bastions or bulwarks) that were built into it.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
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RE: Campeche City or Calakmul--which best compliments our itiinerary?
by unclelouie 20 December 2009
We have not been to Calakmul but spent three days in Campeche last year. You can see most of what there is to see in one day. We took…
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RE: Campeche City or Calakmul--which best compliments our itiinerary?
by Mauricio 18 December 2009
Campeche is probably Mexico´s best example of a maritime bastion, walled colonial city. Very different from Merida.
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Campeche City or Calakmul--which best compliments our itiinerary?
by juliest 18 December 2009
We have 2 extra days on our trip that we are trying to decide what to do with. Transportation is not an issue because we'll have a rental…
