Here is our 14-day itinerary in Yucatán: from Mayan ruins to colonial cities, from nature reserves to Caribbean beaches!
Yucatán is so much more than just Cancún and Playa del Carmen. If you have studied this country at all, you will surely have realised that there are so many incredible places!
A trip around Yucatán will take you to archaeological sites hidden in the jungle, colonial cities full of life and history, and nature reserves with unique ecosystems. Of course, there are also Caribbean beaches where you can relax!
Thinking of planning a trip to Yucatán and looking for inspiration? Here is our 14-day itinerary in Yucatán!
The Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico is one of Central America’s most popular tourist destinations! Tourism began to develop many years ago and has grown so much that some people now believe that Yucatán has lost its authenticity due to overtourism.
Having recently returned from our 14-day tour of Yucatán, we would argue that this is true for tourists who equate a trip to Yucatán with spending two weeks in Cancún or similar places. However, for those who set out to discover Yucatán with an itinerary that explores the peninsula far and wide, it’s a completely different story!
Yucatán is a wonderful country full of places to discover and explore far from the classic tourist routes. Here, you can enjoy the peace and sounds of the jungle or nature reserves, or climb some of the world’s tallest Mayan pyramids (and we’re not just talking about Chichen Itza!).
Below is our 14-day itinerary for exploring all that this beautiful peninsula has to offer travellers!
To follow this 14-day itinerary in Yucatán, we recommend arriving at and departing from Cancún International Airport, the island’s most well-connected airport.
The main airlines that fly from Italy and other European destinations to Cancún Airport are Turkish Airlines, Air Europa, Swiss, TAP Portugal, KLM, British Airways and Air France.
The main departure airports from Italy to Cancún are Milan Malpensa and Rome Ciampino, but some interesting flights also depart from smaller airports. For example, we flew with Turkish Airlines from Venice via Istanbul.
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This 14-day Yucatán itinerary is divided into two parts. The first 10 days are dedicated to exploring the Yucatán Peninsula, and the final four days are spent relaxing in Isla Mujeres.
To follow this entire itinerary, we recommend that you:
You can also follow this itinerary by bus or ‘colectivo’, but we recommend planning your travels very well in advance, especially when reaching less touristy areas such as Calakmul.
As usual, our itinerary is very dynamic, so you will have to change accommodation often. However, this will allow you to optimise your travel time!
Here is a breakdown of the nights spent overnight during these 14 days in Yucatán:
As for the quality of accommodation in each location, except of course the most remote places, there are all types of accommodation available, and the hotel classification corresponds to international standards.
Our bungalow in Bacalar
Our room in Tulum
Tulum: Pacha Tulum Boutique Hotel ⭐Trip To Try Choice
Bacalar: Bluebayou Bacalar⭐Trip To Try Choice
Calakmul: Casa Kaan ⭐Trip To Try Choice
Mérida: Hotel Maria Jose⭐Trip To Try Choice
Valladolid: Hotel Kookay⭐Trip To Try Choice
Isla Mujeres: Villa Bliss 18 ⭐Trip To Try Choice
On the first day of our 14-day Yucatán itinerary, depending on what time you arrive, you can make a stop at the ruins of Cobá on your way to Tulum.
The ruins of Cobá are older than those of Chichen Itza and Tulum, and here you will find Nohoc Mul, the tallest pyramid in Quintana Roo and the second tallest in all of Yucatán. In the complex you can also visit the La Iglesia pyramid, the first building you will encounter after entering (you can no longer climb it now), the Grupo Macanxoc where there are still some decorated stelae, the Juego de la Pelota camp, and the Grupo de Las Penturas, which is still partly colored.
Near the complex is the Cobá Lagoon and also other small lagoons where you can spot crocodiles.
Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance fee: 195 pesos (about €8.90) including parking. If you want to rent a bicycle, the cost is 100 pesos (about €4.70)
Our tips: if you feel like stretching your legs after sitting for so long on the plane and then in the car, you can visit the complex on foot and take a nice walk of a couple of kilometers to get to the furthest point. There are many interesting things to discover about Cobá and taking a guided tour is a very good idea, if you don’t want to haggle at the entrance to the site you can book one from a local tour operator you can find at this link.
Nohoc Mul, la piramide di Coba
After visiting Cobá, it is time to head to the town of Tulum, where we recommend that you stay.
You can choose to sleep in a facility in the village or in the hotelera area along the coast.
We opted for the village, both for economic reasons and to enjoy some of the local nightlife in the evening rather than the touristy kind. If, on the other hand, you opt for the hotelera zone, there are still several places, both on the beach and along the coastal lane where you can enjoy a great dinner. Keep in mind that, in general, the costs in the hotelera area are higher than in the town.
💰 Low budget: Mio Tulum Hotel Boutique
💰💰 Medium budget: Pacha Tulum Boutique Hotel ⭐Trip To Try Choice
💰💰💰💰 No limits: Delek Tulum
On the second day of our 14-day itinerary in Yucatan, we set off to discover one of the wonders of this peninsula: the cenotes. The cenotes are freshwater lakes that are underground. Some are actually still closed, so much so that they are real caves, others are now open to the sky.
Formed by underground rivers flowing under the Yucatán Peninsula, they were considered sacred places in the Mayan era as they represented the afterlife. Various offerings were thrown into the cenotes, including objects, animals and even human sacrifices, which can still be seen today while snorkelling or diving.
The surroundings of Tulum boast many cenotes, the most famous of which are:
You can simply bathe in these cenotes, go snorkelling, or if you are a certified diver, diving is the best way to explore them.
There are over 7,000 cenotes in Yucatán, so after a while it can become repetitive. If you have to choose, the cenotes of Tulum and Valladolid are not to be missed on a 14-day trip to Yucatán.
Opening hours: The times may vary slightly from one cenote to another but consider a time slot from approximately 8 am to 5 pm
Entrance fee: The cost also varies slightly, but on average it is 100 pesos per person (about €4.70)
Our tips: in each cenote you will be provided with a life jacket (mandatory) and there are usually lockers to store your things. There are toilets, showers and in some even small places to drink and eat.
Cenote car wash
Cenote dos ojos
On the third day of our 14-day itinerary in Yucatán, we start with a stop at the archaeological zone of Tulum.
The archaeological zone of Tulum is among the most visited probably because it is one of the most “photogenic” being located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. In fact, this city was one of the most important port centers of the postclassic period (starting in the 1200s) and from here all boats departed for trade with other parts of the Yucatán but also with Belize.
The iconic building in Tulum is El Castillo, the tower flanked by the Templo de la Estela (where the stele that is now in the British Museum was found) and towering over a small white sand beach where you can sometimes swim.
The complex is quite large and it will take you at least a couple of hours to visit it all, partly because of the queues of tourists and waiting times.
Opening hours: 8am to 5pm but last admission is 3:30pm.
Entrance fee: 295 pesos federal tax (about €13.50) and 100 pesos entrance fee (about €4.70).
Our tips: at the entrance you will find many illegal parking attendants, drive all the way to the end and do not stop because the official parking is the closest one. If you want to take a private guided tour, we recommend booking it at this link as we did, because at the entrance there are several “illegal” guides who will try to catch you!
After exploring the Tulum ruins, it’s time to head to the first nature reserve on this 14-day Yucatán itinerary: the Bacalar lagoon, also known as the ‘Lagoon of 7 Colors’.
Bacalar is just under a three-hour drive from Tulum, and the road there is well-maintained and very quiet.
In Bacalar, we recommend finding a place to stay on the lagoon with a jetty, so you can depart directly with your kayak. We found a small facility in a great location which offered free SUP and kayak rentals.
Alternatively, you can take a boat trip the morning after your arrival, which will take you to some of the lagoon’s most famous spots, such as the Canal de Los Piratas or Los Rapidos. Wherever you go, the colours of this lagoon are truly outstanding, and you will feel as though you are on a tropical island in the middle of the ocean, but with fresh water!
El Castillo in Tulum
Bacalar Lagoon
In the evening you can find a place along the lagoon or visit the small but really cute town of Bacalar, where there are some restaurants around the main square or you can go (and we really recommend it!) to Nixtamal. In this restaurant, the main dish is meat cooked on the grill over fire and charcoal and in a wood oven (no gas stove!)… we leave you to imagine the taste!
💰 Low budget: Hotel Casa Poblana
💰💰 Medium budget: Bluebayou Bacalar ⭐Trip To Try Choice
💰💰💰💰 No limits: Puerta del Cielo Hotel Origen
One of the most beautiful things we saw on our 14-day trip to the Yucatán Peninsula was undoubtedly the sunrise over the Bacalar lagoon. Yes, you will have to get up very early, but we assure you that seeing the sun rise over the lagoon will be worth it: the colours gradually change from pink to intense blue as the lagoon comes to life.
We recommend spending the morning in Bacalar, either taking a boat trip or setting off to explore by kayak. Then, stop in town for lunch before beginning your journey inland.
The Chicanná archaeological site is located on the road to the Calakmul Reserve. As it is off the classic tourist routes, you will find very few tourists here.
Remember that Chicanná is in the state of Campeche, so if you’re coming from Quintana Roo, you’ll need to adjust your watch back by an hour as you’re changing time zones!
Although the ruins of Chicanná are small, we really liked the site because the atmosphere is much more atmospheric than at some overcrowded sites like Tulum or Uxmal.
One of the most beautiful buildings in the complex is definitely the building from which the site gets its name: the ‘House of the Snake’s Jaws’, where the entrance door is shaped like a snake’s jaw.
Opening hours: 8am to 5pm
Entrance fee: 50 pesos (about €2.30)
Our tips: This is one of the sites where you will find the least tourists, so enjoy this relaxing one-hour walk in the shade of the jungle.
Once you have left Chicanná, it is time to head to the place where you will spend two nights in the jungle! There are a few facilities around, but we absolutely recommend Casa Ka’An in Xpujil. There are three reasons for this:
In short, sleeping in the jungle was one of the best experiences we had on our 14-day Yucatán itinerary!
The House of the Serpent's Jaws at Chicanná
Our bungalow at Casa Ka'An
💰 Low budget: Coa de Collar
💰💰 Medium budget: Eco Aldea kinich ahau
💰💰💰💰 No limits: Casa Ka’An ⭐Trip To Try Choice
When designing our 14-day itinerary in Yucatán, we made the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve’s archaeological area one of our “mandatory” stops.
The Calakmul complex is less well-known than others and is not usually included in standard itineraries. For this very reason, it has remained “untouched” and will make you feel as though you are in a lost city in the jungle.
It is said to have been the largest city in Mayan times, and it is located within the Calakmul Reserve, which is one of the most important in Yucatán and Mexico due to the huge variety of animal and plant species found here.
Calakmul was known as the City of the Jaguar, and there is indeed a high concentration of jaguars in this reserve. Only a very small part has been unearthed, and you can visit around a dozen buildings out of an estimated 6,000.
You can climb three pyramids here, including the tallest in Yucatán at 45 metres. It’s quite a trek, but the descent is the trickiest part! However, once you reach the summit, you will be rewarded with a unique panorama: a sea of green jungle stretching as far as the eye can see, dotted with the peaks of other pyramids.
If you’re spending 14 days in Yucatán, don’t miss this lesser-known site, which is arguably the most beautiful in the region.
Opening hours: 8 am to 5 pm
Entrance fee: 80 pesos to enter the Reserve, 100 pesos to enter the archaeological site (about €8.30 in total)
Our tips: our advice is to visit the site with a local guide, booking the tour with Ka’an Expeditions because for us it was very important to have a guide who gave us a lot of information, not only on the archaeological site but also on the reserve, on the animals that can be spotted and on the various types of plants and their characteristics.
Calakmul
View of the jungle from the highest pyramid in Calakmul
Tired but happy at the end of the climb of the highest pyramid in Calakmul
On day six of our 14-day Yucatán itinerary, we begin our ascent into the state of Yucatán itself. There are two options for the route:
You can take the ‘wide’ route, which passes through San Francisco de Campeche. This road is wide and allows for fairly quick travel.
Or you can cut through the jungle by the narrower road that passes through Hopelchén, which is slightly bumpy in places.
We opted for the latter, enjoying the views and scenery while passing through traditional rodeo villages in the countryside.
After a few hours, you will arrive at the Uxmal archaeological complex (here, you will regret the silence of Calakmul). It is very busy with tourists and completely different from the jungle ruins you visited earlier. The vast archaeological area has no vegetation, which really gives the impression of an imposing city. The first building you will encounter is the large elliptical-shaped pyramid.
As well as this uniquely shaped pyramid, the Uxmal site is also worth visiting for its other huge, well-preserved and impressive buildings, such as the Cuadrángulo de las Monjas (a rectangular plaza surrounded by buildings) and the Palacio del Gobernador (almost 100 metres long and elevated above the rest of the city).
Opening hours: 8 am to 4 pm
Entrance fee: 461 pesos federal tax and 100 pesos entrance fee to the site (total about €25.70)
Our tips: the signs at the entrance are not very clear and you will have to queue separately to pay the tax and buy the ticket (there are two adjacent ticket offices).
The elliptical pyramid of Uxmal
In front of the Uxmal site is the Choco Story Museum, which is actually more of a botanical garden. Here, you can take a relaxing walk in the shade to recover from the scorching Uxmal sun.
The route winds through the garden, where you can see many types of local plants, some of which are used for medical purposes, for decoration, or for making tools. There are also various rooms built in the style of traditional Mayan huts, which tell the history of cocoa and chocolate, starting with its importance to the Mayan people. The garden is also home to various animals, such as monkeys and jaguars, which were rescued from difficult situations and cannot be returned to the wild.
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 7:30 pm
Entrance fee: 280 pesos (approximately €12.90)
🛕 BUY HERE the tour from Mérida to Uxmal, the Choco Story Museum and also a cenote!
After visiting Choco Story, head to the first of the colonial cities on your 14-day Yucatán itinerary: Mérida.
With more than 1 million inhabitants, Mérida is a very large city, so we recommend finding accommodation near the historic centre or along Paseo de Montejo, Mérida’s most elegant street. This will save you from having to move your car in the evening and allow you to enjoy a pleasant walk through the streets of the centre.
For a pleasant evening, take a tour around Parque de Santa Lucía, where there is often live music. If you love nightlife, Calle 60 is the place to be!
💰 Low udget: Hotel Maria Jose⭐Trip To Try Choice
💰💰 Medium budget: Gamma Merida El Castellano
💰💰💰💰 No limits: Decu Downtown
The second colonial city on this 14-day itinerary inz Yucatán is Izamal, also known as the Yellow City. Located about an hour’s drive from Mérida, we recommend leaving early in the morning to avoid visiting the city under the midday sun.
Izamal’s historic centre is not very large and is centred around the Convento de San Antonio de Padua, a former convent with a huge cloister located at the top of the steps of Parque 5 de Mayo. Take a stroll through Parque Itzamna and the Mercado Municipal, and above all, explore the streets of this small city with its yellow houses to find some of Izamal’s traditional artisan workshops.
To make the most of the hottest part of the day in Mérida, we recommend visiting the Mayan World Museum, located in the north of the city.
This large museum contains various artefacts from the archaeological sites you have already visited or will visit. It traces the entire history of the Maya, from their origins to their peak development, which coincided with the beginning of their decline, and on to the present day (there are still several Maya communities in Yucatán).
You will learn many interesting things, such as how the famous calendar works, how counting was done, how the complicated alphabet of around 1,000 glyphs was used, and how cities were designed and built.
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, closed on Tuesdays
Entrance fee: 150 pesos (about €6.90)
We devote the afternoon to visiting Mérida, which we think is the most beautiful colonial city we saw during our 14 days in Yucatán. We recommend taking a two-hour guided walking tour of the city, which is not too demanding and offers a great insight into Mérida.
Starting from the Plaza Grande area, Mérida’s main square, you can take a pleasant stroll and visit the Catedral de San Ildefonso, which was built on the site of a former Mayan temple, as well as the Casa Montejo Museum, an old colonial-era mansion which still contains its original furnishings.
From there, you can continue along Calle 60, the main street in Mérida’s historic centre, where you will find many shops selling souvenirs, as well as clubs and restaurants. Passing through the Santa Lucía and Santa Ana parks, you will finally reach Paseo Montejo, Mérida’s most elegant street.
Mayan World Museum
Alleys of Izamal
Calle 60 in Mérida
Finally, the most highly anticipated stop on this 14-day Yucatán itinerary arrives: Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
We recommend leaving very early in the morning to reach Chichén Itzá before the site fills up with tourists arriving on day trips from Cancún from 10 am onwards. Bear in mind that it will take you about an hour and a half to get there, so aim to leave at around 7 am.
As well as being a well-maintained site, the El Castillo pyramid at Chichén Itzá is considered one of the wonders of the world. However, it is neither the tallest pyramid nor does it have a distinctive shape like the one in Uxmal. The explanation lies in how this pyramid was built:
As well as El Castillo, there are many other buildings to visit, including the enormous Juego de la Pelota ball court, El Caracol (a domed astronomical observatory), the Plataforma de Los Cráneos (decorated with human skulls), the Iglesia (covered in decorations) and the Las Monjas building (one of the largest in the complex).
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Entrance fee: 571 pesos federal tax and 100 pesos entrance fee (approximately €30.80)
Our tips: in addition to arriving early in the morning, we recommend that you take this tour with a guide because they will help you discover all the secrets of Chichén Itzá and we assure you that it will add a touch of magic and mystery! Also, just like in Tulum, when you arrive by car, continue to the end of the road where the main parking lot is and do not stop by one of the dozens of people who will tell you that there is no space and who will offer to let you enter one of the private parking lots.
After visiting Chichén Itzá, you’ll definitely want to freshen up, and the cenotes near Valladolid are the perfect place to do so! There are plenty of them, and here are the ones we recommend:
You will then spend two nights in Valladolid. In the evening, we recommend choosing a restaurant around the main square, the Parque Principal Francisco Cantón Rosado (we recommend El Mesón del Marqués!).
Opening hours: 9am to 5-6pm
Entrance fee: around 200 pesos (about €9.40)
Our tips: If you want to see something really special, the cenotes of Dzinup are the right choice, precisely because of the cave effect that you have inside.
El Castillo of Chichén Itzá
Cenote Xkeken
💰 Low budget: Hotel Real Colonial
💰💰 Medium budget: Hotel Kookay⭐Trip To Try Choice
💰💰💰💰 No limits: Hotel Meson del Marques
No 14-day itinerary in Yucatán would be complete without a visit to the unique Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, located in the north of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Formed at the estuary where the sea meets the mainland, this lagoon-like biosphere has very shallow water (it will reach your knees at most).
The water is fresh, and the river on which the town overlooking the biosphere is built is called the ‘Crocodile River’ (Rio Lagartos). There are indeed several crocodiles, which are one of the main attractions of excursions to the biosphere. You can find both small and large crocodiles hiding under the mangroves, sheltering from the heat or sunbathing with their mouths wide open, allowing birds to clean their teeth!
Another main attraction of Rio Lagartos is the pink flamingos. They are usually found in groups of various sizes that move around the lagoon depending on the season. For example, we saw them during the mating season near Las Coloradas.
Rio Lagartos is a paradise for birdwatchers. You can also see pelicans, white ibises, herons, egrets, ospreys and roseate spoonbills here.
The best time to go on the tour is early in the morning (departing at 7:30am, so you will need to leave Valladolid at 6am), as the temperatures are cooler and you have a better chance of spotting animals hiding in the vegetation during the hottest hours of the day.
Pink flamingos in Rio Lagartos
After the excursion to Rio Lagartos, it is time to return to Valladolid for the final afternoon on dry land of this 14-day Yucatán itinerary.
We recommend exploring the town, starting on the main street, Calle 41. Here, you will find the Parque Principal Francisco Cantón Rosado, where the local market is often held, as well as the Iglesia de San Servacio.
Next, continue along the most beautiful street in Valladolid, the Calzada de Los Frailes, which comes alive in the evening! This street leads to the Convento de San Bernardino de Siena in the Parque Sisal.
The tenth day of our 14-day itinerary in Yucatán will take you to Isla Mujeres! In fact, you will have to return the car to the airport and from there take a transfer to Puerto Juarez, where ferries depart for Isla Mujeres.
Isla Mujeres is a small island, which you can tour by bicycle or golf cart, the most popular solution on the island. Most of the restaurants and clubs are located in the northern part of the island, where there is more movement, while in the southern part there are mainly resorts.
Our advice is to find accommodation in the northern part of the island, both to be closer to the most beautiful beach, Playa Norte, but also because in the evening it is really nice to take a walk along Miguel Hidalgo street. We found a beautiful apartment on the sea with a terrace facing the sunrise just a few minutes walk from the center.
In Isla Mujeres you can relax on beaches like the beautiful Playa Norte, but you can also go on snorkeling or diving excursions in the coral reef and to Musa, an underwater sculpture museum.
An excursion we recommend is to the nearby Isla Contoy, a protected reserve, where you can see many animal species on pristine beaches surrounded by palm trees and mangroves. Since the number of daily accesses is limited, if you want to visit Isla Contoy we recommend booking the excursion in advance.
Another unique experience we recommend if you go in the right period (from May to September) is snorkeling with whale sharks, completely harmless giants that pass by this island!
Sunrise at Isla Mujeres seen from our room
Isla Mujeres
Playa Norte
💰 Budget ridotto: Casa Aura
💰💰 Budget medio: Villa Bliss 18 ⭐Trip To Try Choice
💰💰💰💰 No limits: ixchel beach hotel
As you will have read, the Yucatán is a truly exceptional region of Mexico, with so much to see and so many different places to visit! Our favourite places were the nature reserve at Bacalar, the colonial city of Mérida, and the archaeological site of Calakmul.
We hope that this 14-day Yucatán itinerary has helped you plan your trip and given you ideas for lesser-known places that are really worth a visit! If you have any questions or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help. Stay connected with us through social media and, as always…trip to try!
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