Ten Reasons to Stay in the Walled City of Campeche

Few cities in Mexico invite you to stay within their history the way Campeche does. Here are ten reasons to lodge inside the walled city, a key heritage site of the Yucatán Peninsula.

1. Its historic center, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is guarded by a system of fortifications built to defend Campeche from constant pirate attacks.
2. Its bastions are beautifully preserved. You can even enter the structure and climb to take in the ocean view and appreciate the outline of the fortress.
3. It is a remarkable instance of Caribbean military architecture and a wonderful way to travel back in time, to the New World of the colonial period.
4. The colorful port town, founded by the Spanish in the 16th century, was originally a Mayan region that has preserved its roots and cultural legacy to this day.
5. Campeche was central to the evangelization and colonization of the Peninsula, and to the maritime route of the Spanish colony, alongside Havana and Veracruz.
6. It is rich in Mayan and colonial history, but also in anecdotes from the era of pirate invasions, when it was one of the wealthiest cities of New Spain.
7. It holds remarkable museums of archaeology, art and history: the Underwater Archaeology Museum at Fuerte de San José, the Mayan Architecture Museum at Baluarte de la Soledad — home to the Calakmul jade mask — the Archaeological Museum at Fuerte de San Miguel and the City Museum at Baluarte de San Carlos.
8. The hexagonal wall has two historic gates: the Puerta de Mar, the first maritime entrance, completed in 1710, and the Puerta de Tierra, where a sound-and-light show unfolds the city's history.
9. Its monuments and fortifications have undergone very few transformations and have been restored according to original procedures, giving a sense of authenticity and architectural value.
10. The fortified town lets you hear the voices of its ancestors, thanks to the continuity of its traditions, cultural heritage, provincial life and living Mayan legacy.