OK, so maybe Merida is a long shot to become Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best City in the World,” but here’s a consolation prize if we need it.
Rival luxury magazine Travel + Leisure has named Merida one of the top cities to visit in Mexico. It ranked fourth overall, after San Miguel de Allende, Mexico City and Oaxaca, in that order. Guadalajara rounded out the top five.
Merida has been included in the World’s Best Awards for the fourth year in a row, coming in at number 4 in Mexico in 2018. In 2017, it placed seventh in the Best Cities in Mexico and Central and South America and fifth in 2016 under the same category.
The results of the T+L reader’s poll was announced this morning by the publication.
Merida is the entry point to the state of Yucatan and is a key part of destinations such as the Yucatan Riviera, Costa Flamingo, Ruta Puuc and the Maya World, the magazine said.
“The city offers a unique visit to Mexico as it exemplifies the region’s rich culture and history. Here, visitors will find a fusion of the Maya with French, German and Spanish-Moorish culture,” reads the announcement.
Calling Yucatan an “it” travel destination, the magazine noted that there are more than 19 archaeological sites open to the public here.
Merida is “the perfect cross-section of everything Mexico has to offer, from beautiful beaches and ancient ruins to cutting-edge gastronomy, architecture, art, cultural cities and more,” T+L raved.
“We are excited to see that Merida has been included in Travel + Leisure’s prestigious World’s Best Awards as one of the Best Cities in Mexico,” said Michelle Fridman, state tourism secretary. “T+L’s readers are well-traveled and with Mexico being the number one international destination for Americans, we are sure they have made their selections carefully. We congratulate all the destinations that have ranked and invite T+L readers to travel to the other regions of our state.”
The U.S. edition of T+L, which launched in 1971, is the only monthly consumer travel magazine in print in the U.S. and has a social media following of more than 13 million.
Every year, the magazine asks readers to identify their favorite travel destinations and hotels across the world. Readers are asked to share their opinions on hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas and airlines that they have experienced. The hotels recognized in the World’s Best Awards are rated on their facilities, location, service, food and overall value.
