11 Fun Things To Do In Campeche: Mexico’s Rainbow City!

Campeche – a stunning colonial UNESCO World Heritage site in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula – is like something straight out of a fairy tale, complete with pirates, beautiful mansions, and old-world forts to protect the damsel in distress.

Located on the opposite side of the Peninsula, but seemingly a world away from Cancun, Tulum, and the Maya Rivera, Campeche stands in stark contrast as a place where the world slows down, authenticity is rife, and locals can be seen going about their daily life.

The main attraction here, and that through which Campeche earned it’s UNESCO designation, is the historic old town with outer walls and fortifications designed to defend the Caribbean port for the omnipresent Pirate attacks in the 17^th and 18^th century.

While the main wall was completed too late in the game to protect the city for the worst of the attacks, today, most of the fortified baluartes (bastions or bulwarks) have survived to make for a great way to re-enact your Pirates of the Caribbean fantasies!

Within the old town, every building has been painstakingly restored to pristine pastel perfection. In essence, all the muted colors of the rainbow are on display here, and just walking the narrow cobblestone streets will inspire you to grab your camera at every turn.

With well over 2,000 historic buildings protected and returned to original condition, the historical center itself is enough reason to visit. Still, just outside the city walls, you can get your typical Mexican big city fix, with a crazy market, tranquil malecón (seaside walk), intriguing street art, and shopping malls if you need it.

Back inside the old town, it seems international tourists have not yet figured out the secret of Campeche – so prices remain low and everyday life continues. Domestic tourism and the relaxed lifestyle on offer provide just enough drive for dozens of eateries, bars, and cafes (all of which were unexpectedly high quality) that are dotted around the town and its central street.

An absolute must-see place on any trip to Mexico – here are 11 fun things to do in Campeche Mexico to convince you that you just have to go to Mexico’s Rainbow City!

1. Marvel At The Museo De La Arquitectura Maya

An unexpected treasure that at only 30 pesos is a steal for the wide variety of Mayan antiquities and stelae stores on offer here from all over the Peninsula. Well-explained and jam-packed, this small museum is also housed in an old part of the city wall, so don’t forget to head up top afterward for an incredible view.

A great introduction to Mayan culture and their written language yet detailed enough for those who have already visited a few ruins to find something of interest.

2. Get Snap Happy With All The Architecture And Churches

Just wandering these storied streets leaves you in awe. Not only because of the sheer variety of pastel colors Campeche seems to have assembled but also due to the gorgeously preserved mansions, you’ll get glimpses of through iron bars. Then there are all the glorious churches you can wander through, most of which are eerily empty today but whose decorations hark back to a time when money, gold, and trade thrived here.

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción is probably the most stand-out building in the city, with its baroque façade and uncharacteristically austere interior.