Campeche

Sometimes in life, it’s fun to just get away. That’s exactly what Billy and I decided to do for Valentine’s weekend. Living in Ciudad del Carmen, the daily grind (running out of water, air conditioners breaking, and overall chaos) can get the best of anyone. Luckily, the Yucatan offers a lot of exciting destinations when you need to just kick back and relax. One of our most recently discovered gems, the city of Campeche, is a short 2 hour drive from the island. 

We left Saturday morning with nothing much on the agenda. If you know us, you know that we aren’t planners. We decided to stop along the way in a city called Champoton for a bite to eat. Trip Advisor had a whopping five choices listed, so we set off in search for el numero uno. Upon arrival at what we thought was “Abbey’s”, we noticed a giant inflatable Sol beer bottle and music blaring. I asked if they were having a party. They explained that it was their Grand Opening, and we were their first customers! Two free beers promptly arrived to the table, and we knew that our trip was off to a good start. 

We arrived at our boutique style hotel in the afternoon. Our friends Marc and Raquel had introduced us to Socaire, an inexpensive but totally adorable hotel in Campeche on a previous trip. It is within walking distance of restaurants, bars, and the town square. We checked-in and set out to see the city. Aside from the city wall/fort and a museum, there are not a ton of attractions in Campeche. There is, however, a quaint town square, an enchanting cathedral, and beautiful cobblestone streets with brightly colored buildings. What more do you need for a weekend getaway? We walked up and down the malecon (the boardwalk) checking out the old canons and boats dotted along the gulf. We proceeded to check out “El Centro” which is the downtown area between the old city walls. Campeche has done a great job of preserving the buildings and creating a charming atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.

One of our favorite details of Campeche is the different art exhibits that place sculptures throughout the streets. The theme this time was fantasy creatures which were all very unique to say the least. We spent our afternoon checking out the art and having a beer on Calle 59, imagining we were outside at The Bulldog with friends. Saturday night we had a romantic dinner at Casa Don Gustavo, and of course, ended the night with some vino at one of the nearby street bars. 

We woke up Sunday morning with intentions of visiting the fort. We never found the fort entrance, and the wall was all under construction #fail. After taking a lazy stroll on the waterfront, we decided to head back to Carmen. We stopped at the playa (beach) along the way for the perfect ending to our weekend. We even met up with a few of our friends there and had a nice afternoon relaxing at Tortugueros.

Campeche was just what the doctor ordered. We came back relaxed and rejuvenated. It’s a beautiful town, especially at night when the town square and cathedral are lit up. If you find yourself in the state of Campeche, stop by the capital city for a tranquilo/relaxing evening.