Izamal Magic Town

Izamal is the first city in Mexico to be named a “Magic town” in 2001; it is a beautiful colonial city that was founded in the mid-16th Century on the remains of an ancient Mayan city.

The majestic Convent of San Antonio de Padua located here was founded in 1549, built over the Mayan structure known as Papol Chac, “The House Full of Lightning”. The Convent has the largest closed atrium of the Americas and the second-largest in the world after the atrium of St. Peter in the Vatican. Another historic building that should be visited is the Pyramid Kinich Kakmo, which means “The Parrot of Fire, with Face of the Sun” (Guacamaya de Fuego con Rostro Solar), the largest pyramid in terms of surface area on the Yucatan Peninsula and the third-largest after the Sun Pyramid in Teotihuacan and Cholula in Puebla. Visit the handicrafts workshops to admire the skills and creativity of our artisans, as well as the chapels located in the different areas of the town. Tour the historic center in a traditional horse-drawn carriage, and stop to taste the delicious Yucatecan cuisine in one of the restaurants or in the market.

Talk and live with the people of the surrounding communities or enjoy a walk along the quiet cobblestoned streets.

Izamal offers visitors different options for lodging from inns to small boutique hotels, as well as restaurants, cafes, a good communication system, and transportation to other interesting locations where you can enjoy ecotourism and adventure tourism visiting caves, underground rivers, rural communities, and many other places or travel on to other main cities such as Merida, Valladolid or Cancun.