Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Campeche City, the capital of Campeche state, is a colonial port on the Gulf of Mexico known for its fortified historic center. Repeated pirate attacks in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries led the Spanish to encircle the town with thick walls and bastions, and much of that defensive system survives. The historic fortified town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its streets are lined with brightly painted, carefully restored facades.
The Campeche Cathedral faces the main plaza, and from there colorful streets such as Calle 10 invite unhurried walks. The old walls were pierced by gates, and the Puerta de Tierra and Puerta del Mar remain landmarks. Several of the surviving bastions now hold museums or gardens: the Baluarte de Santiago houses a botanical garden, and the Baluarte de la Soledad displays Maya stelae. The Baluarte de San Juan and Baluarte San Francisco preserve sections of wall and walkway. On a hill above town, the Fuerte de San Miguel holds an archaeological museum with jade masks from Calakmul and fine views over the Gulf. The Malecón stretches along the waterfront and fills with walkers and cyclists in the evening, and a pirate-themed boat tour sails along the coast.
Campeche suits travelers who enjoy history and a calmer pace than the Caribbean coast. Evenings are pleasant, with shows and street life in the old center.
WiserMap travel guideCampeche City Mexico Pirate Walls Pastel Streets and EdznáDiscover Campeche City: UNESCO walls and bastions, pirate history, the cathedral, a seaside malecón, pan de cazón, Edzná ruins and Tren Maya links.Read the guide
The cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception faces the main square with a pale baroque facade and two towers, built over two centuries from the 1500s. It is lit beautifully at night. Step inside for the cool, simple interior, and photograph the front from the square at dusk.
The main square of the walled city, also called Plaza de la Independencia, with a central kiosk, benches and trees, framed by the cathedral, old mansions and the library. Free concerts and dances are often held on weekend evenings. It is the natural starting point for a walk.
The old land gate of the walled city, built in the 1730s, with a long stretch of restored wall you can walk along on top. An evening light and sound show about Campeche's pirate history is held here on certain nights. Climb the walls for views over the rooftops at sunset.
The old sea gate where ships once unloaded goods directly into the city, before land was reclaimed and the shoreline moved away. Today it opens toward the waterfront and the modern Malecón. Walk through it from Calle 59 and continue to the sea to see how far the coast has shifted.
One of the most photogenic streets of the historic center, lined with pastel colored colonial houses, wrought iron windows and old lamps, with cafes and small shops. The whole walled city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk it early in the morning for soft light and empty sidewalks.
A rebuilt bastion of the city wall that now holds the Xmuch Haltún botanical garden, a small, peaceful courtyard full of native plants, palms and trees from the Yucatán Peninsula. Signs name the species. It takes only about half an hour, and is a shady break on a hot day.
The largest of the surviving bastions, facing the main square, home to a museum of Maya architecture with carved stelae and stone sculptures from sites across Campeche. Visitors can walk along the walls from here. Combine it with the square and cathedral, as they are just a few steps away.
A bastion at the southwest corner of the old city, still linked to a section of wall that runs to the Puerta de Tierra. Its rooms and ramparts give a clear idea of how the city defended itself against pirates. Enter from Calle 18, and combine it with the land gate and its show.
An 18th century hilltop fort north of the center with a moat and drawbridge, holding a museum of colonial weapons, ships and maritime history. The ramparts offer views over the city and the gulf. Take a taxi or the tourist tram, since the climb on foot is steep and hot.
A hilltop fort south of the center, built in the late 1700s, that holds the Museo Arqueológico de Campeche, with jade funerary masks from Calakmul and other treasures. The views from the cannons over the gulf are excellent. Go late in the day for sunset.
A seafront promenade of several kilometres along the Gulf of Mexico with walking and cycling paths, sculptures, playgrounds and benches. Locals come out to jog and watch the sunset. Visit in the late afternoon, when the heat fades, and look for the pelicans and fishing boats offshore.
A short boat ride on a replica pirate ship that sails along the coast near the city while guides tell stories of the pirates who attacked Campeche in the 1600s. It is fun for families. Departure times depend on demand and weather, so ask at the waterfront the day before.
No reviews yet. Been to Campeche City? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Campeche City? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Josuerne, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Mario E. Fuente Cid, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Bernard DUPONT, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bernard DUPONT, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: El Ágora, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: El Ágora, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Wolfgang Sauber, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Joaquín Martínez Rosado, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: OperaJoeGreen at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: OperaJoeGreen at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: OperaJoeGreen at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: August Dominus, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: cyril chermin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ralf Peter Reimann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: El Ágora, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: cyril chermin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: amanderson2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WendyAvilesR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Elelicht, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Bernard DUPONT, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: H.dav.are, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ricardojcyc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ricardojcyc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Nacasma, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Montores, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Mario E. Fuente Cid, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Abdeel Yañez Quintanar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ricardojcyc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ricardojcyc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: ProtoplasmaKid, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Josuerne, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Montores, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: EstherWikipedian, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Estefinito, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: MARCO A. YAM CAMACHO, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: PashiX, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bernard DUPONT, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones from México D. F., México, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones from México D. F., México, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: El Ágora, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: amanderson2, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: linkogecko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Julian Lupyan, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: anagh, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Mohammae zabir bin Abdul Halim, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
