Magical Town
Izamal
Go into the Convento de San Antonio de Padua (Convent of Saint Anthony of Padua) and get a closer look, roll through its streets in a horse-drawn carriage, enjoy an evening stroll, and climb Kinich Kak Moo pyramid.
Highlights
Things to do
Festivities
Services in Izamal
What Makes It Magical
Built on the memories of an ancient Mayan city, Izamal has pre-Hispanic and colonial features. The harmonious presence of its mansions, horse-drawn buggies, clean streets and neighborhoods resplendent with history all come together to make this a place that invites you to get to know it better, step by step. Here everything shines: ochre yellow and white are the way the people of Izamal preserve their light and project it into the future. At night, Izamal lights up and reveals its people’s origin. That heritage still seen in the sisal and cotton fibers in their textiles, coyol wood in their rosaries, and the herbal and traditional medicinal practices.
Why You Should Go
Convento de San Antonio de Padua
- It has the largest enclosed atrium in the Americas and the second largest in the world, after the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome.
- It is built on the pre-Hispanic foundations of an important Mayan sanctuary dedicated to the worship of Itzamná, formerly known as the Casa de las Cabezas y los Relámpagos (House of Heads and Lightning).
- Its interior holds, among other treasures, a carved stone baptismal font, two carved wood confessionals, and the golden altarpiece, built like a screen, in the Churrigueresque style.
At the Very Least
Get a massage in the Centro Cultural y Artesanal Izamal (Craft and Cultural Center of Izamal), where several relaxing options are available.
Don’t Miss
- Go for a ride in the traditional buggies.
- Climb to the top of Kinich Kak Moo pyramid, in the main archeological site.
- Pedal around town by bike; several shops and hotels rent them.