San Francisco de Campeche

Nestled on the edge of the Mexican Gulf, on the less-trodden side of the Yucatan panhandle, the beautiful town of San Francisco de Campeche is a veritable treasure trove of historic wonders; formed from the painted faces of old Spanish mansions, the uneven cobbled roadways of old colonialism and the crumbling bulwarks of UNESCO fortress after UNESCO fortress.

San Francisco de Campeche tour guides often point first-time visitors straight to the looming bulwarks of the old Spanish bastions here. Since their construction in the 16th and 17th centuries, these formidable walls have kept watch over Campeche’s bustling port districts, and today they offer rolling panoramas of the city’s sun-kissed promenade, with its aging cannons. There is also the striking Puerta del Tierra, with its battle-stained towers, and the hubbub of acclaimed seafood restaurants that now exists between the old, ice-cream coloured colonial homes of the centre.

Of course, there are traces of ancient Maya to be had here, and glimpses of the wild Yucatan, ranging from the lichen-spotted, terraced temples at nearby Ednza, to the vine-clad ruins, endless rainforests and elusive jaguar hideouts of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve just to the west.