CIEE High School Summer Abroad

Overview

Grow your Spanish with four weeks of language immersion in one of the safest and most scenic cities in Mexico—Mérida. After language classes, engage in conversations with locals at bustling markets and on visits to cultural centers, like The Palace of Music and The Great Museum of the Mayan World. Dive into the vibrant atmosphere of lively squares, such as the iconic Plaza Grande, and get to know about the local culture while watching the Mayan ball game Pok ta Pok or the jarana dance during La Vaquería.

Experience weekend excursions to awe-inspiring places, such as El Corchito, where you'll dive into refreshing cenotes among lush mangroves, and el pueblo mágico (magic town) of Valladolid, where you'll find Chichén Itza, a large pre-Columbian city built by the Mayans.

Welcome to Mérida, a small city known for its Mayan treasures, colonial buildings, and centuries of tradition. Named the 2nd safest city in the American continent (after Quebec City), calm and clean Mérida provides a student-friendly environment buzzing with things to discover. This small capital is in southeastern Mexico, in the Yucatán peninsula, about 20 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico. Famous as a tourist destination, the city of 995,000 has the highest percentage of indigenous people (60%) in Mexico, making it a perfect place to study the history and culture of the country. Several highly-ranked universities and research institutions are based in Mérida.

The Mayan ruins are the main attraction, but there's so much to love. Vibrant buildings, grand plazas, and beautiful churches are at every corner. Nearby, there are botanical gardens, biodiverse nature reserves, white-sand beaches, and pueblos mágicos, villages that look like something out of a storybook. Mayan influences are alive in Yucatán's traditions and food. Papdzules (hard egg boiled tacos covered in a creamy roasted pumpkin seeds sauce, topped with tomato sauce), aguas frescas (juices made out fresh local fruits like mango, dragon fruit, limes, oranges and more) and marquesitas (a crispy sweet wafer rolled as a taco and stuffed with salty shredded cheese) are a must-try!