The Market in Campeche

The Market in Campeche

As part of any of our culinary tours, it is mandatory to visit the local markets. It is no exception that during our time in the Yucatan Peninsula, we also visit Campeche, the state and its capital by the same name, only two hour drive from Mérida.

It is always a pleasure walking the mercado of Campeche with my dear friend Alfred. He is a Campechano and wrote this beautiful poetic notes trying to describe this amazing market where people are so warm and welcoming. Continue reading below for Alfred’s notes.

Abrazos,
Kaelin

Upcoming tour

Yucatan
January 29 - February 8, 2026
Sign up

The first thing that catches your eye upon arriving at the Campeche market is the near absence of women shopping alone. Almost all of them come with a partner, or even more often, it is the men who walk through the aisles and stalls looking for the freshest, tastiest products, and who dominate the art of bargaining.

This goes back to earlier times, when the city of Campeche was a target for pirates and women rarely went out on the streets for fear of their arrival. It was the men who went to the market, preventing the kidnapping of their wives, daughters, or sisters, since the market was located by the seashore and was highly vulnerable. The current market, far from the old dangers of the sea, is now nestled in the colorful downtown and, like almost every market, it serves as the beating heart of the city.

And of course, being a Campechano heart, its rhythm reflects diversity, smiles, and cultural richness, forged not only by the presence of sea bandits but also by the Mayas, the Spanish, Tlaxcaltecs, Africans, Dutch, Koreans, Lebanese, Cubans, and many more who have contributed to shaping campechanía: that peculiar way of being.

The fishermen smile, joke, and proudly hold up their catch of the day… beautiful fish shimmering in silver and gold: there’s the dogfish, the snapper, the chakchí, and also the pompano with its unmatched flavor. Octopus, crabs, blue crabs, and the infinite richness of their calm sea are also here.

In the Campeche market, everything is aromas and colors: the rare fruits like saramuyo and caimito; flowers from the jungle, condiments such as annatto and the black “recado” spice mix; from one side comes the aroma of roasted suckling pig and cochinita pibil. This place smells of shrimp tacos, turkey panuchos, and empanadas stuffed with dogfish shark. From another corner drifts the essence of natural chewing gum, the one that comes from the sapodilla tree. Here, you catch the scent of chocolate and roasted chili. This market smells both sweet and of the sea.

But the most marvelous of all are the people who give the market its soul, face, and voice. Their life stories, the joy with which they live them, their hardworking and creative hands that shape a thousand and one things… these will always remind you that Campeche is a place of mixture, of living without haste, and of the magic of a smile.

Explore our recipes | Learn about our tours | Cook with us

Follow us on Instagram | Watch us on YouTube