Day of the Dead Cooking Experience in Mérida

This experience in Mérida's historic center combines a Day of the Dead tradition lesson with a hands-on cooking class, built around visiting a market, building an ofrenda, and preparing a full Yucatecan meal.

You start by meeting your local guide and visiting a traditional Day of the Dead altar decorated with marigolds and incense, where your guide explains the meaning behind the offerings. From there you head to the Lucas de Gálvez Market to browse its stalls and pick out fresh ingredients for both your cooking session and the ofrenda you'll help build later, followed by a seasonal breakfast of pan de muerto and hot chocolate.

A local bus ride takes you to your host's home, where you take part in building a traditional ofrenda — you're welcome to bring a photo of someone you'd like to honor — before joining a hands-on cooking class to prepare a three-course Yucatecan meal, including pib, a dish made specifically for Day of the Dead.

The experience wraps up by sitting down to eat the meal you helped prepare, in your host's home rather than a restaurant setting.

It's aimed at travelers who want to understand Day of the Dead through participation rather than just observation, learning a few Yucatecan recipes and taking part in a family-style tradition rather than watching from the sidelines.

An English-speaking guide, the market ingredients, all cooking and ofrenda materials, bottled water, snacks, and the meal itself are included, along with both private and local public transportation during the day. Gratuities are not included.