A popular day trip for those visiting Cancún and Playa del Carmen or the Yucatán capital of Mérida, the magnificent Mayan city of Chichén Itzá is one of Mexico's most visited archaeological sites, as well as one of the biggest and best restored. Highlights of a visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site are numerous, from the massive El Castillo - also known as the Pyramid of Kukulkán, and at 30 meters high, the site's tallest structure - to the magnificent Caracol, an almost 1,000-year-old observatory that stands testament to just how advanced the Mayans were (the building is notable for the narrow slits in its walls allowing the sun to penetrate twice per year so priests could accurately determine the date). Also of interest are the site's numerous statues, including many examples of the famous Mayan Chacmools holding their sacrificial vessels as they continue to protect these old temples.
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