I STOOD on a dark street as hundreds of ghostly figures dressed all in white walked quietly past me, each with a single flame illuminating their skull-painted face.
For a moment things felt spooky, even sombre — but then came the crackle of a sound system, the pop of a tequila bottle and deafening laughter.
You may be familiar with the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead from that opening James Bond scene in Spectre, from the kid’s film Coco or from the ‘sugar skull’ makeup craze that became a Halloween trend.
Mexico City draws thousands of tourists annually with its impressive skeleton-themed parades around November 2, but the underrated city of Mérida also comes alive for the celebrations as well.
Set in the Yucatán peninsula — a patch of land more known for hotspots like Cancún and Tulum — Maya heritage is strong in Mérida, and it shows.
Day of the Dead is known here as Hanal Pixan (pronounced han-al pish-an), meaning ‘food for the souls’ in Mayan, and sees families and friends gather to celebrate departed loved ones, honouring them with a home-made altar often covered in pictures and their favourite foods.
I visited Mérida as its days-long fiesta kicked off with the ‘parade of the souls’.
The candlelit procession from the cemetery into town made for an eerie sight, but this soon changed when they scattered and cleared the way for a huge street party along Calle 64.
This long avenue was decorated with giant skeleton structures and millions of orange marigold flowers while the pavements were lined with shrines set up by different families, each blasting reggaeton or ranchera music from speakers.
It’s a great place to tuck into some authentic Mexican street food, because as well as leaving the deceased’s favourite meal as an offering, the families make it in bulk to sell to passersby.
Try Yucatán’s specialty, cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork), some pan de muerto (a sweet bread made for the event) or a marquesita (if you’ve ever wondered whether Nutella and cheese taste good together).
Even beyond the festivities this city is a foodie’s dream.
You can keep things cheap by eating tacos al pastor on virtually every street corner for as little as MX$10 (40p) each, or lunching at the sensational Taquería De La Unión.
The Museum of Yucatecan Gastronomy offers a fancier atmosphere, serving up traditional dishes in a gorgeous courtyard with a jungle-like tree canopy.
And no trip to Mexico is complete without a plate of chilaquiles for breakfast or brunch; Mérida’s best can be found at Marmalade 47.
It’s worth having pesos to hand everywhere in Mérida. Most bars and restaurants will take card, but you’ll need cash for food stands.
On the day of the main parade, people line the streets early to get a good spot.
I was glad we did the same, or we would have only caught sight of the skeleton stilt walkers and missed the ever-changing flow of mariachi bands, traditional dancers and even pets in costume.
The Catrinas — people dressed as elegant, sombrero-wearing skeletal women — were the most stunning aspect of the evening, each donning their own unique outfits and elaborate face paint.
Unlike so many Halloween extravaganzas happening elsewhere in the world, this display was free of gore and jump-scares, making it extremely kid-friendly.
It wasn’t all about the parades, though.
Smaller-scale events were scattered across the city for almost a week surrounding Day of the Dead, from concerts in squares to shamans performing ancient Maya rituals on street corners.
Plus, the end of the fiesta didn’t mean the end of the fun; we tracked down a speakeasy called Malahat tucked away behind one of the plazas, where what looked like a fridge door led to a haven of mezcal-based cocktails.
Mérida is a picturesque and walkable city that’s easy to explore.
Its grand colonial architecture is splashed with colour as crumbling palatial buildings at every turn are painted pink, yellow or blue, and if you get tired of walking, you have the option of winding through its kaleidoscopic streets in a horse and carriage.
It’s a great base from which to explore the marvels of the Yucatán peninsula, too.
The region is covered in hundreds of cenotes (natural sinkholes) that make for magical swimming spots, and if you still need your beach fix, the white sands of Puerto Progreso are just 40 minutes away.
Also close by is Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and the site of some of the planet’s most breathtaking Maya ruins.
Its fame too often eclipses Mérida in this part of the world, and the busloads of tourists you’ll meet there are usually heading back to the bustle and beach clubs of Cancún.
But if you linger in Mérida, you’ll find a city with its own pulse — and it beats strongest around during this famous, beautiful event.