Name: Playa Realtors
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Arts and Culture in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen grew from a fishing village into an international town, and its culture mixes Maya roots, Mexican traditions and a busy calendar of festivals.

Maya ruins inside Playacar

Inside Playacar Phase I are the remains of Xaman-Ha, a Postclassic Maya settlement that served as a departure point for pilgrims crossing to Cozumel. Entry is free. Read our guide to the Playacar ruins.

Parque Los Fundadores and the Portal Maya

The city’s founding plaza at the start of 5th Avenue, next to the Cozumel ferry. Its bronze Portal Maya arch, about 16 meters tall, honors Maya civilization and is the most photographed landmark in town.

Voladores de Papantla

Four flyers spin down from a tall pole while a musician plays flute and drum at the top, a pre-Hispanic ritual recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. They perform several times a day in Parque Fundadores.

Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Carmen

The small white chapel beside Parque Fundadores, dedicated to the town’s patron saint, with a procession every July.

Teatro de la Ciudad

The municipal theater, between Avenida 115 and 125, with a monthly program of plays, concerts and dance, many of them free.

Frida Kahlo Museum Riviera Maya

A multimedia museum about Frida Kahlo’s life and work on 5th Avenue at Calle 8, with reproductions, video mapping and interactive screens.

Festivals through the year

Carnaval de Playa del Carmen, in February before Lent
Playa del Carmen Jazz Fest, every autumn at the Teatro de la Ciudad
Festival de Tradiciones de Vida y Muerte at Xcaret, around Day of the Dead
Queer International Film Festival, every November

Street art

Murals by Mexican and international artists cover walls along Avenida 10 in Centro and in the Colosio neighborhood.

Archaeological sites nearby

Tulum, Cobá, Xel-Há, Muyil and Chichén Itzá are all day trips. See our guide to Maya ruins near Playa del Carmen.

Living near it

Playa Realtors is a licensed boutique brokerage based in Playa del Carmen, with an office in Tulum, and we have represented buyers in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and across Quintana Roo since 2008. We never represent developers. If you are thinking about owning a home close to Playa del Carmen’s cultural life, we can show you the neighborhoods that fit how you want to live. Plan on closing costs of 7 to 10% of the purchase price.