Whether you are from Playa or just visiting, when you arrive at this place, you will not be able to argue with us that Parque Fundadores is the heart of the city.
With its incredible sculptural framework, its unique location, its shops, restaurants, and the best views, this place (which is more than a park, it’s a square) has become an icon in Playa del Carmen. Keep reading to discover everything about this unmissable cultural space perfect for the whole family.
The history of Fundadores Park in Playa del Carmen
Parque Fundadores bears his name for being one of the oldest places in Playa del Carmen. In the 1950s, when this vibrant city was nothing more than a small fishing village, this place served as a meeting point between communities. Thus, it was considered the first center, since everything else started from here.
The park was, for many years, a social point with small sports courts where most people used to meet daily to play basketball, soccer, and cachibol.
What you will find in Fundadores Park
It is surrounded by exquisite restaurants and fun bars, craft, and fashion shops, and is the stage for dances and rituals.
Recognizing it is very easy, as it is framed by the iconic sculpture of the Mayan Portal, which today is part of the city’s identity.
It is also the point where the famous Fifth Avenue begins. I recommend you stop by to start the walking tour of this entertaining street full of shops, restaurants, and street artists.
The famous chapel of Nuestra Señora del Carmen is also part of this park. It stands out for its simplicity and freshness. It is full of living nature and has wonderful views of the Caribbean Sea. Here they used to celebrate the day of the Virgen del Carmen and the Virgen de Guadalupe. Today it is the most requested chapel in Playa del Carmen for weddings, baptisms, and first communions.
Being located a few steps from the ADO bus station and the ferry dock for Cozumel, you will not see this place empty at any time of the day. Thousands of tourists from all over the world cross it daily, but not before stopping to admire it and, of course, to immortalize the moment with a well-deserved photograph. There is no better time than another for that photo. Both at sunrise and sunset, with night lighting or with the midday sun, we assure you that it will be spectacular.
In the center of the park, there is a kiosk that used to be a well that fed freshwater to all the inhabitants of the town. While in the background is Playa Fundadores, the first inclusive beach in all of Mexico and one of the most popular beaches in Playa del Carmen.
What to do in Fundadores Park
In this place, you can find a lot to do. From spending the day at the beach to enjoying cultural shows, eating, shopping, and much more.
Do not miss the Aztec dance and offering at sunset that is repeated daily every half hour. They play percussion-based music and wear the representative clothing of this pre-Hispanic culture that makes us so proud.
During the breaks, we recommend you stay to see the Papantla flyers, a spectacular ritual originating in Veracruz that will leave you speechless. They are presented alternating with the Aztec dance also every half hour until well into the night.
On the opposite side of Fifth Avenue, you will find Paseo del Carmen, one of the most important open-air shopping malls in the city. It has exclusive brand stores and is a very pleasant place to walk. It is surrounded by handicraft and souvenir shops, forming a path that joins it with the emblematic “Siren Sculpture Park”, a name by which it is also mistakenly known.
How to get there
It is located at the end of Avenida Juárez, between the beach and Fifth Avenue. If you arrive at Playa in ADO, just cross the street to meet him, if you arrive by ferry from Cozumel, stop by and enjoy a marquesita, a beer, or a taco before anything.
