Long a favorite spot for hunters and fishermen,  Campeche is beginning to attract tourists with its culture and history. Today  travelers to the state come to discover its charming colonial capital and Mayan archaeological treasures, including Edzna, Chicanna, Xpujil, Calakmul and Becan.

A town of about 50,000 people, the capital,  also called Campeche, was neglected for years, its colonial-era homes crumbling  and dilapidated. Now pretty pastel-colored facades with white trim and delicate wrought-iron balconies line the cobblestone streets of the renovated downtown  area. Old-fashioned street cars offer one-hour tours of the city center, departing from Parque Principal, the main plaza, at 6 and 8 p.m.

Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the city was  the principal sea port on the Yucatan Peninsula from the 16th to the 18th  centuries, and subsequently a major target of pirates such as Lorenzillo, Diego  "The Mulatto" and William Parker. To protect the port from attacks, the Spanish Crown ordered the fortification of the city. Remnants of the original fortress that surrounded the entire town still stand, including ramparts and gates, giving the city a decidedly romantic, swashbuckling air. The ramparts now house museums and the Land Gate is the site of a dramatic light and sound show that  relives the pirate era.

Improved infrastructure, including better  roads and hotels, have made it easier to visit the state's as yet little-known  but remarkable archaeological sites. Tours to Edzna, the closest major ruin to  Campeche, depart daily from Baluarte Santiago (Santiago Rampart).

Ciudad del Carmen, southwest of Campeche, is a charming, small fishing village of 15,000 with palm-shaded plazas, fishnets set out to dry, beautiful beaches and excellent seafood restaurants. The city is Mexico's chief gulf shrimp fishing center, and is popular with anglers for excellent tarpon fishing.