Definitely one of the favorite spots of many found in the center of Michoacán. It is unforgettable for its wide cobblestone streets, burgundy and white buildings, its roofs, barns, and great plazas. Yes, we’re talking about Patzcuaro!

The word Pátzcuaro has different meanings and is best known as the place of where black stain and place of stones. Just 53 kilometers from the state capital, Morelia, Patzcuaro is located in a privileged place, surrounded by hills, forests and bodies of water.

The city center blends seamlessly with the nature that surrounds it; church bells ringing, families strolling through the streets, tourists eating ice cream, locals selling their crafts in old markets.

In Patzcuaro modern life is joined together with the traditions of the people ... Yes, maybe the streets retain the air of yesteryear, businesses and banks are the architectural unity that characterizes it, but do not be fooled, because it has top quality services, hotels and restaurants that satisfy even the most demanding palate.

The cool, sunny weather makes the stay even more enjoyable. In this magical town, there is plenty to do. One of the charms of Patzcuaro is that it brings us closer to a quaint and provincial Mexico, where you move away from the hustle and bustle of the city and its high rise buildings. The journey will take several hours so allow for some time spent sitting in the plaza, having a coffee, pastry, or ice cream.

Patzcuaro will satisfy your five senses

The smell, touch, hear, taste, and sight of Mexican life will take you beyond the Cielito Lindo and the classic desert image of the country.

To smell:  smells mingle in the Mexican market from typical tacos to Uruapan coffee as you pass through the stalls of fresh fruit and freshly baked breads.

To touch: the traditional Patzcuaro hand looms are unmatched. The colors invite you to move your hand over the textures that form a certain artistic poem in fabric. With wooden figurines you cannot resist playing with them and your fingers will move along the lacquers feeling the grooves of these forms in bright shades.

To listen: it isn’t strange to walk through the main plaza (Plaza Don Vasco) and find a band playing pirekuas (Purepecha folk music) or better yet, accompanying the traditional Dance of the Little Old Men. It is also common to hear the laughter of children playing or the whisper of the locals in some of the plazas enjoying their city. And if you step back, silence is accompanied by the gentle lapping of the water on the shore of a calm lake.

To taste: the cuisine of the region is unparalleled. The Purepecha tradition is still preserved in foods like uchepos and corundas, Tarascan soup, michi broth, chapatis, charalitos fritos covered with sauce and lemon, charanda, and a traditional dessert of pasta ice cream.

To see: the stroll through Patzcuaro will take you to the past through those steep cobbled streets, full of people and crafts. Baroque and neoclassical churches give the distinctive touch to large plazas and houses of adobe and tile.

And what about the colorful handicrafts and tablecloths and blankets! And if you’re lucky, you might witness the spectacle of the locals fishing with the typical butterfly nets at the lake ... quite a sight to be seen.

A trip to this corner of Michoacan will definitely leave you with a good feeling and wanting more.