Ten things to do in Morelia

Morelia played a prominent role in the development of Mexico and is among the country’s most beautiful heritage cities. Its perfectly preserved Historic Center, which earned the designation of World Heritage Site by UNESCO, features most of the city’s remarkable sites and monuments, like the Cathedral of Morelia: surrounded by the three squares Plaza de Armas, Juárez Plaza, and Melchor Ocampo Plaza, it dominates the cityscape with its two iconic towers. While strolling among the traditional pink-stone buildings of the Centro Historico, take the time to check out the beautiful Fountain Las Tarascas in Avenida Francisco I. Madero on the route to Morelia’s aqueduct. The bronze sculpture realized by the local artist José Luis Padilla Retana, which is also known as the Fuente de la Fertilidad (Fertility Fountain), depicts the three Purépechas princesses Atzimba, Eréndira, and Tzetzangari holding a tray of fruit above their heads symbolizing prosperity, abundance, and good luck. Other unmissable landmarks in Morelia’s Historic Center include the Museo Casa Natal de Morelos, a museum dedicated to Mexican independence hero José María Morelos y Pavón, the Palace of Justice, located in front of Plaza de Armas’s elegant gardens, and the history and archeology museum Museo Regional Michoacano, Dr. Nicolás León Calderón.

The Catedral de Morelia is the city’s most iconic and representative monument. The magnificent cathedral, recognizable by its two emblematic towers, overlooks the elegant Plaza de Armas and is a stunning example of Baroque architecture contaminated by eclectic elements that enriched the original project. The interior of the cathedral conceals treasures such as the tubular organ San Gregorio Magno, the second largest in Mexico of its kind- the largest being in Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral. If you are spending a weekend in Morelia, pay a visit to the cathedral at night and enjoy the mesmerizing spectacle of lights, sounds, and pyrotechnics that takes place every Saturday.

Right in the middle of Morelia’s Historic Center, you will find one of the city’s most romantic venues, the quaint Callejón del Romance (the Alley of Romance). Like the Callejón del Cariño in San Luis Potosí, the Callejón del Romance is one of the most popular corners for couples to take pictures and relax enjoying a quiet, elegant atmosphere. On the walls of the buildings in the alley, you will read the touching verses of Don Lucas Ortiz’s poem “Romance de mi ciudad”, which give the name to the alley. A local tale tells that you will gain eternal love from your beloved one by writing both your names on a red ribbon, tying it to a padlock, and hanging it to any of the alley’s doors, windows, or lanterns.

Complete your urban exploration of Morelia’s Centro Historico with a visit to the Centro Cultural Clavijero, housed in the homonymous, magnificent palace. The Neoclassical pink-stone Palacio Clavijero, which boasts a beautiful minimalist patio and stunning colonnades, was home to the Jesuit College of San Francisco Javier between the 17th and 18th centuries. Today it is Morelia’s most important cultural center and regularly hosts photography and art exhibitions, and other visual and media events.

Realized in the 18th century to provide the territory with an efficient hydraulic system and supply water from the Manantiales del Rincón, the emblematic pink-quarry Aqueduct of Morelia extends for 5577 feet and represents one of the city’s most important landmarks. Its 253 arches reach up to 26.2 feet, making the aqueduct one of the most massive hydraulic structures in the country. Take a stroll along the aqueduct at night while the building is completely illuminated, and admire its majestic shape glowing in the cityscape. Like the Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque in Hidalgo, the Aqueduct of Morelia exemplifies the peculiar mixture of European hydraulic architecture and Mesoamerican building techniques.

Michoacán gastronomy is well known for its strong and sometimes contrasting flavors. When you visit Morelia, you cannot help but try charales, the city’s most typical fish-based specialty. Try these small deep-fried fish in a taco or accompanied by salad, chilly sauce, or other salsas and lemon juice. Other local gastronomic delights include tamales, a traditional Mesoamerican dish very popular in central Mexico consisting of a masa steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf and filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, chilies, or other ingredients of choice. Among the dozens of versions of tamales, try the sweet variant of rice tamales made with butter, raisins, and rice flour. When staying in Morelia, pay a visit to the Museo del Dulce Calle Real where you can learn about the city’s history and how to make guava ate, Michoacán typical candies.

With around one hour drive from Morelia, you can reach one of the most fascinating sites in Michoacán, the Zona Arqueológica y Museo Las Yácatas (Las Yácatas Archaeological Zone and Museum). Hosted in the municipality of Tzintzuntzan, the area used to be a Purépechan sacred ceremonial center, as attested by the peculiar rectangular and circular-shaped structures featured in the archeological site. At Las Yácatas you can visit three main areas- La Gran Plataforma, El Barrio de San Pablo, and El Barrio de Santa Ana- and learn about the site’s history through an impressive collection of items recovered in the archeological zone. The charming Magical Town of Tzintzuntzan, located on the shores of Pátzcuaro Lake, is a colonial jewel framed by the enchanting landscape of cedars, oaks, and pine forests. Discover the town’s colonial heritage by visiting the Franciscan Convent, a religious complex including a temple dedicated to San Francisco, the ex-convent dedicated to Santa Ana, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, the old Hospital de Indios, and the Capilla de San Lorenzo ( San Lorenzo Chapel). Situated less than 40 miles from Morelia, Tzintzuntzan can be easily reached also from Guanajuato and the nearby Pueblo Mágico of Pátzcuaro.

Although it is not in Morelia’s proximity, the beautiful Pueblo Mágico of Angangueo is worth a visit if you stay in Michoacan’s capital without any time restriction. With a rich colonial and mining heritage, the town’s historic center boasts elegant Neoclassical buildings and a variety of monuments that attest to Angangueo’s past. Among the others, we recommend you check out the Parroquia de San Simón Apóstol (Saint Simon Apostle Parish), the representative Monumento al Minero (Monument to the Miner), and the Casa Parker museum dedicated to the pueblo’s mining past. Angangueo is also an exceptional destination for ecotourists and outdoors enthusiasts, as it is located at the entrance of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. The nature preserve was appointed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is a shelter for the Monarch butterfly colonies migrating to Central America in winter. You can appreciate the reserve at its best between November and February when you can visit the several sanctuaries and observe the butterflies in their ecosystem.

Another compelling destination you can easily reach from Morelia is the lovely town of Uruapan. Preserving a charm untouched by time, the city invites you to discover its attractions and the surrounding stunning nature. Impressive buildings and monuments such as the San Francisco de Asís parish church, the Templo de la Inmaculada Concepción, and the elegant Plaza de Los Mártires melt Spanish Baroque architectural elements with Pre-Columbian aesthetics, creating an eclectic mixture of styles that makes Uruapan unique. Offering privileged access to the nearby nature preserve Parque Nacional Barranca de Cupatitzio and to the breathtaking Paricutín Volcano, located only 17 miles away, Uruapan is unique in all its aspects, combining its colonial heritage with the ancient influence of the Purépecha culture. Learn about the town’s craftsmanship tradition at La Huatápera, Museum of Indigenous Art and Tradition, featuring permanent spaces and temporary exhibitions illustrating the customs, beliefs, and life of the indigenous population.

Not too far from Tzintzuntzan lies Michoacán’s most evoking Pueblo Mágico. Overlooking the lake bearing the same name, Pátzcuaro is a fascinating village that preserves an almost intact colonial atmosphere and boasts enthralling folkloristic traditions. You can learn about Pátzcuaro’s history and development at the Museum of Popular Arts and Industries or by visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Health, whose characteristic painting portraying the Virgin Mary is connected to a miraculous legend. For a peculiar shopping experience, browse for unique handicrafts and souvenirs in the quaint San Francisco square where, every weekend, artisans and retailers set market with numerous stands selling pottery, jewels, and sweets. But Pátzcuaro’s main attraction is doubtlessly the celebration of the Día de Los Muertos. Although the Day of the Dead is an important festivity anywhere in Mexico, Pátzcuaro keeps the ancient tradition alive with a colorful, folkloristic ritual. On this day, countless candlelit canoes fill the Pátzcuaro Lake to pay tribute to the deceased, who, according to thye myth, return to the living from the underworld for a day. This joyful and holy celebration includes fire and folk dances, special graveyard ceremonies, and iconic costumes and make-up representing the traditional ‘’Catrinas”, elegant female skeletons dressed in European clothes of sweeping hats and long flowing gowns. All around the town, you will enjoy the delicate smell of the marigold flowers and copal offered to the dead during the celebrations.