With its immense historic heritage and colonial past Querétaro, is among the most emblematic states in the Mexican Republic. Thus, it is not surprising that the Day of the Dead celebration encompasses some of the most picturesque rituals you can find across Mexico. One of the most popular traditions characterizing the Día de Los Muertos in Querétaro is setting altars- called Altares de Los Muertos- where people put candles, flowers, and food offerings to remember their loved ones. Altars are both privately and publicly displayed; normally, each household sets a private altar in their home, but in all of Mexico it is quite common to find public ones such as in the Plaza de Armas in Santiago de Querétaro. The offers and decorations are arranged on multiple levels and can have different meanings, and all the ítems making part of the ofrenda correspond to the four elements. A recurrent element of the Día de Los Muertos iconography in Mexico and Querétaro is the famous Calavera Catrina, the skeleton image of an upper-class lady created by the Mexican illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada and representing an ironic point of view on mortality. During the Day of the Dead celebration, besides figures and pictures representing Catrina, women and men adorn themselves with elaborate make-up and costumes inspired by La Calavera Catrina and parade along the city.

In Hidalgo the Day of the Dead celebration is commonly known as Todos Santos y Fieles Difuntos (literally: All Saints and Faithful Departed) and includes ceremonials requiring a months-long preparation. In the Hidalgo Huastecan region, the festivity is called Xantolo and its preparation begins on the 29th of September when Saint Peter is believed to open heaven’s gates to let the souls leave and start their journey to the realm of the living and receive their first offering, tamales and coffee. The second offrenda is prepared on the 18th of October and consists in bananas that are prematurely harvested and left to ripen until the day of the feast. Lastly, on the 2nd of November, the main celebration takes place: people visit their beloved graves and offer flowers to honor them, and prepare the last tamales offerings. Usually, people create their own altars and decorate them with candles, embroidered images of the Virgin Mary and the Saints, and arches made of willow sticks covered with marigold flowers and fruit.

In Chiapas the Day of the Dead celebration keeps a strong indigenous identity, although it includes many traditionally catholic rituals. Altars are an intrinsic element of Chiapas Día de Los Muertos festivity and are both a tribute to the departed and a way to show them the way back to this world- especially on the Day of the Dead's Eve you will see altars and graves decorated with lit candles. In the charming town of San Cristobal de Las Casas you can participate in the ritual by setting your own altar and contributing to the local folklore and tradition. On the Day of the Dead, in many villages in Chiapas people gather in the local cemeteries and joyfully honor the ones they lost. Head to the Zinacantán or San Juan Chamula and San Sebastián graveyards and enjoy a unique festivity where Cristian and Mayan cultural elements, such as the floral embroided clothes and the cemetery decorations, melt harmoniously.

Mexico City is among the best destinations to visit all year. When you are in town on the first days of November, you will have the chance to join some of the most lively and iconic celebrations in the whole country. The events and ceremonies are varied and include lively and joyful parades (do not miss the Desfile de Día de Muertos) as well as more somber and traditional ones such as the candlelight procession to the graveyard on All Saints' night. The main (and most touristic) event is the Día de Los Muertos parade occurring on the 2nd of November. A colorful wave of giant skeleton figures, fabulous floats, and face-painted participants march across the city through Reforma Avenue past the Angel of Independence and gather at the Zócalo. One popular site to check out in Mexico City is Xochimilco. During the Day of the Dead, the whole neighborhood is covered in marigolds, the traditional Día de Los Muertos flowers that you can see on the many altars across the district, in private gardens, or on the typical trajineras boats.

Michoacán is traditionally one of the best places to visit if you want to celebrate the Day of the Dead like a local. Thanks to its colonial past, this central state keeps the Spaniard heritage alive and blends it with ancient indigenous rituals, giving life to some of the most picturesque celebrations in Mexico. For living the authentic atmosphere of the Día de Los Muertos festivity, we recommend you head to the enchanting Pueblo Mágico of Pátzcuaro and partake the mystical rituals and events that occur between the first and the second day of November. The entire town bursts with events and performances, such as the Wake of the Angels and the Dead, and along most of Pátzcuaro’s venues, you can see altars with food and candle offerings. Reach the nearby village of Janitzio on the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro and visit the Tzirumútaro pantheon, where local people perform dances and set altars to pay tribute to their loved departed. On the night before the Day of the Dead, enjoy the alluring view of a sea of lit candles floating on Lake Pátzcuaro, their light signaling the path to the world of the living.