Patzcuaro
 When visiting Morelia, one should
also plan a trip to the nearby town of Patzcuaro (about an hour’s drive), a
Tarascan Indian name meaning “place of delights” that is situated about three
miles from Lake Patzcuaro, one of the highest lakes in the world (at an
elevation of nearly 7,000 feet), which has an island, Janitzio, in its center;
you can visit the Island of Janitzio by boat; its inhabitants live very much the
way they have lived for centuries. Its quiet mountain beauty has a quality
reminiscent of Japanese watercolors, and the Tarascans still fish the waters of
Lake Patzcuaro using their picturesque and delicate butterfly fishing nets.
A truly unspoiled colonial town
and very popular with Mexican tourists as well as other North Americans, the
town of Patzcuaro reminds many Americans of Williamsburg, VA, in the tidy,
well-kept authenticity of its centuries-old buildings. Tarascan influence is
very evident here, and can best be experienced during the all-Indian market held
each Friday in the town. The most colorful time to visit, of course, is during
the Christmas and New Year holidays; another popular time to visit Patzcuaro is
during the area’s famous Day of the Dead celebrations on the 1st
and 2nd of November (All Saint’s Day). If you plan on visiting
during these peak times, reservations in advance are strongly suggested.
This lovely mountainous town is
dotted with quaint colonial architecture and the central part of Patzcuaro
contains the charming Plaza Vasco de Quiroga as well as the bustling Plaza
Gertrudis Bocanegra, two very ample plazas that are fun to explore. From the
perspective of both its history and beautiful surroundings, Patzcuaro is an
important stop on any tour of colonial Mexico.
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