San Miguel de Allende and the Heartland Places

Pátzcuaro

Founded in the 16th century on the shores of the tranquil Lake Pátzcuaro, this town remained largely undisturbed for several centuries until it was "discovered" by hordes of international tourists. Nowadays the government has invested in many improvements—streets and parks have been refurbished, and construction is underway for a new artisans' market on the Avenida de Las Américas. Some of the town's historic homes have become first-class hotels, and restaurants serve meals up to discerning tourists' standards.

The town's founder was Bishop Vasco de Quiroga, who implemented a plan whereby each village was assigned a different skill, and to this day their descendants have continued this tradition: artisans in Paracho produce excellent guitars; those in Tzintzuntzán are known for their green-glazed pottery; hand-beaten copper plates and vases come from Santa Clara; lacquerware from Quiroga; fanciful catrinas (doll-like figures with skeleton faces) from Capula; and the finest rebozos (shawls) are handwoven in Nurío.

Many of Pátzcuaro's principal sights are near the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga and Plaza Bocanegra in the center of town. You can zip through Pátzcuaro's historic center, but Lake Pátzcuaro, which you must surely visit, is a 10-minute cab ride from the center of town. Note that the archaelogical areas are closed on Monday. If you want to visit the surrounding villages you can hire taxis. Trails near Pátzcuaro wind up to nearby hilltops for great views across town and the countryside.

On November 1 the town is inundated with tourists en route to Janítzio, an island in Lake Pátzcuaro, where one of Mexico's most elaborate Day of the Dead graveyard ceremonies takes place. Many younger people take the journey to Tzintzuntzán, where Day of the Dead festivities are focused primarily on imbibing.