Beautiful Magic Town Michoacan founded around the year 1300 by the Purépechas. It has great natural attractions and architectural beauties worthy of admiration; Pueblo Mágico widely recognized for its festivals and traditions, we won't tell you more! Here we leave you this complete guide for you to fully enjoy.
1. Where is Pátzcuaro and how did I get there?
Capital of the municipality of the same name, Pátzcuaro is located in the center of the state of Michoacán de Ocampo. It limits with the municipality of Tzintzuntzan to the north, to the east with the municipalities of Huiramba and Morelia; to the west we find the municipalities of Tingambato and Erongarícuaro, and to the south the municipality of Salvador Escalante. To get to Pátzcuaro you can take a flight to Morelia, where the closest airport is located, just 59 km away. of the Magic Town. Once in the capital of Michoacán, you access the Morelia-Pátzcuaro highway and in less than an hour you arrive at your destination. You can rent a car or board a bus at the Morelia terminal.
2. What is the history of the town?
The mestizo town, of indigenous and Spanish, was founded around the third decade of the 16th century. After the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico, in 1533 Vasco de Quiroga was sent to the area as a visitor and the so-called Tata Vasco by the Purépecha Indians would be the first Bishop of Michoacán. In 1824, after Independence, Pátzcuaro became the head of District XII of the Western Department, to later be elevated to the category of municipality on December 10, 1831.
After the Mexican Revolution, the city of Pátzcuaro was somewhat battered and in 1920 a reconstruction process began, preserving its attractive colonial buildings and its rich cultural heritage. Currently, the base of its economy is agriculture, fishing, crafts, especially pottery; and tourism, underpinned by the incorporation of Pátzcuaro into the Mexican system of Pueblos Mágicos.
3. How is the climate of Pátzcuaro?
This Magical Town is located at an altitude of 2,200 meters in the mountainous region of Michoacán, so it has a very pleasant climate. The climate in Pátzcuaro falls into the category of temperate subhumid, with an average annual temperature of 16 ° C. In the coldest months, from December to February, the thermometer drops to 5 ° C, so in winter you have to walk It is well sheltered, while in summer the temperature rises to 19 ° C. The rains occur mainly between June and September, a period in which about 80 ° of the 1,040 mm of water that fall annually falls.
4. What are its main attractions?
Pátzcuaro has a mixture of architectural attractions with natural spaces that captivates tourists from Mexico and around the world for its beauty and diversity. Among the great attractions of the city is Lake Pátzcuaro, which has 7 islands, standing out Janitzio and Yunuen. The Main Square is of colonial style and from the time of the viceroyalty also come the Church of San Francisco, the Basilica of Our Lady of Health, the church and ex-convent of the Hospital Order of San Juan de Dios and the Sanctuary of Our Lady de Guadalupe, built in the early 19th century. For tourists in search of culture, the Magic Town offers the Gertrudis Bocanegra Municipal Library and the Museum of Popular Arts and Industries; As you can see, in Pátzcuaro there are attractions for all tastes.
5. How is Lake Pátzcuaro?
This lake is one of the most visited attractions by Mexican and international tourists. It houses archaeological sites rich in pre-Hispanic culture; its coastline is 55 km. and it contains seven islands, the most important being Janitzio and Yunuen. In the latter, a high-level resort was developed, with cabins surrounded by trees and gardens, games rooms and dining rooms, carefully attended by the residents of the island. The lake has a great variety of aquatic flora and nine species of native fish. Tourist transport is covered by several dozen motorboats driven by locals, happy to show you the most beautiful and emblematic corners of the lake.
6. What is the Plaza Principal and its surroundings like?
The Main Square, also known as the Vasco de Quiroga Square, is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. It is surrounded by buildings and majestic mansions from the colonial era and differs from many plinths by lacking religious temples around it. The square is used as an open-air art gallery for Sunday exhibitions of regional painters. Around the square are the Pátzcuaro Town Hall, the Casa del Gigante, the Huitzimengari Palace, the Casa del Portal Chaparro and many other sites of architectural and cultural interest, which, added to the hotels, restaurants and craft shops, make of this space a unique and entertaining place.
7. What are your main religious temples?
Starting with the Temple of San Francisco, the access door to the cloister is a beautiful Renaissance work and in its interior two important works are preserved, an oil painting of the Pope and Saint Francis of Assisi and a Christ of maize cane paste dating from the 16th century. The sanctuary of Guadalupe is a 19th century temple of neoclassical lines and the Basilica of Our Lady of Health is considered the most important church in the town. It was erected by Vasco de Quiroga in 1540 and houses an image of the Virgen de la Salud also made of cane paste with orchid honey. Some chapels worth mentioning are El Calvario and the Chapel of Christ.
8. How is the gastronomy of Pátzcuaro?
Michoacan cuisine has as its flag dishes with a pre-Hispanic base, such as tamales de ceniza and tarascos; In Pátzcuaro, tamales are also prepared based on white fish from the lake and blackberry tamales, accompanied by atole of corn dough. Some other dishes worthy of mention are the churipo, which is a red chili broth with beef and vegetables, and the Olla Podrida, a typical Spanish food based on beans, meat, ribs and dressings, which give it a characteristic flavor. . Of the sweets we can name the pasta snow, made with milk or the guava rolls, which are never lacking in a Michoacan table.
9. What are the most recommended hotels and restaurants?
The Hotel Boutique Plaza Leal is one of the most comfortable and elegant in Pátzcuaro; With neoclassical style and located in the Plaza Principal, it has first class service and all the amenities that will provide you with an unforgettable stay. Casitas Pátzcuaro Apartments are furnished and decorated accommodations, located one block from the historic center. The Eco Hotel Inxi, further from the center, is full of beauty and warmth, as well as Mexican crafts, providing a cultural learning of the town through its popular art. Among the best restaurants we can name La Surtidora, where you will enjoy typical Michoacan food, and El Patio, located in the heart of the Vasco de Quiroga square. For the little ones, Mandala has the best artisan pizzas in the city.
10. What are the main parties?
The carnival is very lively in Pátzcuaro, especially due to the parades of folkloric characters accompanied by chirimías music and stringed instruments. The joy of carnival turns into fervor and recollection at Easter, when representations of the main biblical passages of the Passion and processions of images are held. One of these is the Procession of the Christs, which brings together almost all the Christs venerated in the churches of the lake region.
The day of Our Lady of Health is December 8 and her feast summons many people, since it is one of the most revered images in the lake area. This festival has a rich religious, cultural and musical program, with bullfights, jaripeos, dances, mojigangas and musical bands.
Ready to go and enjoy the wonderful attractions of Pátzcuaro? We wish you the best of stays in the Magic Town of Michoacán.
