Last Updated on: 16th April 2024, 10:37 pm
Founded in the 1320s as the first capital of the mighty Tarascan Empire, Pátzcuaro is one of Mexico’s most popular Pueblos Mágicos and a must-do day trip from Morelia. And as we’ll cover in this guide, visiting Pátzcuaro is typically combined with the scenic island of Janitzio, largely inhabited by an indigenous Purépecha community.
After covering the top things to do in Pátzcuaro and Janitzio, you can learn more about transport to both locations from Morelia at the end of the article.
Pátzcuaro: A Brief History
As mentioned, Pátzcuaro was founded in the 14th century and would become the first capital of the Tarascan Empire – the only kingdom that the Aztecs could never conquer.
Power would later shift, however, to the nearby city of Tzintzuntzan. But after the Spanish conquest, Pátzcuaro would once again rise to prominence.
Before that, though, a conquistador by the name of Nuño de Guzmán would arrive in Pátzcuaro in 1526, brutally torturing and killing Tanganxoan II, the last Tarascan emperor. Naturally, most of the natives fled, leaving the ancient city deserted.
Not long after, a bishop named Vasco de Quiroga (1470-1565) would arrive in the area to expel Nuño de Guzmán back to Spain. Quiroga also convinced many of the Purépecha families who’d fled to return. And he commissioned several new churches and schools, ultimately turning Pátzcuaro into the new provincial capital of Michoacán.
That would eventually change after the establishment of Morelia, however, which has been the state capital for centuries. Presently, while Morelia is a bustling city of nearly a million people, Pátzcuaro remains a small town of around 80,000.
But it sees no shortage of tourists. In the 1930s, President Lázaro Cárdenas, a Michoacán native, decided to heavily promote Pátzcuaro as a tourism hub. And now nearly seventy years later, the town remains incredibly popular with domestic tourists while a growing number of foreigners are visiting Pátzcuaro as well.
For those arriving in late October, Pátzcuaro is also one of the most popular places for the Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, though accommodation can sell out quickly.
The Viewpoint
While we’ll cover transport in more detail below, those visiting Pátzcuaro from Morelia should use the Autobuses Purhepechas company. Not only do they operate out of the town’s main bus terminal, but they also run a smaller station not far from Lake Pátzcuaro’s pier.
Planning to start with the island, this is where I got off. But first, I walked up to a scenic viewpoint just about fifteen minutes away on foot.
From here, one can get a clear view of Lake Pátzcuaro, the island of Janitzio, and its massive statue of José María Morelos. But more on that shortly.
Back near the Autobuses Purhepechas station, it’s about another ten minutes on foot to get to Muelle General, the town’s main pier (see map above).
Visiting Janitzio Island
Arriving at the pier, you’ll find plenty of restaurants and snack kiosks in case you missed breakfast. And you might want to buy some snacks regardless, as you may have to do a lot of waiting before the boat departs.
Knowing exactly where to go can be a little confusing, as you’ll likely find some of the initial ticket kiosks unstaffed. But keep walking and you should find a ticket vendor who will tell you which boat to get on. At the time of my visit, the roundtrip journey cost $100 MXN.
While I’d read that the boats depart on schedule, I didn’t find that to be the case. Rather, the captain patiently waited for it to fill up before departure. And as I happened to be one of the first ones on, I ended up waiting for nearly an hour for the thirty-minute journey.
As you approach Janitzio, a group of local fishermen will appear nearby to put on a little demonstration involving their traditional fishing nets. As one might expect, they’ll then come up to your boat to ask for tips, but there’s thankfully no pressure.
Janitzio’s main attraction is its gorgeous setting. Otherwise, to be frank, the island doesn’t have a whole lot to offer visitors. But that hasn’t stopped just about every staircase and alleyway from being lined with souvenir stalls.
I first stopped at Capilla de Janitzio, a beautiful colonial-era church about halfway up the island. I then proceeded further uphill until I reached Janitzio’s ‘peak.’
As you’ve already seen from afar, the island is topped with a 40 m high statue of José María Morelos, an important hero of Mexican independence who was born in Morelia. Well, at the time, the city was known as Valladolid, and it’s since been named after him.
Morelos (1765-1815) was present for Miguel Hidalgo’s ‘Cry of Dolores‘ which kickstarted the war against Spain. And after Hidalgo was captured and assassinated in 1811, he took over the movement.
Despite having no military training (he was actually a priest), he managed to capture several territories held by the Spanish. But he, too, would ultimately be captured and killed in 1815.
The massive statue doubles as a museum. And for a small fee, you can step inside, where the interior walls have been entirely covered in mural paintings depicting events from Morelos’ life.
And believe it or not, you’ll encounter an additional spiral staircase within Morelos’ raised arm. It will take you to a small observation room situated inside of his fist!
The whole raised fist gesture wouldn’t even begin appearing in political movements until about a century after Morelos’ death. Nevertheless, it’s pretty cool to stand within it and look out at the lake’s surrounding islands.
When finished, return to the pier and wait for the boat for Pátzcuaro to depart. Back on the mainland, head to the nearest major road and look for a southbound colectivo (shared minivan) that can take you to the town center.
Visiting Pátzcuaro
It’s easy to see why Pátzcuaro is often touted as one of the top Magic Towns of Mexico. Its cobblestone streets and colonial-era adobe structures have remained intact for centuries.
Pátzcuaro is also renowned for its crafts, and markets selling traditional goods are abundant. But the crowds are also abundant, and so is traffic. While Pátzcuaro is not nearly as laid back as other Pueblo Mágicos, it nevertheless contains some stunning architecture that shouldn’t be missed.
Templo del Sagrario
The town’s top highlight and most iconic landmark would have to be Templo del Sagrario. Long inhabited by Dominican nuns, like many of the landmarks in this Pátzcuaro guide, it was first established by Vasco de Quiroga in the mid-16th century.
The most famous shot of the church is from across the road outside, from where you can view a long row of arches in the foreground. As one of the most-photographed churches in Mexico, you may have to wait a while to get an unobstructed shot.
The church’s main claim to fame is that until the 20th century, it held the sacred statue of Nuestra Señora de la Salud. As we’ll cover shortly, the statue is now just a few blocks away in the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud.
Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any way to get inside during my visit, but the church is said to contain a beautiful baroque altar.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Just down the street from the Templo del Sagrario, you’ll encounter numerous historic buildings, among them the Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares.
It was originally built by Quiroga as a school and it was later turned over to the Jesuits. It now hosts the city’s main museum, home to a collection of local art and archaeological artifacts.
As mentioned above, Pátzcuaro was the first capital of the Tarascan Empire. But unlike nearby Tzintzuntzan, not much evidence of its pre-Hispanic past remains.
One exception, however, is a small pyramid within the museum’s courtyard. But having arrived on a Monday, it was closed and I couldn’t enter.
I would later, however, encounter an interesting chac mool sculpture discovered in Pátzcuaro that’s now on display at Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology.
Its discovery indicates some kind of early Toltec influence over the region – which is curious considering how the Toltec Empire dissolved in the 12th century, well before archaeologists believe Pátzcuaro was founded. Then again, the later Aztec Empire would adopt the chac mool tradition as well.
Gertrudis Bocanegra Library
Located beside the Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, or ‘Plaza Chica,’ don’t miss the Gertrudis Bocanegra Library. Housed in the former Temple of San Agustin, it now features an incredible mural painted by artist Juan O’Gorman (1905-1982).
The colorful scenes depict the history of the region – mainly the Spanish conquest and the subsequent conversion of the locals.
(As an interesting side note, O’Gorman was also an architect and he designed one of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s homes. He also painted the famous mural outside the Central Library at UNAM.)
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud
While not quite as iconic as the Templo del Sagrario mentioned above, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud is considered Pátzcuaro’s main church. It was built by Vasco de Quiroga over a former Purépecha temple dedicated to a goddess named Cueráppari.
Fittingly, it now hosts the Nuestra Señora de la Salud statue of the Virgin Mary, which is highly revered among the local Purépecha population.
The ambitious Quiroga originally planned for the church to have as many as five naves, though the Spanish Crown would approve of only one.
Notably, Quiroga himself is interred within.
Casa de los Once Patios
Another important landmark to check out when visiting Pátzcuaro is the Casa de los Once Patios, constructed in 1742 to be used by Dominican nuns. Despite its name, the complex currently only has five courtyards.
Visitors are free to walk around the historic building, while some of the rooms are used to sell crafts.
Plaza Vasco de Quiroga
While some may start their tour of Pátzcuaro here, I ended up finishing my day at the town’s main square, Plaza Vasco de Quiroga. Fittingly, the plaza is home to a large bronze statue of Quiroga standing over a fountain.
Interestingly, despite clearly being Pátzcuaro’s largest plaza, it doesn’t feature a church as is typical in Mexican towns. You will, however, find it surrounded by plenty of crafts and souvenir shops.
I also happened to come across a beautiful mural located within the courtyard of what seemed to be a local government building.
More Pátzcuaro Churches
As with most historical towns in Mexico, Pátzcuaro has no shortage of colonial-era churches. Aside from those mentioned above, other notable ones include the Iglesia de la Compañía, a 16th-century Jesuit church situated just down the road from Templo del Sagrario
To the southwest is the Templo de San Francisco, yet another 16th-century church with a beautiful facade.
A block west of Plaza Chica, you can find the Parroquia del Santuario de Guadalupe, a rare 19th-century church built in the Neoclassical style.
While I missed it, to the northeast of the town center, about twenty minutes on foot, is the Chapel del Humilladero. It was built by Vasco de Quiroga in 1553 at the spot where the final Tarascan emperor, Tanganxoan II, was forced to kneel before Nuño de Guzmán.
Additional Info
Pátzcuaro is an easy day trip from Morelia, with several bus companies running this route from Morelia’s main bus terminal. As mentioned above, I went with the Autobuses Purhepechas company, which I recommend most people take.
Buses depart frequently. And more importantly, Purhepecha runs two offices in Pátzcuaro – one at the main bus terminal, about 20 minutes on foot from the town center, and another within walking distance of the boats for Janitzio.
As outlined above, I got off at the stop closer to Janitzio, had a quick look at the viewpoint and then walked over to the pier.
Returning to the mainland from Janitzio, I took one of the many colectivo minivans which run along the main road. Getting off in the center, I explored the town before eventually walking to the main bus terminal. From there, I took another Purepecha bus back to Morelia.
The journey between Pátzcuaro and Morelia takes about an hour each way.
If you’re not set on visiting Pátzcuaro and Janitzio independently and budget is not a major concern, consider taking a tour. This highly-rated tour takes visitors to both destinations and allows free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
Morelia is a large city with a gorgeous historical center. And the center is likely where most people will choose to stay.
One of the highest-rated high end hotels is NaNa Vida Hotel Morelia. A good mid-range option near the main attractions, meanwhile, is Vista Express Morelia.
Morelia also has plenty of budget options, like Casa Aura, or numerous places on Airbnb.
Considering how the city is also a good base for day trips (such as Tzintzuntzan and Patzcuaro), and how the bus station is quite a distance from the center, I opted to stay within walking distance of the station.
While being close to the station saved me a lot of time overall and I have no regrets, I wouldn’t recommend most travelers stay in that area.
As you can tell from the above Morelia guide, central Morelia is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. But the city’s outskirts feel like another dimension. While I didn’t have any issues and everyone in the neighborhood I stayed in was friendly, ‘apocalyptic’ was the first word that came to mind as I explored the area.
As a metropolitan area of nearly a million people, Morelia is fairly easy to reach. Many major cities in central and western Mexico will have direct buses there.
One exception at the time of writing, however, is Guanajuato. While direct buses apparently existed in the past, visitors now have to transfer in the city of Irapuato.
The main bus terminal is quite a distance from the historical center. Fortunately, Uber works in the city, which is pretty much always a better option than local taxis, as you don’t have to haggle or worry about potential scams.
Morelia also has its own airport with connections to major cities around the country as well as several destinations in the US.