This is a walking city tour of downtown, to learn the importance of the city established in 1541 and how UNESCO recognizes the local baroque style that goes like a combination of Madrid-Rome in architecture. This tour goes around the main square and the local Cathedral and will be no more than 2 hours starting at 4 pm. The walk goes to the House of the local hero, the University building (1580) the school of music (1743) the Jesuit college (1767) The palace of the government next to the local cathedral (1744) well known as the 3rd largest in Mexico! Enjoy walking downtown in a city listed as one of Mexico’s 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1991. As you discover the good state of conservation of pink stone buildings, know more about the art & education of the city established by the Spanish in 1541. Great murals painted in 1962 by a local artist can be found inside buildings to know more about the Mexican past history. Every year to October, the Morelia Film Festival welcomes Hollywood actors, actresses & film directors in the competition next to the Mexican youth.

The remains of the local church that was crashed by the flows of lava can be reached after a nice walk in the woods and the lava rocks. The excursion is 5 km long each way and can be a moderate walk to it. (horseback ride available on site at extra cost) Lunchtime may take place in Uruapan, next door to the National Park from where we hear the waterfall and running water of the river. After lunch, get all the green in your eyes walking in the Park that has exotic fruits like Macadamia nuts or bananas with seeds!

In Tzintzuntzan, discover the old city from pre Columbian times, established by 1250 became the most important indigenous village populated from pre Hispanic times. In Patzcuaro enjoy the walking city tour to the cobblestoned streets and admire the white walls & tile roofs in the city of Patzcuaro that was a state capital as of 1534. Try the local gastronomy at lunch break and learn about the way first Bishop Vasco de Quiroga did his best to benefit the local Indigenous with hospitals, schools and workshops to improve life based on the «Utopia» book by Thomas More. In Santa Clara del Cobre after lunchtime, discover the interesting way the local craftsmen transform a piece of copper into artwork, by hammering! Starting in Morelia at 10 AM, we will stop at the archaeological site LAS YACATAS (when available) and the local church (1533) to see the first olive trees on the Americas. In Pátzcuaro to admire the lacquer work with gold leaf incrustations at the famous “House of the eleven patios” and proceed to the cobblestoned streets to admire the style of the town with white/red walls & tile roofs besides no advertising. After this last, go on to Santa Clara del Cobre to watch the process of hammering the copper into art. Return to Morelia is programmed by 6 PM, after knowing more about the local culture & traditions.

Starting 9 AM, first we will do the boat ride to Janitzio Island to watch the volcanic landscape & meet the fishermen with famous butterfly nets. When the boat ride is over, we do a walk of the city downtown talking about local history, culture & traditions. When doing the walk of the city, many handcraft shops can be found on the way to see the important buildings from the XVI century like the House of the eleven patios, the old Cathedral, The Jesuit College & the main church named Basilica after 1926. Finally, you don´t suppose to miss the ice cream stop to try the local "Pasta" ice cream. As you walk the cobblestoned streets, admire the white walls & tile roofs in the city of Patzcuaro which was a state capital as of 1534. Try the local gastronomy at lunch break and learn about the way first Bishop Vasco de Quiroga did his best to benefit the local indigenous people so they used to call him "Tata Vasco"

After departing at 7:00 AM from Morelia, enjoy the scenic drive to find a landscape with volcanic mountains and valleys. Later on, the drive goes higher and higher to find the fir trees where the Monarchs winter over 3000 meters above sea level. Found in 1976, thanks to research by Canadian scientist Fred Urquhart, the winter refuge of the monarch butterfly in central Mexico is a real wonder of nature. Declared a UNESCO-protected natural site in 2008, This is the large green area where butterflies that leave Canada & the United States mountain areas in the fall come & hide in the woods of “El Rosario” sanctuary (Michoacan, Mexico), to hibernate from late November to February. Due to their sexual maturing in March, they reproduce a new generation of butterflies that will continue the millennial migration flight to North America; when the spring begins. Well preserved to the present day by WWF & Monarch Watch among other NGOs, the winter homes are now recovering from a seriously reduced number of butterflies from years ago. Don´t let other travelers create histories about the Monarchs; come and enjoy the real wonder of nature with your own eyes; and find yourself in the magical woods of the Monarchs, in central Mexico!

Let´s get in a different tour, off the beaten path. Enjoy the countryside around Morelia on the way to the mountain range where local farmers go out to explore the area in pursuit of the wild agave plants and produce the mezcal, next to the plants cultivated on purpose. Taste mezcales of different quality before they are bottled! Since the Lake Patzcuaro area has pre Columbian roots for the celebration, my tour is still going to witness this ritual in a different time of day, to small villages like Tzintzuntzan & Santa Fe where we can skip the crowds. I start my tour in Patzcuaro (Departs from Morelia available) going to small towns to meet the indigenous culture and participate of the «offering» to the dead souls. In #Mexico the famous #DayOfTheDead celebration is still alive! «We’re not a costume, we are a culture».

In Mexico, the famous DayOfTheDead celebration is still alive! «We’re not a costume, we are a culture». Let´s get on a different tour, off the beaten path. The stop in Santa Fe let travelers get in touch with the local Purepecha culture and find out the links to the pre-Columbian meaning of the ritual celebration! The walk downtown at Santa Fe reminds you the Disney´s “Coco” film where Disney´s crew were working for many years on the storyboard. In Capula we are welcome into a clay workshop full of color, where travelers can decorate their own Catrina as we know more about the "Day of the Dead" celebration in Mexico.

The gastronomy of Michoacan has pre-Columbian, Moorish, African, and Spanish roots, the way it is mostly all over Mexico. From the chocolate prepared in water as an energy drink by the cultures of Mesoamerica to the traditional Michoacan-style carnitas that are sold almost throughout the country, the state has a wide gastronomic variety, which mostly incorporates ingredients grown in this land. Michoacan has been a pioneer in promoting traditional gastronomy by holding festivals and gastronomic exhibitions since the 1970s. It was in the late 1990s when Purepecha gastronomy became important in Uruapan, during the famous artisan Tianguis of Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) which used to have a gastronomy area for indigenous cooking. As of the year 2010, Mexican cuisine becomes a more appealing attraction to visit our country and taste the best of its gastronomy. The tour begins with breakfast at 8:00 AM at your Hotel in Morelia, to taste the first specialties of the day. Later on, a tour of Patzcuaro Lake region leads to enjoying some of these specialties: Carnitas, charales, Tarascan soup, enchiladas, pasta ice cream & chongos, next to Charanda & Mezcal.