Named by the Tzacapu-Humacuti Purépecha Indians, Pátzcuaro means "the location of the stone showing the entrance to paradise," and Tata Vasco must have thought there could be no better place to start building a better world. Designed for the coexistence of different cultures, Pátzcuaro invites you to explore the steep, winding streets leading to its fascinating historical palaces, monasteries, colleges, churches and museums.
Skilled Indian hands
the Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares has an incredible collection of regional handicrafts, including ceramics, masks, toys, shawls, feather art, objects in shellac and lacquer. Of particular note is the 18th century Cristo de la Cruz made out of cane pulp.Also
El Hospitalito, a small, well-preserved 16th century church.
The Convento de Sta. Catarina, the only nuns’ convent, famous today for its delicious sweets.
The Juan O’Gorman mural in the library in what used to be the San Agustín church.We’ll see you in the
colonnaded arcades surrounding the main square. At the end of the day, you can feel the vital pulse of the this magical town, the hustle and bustle of tradesmen and women selling their wares, the ice cream vendors… the delicious aromas wafting from the restaurants in the arcades, creating a unique ambiance of authenticity.The villages of the marsh region
Pátzcuaro Lake was the territory of the ancient Purépecha empire and small settlements flourished along its shores thousands of years before the arrival of the Spaniards. The old San Francisco monastery in Tzintzuntzan, the old capital of the Tarascan empire, was where Don Vasco started his work, and the nearby Santa Fe de la Laguna is the location of the first hospital in Michoacán founded by him, thus starting a practice of caring for the sick that has lasted to the present.The Sistine Chapel of Michoacán
It is a truly extraordinary experience to enter the humble Templo de Santiago in Tupátaro and to behold the magnificent Indian artwork, as seen in the 42 squares comprising the church’s coffered ceiling. Dominating the nave of this small place of worship is a multicolored, wooden altarpiece.Make sure you don’t miss
The panoramic view of the islands in the Pátzcuaro lake from the coast road between Tzintzuntzan and Ihuatzio.
The Fiesta de los Diablos (The Devils’ Party) held in Tzurumútaro during Holy Week.Masterly handcrafting
Don Vasco was the driving force behind the teaching of more than twenty trades among thirty Michoacán townships and settlements, and the Indian craftsmen perfected his techniques. Nowadays, the production of handicrafts continues to be a source of income for thousands of families. Painting and feather art in Pátzcuaro; objects of art made out of copper in Santa Clara; hats made of palm leaves, fishing nets in Erongarícuaro and Jarácuaro, ceramics inTzintzuntzan, pottery in Santa Fe de la Laguna and Capula.The Day of the Dead
The nocturnal celebrations on All Saints’ Day in the Pátzcuaro region have an effect on every visitor who witnesses them. Families and their loved ones go to cemeteries that become filled with candles, offerings, flowers and souvenirs. The Tarascan tradition considers that death is part of the cycle of life, and families thank the deceased person for taking care of them and for nourishing the earth that feeds them. Every village observes the night of All Saints’ Day according to its particular customs. The celebrations taking place in Arocutín, Ihuatzi and Janitzio are particularly popular. 
