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City of Michoacán, Mexico
Photo: Mike Sharp - User: (WT-shared) 2old at wts wikivoyage, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
With a consistent colonial style throughout, Morelia is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. It is not really on the well-trodden path of the leisure tourists and so you can walk around in comfort without fear of the bermuda shorts crowds. Morelia is the capital of the state of Michoacan in Mexico and it is a registered UNESCO World Heritage site. Almost all attractions lie within walking distance of the historical center, making the city exceedingly convenient to get around. Morelia can be an outstanding base for exploring natural destinations and small towns throughout the region because it is a large city (almost 750,000 as of 2020) with good hotels and restaurants, and modern transportation facilities including a busy regional airport and a large bus station with frequent service to Mexico City and colonial cities throughout Central Mexico.
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One of the downtown highlights is the baroque cathedral with its surrounding gardens and parks. The cathedral is enormous, covering more than 2 city blocks in area. Architectural details like the flying buttresses and tiled cupolas give it a distinctive look. The Cathedral is the site for the local “Day of the Dead” celebration in early November. It is more of an experience than can be described here. Most of the activities take place after dark, make sure you have a good seat around the square at dark for the outside performance of the choir and the fireworks each night.
Hero of the Mexican War for Independence, native son Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, was born, raised, and lived his life in Morelia. There are two Morelos homes in the city, and both are historical museums that chronicle Morelos and his role in shaping Mexico.
The second museum dedicated to Jose Maria Morelos.
A collection of colonial art painting that date from the 18th century, as well as a collection of sculptures comprised in large part of representations of Christ on the cross. Many of the sculptures were created using a pre-Hispanic technique known as Caña de Maiz, where corn stalk paste is allowed to dry over wood before sculpting.
Running down the center of Avenida Acueducto is an enormous aqueduct built in the 17th century to bring water into the budding young city.
One of the most serenely beautiful churches in Mexico, adorned in soft pink and white with gold trim, the church is a work of art in itself. It also houses a series of 17th-century oil paintings that ideologically depict the Spanish missionaries’ conquest over the “barbaric” religious traditions of the Aztecs.
A verdant plaza and popular meeting spot adjoined by cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating.
A plaza with a large fountain at the foot of the Morelia aqueduct. Surrounded by trendy shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.
Definitely worth a stop. More than just a museum, it contains a coffee shop and offers the widest variety of candies as well as demonstrations of candy-making. Operated by Calle Real.
A 250-ha (620-acre) urban oasis that is home to a 30-m (75-acre) lake and a large and diverse collection of animals, including everything from polar bears to monkeys. Kids love it!
Historical landmark built as a memorial to Lazaro Cardenas, a general during the Mexican Revolution who served as President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.
Palacio Clavijero
Wonderful colonial era palace with galleries set around a central courtyard and fountain. The galleries feature a range of art, some of it historic indigenous works, but mostly modern and contemporary art.
State Capitol
Beautiful colonial era capitol building, constructed between 1760 and 1770. The building consists of two levels set around 3 courtyard plazas with covered archways, fountains, and wide stairways with ornate iron works and stained glass windows. Like government buildings in Mexico City, the capitol is filled with large-scale murals from the Mexican muralism program of the early early 20th century. Unlike the murals in Mexico City, these concentrate on the Mexican War of Independence, particularly the role of Morelia's hometown patriot, Jose Morelos y Pavon.
Morelia Planetarium
Hour-long shows in the planetarium on the solar system and worlds beyond our own galaxy. Exhibits on space exploration. Very limited hours.
Alfredo Zalce Museum of Contemporary Art
Housed in a 19th century mansion, Morelia's contemporary arts museum is named in honor of Alfredo Zalce, one of the artists of the Mexican muralism movement who was born in Michoacan and whose works include a large number of murals in the state capitol (Palacio del Gobierno). The MACAZ is known for its large collection of paintings by Efrain Vargas.
Natural History Museum
Small museum that explores the natural world with lots of preserved plant and animal specimens and exhibits oriented towards children. The museum can be fully experienced within about an hour.
Tarascas Fountain
Famed city landmark featuring a bronze fountain with three Purhepecha women holding up a fruit bowl. The work was sculpted by artist José Luis Padilla Retana in 1984. This is one of the most photogenic spots in town with manicured flower gardens in front of the fountain and the graceful arches of the aqueduct in the background. Can you say "Instagram selfie"?
Conservatorio de las Rosas
Listen to a concert by the Morelia Boys Choir at the spectacular Conservatory of the Roses. The group is modeled on the Vienna Boys Choir, and their director is a former maestro from Vienna. The Conservatory is housed in a historic monastery built in 1594, though the conservatory traces its roots to the founding of a girls school here in 1743. Besides the famous choir, the conservatory also has an orchestra and other performing arts ensembles.
Morelos National Park
Large heavily forested park with 7,000 hectares of natural backcountry to explore. Forests are mostly pine, cedar, and oak. Several springs and mountain streams. Hiking trails, picnic pavilions, zip lines, and horseback riding.
Professional soccer stadium built in 1989 to seat 35,000 spectators. Home field for the Club Atlético Morelia, an Expansion League team (second division).
A local secret and delicious late-night food spot located just northeast of the historical center. Look for a street stall tucked into a side street, Cal. Universidad de Salamanca, just across from the Poza Rica gas station. It can be a be bit hard to find, but their Mexican-style hamburgers are worth the effort, especially after a night out. Tacos too, of course. Get there before 23:00 to avoid the crowds.
A lovely cafe and bookstore, with part-French, part-Mexican cuisine, situated in the heart of the historical center.
A popular restaurant, particularly for brunch, along the edge of the central plaza. Outdoor seating.
Offers a great range of salsas to accompany your quesadillas, tacos, alambra (massive meat overdose for the hardcore travellers only!). Their chipotle and avocado salsas are awesome. The hard-to-find vegetarian alambra is a nice vegg option when you are tired of quesadillas, but theirs, made with mushrooms, peppers, pineapple and optional cheese, is fairly bland. Here they serve flour, not corn, tortillas. Wireless available.
An elegant steakhouse in the upscale neighborhood of Camelinas. The restaurant uses only certified Angus beef, cooked to perfection. The service is attentive yet friendly, and no detail is overlooked. Even the bread is spectacular at Las Trojes — delicately crispy baguettes accompanied by a spicy bean and herb spread.
A popular rooftop bar with a relaxed atmosphere. Makes a good mojito.
The local hipster joint. Often hosts live music events.
A popular brewery and beer hall serving their own local brew as well as a wide range of domestic and international beers.
One of the best gay café/bars in Morelia. The café organizes several activities, such as the Gay Pride march on May 17. Amsterdam Café/Bar offers a large coffee menu. It has a great ambience, all the place is decorated with colorful paintings, for example, a copy of Karina Kun’s La Majo Desnuda and a big fresco by Belgian painter Peter Nyu. The barmen are also very nice and friendly.
A very local pub just south of the cathedral.
The most popular disco in Morelia.
Popular hotel and hostel with a convenient downtown location and a lovely courtyard. The dorms are a bit cramped but the private rooms are more than worth the price.
The city's only backpacker hostel. Convenient, central location and friendly staff. Old building; don't expect much in terms of wifi.
A modern hotel in the heart of colonial downtown Morelia. Clean, safe hotel with an outstanding central location and room rates starting around US$40.
Located in the historical center, one block away from the Cathedral. Opened in 1752 as a diligence hostel, now an upscale hotel. If you use valet parking, give at least two hours notice to have car returned. No elevator to 2nd floor rooms (given that it was built in 1752). Rooms at back of courtyard have less street noise. Sanborns Dept. store adjacent, with 3rd floor dining room.
Historical hotel with elegance and old-world charm. Some rooms may be loud or small owing to its historical authenticity. Rooms are comfortably furnished and service is always outstanding. Live piano music in the lounge, outdoor dining in one of Morelia's colonial portals.
An upscale boutique hotel with graceful furnishings, unbeatable central location and exquisite rooftop dining room.
An elegantly rustic mountain lodge featuring rough hewn wood beams and fireplaces in the rooms, not to mention outstanding nighttime views of the city from its perch on a mountain overlooking the city below.
Reserve your shopping until you visit here; this is a primary location where local artists display their wares.
Features candy as well as inexpensive souvenirs splayed out through a long corridor.
Morelia's main marketplace sells anything and everything, though it's foremost a marketplace for fresh produce, freshly butchered meats, and an astounding variety of the most authentic regional foods in the state. It's a large marketplace with sections dedicated to household goods, auto parts, clothing, and more.
By car
Morelia is accessible by a modern toll road and is located about equidistant from Guadalajara and Mexico City, about 3½ hours driving.
By plane
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