A few days ago I had the opportunity to get away to some places in Michoacán and I came back wanting to come back!
We visited Tlalpujahua, Pátzcuaro and Morelia, destinations that have a lot to offer, gastronomy, history, architecture, entertainment and much more.
Day 1. The Magic Town of eternal Christmas
We left shortly before 7:00 am from Mexico City heading to Tlalpujahua, a Magical Town famous for its spheres and for maintaining the Christmas spirit all year round.
I had already heard about this place but had never visited it, so my curiosity to see it was great.
After almost two and a half hours of walking we arrived at Tlalpujahua, exactly at Quinta la Huerta, where we enjoyed a delicious breakfast. I ate scrambled eggs, sweet bread, a roll, coffee and juice.
Once satisfied, the exploration of this Magical Town began, first stop: Villa de Santa Claus, a place that from the entrance takes you to a European Christmas village, where the houses have gabled roofs and the Christmas spirit is very present, in fact, the design is inspired by Rothenburg, a German city.
In addition to enjoying the incredible view of the villa, they showed us how the spheres are made, which are made with the blown glass technique. We also visited the Sphere Museum, a small venue that talks about the origin of Christmas decorations and the importance of making spheres in Tlalpujahua.
The story goes that in the 1960s, Joaquín Muñoz Orta and his wife María Elena Ruiz began the production of spheres in Tlalpujahua and little by little the population became involved in the activity until now it is, perhaps, the main producer of spheres. in Mexico.
The villa also features a carousel and several photo spots, including a castle; and at night, an incredible video mapping is projected to close the experience with a flourish.
After touring the town, we headed towards the Las Dos Estrellas mine, a mine that between 1908 and 1913 was of vital importance for the town and even for Mexico, since it was the main mine in the country in which gold and silver.
In the mine we saw a small exhibition with some of the tools they used to extract metals. Something that caught my attention was the replica of the mold to make the gold ingots.
Upon leaving the exhibition, we went to the entrance of the mine and walked a few meters inside, while our guide explained the history of the mine and what the working conditions of the miners were like.
Once outside the mine, we saw more elements that were used for the extraction and production of metals, as well as the different areas into which the mine was divided.
Entry to the mine is free, it is only recommended to leave a voluntary contribution, since this place is managed thanks to what visitors leave. By the way, you can visit the mine in the company of your four-legged friend.
We finished our visit to the mine and headed to the center of Tlalpujahua to visit a sphere factory, where we saw what the sphere molding system and its decoration were like.
Later we visited the Parish of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, we tried some preserved fruits, we entered the House of Santa Claus, where there are hundreds of Christmas decorations, and finally we went to eat at the Terraza de Juan, from where we can see incredible views of Tlalpujahua .
By the way, Tlalpujahua can be visited all year round and you will always find Christmas spheres and decorations, but if you go between the end of September and December, you can enjoy the Sphere Fair, a season in which the town is even more Christmassy; If you want to experience this festivity and avoid crowds, go between the end of September and October.
At sunset, we headed to Pátzcuaro, another Magical Town in Michoacán, where we went straight to dinner, at Casa del Naranjo, some delicious enchiladas and pasta snow. Delicious!
Finally, it was time to rest at the Hotel Ibarra 14, located in the very center of Pátzcuaro.
Day 2. Pátzcuaro, traditional cuisine and a concert
The second day began with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, I ate some chilaquiles.
Later, we walked through the center of Pátzcuaro, a Magical Town famous for the Day of the Dead, although although it is not the most popular place to be part of this Mexican tradition, it serves as a base to visit Janitzio or Santa Fe de la Laguna.
We begin the tour at the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga, then we head towards the House of the Eleven Patios, where there are guitar-making workshops, cane-paste sculptures, wool fabrics, silver items, among much more.
At the Casa de los Once Patios we had the opportunity to learn about a workshop and the process of making cane pasta sculptures.
By the way, if you visit the House of the Eleven Patios, explore each of its corners, they are very photogenic!
We leave this site and head towards a viewpoint to have a panoramic view of the town, this place is located a few meters from the Casa de los Once Patios.
We continue with our walk through the center of Pátzcuaro, we pass by the Temple of the Sagrario, which is very photogenic on the outside, until we reach the Basilica of Our Lady of Health, which is very popular, as pilgrims visit it with the conviction of being healed by the Virgin of Health.
After our exploration of the center of Pátzcuaro, and once again delighting ourselves with a pasta ice cream, of which I am already a fan, we went to Morelia to enjoy the last day of the Michoacán de Origen Festival.
At the festival we met some of the traditional cooks, among them Benedicta Alejo Vargas, from San Lorenzo Uruapan, who spoke to us about the importance of promoting the traditional food of Michoacán and maintaining it between generations.
Of course we tried a little of the creations of the traditional cooks and then we headed to the Venustiano Carranza stadium because there was a concert by Intocable, which I have to say I’m not a fan of, but I had a great time.
After our musical evening, we returned to the center of Morelia to live an experience worthy of Fudis around the world, in La Conspiracion de 1809, a historic restaurant famous for being the place where Mariano Michelena lived, who was a key player in the independence struggle of Mexico, and also the site where said conspiracy was carried out, known as the Valladolid Conspiracy.
I ordered Tarasca Soup, which consists of julienne tortilla, bean broth and tomato, I also ate Uchepos de nata, which are Michoacan corn tamales served with sour cream, cotija cheese and poblano sauce, and dessert was a small tasting of ate with cheese, Zamorano chongos and ice cream.
Our day concluded with a well-deserved rest at the Hotel Villa Montaña, which offers incredible views of Morelia and makes one feel like they are in some French town, due to its incredible design.
Day 3. Farewell to Morelia and Michoacán
The third day we got up early, had breakfast at the hotel, I ate some delicious waffles, and we went to the center of Morelia for a short and last tour, since we had to return early to Mexico City.
We walked through the main square, entered the Cathedral and admired its interior, no matter how many times I see it, I will always be impressed by the cathedral organ.
To close our tour with a flourish, we went for a traditional gazpacho, which consists of mango, jicama and pineapple in pieces, with orange juice, cheese and chili. Don’t forget to try it if you go to Morelia!
Without a doubt, Michoacán always surprises me and invites me to return, so I hope that the traveling gods will grant it to me very soon.
Source: https://alanxelmundo.com/entre-pueblos-magicos-esferas-y-un-festival/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=entre-pueblos-magicos-esferas-y-un-festival
