Close to Patzcuaro are two villages named Tzintzuntzan and Ihuatzio. The name Tzintzuntzan means “place of hummingbirds” in the Purépecha language. The Purépecha people as I’ve already mentioned in my previous post on Patzcuaro, are the indigenous people of the region and descendants of the ancient Tarascan civilization. Tzintzuntzan became the capital of the Tarascan society after Ihuatzio and before Patzcuaro.

I arrived at the ruins in Tzintzuntzan after walking from the town center, past a cemetery (still heavily decorated from Dia de los Muertos), and up a dirt road. I was simply overwhelmed by the beauty of my surroundings. Rolling hills, and wildflowers reaching out all the way to the lake of which I gained a clearer view as I ascended the hill. Once inside the archaeological reserve I found myself completely alone, with the exception of the gatekeepers. It was really an awesome feeling.

From Ihuatzio I jumped on a combi (these are small passenger vans) and headed to Ihuatzio. Ihuatzio is tiny little village. To get to the archaelogical ruins you must walk up a cobbled road. I was accompanied for half the trip by a friendly black dog. Once at the reserve, I was entirely alone again save for the gatekeeper. It was truly a wonderful experience and the weather could not have been more perfect.

Here is a slide show of my photos taken there:

Patzcuaro is labeled the “crown jewel of highland Michoacan” in Mexico, and what a welcome relief it was from the boisterous streets of Morelia. The bus ride there was beautiful: a vista of lush green fields, rolling mountains, flowering trees, and of course the lake for which it is known. Patzcuaro is one region in Mexico where the indigenous culture is still very prominent. The indigenous people, called Purépecha are descendants of the ancient Tarascan civilization. They speak their own language and are said to be the best fishers in the world. Patzcuaro’s serene cobbled streets are lined by colonial buildings all painted white and red. Everything is oriented around two central plazas. Each day a wonderful outdoor market is set up selling fresh produce and other goods from local farmers and vendors.

In the midst of the beautiful lake “Lago de Patzcuaro” sits a tiny island named Janitzio. A 25 minute boat ride from the dock will take you to its shores (about $3.00 for a round trip ticket). Janitzio’s tiny roads are lined with Purépecha vendors selling everything from fish to tourist nicknacks, and all roads lead up to the peak of the island where a large statue of the independence hero Morelos stands with one arm raised. You can walk inside this stature and follow a spiral staircase to the statue’s wrist, where you can peer out a narrow opening for a panaromic view of Patzcuaro.

Here’s a slide show I’ve compiled of my visit there:

By the way, if you ever plan on taking a trip to Patzcuaro I highly recommend staying at Hotel Valmen. It is centrally located, very clean and very beautifully maintained with colonial touches: tiled floors, carved wooden furnishings, and a lovely interior courtyard filled with plants. It’s best to be close to the center where it is easy to catch a combi to any of the neighboring villages and to the lake of course.