Travel Guide Lago De Pátzcuaro

The shores of Lake Patzcuaro have been inhabited for thousands of years, and nowadays are dotted with numerous villages whose population willingly claims to be purepecha. Since the middle of the 20th century, it has suffered from major contamination problems due to human activities and the discharge of untreated water (if you wish to bathe, go to the lake of Zirahuen). The landscapes of this rural bocage where cows are omnipresent are nevertheless worthwhile. It is also surrounded by a number of attractions, which can be reached from Patzcuaro by public transportation. Those who have a car can easily tour the area on a day trip, stopping at various points of interest en route and enjoying the beautiful views of the lake road From Patzcuaro, go first to Ihuatzio, and discover an archaeological area with a very special rural atmosphere. Then continue on the secondary road that runs along the lake, where you will have a few kilometers further on beautiful views of the island of Janitzio. You will then come across the small village of Ucuzanasztacua, a pier that allows you to visit the islands of La Pacanda and Yunuen. Further on, you will arrive to Tzintzuntzan, a place of the Fiesta of the Dead, which stands out for its beautiful convent, its handicrafts market and its archaeological area located on the top of a mountain, ancient capital of the Tarascan Empire. From there, the road follows its course along the lake, passing by Quiroga, a big city without any other attraction than its famous carnitas (tacos of grilled meats). We then reach Oponguio, now famous for the visit of its mezcal factory (even if the connoisseurs affirm that its quality is not what it was...). The last stop worth visiting is the central square of Erongaricuaro, a village 18 km from Pátzcuaro. It was here that Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo came to recharge their batteries, and it has also attracted other major figures in contemporary Mexican history, such as André Breton and Trotsky. This is the perfect time to stop for lunch and then head back to Patzcuaro, unless mask fanatics stop again on the way to admire the handmade masks in Tócuaro.