Through the central highlands of Mexico: Guadalajara, Morelia, the best tequila and a fascinating volcano

The central highlands of Mexico are where some of the country's hallmarks are born, among inactive volcanoes, avocado plantations and pre-Hispanic ruins.

Here you can taste the best tequila in the world among a sea of ​​blue agaves, listen to the mariachi bands in your homeland or be amazed by the magnificent cathedral of Morelia.

Less known and less visited is Lake Pátzcuaro, where the Purépecha indigenous people display their craft skills and celebrate the Day of the Dead with special fervor.

Nature, gastronomy, music, museums, archaeological sites or the

neighborhood in the world are concentrated on this trip.

Guadalajara: land of mariachis and avant-garde capital

The mariachis, the sombreros charros, the jarabe tapatío or the

are some of the most widespread and typical images of Mexico.

And all of them come from Guadalajara, the second largest city in the country.

This great capital of the plains can serve as a less hectic alternative to the federal district: on the one hand, it is the guardian of old Mexico and, on the other hand, it boasts of being the vanguard of the new: museums and theaters promote cultural life, cuisine Fusion has upgraded an already legendary food scene, and local city planners are bending over backwards to solve the traffic problem.

View of the cathedral in the city of Guadalajara (Mexico). Elijah Lovkoff / EyeEm (Getty Images / EyeEm)

Guadalajara does not have the architectural homogeneity of other smaller colonial cities, but its historic center around the cathedral and the Cabañas Museum are very attractive.

They are, together with the Degollado theater and the Guadalajara square, are the four great landmarks of the city.

The square is a gathering place, shaded by dozens of laurel trees, with fantastic views of the cathedral and a handful of good cafes.

The Degollado Theater is a nineteenth-century building, home to the Jalisco Philharmonic.

And the Cabañas Cultural Institute is one of the architectural icons of Guadalajara and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. In the dome of the striking Main Chapel, a series of unexpected modern murals by José Clemente Orozco surprise, but also many other works by the same artist. and other Mexican contemporaries.

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Colonia Americana de Guadalajara is the best neighborhood in the world (and there are two Spaniards on the list)

To find a more bohemian and relaxed air, we only have to go to the bohemian Colonia Americana, dotted with trendy restaurants, cafes and nightclubs, or take a walk through the peaceful residential neighborhoods of San Pedro Tlaquepaque (more exclusive, and where many artists and artisans live there) and Tonalá (more popular and bustling, which points to ways to take over from Tlaquepaque with new galleries and cafes, a paradise for lovers of popular art).

Added to them is Zapopan, one of the fashionable neighborhoods, with interesting colonial architecture, especially presided over by the Zapopan Basilica, which is visited by parishioners from all over Mexico.

The balance with the traditional is provided by the Zapopan Art Museum, focused on modern art, with temporary exhibitions that bring contemporary Mexican artists up to date.

A look at Orozco, the forerunner of street art

Long before Banksy and the resurgence of politically charged street art, Mexican muralists were making bold claims in the form of giant, colorful public murals.

Guadalajara's contribution to the genre was enormous.

The grandfather of Mexican muralism is generally considered to be Gerardo Murillo (1875-1964), a Guadalajara-born artist who called himself

.

One of his disciples, José Clemente Orozco (1883-1949), was a native of nearby Ciudad Guzmán.

Mural of José Clemente Orozco by Miguel Hidalgo, on the stairs of the Government Palace of Guadalajara.Alamy Stock Photo

Along with Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, Orozco is considered one of the "big three" of Mexican muralism.

His energetic brushstrokes paint powerful and sometimes pained figures, creating lively studies of polemical symbolism.

His work decorates stairways, ceilings and public spaces from New York to Mexico City, but his most personal work is found in Guadalajara.

Not to be missed are the 57 murals he painted at the Cabañas Museum between 1937 and 1939, including the kaleidoscopic

.

Or the impressive and highly reproduced mural from 1937 of Miguel Hidalgo holding a torch, on the main staircase of the Government Palace.

The MUSA Museum of Arts, opposite the university, which houses two murals in its auditorium:

in the dome, and

in the back of the stage, both made in 1937. And in the Casa Orozco we will contemplate

(1945), an uncharacteristically optimistic study of a festive scene with a chef carrying a fish surrounded by scantily clad women and food from faraway places.

colonial evocation

Throughout the city, as throughout Mexico, there are more or less preserved colonial churches on almost every corner.

In the center of Guadalajara there are dozens of them, large and small, almost all open to the public and worship, but the church par excellence is the cathedral, the most visible point in the city, with representative neo-Gothic towers rebuilt after an earthquake demolished the original ones in 1818. Actually, this temple is almost as old as the city itself, since it was started in July 1561. For this reason, it can boast its Gothic crypt, its enormous Tuscan-style columns enhanced with gold leaf and to keep an Asunción by Murillo in the sacristy.

The complex, as in so many churches, is a hodgepodge of Baroque, Churrigueresque and Neoclassical styles,

View of the Plaza de Armas in Guadalajara, with the Government Palace.Alamy Stock Photo

Among the prettiest colonial churches in Guadalajara is the Templo de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, a 17th-century chapel facing a small, tree-lined plaza, which was remodeled in the 1860s with much gold leaf, ancient paintings, and murals on the dome. .

The temple of La Merced, closer to the urban center, also draws attention.

This is an ornately decorated church, built between 1650 and 1721, with paintings, crystal chandeliers, and lots of gold leaf inside.

Where the first cathedral of the city was, built in the 16th century, what we see today is the temple of Santa María de Gracia, with a rather rough and austere interior because it was part of a convent in the 17th century.

Another of the oldest and most beautiful churches in the city is the one dedicated to San Agustín, to the south of the emblematic Degollado Theatre, in the Plaza de la Liberación, a white and gold Baroque building built from the end of the 16th century.

And there are many other churches that evoke colonial times, such as Santa Eduwiges or Aranzazú, one of the most beautiful churches in the city, with three golden altars in the Churrigueresque style and a beautiful vaulted ceiling.

A trip to the pre-Columbian world in Guachimontones

About 60 kilometers west of Guadalajara, is the fascinating and peculiar Teuchitlán or Guachimontones archaeological zone, one of the few ancient ruins in the world whose structures were built in almost perfect concentric circles, including an immense stepped conical pyramid.

The tour rewards you with seeing well-preserved structures, an excellent museum, and free expert guides to tour the complex.

The Teuchitlán or Guachimontones archaeological zone, in the State of Jalisco (Mexico).Alamy Stock Photo

Occupied between the years 300 before Critso and the year 350 of our era by the people of Teuchitlán, it is believed that Guachimontones was a ritual center used mainly for ceremonies related to Ehécatl, the god of the wind.

In total there were 10 circular complexes surrounding an imposing central pyramid and, at the top of it, a hole that was presumably used to support a pole from which priests hung to simulate the flight of a bird.

The ruins extend on a hill covered with vegetation that guards the village of Teuchitlán and the La Vega dam.

Three of the ten complexes can be distinguished, fully excavated, although the one that attracts the most attention is that of the main pyramid: perfectly circular, with curved steps covered in moss that rise about 18 meters, although you cannot climb to the top .

The site is completed by two ball games, two long squares and various structures that have yet to be excavated.

Tradition and new Mexican cuisine

Guadalajara is becoming a gastronomic destination, as well as a cultural one.

Birrias (spicy lamb or kid stew) or beef in its juice are some of the local specialties but, above all, there are the ubiquitous tortas ahogadas, a bun stuffed with pork in chili sauce that is said to be the cures everything (especially hangovers).

The most daring will surely be encouraged to go to the San Juan de Dios market, with countless stalls where some of the cheapest and tastiest food in the city is served.

A good place to enjoy tacos, tortas ahogadas and elotes (grilled corn on the cob with mayonnaise and cheese) until late at night.

A plate of birrias (spicy lamb or kid stew), a typical recipe of Mexican cuisine.carlosrojas20 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

One step higher are the neighborhood restaurants, such as the Birriería Las 9 Esquinas, in the historic center, specializing in the famous birria.

This is a charming, partially open-air restaurant decorated with white and blue tiles that is famous throughout the country.

Much more sophisticated is the food at La Fonda de la Noche, a labyrinthine

house that serves up tasty dishes from Mexico's Durango region.

To try the famous tortas ahogadas we choose Migue, a cheerful yellow and orange café in Colonia Americana, where they say it serves the best in the city.

And to try the dishes of great chefs, there are options such as Alcalde, one of the best restaurants in Guadalajara, the bet of local chef Paco Ruano after passing through El Celler de Can Roca in Girona and the Noma in Copenhagen.

Its impressive interior design is a good setting to try out the elaborate creations.

It is in the Colonia Americana, as are three other highly recommended haute cuisine restaurants: Sacromonte, Hueso or Allium, which are bringing Guadalajara cuisine closer to the coveted Michelin stars.

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Tequila and the agave route

We are in the region that has given the world one of the most universal Mexican drinks: tequila.

And about 70 kilometers northwest of Guadalajara is the city that bears the name of this agave liquor.

Both tequila and mezcal, Mexico's other great original drink, are distilled from agave, but legally, tequila must be made with blue agave grown in the State of Jalisco or in specifically designated areas in other nearby states.

Production methods vary from place to place, meaning no two spirits taste the same.

One way to get to Tequila from Guadalajara can be the José Cuervo Express, a train with elegant wagons that allows you to take a circuit to the Mundo Cuervo distillery in Tequila.

It leaves from the Guadalajara train station first thing in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays and is offered in the form of tourist packages that also include a guided tour of the distillery, meals, a show and, of course, tequila.

The return is made by bus.

A tourist in a blue agave plantation, near the city of Tequila.Alamy Stock Photo

Tequila, of course, can also be reached for free, driving through a sea of ​​blue agaves.

The city is an industrial center that is surprisingly attractive, with three distilleries that are its main tourist attraction, along with the old industrial facilities, in the shadow of the volcano that bears the same name as the city and the drink.

The landscape of agaves and old industrial facilities of Tequila have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006.

Since 2018, the city of Tequila is also a very interesting cultural point after the opening of the modern Juan Beckmann Cultural Center, installed in a colonial-style building that houses a modern museum with exhibitions on the history and culture of the region.

Mural of Mayahuel, the goddess of Tequila, in the City Hall of Tequila (Mexico).Alamy Stock Photo

To immerse yourself in the world of tequila, a good proposal is the one made by the La Cofradía hacienda, on the outskirts of the city.

Casa Noble tequila, made exclusively with blue agave, is distilled here.

The elegant factory is surrounded by mango trees and uses French oak barrels to age the liquor.

Aside from offering distillery tours, here are the Tequila Site Museum and La Taberna del Cofrade, an evocatively cavernous restaurant.

Another hacienda is Casa Sauza, which evokes the classic fairy tale

by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

The colonial gardens are adorned with Italian-style fountains, hanging plants, and even a chapel.

It doesn't have any industrial air, but tequila has been made here since the early 1800s (when we are peacefully lying in the sun, transported to another world, if we tune our ears, we can hear the hum of the distillery machinery).

Very different is the Mundo Cuervo distillery, almost a tequila theme park and the city's main attraction, owned by the José Cuervo company.

Every hour there are tours of the La Rojeña distillery, the oldest in America.

The city's alcoholic offer is completed with a visit to the National Tequila Museum, installed in an old colonial building next to the main square.

Beyond the city of Tequila, all of Jalisco is focused on the production of agave or tequila.

For example, in El Arenal, a small town on the road between Guadalajara and Tequila and the gateway to the region.

There is Cascahuín, one of the best distilleries in the State.

If we only have time (or desire) to see a single distillery, perhaps this is the most advisable, since you can see the entire process up close, from the harvesting of the agave piña to the labeling.

Some of the elements used, including brick ovens and tahonas, are family heirlooms, and the final product, whether it's blanco, reposado, or añejo tequila, is delicious.

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By the lake of Chapala

One of the most beautiful places in the altiplano is Lake Chapala, the largest in Mexico, about 60 kilometers south of Guadalajara.

Surrounded by spectacular mountains and with a temperate climate, it attracts mainly American retirees and, on weekends, also a multitude of Mexicans from the area who seek fresh air, boat rides and a fish-based lunch.

To the north of the lake, the city of Chapala was a very popular vacation destination at the beginning of the 20th century, ever since President Porfirio Díaz chose it to spend his vacations.

Later, famous people would arrive, such as the writers DH Lawrence and Tennessee Williams, who certified Chapala's literary pedigree.

Today it is just a simple but charming Mexican working-class town that offers good lakeside walks, a market and a lively atmosphere on weekends.

Lake Chapala, in the State of Jalisco.Alamy Stock Photo

Inside the lake, Mezcala Island appears, presided over by the ruins of a fort where several Mexican independence fighters were stationed from 1812 to 1816;

they repelled several attacks by the Spanish until, finally, they earned the respect and forgiveness of their enemies.

And on another island, Los Alacranes, there are some restaurants and souvenir stalls, but little else.

Genuinely Mexican weekends

To the south of Lake Chapala, this area of ​​Jalisco with seemingly endless staggered mountains is an increasingly popular weekend destination among locals, who come to enjoy its meadows, pine forests, colonial towns, and local cuisine.

Tapalpa is the capital of the area, a labyrinth of whitewashed walls, red tiles and cobbled streets around two impressive 16th century churches, which really deserves its inclusion in the list of magical towns.

Obviously, this beauty has not gone unnoticed and on weekends crowds of Guadalajara flock to the area, also attracted by its hiking options and cool, misty weather.

During the week, when there are few visitors, it maintains a remote place atmosphere,

The Mexican city of Tapalpa.Alamy Stock Photo

One of its strong points is Las Piedrotas, a large and impressive group of rock formations in the so-called Valley of the Enigmas, about six kilometers north of Tapalpa.

It is a good place to walk, crawl between rocks or zip line between the two largest formations.

Another interesting point near the city is Salto del Nogal, an impressive waterfall 105 meters high.

View of the well-known waterfall El Salto del Nogal.Alamy Stock Photo

Touring Michoacan

To the south of Lake Chapala we find another zone of the altiplano where pre-Hispanic traditions and colonial architecture mix in a spectacular way.

It is the State of Michoacán, which is home to three of the coolest and least known cities in Mexico: Pátzcuaro, Morelia and Uruapan.

In Pátzcuaro, a city made of adobe and cobblestones, Purépecha women sell fruit and tamales in the shadow of 16th-century churches.

Exuberant and agricultural Uruapan serves as the gateway to the mythical Paricutín volcano, while lively and sophisticated Morelia is a magnificent colonial city full of charm, with its cathedral and an aqueduct built in pink-hued stone.

Uruapan has also carved a niche for itself as an artisan destination;

The skilled Purépechas of the Neovolcanic mountain range create beautiful masks, pottery, straw objects and stringed instruments, all for sale at the annual Palm Sunday Tianguis.

A craft stall in the municipality of Uruapan, in the state of Michoacán.Jacobo Zanella (Getty Images)

Abundant with natural treasures, Michoacan also boasts one of the must-see attractions: the annual butterfly migration up the rugged Monarch Butterfly Reserve, where millions form a resplendent carpet covering grass and trees while mating.

The Monarch Butterfly Reserve, in Michoacán. JHVEPhoto (Getty Images / iStockphoto)

Morelia, the homeland of Morelos

The inhabitants of Morelia, the capital of the State of Michoacán, boast of being the homeland of José María Morelos (1765-1815), an important independence leader.

In the house where he was born, an eternal flame in the courtyard marks the place where his mother brought him into the world, when he was on his way to mass on September 30, 1765. Now the house is a museum in his memory, full of photographs and documents.

But what strikes the traveler about Morelia is that it is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico, with a colonial center around a fabulous cathedral;

a historic center so well preserved that Unesco declared it a world heritage site in 1991. Elegant stone buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries with Baroque facades and beautiful arcades line the streets of the center and house museums, hotels, restaurants, chocolate shops, cafes with terrace, a popular university and cheap and attractive taquerias.

There are also free public concerts, frequent art installations, and relatively few visitors.

Those who come here usually fall in love with the place, but for the moment it is not yet a massive destination.

Strolling through its old town can give pleasant surprises, such as the Fray Antonio de San Miguel road, a wide,

tree-lined and romantic pedestrian promenade lined with exquisite old buildings.

Or like the narrow alley of Romance, made of pink stone, full of vines and sweethearted couples.

Street in the historic center of Morelia, with the city's cathedral in the background.Alamy Stock Photo

Another surprise is the public library of the Universidad Michoacana, installed in an old 17th century Jesuit church, an impressive library where the bookshelves rise towards the vaulted and painted ceilings, packed with tens of thousands of books and ancient manuscripts (22,901 to be exact), including seven incunabula dating from the 15th century.

Pátzcuaro, the magic of the Purépechas

The clay tiles, the warped walls of white and red adobe, and the cobbled streets give Pátzcuaro the air of a large town.

Unlike Morelia and Guadalajara, founded by the Spanish, this city took root in the 1320s as part of the Purépecha Empire, two centuries before the arrival of the Spanish hosts.

And the most curious thing is that it still maintains the indigenous environment.

History whispers from the cobwebbed shutters that overlook the lively streets that stretch from the attractively landscaped Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica.

In addition, it hosts one of the most spectacular Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico and is a practical base for exploring Lake Pátzcuaro and the Purépecha towns and craft centers on its shores.

Day of the Dead celebration in a cemetery in Pátzcuaro (Mexico).Alamy Stock Photo

One of those syncretisms so representative of Mexico takes place in the city: on a hill over a pre-Hispanic ceremonial site stands a cathedral and a place of pilgrimage.

Construction began in the mid-16th century, although it was not completed until the 19th century.

A few steps behind the altar at the eastern end of the basilica lead up to the highly revered image of the basilica's patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Salud, made by the Purépechas in the 16th century with sugarcane marrow-based paste. dry corn and

a natural paste

Soon after it was consecrated, people began to experience miraculous healings and it is still highly revered throughout the country today.

Pilgrims cross the square, enter the church and go through its nave on their knees and many of them leave small ex-votos at the foot of the image as a thank you.

But the center of everything in Pátzcuaro is the tree-lined Plaza Grande, the largest in Mexico after the capital's Zócalo and the only one in the country without a church.

It is bordered by 17th century buildings whose basements have been converted into shops, hotels and restaurants, and also by the Town Hall.

Food stalls, jewelry stores and craft vendors are lined up in its arcades, and the atmosphere, especially on weekends, when there are concerts and it is full of street artists, is lively and enveloping.

Here you will find some fantastic street food, with very curious specialties such as atole de grano (a local aniseed, deep green variant of the popular corn-based drink), nieve de pasta (almond and cinnamon ice cream) or the frosted pumpkin

And there is also the tarascan soup, a delicious bean soup with cream, dried chili and pieces of crispy tortilla.

If you prefer the popular corundas (triangular tamales served with and without filling), you just have to go to the basilica in the morning and look for the women who sell them in a basket.

A lake full of magical corners

About three kilometers north of downtown Pátzcuaro is Lake Pátzcuaro, a natural lake that is fed by several streams and that, despite the pollution, is still beautiful.

Inland there are several islands, some of them very popular as local tourist destinations, such as Janitzio, without cars and full of streets and stepped paths.

From the top, a zip line communicates with another island, Tecuena.

Quite an experience.

View of Janitzio, one of the islands of Lake Pátzcuaro.Alamy Stock Photo

Around the lake there are many towns, this is the case of Erongarícuaro.

The French poet André Breton (1896-1966), who considered Mexico to be "the most surreal country in the world", lived in Erongarícuaro for a while at the end of the 1930s, where he met Leon Trotsky and was visited by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, in addition to designing the unusual wrought iron cross in the front yard of the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción temple.

Behind, there are some fabulous gardens of the old Franciscan monastery next to the church.

In Quiroga we will find a large market and hundreds of wooden, ceramic and leather craft stalls, as well as many taco stalls.

The local specialty is carnitas, which attracts many hungry customers.

There is also a lot of crafts in Tzintzuntzan, which was the Purépecha capital and keeps relics from that period and the Spanish missionary period, such as an old Franciscan convent and an archaeological zone with five semicircular temples from the Purépecha era.

Uruapan: a tropical world

The third big city of Michoacán is Uruapan.

The impressive and thunderous Cupatitzio River is born underground and emerges, spectacularly, to the surface to nourish the subtropical garden of palm trees, orchids and huge, leafy trees that is the Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park.

Without the river, the city would not exist.

Velo de Novia waterfall on the Cupatitzio river inside the Barranca del Cupatitzio national park in Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico.Alamy Stock Photo

When the Spanish friar Juan de San Miguel arrived in the area in 1533, he was so enthralled with the surroundings that he called the area by its Purépecha name, Uruapan, which could be translated as “eternal spring”.

Fray Juan designed a large market square, built a hospital and a chapel, and organized the streets into a grid layout that still exists.

Uruapan grew rapidly and became an agricultural center famous for its macadamia nuts and excellent avocados, and still holds the title of avocado capital of the world today.

It is not as high as Pátzcuaro, so it is a bit warmer.

Su mayor atractivo es el parque nacional, a solo 15 minutos de la plaza Mayor de la ciudad. En muy pocos minutos estamos en otro mundo, envueltos en una frondosa vegetación tropical y subtropical, con abundantes pájaros y mariposas. El río Cu­patitzio discurre entre las rocas, se precipita por cascadas y forma amplias y cristalinas po­zas. Unos senderos empedrados siguen el cauce hasta su nacimiento en el helado y cristalino manantial Rodilla del Diablo.

Paricutín: el volcán de surgió de la nada

El volcán más joven de América, el Paricutín (2.800 metros), puede que tenga menos de 80 años, pero trepar por la ladera volcánica de derrubios hasta la cima y observar los campos de lava renegridos que han sepultado aldeas resulta una expe­riencia inolvidable.

La historia que hay detrás de este volcán es tan extraordinaria como las vistas des­de la cima. El 20 de febrero de 1943 Dionisio Pulido, un agricultor purépecha, estaba arando su campo de maíz cuando la tierra empezó a temblar y a arrojar vapor, chispas y ceniza caliente. El agricultor se afanó en cubrir los agujeros creados por la explosión, pero no tardó en darse cuenta de que era inútil y corrió para ponerse a salvo. Hizo bien porque, como si fuera una película, un volcán rugiente empezó a emerger de las entrañas de la Tierra. En un año había alcanzado los 410 metros de altitud por encima de los campos ondulantes y la lava había sepultado los pueblos purépechas de San Salvador Paricutín y San Juan Parangaricutiro. Por suerte, la lava fluyó a un ritmo pausado que permitió huir a los aldeanos.

Varios turistas pasean alrededor de San Juan Parangaricutiro, enterrado por la lava.Alamy Stock Photo

El volcán no paró de crecer hasta 1952. Hoy de su gran cono negro emanan vapor caliente algunas fumarolas. Cerca del borde del campo de lava de 20 kilómetros cuadrados, el campanario del sepultado templo de San Juan Parangari­cutiro sobresale de forma escalofriante por un mar de lava negra; este y el altar colmado de ofrendas de velas y flores multicolor son los únicos vestigios visibles de las dos aldeas sepultadas.

Vista del volcán Paricutín, en el estado de Michoacán.Alamy Stock Photo

Para subir al volcán se puede empezar en el pueblo de Angahuan, unos 40 kilómetros al noroes­te de Uruapan. Hay que salir temprano, y con guías locales: que nadie intente acender por cuenta propia porque los caminos son difíciles de seguir. Hay dos rutas: una corta de 14 kilómetros y otra larga de 24, que es la que suelen recorrer los caballos para evitar los campos de lava. Independientemente de la ruta que se tome, el último tramo es a pie. Bajar ya es otra historia; basta con deslizarse por la suave arena negra para estar en tierra firme en solo un par de minutos. La ruta estándar pasa por la iglesia de San Juan a la vuelta. El altar está casi siempre cubierto con coloridas ofrendas de velas y flores y cerca de la iglesia hay algunos puestos de comida que sirven deliciosas quesadillas de maíz azul fritas a la leña en viejas sartenes.

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