Morelia Travel Guide: Pink-Stone Boutique Hotels, Michoacán Cooking and the State’s Great Artisan Crafts

Photo: Adavyd / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Jet Set LatAM · Destination Guide

Morelia is one of Mexico’s most beautiful colonial cities and one of its least crowded. Its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is built almost entirely of pink cantera stone, with a twin-towered cathedral, a 253-arch aqueduct and arcaded plazas that glow at sunset.

This Morelia travel guide covers boutique hotels, Michoacán cooking and how to find the state’s famous crafts, plus the advisory context you need.

Boutique hotels in the historic center

Hotel Los Juaninos, a 17th-century building facing the cathedral, has a rooftop terrace with the best view in the city. Hotel de la Soledad wraps around a former convent courtyard filled with bougainvillea, and Cantera Diez is a contemporary boutique hotel on the main portal.

Michoacán cooking

Michoacán is one of Mexico’s great culinary states. Try corundas (triangular tamales), uchepos (sweet corn tamales), sopa tarasca and the state’s famous carnitas. LU Cocina Michoacana, by chef Lucero Soto, reinterprets traditional cooks’ recipes, and San Miguelito serves Michoacán classics in a room crowded with folk art.

The state’s crafts, under one roof

Michoacán has one of Mexico’s richest craft traditions: hammered copper from Santa Clara del Cobre, guitars from Paracho, lacquerware from Uruapan and clay catrinas from Capula. The Casa de las Artesanías, in the former San Francisco convent in central Morelia, gathers work from across the state, so you can buy directly without traveling to the villages.

Things to do in Morelia

Walk the aqueduct and the Calzada Fray Antonio de San Miguel, visit the candy market (Mercado de Dulces) for ates and cajeta, step into the Conservatorio de las Rosas, one of the oldest music schools in the Americas, and stay for the cathedral’s illuminated evening show.

Good to know

• Arrival. Fly into Morelia (MLM), with direct flights from several US and Mexican cities.
• Day of the Dead. Morelia’s own celebrations and the Casa de las Artesanías’ altars are the advisory-friendly way to experience the season.
• Season. October to April is dry and mild; summer brings afternoon rain.
• Getting around. The historic center is walkable; use ride apps or hotel taxis at night.

What to pack

• Cashmere travel wrap: a blanket on the plane, a shawl at dinner
• Leather loafers: polished enough for dinner, sane on cobblestones
• Packing cubes: so the artisan finds fit on the way home
• Our full travel collection on ShopMy ↗

Where to stay

Stay within the historic center, near the cathedral, so everything from dinner to the evening light show is on foot. The flight search and live accommodation map below help you plan the rest of the trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is Morelia worth visiting?

Yes, it’s a UNESCO-listed colonial city with excellent food, crafts and boutique hotels, and far fewer crowds than San Miguel.

Is Morelia safe to visit?

The US advisory for Michoacán is Level 4, but it allows travel to Morelia by air or on Federal Highways 43 or 48D; check your own government’s guidance.

What food is Michoacán known for?

Carnitas, corundas, uchepos and sopa tarasca.

Where can I buy Michoacán crafts in Morelia?

At the Casa de las Artesanías in the former San Francisco convent.

Keep reading

• Hotel Los Juaninos Morelia: a historic hotel with the best rooftop view of the cathedral
• LU Cocina Michoacana: chef Lucero Soto’s tribute to Michoacán’s traditional cooks
• San Miguel de Allende Boutique Shopping: Fábrica La Aurora, Designer Stores and Mexican Artisans
• Fine Dining in San Miguel de Allende: Áperi, Moxi, Andanza and the Best Rooftop Tables
• Shop the Edit San Miguel de Allende: Wearable color beside art for the home
• San Miguel de Allende Shopping Guide: Hand-Dyed Fashion, Folk Art and Fábrica La Aurora
• Puebla vs Oaxaca: Which City Fits Your Trip?
• Guanajuato: tunnel streets and the Cervantino
• Huatulco: nine bays and Oaxacan coffee mountains
• Underrated Latin America: 22 destinations for your next trip

Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you book or buy through them, Jet Set LatAM may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This is a researched editorial guide; details, hours, prices and travel advisories change, so confirm before you go.