In October of 2022, I had the fantastic opportunity to visit the state of Michoacan, Mexico for its legendary Día de los Muertos celebrations. What’s more, Michoacan is known throughout all of Mexico as some of the few remaining traditional practices during the Día de los Muertos holidays. Furthermore, saying it was a big deal is an understatement. Watch the video below to see how I celebrated Día de los Muertos in Mexico:

We visited the following cities over three days:

• Quiroga – Quiroga is the best place to go shopping. You can find a variety of crafts from around the state.. From wooden objects to ceramics, pottery, toys of all kinds, wrought metal lanterns, copperware, paper mache, and leather.
• Janitizio – Isla de Janitzio is the main island of Lake Pátzcuaro in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The town of Janitzio, which means “where it rains”, is located atop the hill. And Janitzio is only reachable by boats that run regularly back and forth from Pátzcuaro’s pier.
• Pátzcuaro – The town was founded sometime in the 1320s. First, it became the capital of the Purépecha Empire and later its ceremonial center.

And more…

• Morelia – Morelia is the capital of the central Mexican state of Michoacán. Well-preserved 17th- and 18th-century buildings are lining the colonial city center’s narrow streets. Furthermore, most of them are built from the region’s characteristic pink stone. One such building is the imposing, baroque-style Morelia Cathedral. Its elegant, soaring twin towers preside over the city’s main square, Plaza de Armas.
• Laguna de Azufres – Beautiful nature with natural pools and hot springs.
• Santa Clara del Cobre – A Pueblo Mágico (magical town) in the state of Michoacán known for its copper handcrafts. People from all over the world visit this town to see the amazing work of its artisans, who have carried the tradition and skillset for generations.
• Tzintzuntzan – The Tzintzuntzan Archaeological Zone consists of buildings called Yácatas. These are rounded pyramid-like structures built on a large platform, where the Purepecha lived. Nowadays, you can visit the Yácatas.

Spending Día de los Muertos in Mexico

I signed up for a group trip put on by Rolo Tours for a very reasonable price. It included round-trip transportation from Guadalajara, as well as accommodations for the two nights. Food and activities were on our own. We celebrated Día de los Muertos in Mexico at Laguna de Azufres. There was the option to camp or pay a small fee for a shared lodge room, which I chose due to the intense cold at night. That night included unlimited drinks, a bonfire, and a party with music and prizes for the best costumes.

It was a great group trip. A lot of people attended with their significant other or family… Therefore as a solo traveler, I had the chance to meet a lot of locals from the Guadalajara area. Lastly, when we arrived at each pueblo mágico, we were given some suggestions of typical things to eat, see, do, and sites to visit. There was ample time to explore and enjoy each of the pueblos mágicos.

Truly incredible to see the altars in the public parks, extensive decorations… Also graveyard ceremonies with family and food and drinks and music, and just observe the cultural practices. It was impressive and I highly recommend you visit Michoacan for Día de los Muertos if you ever have the chance. Speaking of that, we’ll be launching a trip to do exactly that in Spring 2023 for October/November 2023, so stay tuned. Finally, you can explore more of Mexico: discover how tequila is made in… Tequila, Mexico!