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Morelia is probably not the first destination that comes to mind when you think of Mexico, especially with the world-famous turquoise waters and luxury resorts of Cancun, or the ornate architecture and ancient pyramids of Mexico City.
It is the capital of the central Mexican state of Michoacán and one of the country’s capitals oldest and perhaps most beautiful citiesalthough historically it has struggled to position itself as a tourism powerhouse… until now.
The level of tourism in Morelia grew by more than 107% in just over 5 years Last year, 7.04 million visitors were registeredcompared to 3.4 million indoors the pre-pandemic year 2021.
2026 is expected to be a even bigger yearwith Martínez Alcázar, the mayor of Morelia, predicting the city’s picture-perfect historic center and vast cultural offering will attract even more tourists craving something deeper, more meaningful than just poolside mimosas.
In other words, Morelia finally seems to be on the radar of the international touristand in case you’re wondering why…
Mexico’s very own Ville Rose
Dubbed the “Pink City of Mexico,” Morelia stands out among the countless picturesque colonial-era gems for the striking pink hue of its historic center.
Most of the surprisingly well-maintained buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, built by the Spanish during the colonial period, were built with the materials of Michoacán. characteristic cantera rosa.
This is a pink stone formed from compressed volcanic ash that turns a noticeable salmon pink color due to minerals and oxidation, but we digress. The most important thing is that the whole cityscape looks like a cotton candy colored dream.
There’s no better place to enjoy Morelia’s pink stone charm than Plaza de Armas, the city’s main and largest square, flanked by an array of historic buildings. The tallest, Morelia Cathedral, has soaring Baroque towers makes your average European church blush.
Sorry, French Notre Dames.
Why the cathedral is so impressive
Morelia Cathedral is one of those delicately sculpted architectural gems more often found across the pond rather than in the New World, but hey, at the time the cathedral was built, engineers and artists hardly distinguished.
It is built almost entirely of cantera rosa, the same volcanic stone found in most Spanish public buildings around the old town. beautiful terrestrial giant 70 meters above the dome-studded skyline.
It was also built over a long Period, with the foundation stone laid as early as 1660 and the finishing touches added in 1744. Needless to say, it exhibits a wide range of styles, from a decorated Baroque facade to the interior with neoclassical influences.
Must-sees include the silver altar with extensive colonial metalwork, a now iconic 16th-century statue of Christ made from cornstalk paste, a traditional indigenous techniqueand a monumental German pipe organ delivered from Europe in the early 20th century.
There are more than 200 heritage buildings
The cathedral is an absolute wonder to admire, but it is one of only 200+ surviving colonial structures spread over a UNESCO protected historic center.
We’re not sure if we’ve mentioned it yet, but Morelia is one of the best-preserved Spanish-era towns in America: it’s full of elegant squares lined with arcades, fountain squares that look like they belong in another century, and cobbled streets made for wandering.
After the cathedral, the Aqueduct is without a doubt the most impressive monument: photo 250 pink stone arches that surround the historic municipality, in Roman style. In previous centuries, it brought water from nearby springs to a fast-growing, bustling colonial Morelia.
It’s no longer operational, but… it’s still a beautiful sight.
Often overshadowed by the cathedral, Santuario de Guadalupe is one modest church in a lush garden behind it lies an extremely colorful interior, with pink, blue and gold floral stucco.
To get a glimpse of elite life in 17th-century Morelia, don’t miss a visit to Palacio Clavijero: despite its new role as a contemporary art museum, this historic colonial palace still features a large courtyard with arcades, opulent rooms and green gardens.
A narrow alley decorated with pink arches and wrought iron gates with fountains, aptly named Callejón del Romance is where you go for that intimate romantic walk in the early evening. Don’t miss the poetry plaques hanging on the walls on both sides!
Hotels fill up quickly
Last December, Sectur (Mexico’s Minister of Tourism) announced that Morelia was the winner 2nd best performer ‘heritage city’ in hotel occupancy.
As the data shows, the destination Michoacán recorded an occupancy rate of 67.6%, ranking second among Mexican World Heritage Cities. behind only Mexico Cityand sixth out of 70 cities nationwide overall.
This only indicates that its popularity is increasing among visitors, both domestic and international, and quickly.
Despite the apparent increase in demand, hotel prices remain on the affordable side, with overnight stays in the historic center ranging from $54 (Howard Johnson of Wyndham) to $72 (Hotel Casino Morelia).
Culture aside, affordability is a key factor for tourists choosing Morelia as their next destination. The local economy hasn’t yet been effectively dollarized, loosen Cancun’s, and you can still eat lavishly at mid-range restaurants while spending just $21 per person (according to Numbeo estimates).
How safe is Morelia?
Last but certainly not least, there is the safety factor.
If you’ve been using our newly launched Traveler Dashboard to navigate safety guidelines in various destinations around the world, you may have noticed that travel warnings can vary drastically between Mexican states.
Although parts of the country are very safe, others are absolute no-go zonesespecially for American tourists.
Unfortunately, the state of Michoacán falls under the latter, because it is designated as a state Level 4 destination. This means that Americans should refrain from visiting due to high crime rates and gang activity, but there is a specific exception for Morelia:
Although the advisory covers much of the state, the U.S. Department of State is still allowing U.S. government officials to travel to Morelia. This usually means that an exemption also applies to citizens, provided they take precautions.
Is Morelia an exception to the rule?
They should arrive preferably by air, or via specific highways from Federal Highway 15D, and they should remain in the well-guarded, more secure historic center.
A level 3 or 4 warning sounds scary, but it’s not the end of the world. Want to know which other hugely popular destinations in Mexico are on the no-go list? The incredibly safe, but wrongly criticized Mazatlán, and the equally tourist-friendly Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta.
Most of the time, statewide warnings do not reflect the situation on the ground at tourist spots, even when they Are subject to general restrictions.
Not sure how to make sense of all this complicated, conflicting information? The Travel Off Path Traveler dashboard comes to the rescue.
