In celebrations of the winter solstice and December birthday of the war god Huitzilopochtli, Spaniards found in native Mexican kingdoms a foundation for the introduction of Christmas. Today, Michoacán state preserves this mix of traditions in a vibrant feast for the senses. Learn about and participate in these customs of delicious cuisine, colorful pageantry and holiday processions.

Highlights

Make your own piñata before Christmas Eve dinner in Uruapan.

Observe the famed handcrafts skills of the Purepecha people.

Ring in the New Year in Querétaro and Guadalajara.

Activity Particulars

Elevation in Guadalajara 4,900 feet, Uruapan 5,450 feet, Morelia 6,320 feet, Querétaro 4,950 feet. Walking up to two miles, uneven surfaces.

Day 1

Days 1-2

Walk through Guadalajara with a guide to learn its history and see why experts extol the city’s economic potential. Between historical sites, admire the murals of José Clemente Orozco that adorn the government palace and Cabanas institute.

Lodging: Four-star hotel one block from downtown Guadalajara.

Days 3-6

Visit the head of the Cupatitzio River in Barranca de Cupatitzio National Park, then discuss Mexican fiestas and traditions and view a seventh-century chapel of the indigenous Purepecha people. Try your hand at making a piñata before sitting down to Christmas Eve dinner, and observe traditional Purepecha Christmas Day celebrations. In Patzcuaro, high in the mountains of Michoacán, visit the art museum and House of 11 Patios monastery, founded in 1747.

Lodging: Hotel at the source of the Cupatitzio River.

Days 7-9

Learn more about Purepecha culture and walk through Morelia’s historical center. Hear from your guide about the bishop Vasco de Quiroga who trained the Purepecha in hands-on skills still practiced by their descendants, today considered among the finest craftspeople in Mexico. Examine some of these fine objects at a handcrafts center.

Lodging: Charming hotel less than a block from the main plaza.

Days 10-14

Explore Querétaro’s masterpiece of civil engineering, the 18th-century aqueduct built to channel water from nearby springs. Discuss contemporary Mexico with an expert, then visit the Anthropology Museum before a New Year’s Eve celebration. An excursion on Jan. 1 visits Tequisquiapan and Bernal, and a farewell dinner incorporates the tradition of the Epiphany cake.

Lodging: Four-star hotels.

Mexico

The oldest of the land’s found by Europeans in the New World, Mexico has endured a rough history at the hands of Cortes and subsequent invaders. Despite a turbulent past, the country maintains its relaxed and inviting charm with a mix of modern and traditional from its industrious cities to its captivating wildernesses.