Things to do

Worth your time

The cathedral and its square. The pink-stone cathedral is the reason to come, and it is genuinely worth lingering over. On weekend evenings the city floodlights the building and sometimes runs a light-and-fireworks show over the square. Time your first night for this.

The aqueduct and Calzada San Miguel. The 18th-century aqueduct marches into the city with over 250 arches, and the tree-lined walkway beside it is the nicest stroll in town, especially at dusk. Free, and better than any museum here.

Walking the historic center. The whole core is the attraction. Wander the arcades, duck into courtyards, and see the pink stone from every angle. Give it an unstructured hour or two.

The markets and sweets. The Mercado de Dulces beside the main plaza sells Morelia’s famous candied fruit, ate and cajeta. It is touristy but real, and worth a browse and a taste.

Palacio Clavijero and the museums. The former Jesuit college is a beautiful building in its own right, with rotating exhibitions. The state and regional museums are solid without being essential.

Nice if you have time

• Casa de las Artesanias, a good one-stop for Michoacan crafts from surrounding villages if you won’t reach the towns themselves.
• Callejon del Romance, a small romantic alley with verses on the walls. Pretty, quick, a little oversold.

Overrated or skippable

The various small history and wax-type museums are easy to skip unless it is raining. And treat the crafts you see in the center as a preview: the real buying, and the real prices, are out in the artisan towns around the lake. Morelia’s best “thing to do” is honestly to eat, then use the city as a base for the lake and, in winter, the monarch butterflies.