Regarded by some as neighbouring Patzcuaro’s less popular sister, Uruapan is in fact an interesting colonial city in its own right. Its elevation at 610 metres below Patzcuaro gives it a subtropical climate that supports lush vegetation and year-round flowers. In the native Purepecha tongue, Uruapan means where the flowers bloom. An enchanting national park within the city centre, one of the country’s craft fairs, and a nearby lava-covered ghost town are just three reasons to visit tins untouristed market town.

The city is laid out in a grid, at the centre of which is the plaza principal. On the north side of the plaza stands the mudejar and plateresque La Huatapera, the original erected by Father Juan in the sixteenth century. Today it houses the Museo de los 4 Pueblos Indigenas, displaying an impressive array of crafts from around the state of Michoacan, including a collection of the beautiful cedar lacquerware for which Uruapan is famous.