Patzcuaro

(References to Patzcuaro in the archives are all between 5 and 13 years old.)
We're thinking of heading there for 1-2 days in March. Can anyone tell me the current bus schedule and fare between Zihua and P?
Looks like the trip takes at least six hours, so is it possible to do justice to Patzcuaro with just one overnight there, or should we plan on two nights?

--
http://www.OneMansWonder.com

You want to go to Uruapan on the main bus line from here, then the local bus leaves every 20 minutes from the Uruapan station to PATZ....bus links are on this site.

D

Couple of years ago we rented a car on Wed and returned on Sat then turned car in a couple of days later. We stayed at a Hotel just out side of center of town(changed name now). We were on a road just off the road around town. At the time there was a problem of cars in center of town being broken into parked on the street at night. When you walked through the gate the view was spectacular. The hotel sat on a side of the hill and the view was out of this world. There was the island of Patzquaro and the mountains behind the island. The only problem I had was we had to hit the ATM every night because we did the village tour around the lake and Kathie kept buying items at each village- precious memories day. The funny thing was in the morning of our tour went past a Swiss Chalet type place. On our way back stopped there for a early dinner- food was good and the owners at the time were Swiss. We loved the old downtown- like being except for the cars and clothes of today in early Spain. Be sure to go the library off one of the squares- there is a famous mural by an American depicting Utopia that a Bishop in the 1700's was trying to do- his idea was to teach each village a trade so they would not be competing against each other. He built the church in Patzuaro.We had a great tour of the little villages between Patzuaro and Morellia. That was 1 day of history and getting to know the area. The only problem was the students in Morellia were on strike and was causing a lot of problems. They had blocked the road between Patzuaro and Morellia and each vehicle had to make a donation to get through.

Patzcuaro is a so fun and interesting.
I would definitely stay two nights on my next visit.

Patzcuaro is definitely a two night or MORE adventure. Day one is just getting there, I like AutoVias bus line which is a double decker and competitively priced. Go to the Camionera Central a couple of days before to make reservations so you can have the pick of the liter for seats. It is a long ride so take a cooler with snacks and refreshments. The bus makes one stop between Z and U but be careful about getting off the bus as its stay is short and it leaves without notice.

All of the buses that go to Patzcuaro only go as far as Uruapan. There you will get on a less dramatic vehicle for the short ride into Patz. They run frequently but also frequently they will stop short of the bus station in Patz and just leave you off somewhere in centro. No worries: just hail a cab and be on your way. You would have to take a cab from the bus depot anyhow!

Hiring an Englilsh speaking taxi driver for a tour around the lake on day two can easily be arranged by the hotel people where you are staying. Worthwhile trip. Last time I was there the taxis were about half the price of those here in Zihua. At the end of your stay you will probably be leaving the hotel mid to late morning as you will need to take the commuter bus to Uruapan and then board the luxury liner back to Zihua. Some people I know will hire a taxi to take them all the way back home. Worth an inquiry.

We drive our moho to Zihua each year, and enjoy our couple of nights in Patzcuaro in each direction.

It's high, it's cold, and it has a lot to see and do. The surrounding area has even more. We probably have a couple of months time spent in Patzcuaro and surrounding areas, and can still spend more.

From Zihua, partly because of the extreme temperature and elevation change, 2-3 days is probably perfect for the first visit. Unless you have a particular village in mind, we suggest you simply explore Patzcuaro. A trip around the lake is overload. If you want to do something comfortable and fun, take the boat to Janicio, explore, have lunch, climb the Morelos statue/sculpture, and enjoy yourselves.

We make our living on eBay, and the shopping in Patzcuaro is wonderful. It has a cross section of the high quality crafts available in the surrounding areas. The prices are enough to make you want to buy LOTS!!!!

Where to stay? In town proper, whatever you feel good about spending.

Getting there? The double decker buses look like fun! Buses run all the time in this country. If we were riding the bus, we'd check the schedules to make sure they still run regularly, then arrive with snacks and just go with the flow!!!

We just returned from Patzcuaro. Two nights is not nearly enough if you want to see everything in the town. Going to the Island of Janitzo is a must. Climb to the top of the statue and go up into the fist. What a rush and the view is well worth it.

Talk to me before you head out for lots of suggestions.

When we were there, our hotel mgr(returned to the States) did all day tours around the lake. Each of the little villages have their own trade. In one village, there is this well known artisan and Kathie bought one of his hand carved Madonna which is very beautiful which she cherishes. Another village is known for it's pottery and there is a historical site that over looks the town- if you are interested in history. The street leading to the church was lined with very inexpensive pottery(we got a set of bowls very cheap). Going into the church grounds and exiting on the right from the grounds, a short distance is a famous pottery artisan. Kathie bought one of his large vases with the history of Patzquaro around it and she got him to sign it. First time we did a day trip r/t from Ixstapa. Walking around the squares and enjoying the day made us want to rent a car and drive there. Funny thing, our a/c went out in the dessert on the way back, with Kathie in the back thinking we were to cold, we had turned it down. As it turned our the a/c unit had frozen up and by the time we hit the coast road everything was fine.

A word of caution about Mexican pottery:
While there is an organization which is trying to wean potters from using glazes which contain lead (allows glazes to melt at lower temperatures), most potters still use it. Either cook in or eat on Mexican ceramic ware infrequently, especially acidic foods, or buy a lead testing kit at a pharmacy before you come down.

The bowl set we bought are only used for serving and because the bottoms aren't glazed, they are hand washed because they are not dishwasher safe.

We took the Parhikuni line from the central bus station by Commercial. You can check the schedule here: http://www.parhikuni.com. Current fare is 431 pesos each way, a bit over $25 USD. It was nicer than any bus I've been on in the US. Clean, roomy, AC, DVD player. It took 4 hours to Uruapan. As others mentioned, you transfer to a (less nice) bus at the Uruapan bus station to Patzcuaro. It will get you there in 30-40 minutes. Honestly, I don't see the point of going to Patz unless you allow time for the town proper as well as taking a boat to Isla Janitizio in the lake, Santa Clara del Cobre, ruins at Tzintzuntzan, etc. We were there 4 days and still didn't do it justice.

I totally agree. We had seen pictures of center of town with the squares and buildings, so we did a day trip. Your day is traveling all day with a short time to see down town. Because of that trip we went back. With our guide taking us to the different artisans home/studio, if we were by ourselves we would not have found them because none of them were on the main road but on a small streets with just a small sign on their entrance. We really loved staying at the Econ Hotel. Just sitting out in the morning with a cup of coffee and watch the valley below come to life. This hotel offers units with kitchens or just a room with shower. We were there last of March and it got cold during the night but warmed up during the day- that is why you do layering when visiting the area.

We took the Parhikuni line from the central bus station by Commercial. You can check the schedule here: http://www.parhikuni.com. Current fare is 431 pesos each way, a bit over $25 USD. It was nicer than any bus I've been on in the US. Clean, roomy, AC, DVD player. It took 4 hours to Uruapan. As others mentioned, you transfer to a (less nice) bus at the Uruapan bus station to Patzcuaro. It will get you there in 30-40 minutes. Honestly, I don't see the point of going to Patz unless you allow time for the town proper as well as taking a boat to Isla Janitizio in the lake, Santa Clara del Cobre, ruins at Tzintzuntzan, etc. We were there 4 days and still didn't do it justice.

If you are going up the side of the lake with Tzintzuntzan, make Quiroga your first stop. This shopping and carnitas mecca will not disappoint!

D