Among the somewhat excessive number of Mexican historic “colonial” town centres on the UNESCO list Morelia’s special claim lies in is its very “Spanish” feeling/atmosphere. As the Rough Guide says “you might easily be in Salamanca or Valladolid” – and indeed the city had this latter name for almost 300 years until it was renamed after the local Independence hero (whose birthplace in the city centre is something of a shrine and worth a quick visit).

The city is pleasant enough and one certainly wouldn’t say “Don’t visit it” but it is difficult to put one’s finger on any particular attraction. It has an enormous late 17th/early 18th century cathedral (photo 1) but this lost most of its riches to pay for Mexico’s wars and now has a late 19th century interior. The inscription emphasises the overall unity of the centre in design and appearance and this has certainly been maintained everywhere in a slightly “blocky” way (photo 2). Our hotel, 2 blocks behind the main street, was not an old building but was faced with the ubiquitous reddish stone – from the back however it was grotty red brick! There are however many genuine old buildings built on a grid pattern which still follows the original plan – it is interesting to read on the tourist “plaques” the detailed instructions sent out by Philip II as to how “exactly” cities in the New World were to be laid out and the buildings designed – real micro management! The main street is wide with imposing colonnaded structures and huge squares. Behind, the streets are narrower and one comes across old convents and churches, pleasant squares, small gardens and fountains. The city has a population of over 1 million and a significant university – as such it has the “mass” to support a pleasant café culture, restaurants etc.

After an evening and a morning in Morelia we moved on to nearby Patzcuaro – a more indigenous and atmospheric town with adobe walls, cobbled streets and red tiled roofs. It is the antithesis of Morelia’s grandeur, rigidity and “Spanishness”. However, this Michelin *** town (as opposed to Morelia’s **) is not UNESCO-inscribed nor on its Tentative list. For a tourist visiting Mexico I would suggest that it is by far the more interesting and beautiful and I wonder why it is being ignored “World Heritage-wise” whilst Mexico gets so many of its more “Spanish” colonial cities inscribed?