Morelia
From MyVacationsTo
With a consistent colonial-style throughout, Morelia is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. It is not really on the well-trodden path of the leisure tourists and so you can walk around in comfort without fear of the bermuda shorts crowds. Morelia is the capital of the state of Michoacan in Mexico and it is a registered UNESCO World Heritage site. There are at least two "information" booths in the area of the square. They are staffed with multilingual students who are very helpful
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[edit] Understand
Morelia is the capital city of Michoacan. It serves government and many students attending school there. The central business district is very clean with plenty of places to eat and shop. Tourist are not as common here as some other areas of Mexico. You may want to load up on peso's before ordering food or trying to make a purchase, as foreign currency is not widely accepted. There are money changer stalls on the side streets off of the square.
It has a decent climate, nice parks to relax in, lots of places to get stuff, and very nice place over all. If you stay downtown, most of the attrations like the Cathederal, the square, museums, and shoppng, are all pretty much within walking distance. Due to Morelia's location, being a college town and center of State Government, tourist are not as common as some other areas of Mexico. The People are very friendly. You will find that not all places accept US dollars, load up on peso's before ordering food or making a purchase. There are currency exchanges on side streets close to the square. In the central business district, drivers use their horns 24 hours a day to excess, proding other drivers and to give notice at the numerous blind intersections. You will get used to it, but request a room away from the street.
Morelia is more than just the Centro Historico. Its outlying areas feature modern housing developments, shopping centers and parks. Tres Marias and Bosque Monarcas are ultra-modern new cities adjacent to Morelia.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By bus
Deluxe buses serve Morelia from all parts of the Republic, and Morelia's state-of-the-art bus station, located in the northern part of the city.
The main lines offering service are: ETN, Primera Plus and Herradura de Plata (Pegasso Plus).
Central de Autobuses de Morelia (Bus Terminal) – Located on Periferico Republica. Tels. (443) 313-2414, (443) 334-1081 and (443) 313-3381
[edit] By car
Morelia is accessible by a modern toll road, and is located equidistant from Guadalajara and Mexico City. There are plenty of newer Pemex stations along the way, with restrooms and food. Be prepared with change/peso's to pay tolls. It is a very scenic trip, to say the least.
By car, you can take the Mexico-Morelia-Guadalajara superhighway, which reduces travel time to about three hours from Mexico City and Guadalajara. In addition, a vast network of highways connects Morelia to other states, such as the State of Mexico, Queretero, Guanajuato and Guerrero.
[edit] By plane
Morelia has a relatively new, modern airport at the edge of town. A taxi into the city costs between $10 and $15 (US)dollars (2006), and takes roughly 45 minutes. Make sure to double-check the fare before getting into the cab.
The Morelia International Airport offers excellent service from the following carriers: Mexicana, Aeromexico, Aerolineas Internacionales, Aeromar and Aviacsa. Domestic flights arrive at such destinations as Guadalajara, Zacatecas, Tijuana, Veracruz, Mexico City and Monterrey. Flights to the United States arrive at Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Chicago.
Aeropuerto Internacional Francisco J. Mujica (Airport) – Located off the Morelia-Zinzapecuaro Highway 126 at Km 27. Tels. (443) 317-4711 and (443) 313-7150
[edit] Get around
Buses, combis and taxis form Morelia's public transport. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive, operating on zone fares.
Count on the taxis which are plentyful. Determine price before getting into taxi.
Driving in the City is not easy, but with patience you can. Drivers use their horns to excess, to prod others and at the numerous blind intersections. The Centro Historico is plagued by lack of parking. Driving in and around Morelia differs little from driving in any urban area.
[edit] See
There are a lot of interesting and beautiful colonial buildings to see in Morelia, most of them are open to the public for at least part of the day. One of the highlights is the baroque cathedral with its surrounding gardens and parks. The Cathederal is the site for the local "Day of the Dead" celebration in November. It is more of an experience than can be desribed here. Most of the activities take place after dark, make sure you have a good seat around the square at dark for the outside performance of the choir and the fireworks each night.
[edit] Do
Take some time to stroll around, particularly near the Cathedral. Do get a Telmex prepaid calling card. This can be used at all pay phones in Mexico and will result in substantial savings. They are available many places on the square.
[edit] Buy
Casa de Artesanias is located on Plaza San Francisco. Reserve your shoppng until you vist there, this is where the local artists display their wares.
The Mercado de Dulces was created about thirty years ago, and it features candy as well as inexpensive souvenirs. The Museo de Dulces, located on Av. Madero between the Cathedral and the Tarascan Fountain is definitely worth a stop. More than just a museum, it contains a coffee shop and offers the widest variety of candies as well as demonstrations of candy-making.
[edit] Eat
There is no lack of places to eat, fresh fruits and vegetables are always available. Some chains like Subway and Burger King are present on the square, for those who lack adventure. The dining room on the 3rd floor above the department store on the square is interesting to visit and has very good food. Ask for english menu available at most restaraunts and be prepared to pay in peso's.
[edit] Budget
[edit] Mid-Range
[edit] Splurge
[edit] Drink
There are some bars in the center for those that like that sort of thing.
[edit] Sleep
Morelia has the highest hotel occupancy rate in the country, making it wise to reserve lodging far in advance, particularly during the peak times of Christmas, Semana Santa and Day of the Dead.
[edit] Budget
[edit] Mid-Range
- <sleep name="Hotel De La Soledad" address=" Ignacio Zaragoza # 90 Col. Centro. Morelia, Michoacan C.P 58000." phone="(443) 312-1888" email="" fax="(443)312-2111" checkin="" checkout="" price="" url="http://www.hsoledad.com/index2.htm">Located in the Historical Downtown (World Heritage Site by the UNESCO) one block away from the Cathedral - ideally placed for visits to both. Opened in 1752 as a diligence hostel, now a hotel. If you use valet parking, give at least two hours notice to have car returned. No elevator to 2nd floor rooms (built in 1752). Rooms at back of courtyard have less street noise. Sanborns Dept. store adjacent, with 3rd floor dining room.</sleep>
[edit] Splurge
[edit] Contact
Buy a Telemex calling card. They are available many places and can be used in all Mexico pay phones.