The Día de los Muertos is celebrated everywhere in Mexico. One of the places that is said to be particularly beautiful for celebrating the Día de los Muertos is Patzcuaro, which is located in Morelia right next to a lake.
Since I was in Mexico for the Día de los Muertos, I went there to really immerse myself and take in as much of the Día de los Muertos as possible. The days before the Día de los Muertos, there was a large market in the centre of Patzcuaro and a flower market where Mexicans could buy the last flowers they needed for the altars plus all kinds of souvenirs and sweets for the Día de los Muertos. On the Día de los Muertos itself, the weather was pretty bad and it rained a lot, but it was still really beautiful. Everywhere there were altars decorated with flowers, pictures and fruits, pictures painted on the ground with seeds, flowers, leaves and other stuff, coffins made of flowers… Basically, each piece was a place of honour for the person being remembered. And therefore very individual and very diverse. Of course, everything was a bit wet, but the orange colour of the flowers brightened everything up a bit. And the atmosphere was just totally peaceful and beautiful and a bit reverent 😊
Go or not? Yes, definitely. I think if you’re in Mexico for the Día de los Muertos, you shouldn’t miss out on the full experience. Besides, these altars, pictures and decorations are really impressive. 😊

The Día de los Muertos in Mexico is a really big holiday that is celebrated throughout the country. Of course, there are differences in, for example, the amount and extend of the decorations, the intensity or even the intimacy with which it is celebrated. I was in Patzcuaro for the Día de los Muertos – because in Patzcuaro itself, as well as on the nearby island of Janitzio, the Día de los Muertos is said to be particularly beautiful. However, a local I got chatting with, to told me about another village nearby where it was supposed to be really beautiful as well. And he was right.
The cemetery in Tzintzuntzan isn’t necessarily huge, but the atmosphere and how everything was decorated… Beautiful! Really. Incredibly peaceful and intimate and not crowded at all, because no one goes to Tzintzuntzan for the Día de los Muertos. Everyone wants to go to Janitzio. So I was able to chat with the locals, listen to their stories, linger, admire the beautiful altars, flowers and candles, and feel what this day means to the people. It is an incredibly intimate gathering with the ancestors. A quiet, peaceful and joyful gathering in which both the dead and the living participate and which, in my opinion, is much healthier than the black we dress in in Germany and often in Europe. It touched me deeply and I am still very grateful today that I was taken to this place 😊
Go or not? Since this place is not overrun by tourists, but you can’t either just go there without a car, I would ask you, if you want to go, to treat the people and the meaning behind the holiday with respect and openness. Because if you’ve been to Janitzio on the Día de los Muertos or read my post about it, you know what can happen when a place is taken over by tourism. So yes, but only if you go for the holiday and not just to take photos.

Anyone who has ever seen pictures of the Día de los Muertos in Mexico, celebrated it before and/or been there knows that the Día de los Muertos involves a lot of flowers and all kinds of natural materials. Basically, Mexicans paint pictures on the street using seeds, flowers, leaves, coffee and other materials, and decorate the altars with beautiful flowers. The most distinctive feature, of course, are the orange flowers, which seem to light up everything and make everything cheerful.
Well, that’s exactly why I was so curious about a flower market for the Día de los Muertos. And since I happened to discover one in Patzcuaro, I just walked up and down. It’s impressive how many beautiful flowers are bought within two or three days and then used to honour the dead. But it’s also really beautiful 😊
Go or not? I think it gives a good insight into the seriousness behind the holiday. That’s why I think it’s worth walking through a flower market for the Día de los Muertos 😊

The Día de los Muertos – Day of the Dead – is probably the biggest holiday of all in Mexico. It is celebrated everywhere and throughout the country. People wear make-up, magnificent altars with fruit and flowers are set up to celebrate and honour the dead, and families and friends come together throughout Mexico to celebrate the Día de los Muertos.
As it’s the case with every holiday, there are places in Mexico that are known for being particularly beautiful and authentic for tourists to experience the holiday. In Mexico that place during Día de los Muertos is Janitzio. A small island located on a lake near Patzcuaro. Since I didn’t know if I would ever be back in Mexico for the Día de los Muertos, I decided to go to Patzcuaro. Here, the Día de los Muertos is said to be celebrated in a particularly authentic and beautiful way as well. Plus, it’s easy to take a boat to Janitzio.
Patzcuaro itself is not particularly large. It is a small town located right beside a large lake in the heart of Morelia. It is quite charming and pretty, but apart from a convent and a quaint town centre, there is not much to see here. Of course, everything was beautifully decorated for the Dia de los Muertos, the streets were filled with market stalls and tourists, and everywhere people were making their final preparations for the Dia de los Muertos.
I stumbled across the market in Patzcuaro by chance. Like since it is located in the heart and centre of Patzcuaro, I would have inevitably come across it at some point.
It was, of course, filled to the brim with things for the Día de los Muertos. There were also useful and typically Mexican items, but above all an incredible amount of things for the Día de los Muertos. Figures, sculptures, chocolate, sugary treats, sweets of every kind and shape for the Día de los Muertos, T-shirts, jewellery, bags and so on. It was really cool, honestly. There was also a place where you could have your face painted, which I obviously did on the Día de los Muertos 😀 The whole atmosphere at the market was really nice and relaxed, and you could really feel how everyone was getting ready and looking forward to the upcoming holiday.
Go or not? If you’re travelling to Patzcuaro for the Día de los Muertos, you should definitely take a stroll through the market. It’s really cool and you’ll see something completely different and some truly fascinating and cool things related to the Día de los Muertos. 😊