Must-see attractions in Western Central Highlands

This restored mid-16th-century church in the village of San Francisco Coatepec de Morelos across Hwy 51 south of Zitácuaro appeared in the great John…

Installed inside the magnificent 17th-century Ex-Templo de la Compañía de Jesús, the shelves of the city's breathtaking university library rise up toward…

The modern entrance to this gallery leads into a 19th-century courtyard surrounded by seven halls filled with surrealist art. Included is a permanent…

Two blocks east of the Basílica de Zapopan, MAZ is dedicated to modern art. Four sleek minimalist galleries hold temporary exhibits, which have included…

Plaza Guadalajara is shaded by dozens of severly cropped laurel trees and has great views of the east of the cathedral. Boasting a few fine cafes, it's a…

Morelia's zoo is located 2.5km south of the Plaza de Armas and is surprisingly pleasant, with most critters in decent habitats. Animals include sea lions,…

This pious collection astride the eastern flank of the cathedral is filled with dark and brooding 17th- to 18th-century religious art, as well as some…

Morelia’s impressively preserved aqueduct north runs for just over 2km along (appropriately enough) Avenida Acueducto and then curves around Plaza…

The romantic old Hacienda de San José del Refugio is where Herradura tequila is distilled. It is one of Mexico’s prettiest distilleries, with regularly…

About 2km south of town is the leafy park of Los Cazos, with the 30m waterfall Casacada El Salto another 2km walk from the park entrance. You can picnic…

This creaky church is one of Pátzcuaro's oldest and is built on the site of a former hospital in the 16th century. Until the early 1900s, it housed the…

It's worth popping into this interesting modern and conceptual art gallery to see if there's an exhibition showing (there's no permanent collection on…

A beautifully renovated 18th century casona (mansion), this museum hosts temporary exhibits and workshops often related to the history and culture of the…

Among the intricately decorated guitars displayed at this small museum in the Casa de la Cultura – including classical, Flamenco, Hawaiian and steel…

Built in 1588, the Palacio de Justicia began life as Guadalajara's first nunnery. Duck inside to the interior stairwell and check out the 1965 mural by…

Set in an old colonial building just off the main plaza and spread over five rooms, this museum does a good job of illustrating the history of tequila…

This sensational 16th-century church on the main square has a beautifully carved portal at the entrance carved in the Moorish Mudéjar style by an…

Built between 1526 and 1539, this pink-stone eclectic-style Franciscan church has an impressive Plateresque-style doorway, an adjoining cloister and a…

The compact Templo de Aranzazú is perhaps the city’s most beautiful. Built from 1749 to 1752, it has three remarkably ornate Churrigueresque (Spanish…

South of the landmark Teatro Degollado on Plaza de la Liberación is the baroque-style Templo de San Agustín, all gold and white. Erected in 1573, it is…