Mexico’s allure for many visitors begins at the beach where white sand and turquoise water meet. But inland, a different kind of magic unfolds in the country’s Spanish colonial cities.

 

One colonial beauty often overlooked is Morelia, the capital of Michoacán in north-central Mexico. Built largely of rose-colored Cantera stone, the city of about 750,000 is more visually unified than many colonial cities. That architectural cohesion isn’t boring; it gives the city a sense of refined elegance.

 

I arrived in Morelia on a small-group tour with Camiba Cultural Tours en route to a monarch butterfly sanctuary in the volcanic mountains outside the city. Morelia also proved an alluring destination in its own right, with ornate churches, lively markets, engaging historical museums, classy hotels, and fine-dining restaurants.

 

To read more about my stay in Morelia, please read my article in Rovology.

 

To learn more about monarch butterflies overwintering outside Morelia, you can also read my monarch story in SheBuysTravel.