Colonial Morelia is Michoacán's handsome capital

The lush, fertile central highlands west of Mexico City are well worthy of exploration for those in search of indigenous Mexican culture.

Colonial Morelia is a handsome capital indeed, but it's the countryside of the state of Michoacán where the magic lies.

Because the native Purépecha people have kept their traditions more vividly alive than most, the small villages around the picturesque lake of Pátzcuaro are arguably the best places to visit to see celebrations like those for the Day of the Dead on November 1-2 at their most colourful.

Adding to the enchantment, every autumn sees the arrival of millions of sunset-coloured monarch butterflies, who migrate south from the Great Lakes to winter here, setting the forests ablaze in their masses.