MAP

SEARCH

The Don Vasco route and its interactive centre

Learn the most important aspects of Vasco de Quiroga's legacy

La ruta don Vasco y su centro interactivo

Adress & Contact

Adress

Patio del Ferrocarril, Revolución 61609 Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México

GPS

19.536288419624, -101.61566019058

Phone

434 342 1214

Send an Email to

rutadonvasco.centro@gmail.com

Plan my route

SERVICE HOURS

Monday

09:00 – 15:00

Tuesday

09:00 – 15:00

Wednesday

09:00 – 15:00

Thursday

09:00 – 15:00

Friday

09:00 – 15:00

Saturday

09:00 – 15:00

Sunday

09:00 – 15:00

KNOW MORE PLACES

VISITA OTRAS LOCALIDADES

The Don Vasco route

The missionary Vasco de Quiroga, known in our region as “tata (papa) Vasco” is the axis of a very beautiful and illustrious tourist route. On this tour you will travel through the land that Don Vasco de Quiroga loved so much, it is possible to understand the magnitude of his work, the reason for its relevance and to live with the tangible and intangible heritage that he built and planted throughout the area inhabited by the Purépecha ethnic group.

In his concept, the Don Vasco route follows in the footsteps of this illustrious missionary and covers the lake area of Pátzcuaro, the Purépecha plateau and Cañada de los once pueblos, which is extremely attractive, since it is possible to enjoy this heritage of its attractions, its architecture, its curious legends, art, festivals, traditions, the creativity of our artisans and its delicious traditional cuisine with pre-Hispanic roots, in addition to falling in love with the beauty of a region rich in forests, lakes and mountains.

Morelia, the current capital of Michoacán, Pátzcuaro, the capital of Don Vasco de Quiroga, and Uruapan are the backbone of the route that covers more than 120 towns, including four of the eight magical towns of the state: Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan, Santa Clara del Cobre and Cuitzeo. The Don Vasco Route offers visitors unforgettable experiences for an optimal vacation full of extraordinary experiences.

Made up of the magic of two wonderful circuits: El Alma de Don Vasco and Esencia Purépecha, it presents a range of experiences based on history, art, gastronomy and culture, which allows you to delve into the profound legacy that Don Vasco de Quiroga left in Michoacán, in a splendid natural setting, full of fun and magic that transports you.

The Vasco de Quiroga interactive center

Of course, at first glance it is difficult to frame such an abstract idea into something easily digestible, however there is a place whose concept and operation make it not only the first space of its kind in Mexico, but the only one capable of bringing us closer to the greatness of the work of this illustrious character and showing us how his influence persists to this day. This is the Don Vasco Route Interpretation Center.

This is not a museum, as it does not display physical pieces, but is built from history and living testimonies presented through the latest technological advances available, which translates into a highly impressive and increasingly interesting multi-sensory experience as you walk through the different rooms that make up this interpretation center.

It does not propose a fixed itinerary to follow, but rather a wide range of resources and possibilities for visitors to trace their journey as they wish. Through different technological resources, the centre presents the way of life of the communities, their cosmogony, their culinary and artisanal wealth, and also addresses their ideology and traditional manifestations.

This magnificent center is located in what was once a warehouse of the old Pátzcuaro railway station. It is very close to the lake and is easily accessible. In addition to its avant-garde concept, it offers event services in its spaces and has an important database of artisans and traditional cooks that is very useful. Also for groups, if you book in advance they can offer you a gastronomic sample at very affordable prices.

If you live in Pátzcuaro and you don't know it, don't miss the opportunity to be surprised and feel proud of the place where you live. If you are not from Pátzcuaro, visit it and fall in love with the magic that Michoacán's heart holds.

The most important thing. Don't forget to recommend it!

Quick guide to the Don Vasco route

The essentials

Six keys so that you too can be fascinated by Tata Vasco; so that you can understand why the women of Santa Fe speak of him as their beloved grandfather; so that you can realize that his message is still relevant; and so that you can convince yourself that it is possible to pursue your dream.

The Utopia

Utopia was written by Thomas More in 1516.
Utopia is an island with a peaceful society, organized around work, community, responsibility and Christian values.
Don Vasco de Quiroga was inspired by Utopia to promote his hospital-towns, a new model of a more just and sustainable society. This model still exists today.

Arts and crafts

Don Vasco specialized each community in a trade, incorporating European techniques into traditional crafts.
A barter and trade economy flourishes.
That is why Santa Clara is famous for its copper, Cocucho for its clay cocuchas, or Uruapan for its lacquerware.
Today's artisans have elevated their craft to art and are widely recognized.

The intensity of a life

Don Vasco de Quiroga arrived in New Spain when he was over 60 years old, and died in the Huatápera of Uruapan 30 years later.
He founded more than 200 hospital towns
He had to fight for his revolutionary ideas repeatedly in the face of attacks from nobles and clergy.

Spirituality and art

The Indian chapels are lavishly decorated. They tell stories of saints, guide liturgies, and are educational.
And, furthermore, when we raise our heads to look at the ceiling we look at the sacred. We are in a position of prayer.
Look at the shells that always appear: they are the transformation, the baptism, the starting from scratch.

Social organization

Life in the communities revolves around the huatápera, the hospital. The whole community is involved.
Man is dignified through work, the sick and the traveler are cared for, and strict rules of coexistence are dictated.
Today, communities continue to maintain their customs and traditions alive, including a communal government order with its own authority.

Knowledge

In 1540 he founded the College of San Nicolás Obispo, one of the first institutions of higher education on the American continent.
For the first time in history, Colegio de San Nicolás admits indigenous students.
The Founding Fathers are closely linked to this institution, founded on the values of humanism.

What you can't miss

Site	What you can't miss
Morelia: World Heritage City	Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo, a leading university that derived from the first School of Arts and Crafts that Don Vasco founded in Pátzcuaro.
Santa Fe de la Laguna	The first town hospital founded by Don Vasco in 1533, just 12 years after the fall of Tenochtitlán. Today, the old hospital is still run by a “weekly” family, as in the time of Don Vasco. The missionary’s book inspired by Thomas More’s “Utopia” is carefully kept there. Handicrafts, including incense burners and candlesticks made of black glazed clay, made using a technique called “pastillaje” and using a manufacturing process identical to that used in the time of Don Vasco.
Tzintzuntzan: Former capital of the Purépecha lordship.	“Las Yácatas”, a pyramid overlooking the lake from a hill and the center of political and religious power of the Purépecha society that Don Vasco knew. The Franciscan convent, one of the most beautiful and enormous atriums in the country, dominated by centuries-old olive trees that, according to the community, were planted by Don Vasco himself. The crafts of Tzintzuntzan include traditional pottery and new trends inspired by drawings found in the Yácatas, carved wood and objects woven from pánikua (wheat straw).
Santa Clara del Cobre	Copper craftsmen's workshops.
Pátzcuaro	The School of Arts and Crafts was created by Don Vasco so that each town could offer the others different artisanal products, a practice that continues to this day. The Basilica, where the Bishop's mortal remains are located. The square, the monuments, the streets, the hotels, the stained glass windows and the small businesses that bear the name of Don Vasco and that narrate, detail by detail, his life and work. The beauty of the red-roofed city and the handicrafts from all over the area.
Janitzio Island	The Night of the Dead, the most well-known ritual of the Purépecha people and the one that most tangibly shows the amalgamation between the European and Mesoamerican religious visions. The Night of the Dead is actually a celebration of life, a ritual stripped of the eschatological vision of the Western world, which takes place between October 31 and November 2.
Uruapan	National Park, one of the natural beauties of the Don Vasco Route. It is a ravine in the centre of the city where the Cupatitzio River is born - the river that sings - whose waters give life to the countless orchards of the region, the main producer of avocado in the world. La Huatápera, where Tata Vasco is said to have died. Today it is a museum that shows visitors the artisanal heritage that mixed the knowledge of the Purépecha people with that of the Spanish.
Purépecha Plateau	Nurío is a must-visit town because it has one of the huatápera chapels with the most beautiful decorated ceilings on the entire route. The local crafts include pottery and embroidery. Angahuan, another town on the Meseta famous for its Mudejar-influenced ornamentation, is also notable for its viewpoint towards the Paricutín Volcano, another of the outstanding natural beauties of the Don Vasco Route. San Juan Parangaricutiro, a village buried by lava and rocks from the eruption of Paricutín. The old church stands out among the rocks.
El Paricutín	Visit the volcano, one of the youngest in the world and the only one in the world where the same human being was born (1946), grew up and came to rest.
Zacán	The Zacán temple, with exceptional architecture and a very beautiful altarpiece. The Huatápera with a very well preserved chapel. La cocina tradicional purépecha. The Purépecha Race Festival, the largest event that brings together more than 600 representatives of the ethnic group's dance, song and music, and the celebrations in honor of Saint Luke with the blessing of the animals and the atole contest, among others. From August 17 to 18.

FEATURES AND SERVICES

Reservation

Public Wifi

MAP LOCATION

Planear Mi Ruta