The arcade
Along a leafy avenue.
Luis Alvaz — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Luis Alvaz — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rafael Torres — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Luis Alvaz — CC BY-SA 4.0
A late 18th-century stone aqueduct of some two hundred and fifty arches running alongside a tree-lined avenue in Morelia, capital of Michoacán state. It once carried water to the city and is now one of its loveliest landmarks, lit at night. Morelia is a colonial city on UNESCO's list, most of its buildings made of pink stone, earning it the name «the pink city», with more than two hundred historic buildings. From the end of the aqueduct, the pedestrian Calzada Fray Antonio de San Miguel leads under trees and past benches towards the centre. The historic centre has squares, arcades and stone buildings, and a market of traditional sweets made from fruit and milk. The city is fairly calm and among the least crowded of the big colonial cities with foreign tourists. From Morelia, in winter, visitors go to the monarch butterfly sanctuaries in the mountains, roughly November to March, when millions of butterflies cover the trees. Some governments warn against travel to parts of Michoacán outside Morelia, so check your government's current advice, and travel by air or main highways in daylight.
Along a leafy avenue.
Hundreds of old buildings.
Fruit and milk treats.
Avenida Acueducto, east of Morelia's historic centre, Michoacán state
Roughly November to March, best in January and February at peak numbers. They are visited on organised tours from Morelia.