Walking Distance

Morelia's downtown streets in the direction of Hotel Casa José María are splashed with old-home boutique accommodations, but this one opens its arms wide to welcome travelers with a warm atmosphere. The architectural details inside other public rooms have been preserved since this was once a house. That frontage, locked today behind tall iron gates, used to throw itself open onto the street. It tells tales of how cozy it must have made people feel back then-at one with everything going on outside its walls.<br>

The hotel lies within one of the most intense concentrations of historic and cultural buildings in the city. Just a short block away stands the impressive Palacio de Gobierno, with its dramatic historical murals. Another building just a few blocks away houses offices and a library; this beautiful baroque courtyard was once a Jesuit college. Further down the main pedestrian street, Avenida Madero, one finds among manifold other colonial houses churches such as the Templo de las Monjas and small squares such as the Jardín de las Rosas, noted for outdoor cafés.

For local flavor and great eating, the place is perfect. Mercado de Dulces (Sweet Market) a blaze of traditional candies and crafts from Michoacán, must be visited and it’s just ten minutes’ walk. You are also surrounded by excellent restaurants, ranging from high cuisine dining places to simple authentic ‘fondas’ eating houses serving the regional food specialties. The area is full of nice looking cafes in which to enjoy Morelia coffee. For practical needs banks, pharmacies and convenience stores all just steps away.