Pátzcuaro is the most atmospheric town in Michoacán: whitewashed walls, red tile roofs, arcaded plazas, and a Purépecha identity that feels much older than the colonial façades. It sits above Lake Pátzcuaro, close enough to smell the damp air off the water but high enough to stay cool in the evenings.
The town is best known for Day of the Dead, when visitors arrive for the candlelit vigils on Janitzio and in the lake villages. That is the busiest and most expensive moment to come, but Pátzcuaro is rewarding outside festival season too. Plaza Vasco de Quiroga is one of Mexico's finest town squares, the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud anchors local devotion, and the Casa de los Once Patios is the place to see serious craftwork rather than airport souvenirs.
Use Pátzcuaro slowly. Wander between the plazas, eat corundas or sopa tarasca, then take a boat onto the lake or a taxi to Ihuatzio for the old Purépecha ceremonial site. Morelia is close enough for an easy transfer, but Pátzcuaro has the stronger sense of place.