Plaza Vasco de Quiroga, usually shortened to Plaza Grande, is the centre of Pátzcuaro and one of the loveliest town squares in Mexico. It is unusually open because it has no cathedral in the middle; instead, arcades, old mansions, cafes, and craft shops frame a broad garden of clipped trees and benches.
Come early for calm light on the white façades, or in the evening when families stroll and vendors set up around the edges. It is the best place to understand the town's rhythm before diving into churches and markets.