Celebrated on November 1st mostly throughout central and southern México, el DÃa de los muertos Day of the dead is especially important in Michoacán.
Janitzio, an island in Lake Patzcuaro, is a tourist magnet for the occasion. The highlight is the cultural festival with folk dance, music and song. Find out the schedule for the festival beforehand to gain a good place and enjoy the free show. Transport to the island is by boat, expect long queues for a 30 to 40 pesos roundtrip ticket on the main Pátzcuaro dock. If you are parking at the municipal parking lot during this period, keep in mind that you may/will most likey be blocked into your parking space with no chance of moving your car until the next day.
During the Day of the Dead festivities, if you dislike unordered Mecca-size crowds, spare the visit to Janitzio and plan to travel to nearby Tzinzunzan instead, for a more authentic and a bit less crowded experience.
Consider that the highways in the area get crowded as well, so to be safe, arrive at either destination before noon, and book a hotel reservation several weeks in advance there are several hostels and hotels in Pátzcuaro. You can also pack your camping tent and sleeping bag and pay around 50 pesos per night/person in a trailer-camping park near Pátzcuaro.
A visit to Patzcuaro is not complete without a sidetrip to the town of Paracho, home to master guitar craftsmen who pass their trade down from generation to generation. If you visit, hire a local lad to guide you to craftsmens' homes. About an hour's drive. You may also hire a guide at Patzcuaro's Hotel Mansion de Iturbe on the west side of the main zocalo who will take you to several of the outlying villages, including Paracho.
If you wish to escape the tourists in Patzcuaro head 17 kilometers around the lake to Erongaricuaro a lively pleasant town.
Cuanajo is another town worth seeing for the hand-made furniture there. The turn-off to Cuanajo is on Highway 14 between Patzcuaro and Morelia.