Zamora (sometimes called Zamora de Hidalgo) is a small city of 155,000 people (2020) in Michoacan. Its big main plaza surrounded by local commerce, a cathedral, and the Federal Palace. Visiting is particularly recommended on Sundays when people come to mingle in the plaza. You can buy the famous homemade bread of the region, and real fruit candy.
Understand
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Zamora is surrounded by the fertile Tziróndaro Valley which is an important agricultural area that exports large amounts of produce to the United States. Zamora is well known for its production of quality strawberries and blackberries. Another important activity is the manufacture of dairy foods: cream, butter, cheese and traditional sweets.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]While there is a very small airport located in Zamora, it is not used for scheduled commercial flights. If travelling by air, you will need to transit through one of the bigger cities in the area like Guadalajara or Morelia. Both are about two and a half hours away from Zamora. From the airport, one has to either take a taxi (hired inside the airport) or travel, by taxi, to the bus station, which unfortunately is located in the other side of Guadalajara. This is a long trip but cheaper than taking a taxi all the way to Zamora.
By car
[edit]It is a 2-hour drive from Guadalajara to Zamora on good, modern highways. From Guadalajara, drive southeast of the city on federal highway MEX-15D. Expect tolls on this route.
From Morelia, it is a 2-hour drive west to Zamora if you use federal highway MEX-15D (tolls), or about 3 hours if you use the freeway, highway MEX-15. The toll roads are generally safer choices for foreign travelers.
By bus
[edit]From Guadalajara, Autovias operates 5 buses per day to Zamora. The 2-hour 15-minute trip will cost M$330 (Nov 2023).
Get around
[edit]See
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Historic buildings dot the city center, built during Spanish colonial times and the 19th century. Some of these monuments are the Temple of San Francisco, and the church of El Calvario.
- 1 Santuario Diocesano de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Guadalupano Sanctuary), 5 de Mayo Avenue. It is a neo-gothic style architectural cathedral built in 1898. It is 107.5 m in height (353 ft), 95 m long (312 ft), 57 m wide (187 ft), and a total surface area of 5,415 m², making it one of the largest cathedrals of its kind in the American continent, and the tallest cathedral in Mexico.
- 2 Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Erected in the first half of the 19th century. Neoclassical in style. It has a Latin cross plan, and a single nave and transept, where the dome rises. The cover is neoclassical in style, with two sections and a finish.
- Federal Palace. A historic palace dating from the early 20th century. It was built to be the Episcopal Palace of the Diocese of Zamora Michoacán and residence of the bishop. It houses regional offices of the Mexican federal government. The site presents eclectic architecture and is part of the architectural heritage of the Historic Center.
- Morelos Market (Mercado Morelos de Zamora) (in the Historic Center). It is now a candy market where the traditional regional sweets of Zamora are offered, among which is the milk dessert called chongos zamoranos.
Do
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Every year in December the Festival of the Chongos zamoranos is held, where the visitor is able to taste gastronomical samples, musical dances and interpretations, as well as the “Poets Meeting” and every 12 of December in Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe and in diverse places of the city.
The nearby Lago de Camécuaro National Park is one of 5 national parks in Michoacan. The park is fairly small (a little less than 10 hectares) featuring a scenic natural lake that slowly drains into the Dueno River. It is a very scenic park with deep green waters in the lake's calm surface reflecting the dense vegetation of the surrounding forest. It is a good place for picnics and nature walks. The park is located 14 km east of Zamora de Hidalgo on federal highway MEX 15.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Mercado Hidalgo, Rubén Romero Ote. 5, Centro. Daily 07ː00 - 18ː00. The town's traditional Mexican marketplace is where local farmers bring fresh produce to sell. There are also numerous places where local cooks prepare regional favorite dishes. Great place to grab an inexpensive breakfast or lunch.
Eat
[edit]Zamora stands out in its gastronomy for the traditional regional sweets based on milk. Different milk sweets are made combined with pistachios, nuts, pine nuts and almonds. The famous regional candy known as zamoranos chongos is a dessert of milk traditional in the cuisine of Mexico.
The perfect place to taste Zamorana food including the famous chongos is in Pasaje Morelos, in front of the Zamorana Cathedral where you can enjoy a great variety of dishes and a very pleasant view of the main square of Zamora and its portals.
- 1 Pink Panther (Pantera Rosa), Calle Hidalgo Sur 234, Centro, ☏ +52 351 512 1866. Daily 09ː30 - 20ː30. Hugely popular restaurant serving traditional Mexican and regional cuisine in a spacious dining room filled with local color. The house specialty is carne en su jugo (beef au jus). M$200.
- 2 La Mendoza, Avenida Virrey de Mendoza Ote. 1, La Luneta Orient, ☏ +52 351 512 3191. M-Sa 13ː00 - 23ː00, Su 13ː00 - 18ː00. Steakhouse with comfortably rustic atmosphere serving grilled meats and seafood. Cocktails available as well as a nice range of wines. M$300.
- 3 Olivo Negro, Av. Manuel Gómez Morín 213, Bugambilia, ☏ +52 351 512 1348. M-Sa 13ː30 - 23ː00, Su 13ː30 - 18ː00. Casual bistro-style restaurant serving grilled meats, pizzas from a wood-fired oven, pastas, steaks and seafood. M$200.
Drink
[edit]- 1 La Lola, Vasco de Quiroga #50 (corner of Republica), ☏ +52 351 512 1866. Tu-Th 17ː00 - 23ː00, F-Sa 17ː00 - 00ː30, closed Su. Local bar serving cocktails and a variety of Mexican craft beers and even some imports. Food is casual grill fare such as burgers and fries, sandwiches, etc. MXN.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel Terrass, Morelos Sur 135, Centro, ☏ +52 351 515 4899. Check-in: 14ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Modern hotel with contemporary decor and a bevy of amenities. Rooms are spacious, clean and well furnished. Rooftop restaurant offers panoramic views of downtown area. Gym on site. Off-street garage parking. Friendly, attentive service. M$1300.
- 2 Hotel Fenix, Francisco I. Madero Sur 401, Centro, ☏ +52 351 512 0266. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Moderate hotel with basic rooms. Several guests have noted housekeeping issues. Good location in city center. No on-site restaurant. M$1000.
- 3 Hotel Mexico, 5 de Mayo 639, El Duero, ☏ +52 351 515 1341. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Traditional Mexican hotel with rooms set around a central courtyard. Cable TV and WiFi in rooms. Older hotel that has been updated with contemporary decor and furnishings. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Friendly, attentive service. M$1000.
- 4 Hotel Ana Isabel, Vicente Guerrero Pte 108, Centro, ☏ +52 351 515 1733. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Basic budget hotel, rooms are clean with dated and minimal furnishings, but they do have air conditioning. Off-street parking is available. M$650.
Connect
[edit]Stay safe
[edit]Cope
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Zamora de Hidalgo |
| Guadalajara ← San Luis Soyatlán ← | W  E
|
→ Zacapu → Morelia |