Lake Zirahuén

Lake Zirahuén lies 20km southwest of Pátzcuaro, reached by rental car or taxi in about 30 minutes, or by combi from Santa Clara del Cobre for those combining the two stops. The lake is a deep, clear volcanic crater ringed by pine forest in the municipality of Salvador Escalante, notably quieter than nearby Lake Pátzcuaro. A late-morning arrival suits the lakeside village of Zirahuén, where rowboats and kayaks can be hired directly from the shore for an hour or two on the water before lunch. The village's small restaurants serve trout and charales caught locally, best eaten lakeside at midday. Afternoons are well spent walking the shoreline or simply relaxing at one of the lakeside cabins available for day use, with the pine-forested hills providing shade as the sun moves. Because the road in passes directly through Santa Clara del Cobre, the two are easily combined into a single day, visiting the copper workshops in the morning and the lake in the afternoon. March to June brings the warmest, clearest days for time on the water, while the cooler months are better suited to a shorter shoreline walk than swimming or boating.