Town 6 km northeast of Tzintzuntzan
A Purépecha potters' village founded by Vasco de Quiroga in 1533, whose church helped inspire Pixar's Coco.
Santa Fe de la Laguna is a Purépecha village on the north shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, a few kilometers past Quiroga. It was founded in 1533 by the bishop Vasco de Quiroga as a pueblo-hospital, one of his experiments in community life inspired by Thomas More's Utopia. Unlike many places in New Spain, it kept its language, dress and customs, and today you still hear Purépecha in the streets and see women in traditional clothing.
Most families here are potters, and the village is known for colorful glazed ceramics that you can buy straight from the workshops and front rooms along its streets. The church of San Nicolás de Bari, with the village around it, served as a model for the church in Pixar's film Coco, and Mamá Coco herself was inspired by a woman from the community.
It is a lived-in village rather than a tourist stop, which is exactly its appeal: an unhurried walk among adobe houses, ovens and drying pots, ten minutes from Tzintzuntzan.
What to see and do
Visit the pottery workshops and buy directly from the families who make the pieces.
See the church of San Nicolás de Bari and the plaza that inspired scenes in Coco.
Walk the streets around the center, where Purépecha is still the everyday language.
Come around the Day of the Dead, when the village prepares its altars and cemetery, and be respectful of private ceremonies.
Getting there
About 10 minutes by car from Tzintzuntzan: head north on Highway 15 through Quiroga, and Santa Fe is about 3 kilometers further along the lakeshore. Local buses and colectivos run along the highway between Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan and Quiroga.
6 km northeast of Tzintzuntzan
Directions from Tzintzuntzan on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Santa Fe de la Laguna
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Weather mild
Santa Fe de la Laguna shares the climate of Tzintzuntzan, 6 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.
Make Tzintzuntzan your base
Santa Fe de la Laguna is an easy trip from Tzintzuntzan, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Tzintzuntzan
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Quiroga
· Town · 7 km away
A busy crossroads town packed with craft stalls from all over the lake region, and famous for its carnitas. -
Zona Arqueológica de Ihuatzio
· Archaeological site · 7 km away
One of the three Purépecha capitals: rectangular pyramids and raised stone causeways on a hill above the lake. -
Isla de Janitzio
· Town · 10 km away
Lake Pátzcuaro's famous island with its giant Morelos statue; boats leave from Pátzcuaro's main pier.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.