Morelos

) Morelos North America > Mexico > Central Mexico > Morelos Morelos is a state in Central Mexico . Morelos is a perfect place to learn about Mexico's history and culture, visit the Xochicalco archaeological site, and the 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatepetl, which have been declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO.

The best time to visit Morelos depends on the region's climate. Generally, the dry season (November to April) offers the most pleasant weather for sightseeing and outdoor activities. The rainy season (May to October) brings afternoon showers but also lush green landscapes. High-altitude areas can be cool year-round, while lowland and coastal areas are warmer. Major festivals and holidays (Semana Santa, Día de los Muertos, Christmas) are vibrant but busy.

Bus service throughout the state of Morelos is a mixed bag. There are frequent buses that can get you almost anywhere you want to go, but bus service is generally more chaotic than any other state in Mexico. Even larger cities rarely have a single Central de Autobuses, instead relying on a mish-mash of local company-owned waiting rooms and often nothing but a stop at a gas station or roadside. Service is also pretty poor with few ticket offices, unreserved seats (even on nicer, newer buses), and oversold capacity. Pullman de Morelos is the largest provider of bus services in Morelos. They serve dozens of cities and towns throughout the state with frequent service on major routes. The service may be miserable, but at least there's lots of it!

🌍 Cuernavaca — the state capital has a comfortable year-round climate, beautiful parks and gardens, and is home to many foreign people who come to learn Spanish 🌍 Atlatlahucan — it is known for its 16th-century missions on the slopes of Popocatapetl 🌍 Cuautla — a tourist-friendly place with abundant hot springs and health spas/resorts, many archeological sites such as Chalcatzingo, and indigenous communities 🌍 Hueyapan — a Nahuatl indigenous community famous for its large 16th century monastery, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 🌍 Jojutla — wet and wild weekends start in Jojutla, close to the large, deep Lake Tequesquitengo just in case all the area waterparks don't get your wet enough 🌍 Oaxtepec — a great little town which thrives on the tourism brought by its waterpark 🌍 Ocuituco – known for its pine forests, the Barranca del Amatzinac canyon, and the Ex-convento de Santiago Apóstol, one of the oldest Spanish missions in Mexico 🌍 Tepoztlán – a charming small Pueblo Mágico with historical spots and site of El Tepozteco National Park 🌍 Tetela del Volcán – best known for its 16th century Monastery of St. John the Baptist and is particularly popular during its Day of the Dead and Easter celebrations 🌍 Tlaltizapán — a small historic town rich in colonial and revolution history with mineral springs and baths 🌍 Tlayacapan — this Pueblo Mágico is filled with historic museums and ruinas 🌍 Totolapan – most famous for its Ex-Convento de San Guillermo de Abad 🌍 Yecapixtla – a historic town best known for its huge 16th century monastery, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 🌍 Zacualpan de Amilpas — a tiny village with a handful of 16th-century buildings

Although each town has different dishes to offer, some of the culinary experiences that are representative of Morelos are Tacos acorazados, cecina from Yecapixtla, Morelos-style green pipián, and artisan ice cream from Tepoztlán.

Morelos hosts a variety of cultural events and festivals throughout the year, celebrating its heritage, arts, and community spirit. From patron saint festivals (fiestas patronales) and regional fairs to music, dance, and culinary celebrations, there is often something happening. Major national holidays — Independence Day (September 16), Día de los Muertos (November 1–2), and Semana Santa — are celebrated with particular flair. Check local event calendars for timing.

The state has several places to visit. In the city of Cuernavaca is the Palacio de Cortes which is a 16th-century New Spain palace that was the residence of Hernán Cortes and his family. It includes the Cuauhnahuac Regional Museum where objects from the region are exhibited. The Borda Garden is a beautiful house built by the Taxco miner Juan de la Borda, although later it was also inhabited by Maximiliano I of Mexico. There you can see the flora and fauna of the City of Cuernavaca. It also has the Cathedral of Cuernavaca which was the fifth church to be built in New Spain. It was built as a convent, but it was elevated to a Cathedral in the 18th century. The Robert Brady Museum on one side of the Cathedral is a Franciscan temple is where the collector Robert Brady placed his entire art collection. You can also visit Tlayacapan, a town of pre-Hispanic origin found on the slopes of Tepozteco. It has many small museums that explore the culture of the Chinelos. Chalcatzingo is a large, very old archaeological site dating back to about 1000 BC. It is thought to have been built by the Olmec civilization. The site is near the town of Cuautla . Itineraries Ruta de los Conventos del Popocatépetl — A challenging week long bicycle tour visiting the earliest 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl. Along the way you‘ll cross two national parks, an active volcano, and more historical sites than any reasonable person would ever want to visit.