When arriving in Pátzcuaro, one has the immediate impression that something is different in this town. Indeed, it has not been founded by the Spanish Conquistadors, but by the ancient Tarascan Empire in 1320. The difference is that the population is a lot more indigenous than other towns I visited up until now.
The town has fairly nice colonial architecture, but what I liked the most were the many markets.
Near the city, Lake Pátzcuaro is home to many inhabited islands. The most photogenic is Isla Janitzio.
The archeological site of Tzintzuntzan is the first ruins I have visited in Mexico. It is not the most impressive site, but it is a good introduction to the pre-Hispanic world.