Paracho has a distinct cultural focus: the town is internationally known for the handcrafted production of acoustic guitars and other string instruments. It also offers cultural venues and a nature reserve with opportunities for hiking and camping. This gives you a range of options when planning your trip: you can focus on craftsmanship and music, cultural institutions, nature or seasonal festivals.

Guitars, Workshops and Handicrafts

Visiting local workshops gives you the chance to see the guitar-making process up close. In Paracho, guitar makers also handcraft violins, mandolins and charangos, as well as guitars. Local handicrafts also include wood carvings, textiles and rebozos, along with wooden toys.

Cultural Venues and History

Paracho’s Casa de la Cultura houses the Museo de la Guitarra Antigua and offers art workshops and exhibitions. The building was inaugurated in 1929 by decree of President Lázaro Cárdenas; it remains a cultural landmark for the region.

The Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de la Guitarra has trained local guitarists since 1994. Paracho’s community chapels, featuring 16th-century vernacular architecture, are another highlight. Music education, a cultural institution and older architecture offer different ways to explore the area’s culture.

Getting Your Bearings in the Town and Municipality

At the northern entrance to town, the eight-meter-high Monumento a la Mujer Purépecha welcomes visitors. The Monumento a la Guitarra is a separate landmark: this ten-meter-high copper monument stands at the southern entrance to the municipality of Paracho and commemorates the town’s most important craft. The two monuments therefore mark different entrances: one to the town, the other to the municipality. The municipality of Paracho can be reached via Federal Highway 37, from Carapan to Lázaro Cárdenas.

Nature and Regional Cuisine

Parque Comunal Tata Vasco, a nature reserve covering around 17 hectares, lies at the southern entrance to the town. It offers opportunities for hiking and camping. The park is a nature-focused alternative to the workshops and cultural venues if you’d also like to spend time outdoors.

Purépecha cuisine in Paracho includes churipo, corundas, atole de grano, atápakua and Michoacán-style carnitas. These dishes add a culinary perspective to your exploration of the area’s culture.

Summer Festivals

The Feria Internacional de la Guitarra takes place in the first week of August; the Festival de Globos de Cantoya is celebrated on the third weekend of July, when colorful paper balloons light up the night sky over Paracho. These are two different summer events to choose from: a festival centered on guitars and an event whose nighttime spectacle is defined by the balloons. Exact dates may vary from year to year. Check the specific date before booking if one of the festivals will determine your visit.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Senguio, Pastor Ortiz, Morelos, Chula, Uruapan, Zamora, Quiroga, Pátzcuaro

Back to the main travel overview: Michoacán.