Where to celebrate Day of the Dead in Mexico

Where to celebrate Day of the Dead in Mexico

Día de los Muertos takes place on 2 November each year. Discover the best places to experience this traditional Mexican festival, which honours the no-longer living…

On 2 November, Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos – commonly called Day of the Dead in the English-speaking world – to pay tribute to, remember and also welcome the spirits of the dead. Read our full guide to the celebrations here.

Celebrations take place all over Mexico, but there are a few regions where locals and visitors alike truly revel in the spirit of the holiday.

Here are the best places to celebrate Día de los Muertos in Mexico

  1. Oaxaca, Oaxaca

An Oaxaca cemetery on Day of the Dead 

Celebrations in the city of Oaxaca last from 31 October to 2 November, and locals will often create symbolic altars, public art work and decorate their loved ones’ graves.

This ceremonial remembrance comes to a head at comparsas, a carnival-esque parade involving music, dancing and traditional costumes.

These carnivals aren’t strictly organised, and are scattered through the city streets. There’ll be plenty of visitors, as Oaxaca is often the go-to destination for travellers looking to experience Day of the Dead. Don’t just rock up, and expect a place to stay…

  1. Pátzcuaro, Michoacán

Catrinas in Michoacán, Mexico 

This town in the Mexican state of Michoacán has long been touted as one of the best places in Mexico to experience Dia de los Muertos.

Set on the eerie Lake Pátzcuaro, locals celebrate the Night of the Dead on the evening of 1 November in cemeteries with their loved ones, lighting up the graveyards with candles and tributes. There are even contests for the most elaborately decorated altar.

Offerings can also include the slightly-sweet pan de muerto (bread of the dead), as well as photos of the dear departed, which is said to draw out their spirits.

  1. Janitzio, Michoacán

The island of Janitzio, Mexico 

Also in the state of Michoacán is Janitzio: a small island off Lake Pátzcuaro. Home to a reported 1,600 people, Janitzio expands to welcome tens of thousands of visitors for Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Not just from Mexico, but the US, and all over the world.

Like its neighbour, cemeteries come to life with people, candlelight, and sugar skull decorations. At night, fishermen perform a butterfly dance from their canoes on the lake – the wings said to attract the souls of the dead. During the day, an open theatre on the island offers the chance to watch traditional Mexican dances, one of which is amusingly-titled Pescado Blanco (White Fish).

On 1 November, Kejtzitakua Zapicheri (the wake of little angels) takes place: grieving mothers and siblings leave sweets and wooden toys at the graves of their lost children, and hold a special ceremony to remember them.

  1. Mexico City

Mexico City’s colourful Day of the Dead parade 

The capital’s Día de los Muertos celebrations last three days. Its newest offering is a brightly-coloured parade throughout the city – costumes, lights, floats and live music all to be expected. It has different theme each year.

Admittedly, the parade is only three years old, partially because its aimed at visitors from other countries, who hope to witness the celebrations for themselves. It is the carnival-esque fanfare you’d expect, a real celebration – a great introduction to Día de los Muertos for the uninitiated.

  1. San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, Oaxaca

 A traditional floral tribute made for Day of the Dead

Tuxtepec is a small village in the state of Oaxaca. Here, you can expect the same bold, floral and traditional tributes to the deceased as you can in any of these Mexican destinations.

It does have a unique form of celebration, though; a rug-making contest. Rather than judge the handmade altars, locals spend the lead-up to Day of the Dead creating detailed sawdust rugs. They’re judged in the village square, until a winner is chosen.