Firstly, what is a capirotada? Capirotada is very similar to a pudding that is made with bread dipped in piloncillo (sugar in its most natural state), with ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves and sheets of aged cheese, at least in its most traditional preparation.
Contrary to the Mexican dessert as we know it today, which has a sweet touch that contrasts with the cheese and other ingredients, this dish has its origins in Europe, where its preparation was very different. Its name gives us a great clue as to why it is a traditional Lenten dish and its great religious symbolic load. According to some, the name of this dessert comes from “capirote”, as it is known to the tall, pointed hats worn by some priests in Holy Week processions.
Although not a traditional dish in all of Mexico, it has gained great popularity in more recent years.
It is prepared during Lent and typically sold and consumed on Fridays, the day Catholics
traditionally don’t eat any meat.
The Capirotada Fair is an annual contest where families and different teams compete for the title of the best tasting capirotada of the year. The fair itself was founded in 2016 by long-time Ajijic resident Lee Hopper, who moved here in the 1960s. Ajijic is the only place that holds the Feria de la Capirotada nationwide.
In this fair you will get a chance to try different versions of this delicious dessert. Some of the teams follow the traditional mode of preparation and ingredients, while others experiment with different ingredients, offering a wide variety of flavors and textures for you to try and enjoy.
Coffee is a great option to counteract the sweetness of this dish!
The Feria de la Capirotada has been held in different locations in Ajijic, such as the main plaza, the CETAC, and the Malecon. It is usually announced in social and news media where and when it will be held.
This year, the 8 th Feria de la Capirotada Will be on March 16 th at the Ajijic Malecon. Don’t miss out on this special treat!

erbena Jamaica del Pasado is an annual traditional event held at the plaza in Ajijic and it has been going on for over a century. Today, this beautiful tradition is all about doing things the old-fashioned way. You will find a wide variety of typical foods and drinks from the region such as tamales, sopes, tacos, pozole, fruit punch, atole, and more, all served on clay plates and cups instead of disposable ware. The plaza is decorated with candle lit lanterns, paper flowers, and palm fronds. Live traditional music is played throughout the event. Both, adults and children enjoy this lively event.

The Verbena Jamaica del Pasado is organized by the Passion of Christ committee specifically to raise funds for the play held during Holy week. Dates of this event vary each year, but are usually announced on social media and local papers.

Most people know or have heard of La Isla de los Alacranes (Scorpion Island), but there is another island not everyone has heard about. 

Prison Island, also known as Mezcala Island, is a testament of a long history where cultures, legends and ghosts collide. It is believed that it was a center of worship for the civilizations of Jalisco since its founding in the year 1280. There have been pre-Columbian traces found on the island such as obsidian points, ornaments and ceramic pieces.

Later, this island was not only used as a strategic point by the colonial army where a fort had been built to house defense troops, but it also participated in the War of Independence, as an independence movement that sympathized with Hidalgo.

Finally, the space was used as a prison in the 1980s. It is said that the most feared criminals accused of rape came here.

Today, it’s used as a historical point of interest and welcomes all visitors. The island still has a standing structure and ruins that you can walk through and explore.

To get there, travel by car to the town of Mezcala, which is about 20 km East of Chapala, and take a boat from the town to the island. A boat leaving from this quiet town costs approximately 250 pesos. On the other hand, if you try to get there by boat from Chapala or Ajijic, the price can rise to approximately 1,200 pesos. Once on the island, we recommend that you hire the service of a local guide, who will tell you in great detail the complete history of this mysterious place for only 50 pesos.

You have probably seen the island from the shores of Ajijic or Chapala and wondered what’s there and why it’s called that… Are there a lot of scorpions there? No, it is not an island full of scorpions. This little island got its name because its shape is similar to that of a scorpion. 

Isla de los Alacranes is a ceremonial center of the Wixáricas. For them, the island serves as a union of the earth and the underworld through the waters of Lake Chapala. In the cosmogony of the Wixárica people there are three cycles, and this island represents the second. This cycle talks about the flood, the creation of corn and the origin of human beings. Legend tells us that Watakame, the first cultivator, cut down a tree on the island in order to build a canoe that saved him from the flood along with his little black dog who became the first woman, the mother of humanity. 

Every October the Wixáricas from Jalisco and Nayarit visit the island and ask for protection of the lake by performing rituals, such as offering candles in gourds to the spirits of the lake, because if the lake disappeared they would too. They also leave ribbons, candles and Si’kulis as offerings.

On the island there is also a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. This chapel is an example of the unification between the Wixáricas and the Catholic religion.

To visit Isla de los Alacranes you can take a boat ride from the Malecon in Chapala or Ajijic for a reasonable price. They drop you off at the island and you can wander around the island and visit the ceremonial sites. There are also restaurants where you can sit down and enjoy a nice meal and a refreshing beverage while taking in the views of the mountains and towns that surround the lake.

Being at the foot of this mountain range, it makes it easy to get into nature without having to drive anywhere. There are many trails that lead you to different points in the mountains. There used to not be any signs or markers at all, one had to know their way around. Not until a few years ago the signs were put up to help guide you. Some trails cross one another, there are different trails to get you to the same point, you can go up from one point and come back down at a different point and complete a circuit. You can spend a long time exploring the mountain by taking different routes. From Ajijic there are several destination points that might interest you. 

Here are some of those trails:

El Tepalo

Difficulty: Moderate

This popular trail takes you to an area where waterfalls form during the rainy season in the summer months between June-September. The amount of water that flows down depends on how much it rains, but when we get hit by several good storms for several days, be assured that there will be a lot of water running down and a lot of people will be all over along the trail hanging out in the afternoon having picnics and cooling off from the heat by standing under the waterfalls. For locals, standing under a waterfall is a must and a reason to go. There are three main waterfalls locally known as “saltos” (jumps). When the trail is wet, it can get quite slippery so tread carefully. In the dry season, there are no waterfalls, but it is still a nice quick hike. The trailhead is at the very top of Calle Encarnación Rosas (from Donas Donuts up). Just follow that street all the way up. It will veer to the right and the trailhead is right before a gated community at the end of the street.

La Crusita

Difficulty: Easy

It’s one of the easiest trails and it takes you to the little chapel-like structure that houses an altar dedicated to Jesus and that can be seen from town. The trailhead starts at the very top of upper Colón. It can be tricky to find the actual entrance of the trail if you are not familiar. As Colón bumps into the mountain, go to your left and the trail entrance is next to the first big walled house, follow that wall up and the trail becomes evident. It zig-zags up on the mountain side until you get to the Crusita. You can enjoy views of the lake and town from various points on the trail and from the site. If you keep following the trail up, you will eventually come upon an open area on the top of the lowest peak. There you get an incredible 360° view of everything – the lake, the town, a view to the east and to the west, and the higher peaks behind.

La Chupinaya

Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous

This is the highest point of Ajijic’s mountains. At an altitude of 2,416 meters above sea level (7,926 ft), it is not the easiest of treks. There are several ways to get there, but the easiest and most direct way to get there is by starting from the Crusita trail, following the trail up to the big opening with the great views, and continuing north towards the higher peaks. You will come across a trail junction called El Pandito, where the trail splits off to the east, to the west, and up. Keep going up. And up. And up. Once you reach the ridge on the top, you will need to follow the trail to the left. It will take you past Las Cruces (three white crosses) where you get a breathtaking view of the lakeside. Keep going and you will come upon a fenced wooden structure. You are free to enter. You will see a little cave with an altar to the Virgin. Take a quick break and get ready for the last stretch. Continue the trail that goes up the last bit of the peak. You’ll know you are there once you spot the crosses. There will also be a post sign showing you the directions and distances to different places from that point. The view from the top is quite a sight. You can also see what’s on the northern side of the mountain. Not an easy hike, but well worth it. It takes the average person in decent shape around 4 hours round trip.

Most towns in Mexico have a street market that sets up usually once a week, rain or shine. They are called tianguis (pronounced tee-ANN-geese). The origin of the word comes from the Nahuatl tianquiz(tli), meaning “market.” In pre-Hispanic Mexico, bartering was the common system between vendors to get products or services needed. Today bartering might happen between vendors, but they are there to sell their products. All vendors are for the most part local.

In Ajijic, the tianguis happens every Wednesday on Calle Revolución, the street next to Plaza Bugambilias, and it runs from the main highway, down to the end where the big old adobe house sits. The hours are generally from 9 to 2 pm, although it may vary depending on how busy it is. You can find just about everything, things like seasonal produce, fresh dairy products, a variety of clothing, fish, chicken, herbal medicine, all sorts of nuts, wrist watch batteries, and so on. If you get hungry while shopping, you can sit at one of the various stands that offer a variety of delicious locally prepared food such as tacos, pizzas, prepared fresh cut fruit, and refreshing drinks. Everything, if not most things found at the tianguis are at reasonable prices. 

The Ajijic tianguis was previously set up on Zaragoza street, between Colón and Juárez, but then it was decided to move it to its current location in the late 80s where it has grown and it doesn’t block any of today’s busy streets.

Besides Ajijic, other neighboring towns along the lakeside have their own tianguis on different days. Chapala has theirs on Mondays, San Juan Cosalá on Tuesdays, and Jocotepec on Thursdays. 

When you think of Spring break you probably think – college students going all out on a wild week of debauchery in some touristy beach town. But in Mexico, it is also very much tied to the Catholic celebrations during Holy week and Easter.

School is out for two weeks and it is a time to take the whole family out on vacation.  Even though the beach is a typical destination, many nationals come to Lakeside, especially to see the main event. Ajijic has had a long-time tradition of re-enacting The Passion of the Christ and is one of the top-3 productions in the country. It began in 1980 and continues to improve and grow year after year, attracting many visitors from around the country to witness this theatrical rendition of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. 

The production is composed of around 150 actors and many other volunteers, all local residents. Everything, from the stage props to the costumes, are all hand-made also by the local people. In previous years, the main stages were set in front of the chapel next to the plaza, and also in the atrium in front of the big church. But in the past few years they have changed locations, the last one being at the bullring located next to Plaza Bugambilias. 

A favorite part from the whole production are the human statues – actual people painted full in gold playing an unmoving statue for the entirety of the scene, which is something to really admire. But the most anticipated part that folks wait for, is the Via Crucis, when they march thought the streets of Ajijic and up to the hill above Ajijic with the person playing Jesus carrying an actual wooden cross for the crucifixion and the entire entourage following. It’s quite a spectacle, even for people that are not of this faith. 

There are announcements circulated on social media and postered around town letting people know of the different acts’ dates, times and locations. For someone who is not Catholic, it is still an interesting and impressive free of charge theatrical production not to be missed. 

What comes to mind when you think of the Carnival? You probably think of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras or Brazil’s Carnival, right? But if you ask someone from Ajijic, they will tell you two main things – Sayacas and flour, lots and lots of flour.

The origins of the Sayacas has many versions. That it originated in Ajijic, that much is true. But what on Earth are Sayakas? They are, mostly men, dressed up in an exaggerated way as women wearing dresses with balloons for breasts and buttocks. They also dress as old bearded men, and both wear very distinctive home-made masks. They run around chasing kids and throwing flour to anyone that crosses their path. They are featured not only in the Carnival, but in many other traditional celebrations in town as well.

One version of the origin of the Sayaca is that in the olden days of Ajijic, there was an older woman who did not like the bandas – brass bands, playing anywhere near her house. But, whenever a band would be brave enough to pass by her house playing the ever so loud banda music, she would come out cussing and throw things at the band until they scattered, running away from her wrath. What she threw at them is not quite clear. Could’ve been water, or rocks, or perhaps flour? So, the character was created supposedly based on that woman who highly disliked banda music. The story has surely changed and details have been edited and most likely exaggerated throughout the years, but that is the main idea behind it.

The carnival in Ajijic is celebrated the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday with a parade. It features many fun and colorful floats, Charros ridding their beautiful horses, various bandas playing traditional music, and of course, the Sayakas running havoc. But, the main ingredient throughout the whole parade is: flour. You *will* get covered in flour, not only by the Sayakas, but also from folks participating in the parade. If you plan to attend the Ajijic Carnival parade, be prepared, the flour does not discriminate. Everyone gets their fair powdering in a sea of fun and laughter.

What we know today as the popular destination named Ajijic, was once nothing more than a sleepy little fishing village not many people knew about. Founded in 1531, its name comes from the Nahuatl Axixic which means “where the water spills” or “where the water springs”, and it is one of the oldest towns in Mexico.

Ajijic was considered a “Pueblo Mágico” long before it got its official title in 2020. It has always been a magnet for foreign artists since the 1890s, and has also produced its very own famous local artists throughout the years. Each decade, a new set of foreigners from different places and by different circumstances would arrive and fall in love with the area, but it always retained only a small circle of especially eclectic characters.

One example of such characters is Zara Alexeyewa known as “La Rusa” – “The Russian” who was well known by locals who would always have an interesting story to tell about her and her extravagant ways. Sylvia Salmi, another famous character and a world-known photographer, loved throwing riotous parties filling her home, located on the corner of Colón and Zaragoza, with friends wearing that flair of the bohemian flavor of the time – artists, actors, beat poets, and such. There are so many stories about so many interesting foreigners and locals that have been part of Ajijic and its history making. There has always been a strong connection between foreigners and locals that historically have created bonds that have lasted generations. Ajijic has always had a something special and magical about the area and its energy.

As the years go by, Ajijic becomes more and more popular amongst foreigners, not only from the US and Canada, but also from around the world. The locals, being as accommodating and friendly as they naturally are, make Ajijic an open and welcoming community. It is also a place that still holds its rustic charm and beauty that once attracted those early visitors from the last century despite the new and more modern developments around town.