Paracho de Verduzco (often called merely Paracho) is a small city located in Michoacán, about 100 kilometres west of the state capital Morelia. Throughout Mexico, Paracho is known as the “Guitar Capital of The World”. This is because they are reputed to make the best sounding guitars in all of Mexico. The town is full of music shops that sell handmade stringed instruments. A national music festival is held in Paracho once a year, usually the second week of August. Some instruments that can be found in Paracho are: 10-string mandolins, armadillo-backed guitars and mandolins and acoustic bass guitars, as well as regular guitars and mandolins. Many of the stores and workshops allow visitors to watch the guitar-making process directly. There are frequent buses from Uruapan.