
San Sebastian del Oeste
Burrowed deep in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains, San Sebastian's remote setting has made it one of Mexico's last remaining secrets. While this tiny mountain enclave (elevation 4500 ft) isn't far from Puerto Vallarta, it's still a world away from the usual tourist haunts.
Getting there
Just 90 minutes distance from Puerto Vallarta, the drive flies by as we wind our way through impressive mountain scenery. From the comfy atmosphere of our air conditioned van, you'll see everyday scenes of rural life and some of the most breathtaking views Mexico has to offer.
Colonial Mexico perfection
Originally settled in 1605, this secluded 17th century mining town reached its peak of prosperity in the 1700s, when over 30,000 people inhabited the area. Over the years, the town's population fluctuated wildly as gold and silver were mined intermittently between the 1600's and the 1930's.
Coffee & agave
Although those gold rush years are long gone and settlers have since moved on, this beautiful mountain village of just 600 residents has kept its true colonial heritage. A shining example of an ancient Mexican village and well known for its corn and cattle trade, San Sebastian is now cultivating coffee and agave in its lush mountainsides.
Untouched by time
With its charming cobblestone plaza, elegant snow-white buildings, classic Porfirian bandstand, an 18th century church dedicated to San Sebastián and a wealth of 18th century Haciendas, you'll enjoy a privileged glimpse into colonial Mexico, untouched by time.
We spend a week at a resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We decided to take a tour to an old town called San Sebastian, almost two hours from Puerto Vallarta by a large van. The tour was excellent, thoroughly enjoyable. The van was very skillfully driven by a young man named Valentin, and the tour was led by an exceptionally friendly and articulate young man named Cesar.
Just before reaching San Sebastian we stopped at an old hacienda where silver was mined. It is now a museum. In San Sebastian we were treated to a delightful lunch at an informal restaurant, and then we walked around the small town with Cesar telling us about its history and people, and about current Mexican small-town life. We had worried that the trip might be a bit on the boring side, but were thoroughly delighted with it and glad we chose it.
Mc Allister Family














Adventures Blog: Straight from the Guides