Mexico’s famed beach resort towns of Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas continuously attracts visitors from all over the world. Impressive beach settings and countless commercial establishments that offer fun and entertainment are their major selling points. What many don’t know, however, is that Mexico has other cultural attractions that will surely charm and enchant visitors as well as those lucky enough to make Mexico their second home – Pueblos Magicos.

Pueblos Mágicos

Pueblos Magicos (magical towns) are classified quaint villages that offer a glimpse of the country’s rich culture and tradition. The Mexican Secretary of Tourism has endorsed around 80 towns throughout Mexico with the “Pueblo Magico” seal of approval to guide visitors to find new and exciting ways of discovering Mexico and its great people.

Pueblos magicos are selected towns that are rich history and cultural heritage. It’s a program that was started in 2001 and acknowledges places like San Sebastian del Oeste, a quaint town located just over an hour from Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta A 1605 mining town, San Sebastian showcases the Mexican way of life and the traditional means of its people. Every visitor’s heart and emotions will be touched and mesmerized, and it’s within easy reach of your home away from home at Villa La Estancia Residences.

A perfect day trip from Villa La Estancia, San Sebastian del Oeste pueblo magico offers a variety of activities. Its beautiful landscape that is surrounded entirely by the picturesque Sierra Madre Mountains is a scene changer for anyone whose busy life centers around the city. One can simply walk around and view old buildings which are great examples of traditional colonial architecture or sit in the town’s tree lined plaza people watching.

If you are feeling a little more energetic, you can take a hike to the nearby Cerro de la Bufa and be with the company of clouds while the dusk provide a stunning sunset drama unfolding right before your eyes. For coffee lovers, visit Quinta Mary and have a taste of a purely organic coffee and a chance to see the meticulous production process it undergoes. Experience a different kind of experience where the contemporary blends with the traditional, taking visitors back in time a hundred years or more.

Today, San Sebastian is a home to just 600 inhabitants, a far cry from what used to be 20,000 population sustained through a thriving mining industry. Nowadays you can simply sit back and sit idly in a wooden chair admiring the overall appeal of this stunning town. The next time you visit Riviera Nayarit, take the time to explore San Sebastian and you’ll never forget the magical experience it will bring.