Secrets of Central Mexico

Travel Just 4U's representative in Mexico will meet you at the airport upon arrival. They will be holding a sign with the Travel Just 4U Logo after you leave the secure area with your bags. Please do not leave the area until you have found your driver.

They will escort you to your private transfer and bring you to your hotel for check in. At this time they will present you with a detailed itinerary for your experiences in Mexico. This is your chance to run through specific pick up times and logistics for your tours in the country.  If you have any questions regarding your itinerary, ask them now.

Hotel Punto MX features rooms with free WiFi in the middle of Mexico City, a 6-minute walk from Zocalo Square. Featuring a fitness centre, the hotel is close to several noted attractions, around an 8-minute walk from Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City, and 600 m from San Juan Market. 

All guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV. With a private bathroom, certain units at Hotel Punto MX also provide guests with a city view. The rooms include a desk.

The accommodation offers a continental or buffet breakfast. At Hotel Punto MX you will find a restaurant serving Mexican cuisine. Dairy-free and vegetarian options can also be requested. The hotel offers a terrace.

Today you will be able to visit both the Anthropological Museum and the museum Dolores Olmedo Patiño as well as the floating gardens of Xochimilco. 

The Museo Nacional de Antropología is the most frequented museum in Mexico. It has 12 exhibition halls, each of which is dedicated to a different pre-Columbian civilization of Mexico and which total an area of nearly 80,000-m². Designed in 1964 by a team led by architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, the monumental construction impresses its visitors especially with a mighty pillar in the patio that supports a huge concrete umbrella. Discover the civilizations of the Olmec, Toltec, Aztecs and Maya, among many others.

From here you will then head to Xochimilco to visit the floatign gardens and museum. Xochimilco is a district in the south of Mexico City and known for its floating gardens that the Aztecs created on Lake Texcoco to supply victuals to its capital. The channels of the “Huertos Flotantes” have a total length of more than 150 km. The gardens were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and are popular with both the inhabitants of Mexico City and tourists. You will board a small boat to be able to get to know the gardens.

Afterwards you will visit the museum Dolores Olmedo Patiño. Here you find important works of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Angelina Beloff and Fernando Gamboa. Olmedo owned a successful construction company and was a loyal patron of the mentioned artists. 1992 she handed the hacienda over to the “people of Mexico.”

For the duration of your private tour within Mexico you will have a private vehicle and a driver guide to accompany you for the duration of your Mexican adventure. While your driver guide does speak English, the level may be slightly more basic than city based guides you will encounter on other guided tours. 

This is an amazing opportunity to interact with a local Mexican who will be incredibly proud to show you their country on this unique road trip. 

Please speak to your consultant if you would like to have a driver and a guide for your private tour. 

You will meet your driver/guide at your hotel and they will take you from Mexico City to Querétaro with a stop at the Monastery of Tepotzotlán. The colonial town of Tepotzotlán, originally populated by the Otomí, lies at an altitude of 2,300 m. It impresses the visitor by its rambling monastery of San Francisco Javier, whose sumptuous church is a masterwork of the Churrigueresque style. It testifies to the great influence the artisans and artists of the Otomí exercised on its construction. But you will also be enchanted by the octagonal side chapel “Camarín de la Virgen”, the three-hectare monastic garden, and the “Museo Nacional del Virreinato” with the most comprehensive collection of religious art treasures from the colonial period.

From Tepotzotlán you will continue in the car to Querétaro where you will be abel to enjoy a city tour. You'll get to visit the Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, and the regional museum in the former San Francisco monastery are just some of the stops. The old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Again and again, the city was the focus of key historical events. Here was the starting point of Mexico’s struggle for independence, and the current Mexican constitution was passed in Querétaro in 1917. Once you have been given a tour of the city, you will head to your hotel and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure. 

The family hotel Méson de Santa Clara is located in the historic centre of Querétaro, only 30 metres from the town museum. The Plaza de Armas as well as many restaurants and picturesque sights are within 10 minutes walking distance. Numerous museums such as the Museo de Arte Sacro and the Museo Regional are also nearby. 

The quietly situated accommodation offers charming, typical regional architecture with a courtyard and a gift shop. The are comfortable rooms are decorated with regional details. Unwind here after an eventful day out with free Wi-Fi and flat screen TV. Some rooms also feature a balcony with a view of the city. The private bathroom has a shower and free care products. 

On site, you can enjoy Mexican cuisine at an à la carte restaurant and sample delicious cocktails in the cosy ambience of the bar.

After breakfast, your driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to visit the sights of Querétaro. The first stop will be of Bernal, this picturesque colonial town at the foot of the Peña de Bernal mountain will enchant you. The sights of Bernal include the Iglesia de San Sebastián, a 17th century church in colonial style with a German clock in its belfry. The bright orange and yellow colors of the church set off impressively against the third-largest rock monolith in the world in the background.

You will then leave Bernal  and drive for about 30 minutes before arriving at  Cadereyta to visit the Schmoll family’s cactus nursery. The cactus nursery La Quinta Schmoll is one of the most important greenhouses for cacti and succulents in Latin America. Hundreds of species are grown here to preserve the biological diversity of species – one of them is the cardón cactus, which has an average lifespan of 500 years and develops its first branch after no less than 70 years. The nursery was founded in 1920 by German biologist Carolina Wagner and continues to be a family-owned business.

Next stop will be the Bodegas de Cote in Ezequiel Montes. The history of the elegant and architecturally unique DE COTE winery started in 1970 when José and Ignacio Calderón decided to buy land in the fertile wine-growing region of Querétaro and to grow wine at an altitude of 2,020 m. An area of more than 50 hectares is meanwhile covered with over 20 different grapes – in particular Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon – and a team of excellent wine-growers processes them to create exquisite Mexican wines. Enjoy your tour through the vineyards and look forward to the degustation of the winery’s specialties. After an full day you will be taken back to your accommodation. 

Your driver will collect you for your private tour from Querétaro to Guanajuato, there will be plenty of stops along the way. Your first stop will be a visit to San Miguel de Allende. The old town is almost untouched and has been a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site since 11th of July 2008. The most prominent landmark is the 17th century cathedral in gothic style – the Parroquia de San Miguel. In 1880, the rose-colored church was rebuilt on the pattern of Ulm Minster. San Miguel is popular all over the world as an art community. Enjoy a walk through the colorful streets.

Visit the Mercado de Artesanías, the large craft market in San Miguel de Allende. Extending over three blocks, it offers masterworks of craftsmanship and gives you the opportunity to discover the beauty and diversity of Mexico in all its colors and facets. From Mexican clothes manufactured according to traditional patterns through jewelry, old-style pewter and colorful accessories to household articles such as elaborately manufactured shawls, dishes and cushions, nothing is left to be desired. Whether you are looking for souvenirs or just want to enjoy the colorful bustle of the Mexican joy of living – the Mercado de Artesanías is always worth a visit!

You will also stop at the Fábrica La Aurora Centro de Arte y Diseño, a former textile mill. It is a center for artists with studios, workshops and numerous small galleries. Local artists from San Miguel de Allende let you look over their shoulders while they do their work and also offer workshops for creative minds. The various halls contain salerooms adequately equipped for modern paintings, designer furniture, antiques, jewelry, or designer clothes, all of which are available in great numbers. Whether you stroll through La Aurora to marvel at the exhibited works of art or enjoy the atmosphere drinking a cup of coffee – the “factory” is definitely worth a visit.

Back on the road but not for long, the next stop is at  Atotonilco. You will see the Church Santuario De Jesús Nazareno. From outside, the Santuario de Jesús Nazareno in Atotonilco with its clerestory windows in form of a cross and the engrailed, turreted wall edges appears both a bit playful and fortress-like. However, in the interior of this UNESCO-listed church, which was built on the model of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem from 1740 onwards, the Baroque splendor is simply overwhelming. Influenced mainly by the Flemish style of painting, local artist Martínez de Pocasangre decorated virtually the entire surface of walls and ceilings with most different scenes in the course of 30 years. It would take you several extended visits to consciously perceive all there is in this “Sistine Chapel of Mexico”.

After leaving  Atotonilco, you will stop at Dolores Hidalgo for a short visit to the town, the cradle of Mexican independence. You will visit the small Museo de la Independencia Nacional installed in a former prison by the city fathers to commemorate the important role that Father Hidalgo had played in the struggle for independence by calling, on a mild September evening, his congregation to fight against the Spaniards.

Your last stop will be where you will have overnight accommodation, in Guanajuato. You'll stop for a panorama view of Guanajuato. With the mountains of the Sierra Gorda in sight, you finally end this day. Above Guanajuato is the Pípila Monument. From this observation platform you have one of the most beautiful views of the old mining town. If you like, you can take the funicular down to the center and let the day end comfortably on the Plaza opposite the opera.

This restored 18th-century house is located in Guanajuato’s old town, just 3 minutes’ walk from the Alhóndiga de Granaditas Museum. It offers its own art gallery and free WiFi in public areas.

Enjoy the historic building’s authentic charm with antique wooden furniture, traditional tiled floors and tasteful decoration with original artworks. Facilities include flat screen cable TV, a safe and a private bathroom with free care products and a hairdryer. The spacious suites also feature a comfortable sitting area, a mini bar, a bathtub and a balcony.

You can also look forward to an art gallery in the hotel and a terrace with a magnificent view over the city’s rooftops. In the morning, a fresh breakfast buffet is served in the Patio de la Palabra. You can use free WiFi in the hotel’s public areas.

El Meson de los Poetas has a patio with sofas, tables and chairs where you can relax with a book. There is also an outdoor terrace with great city views.

After breakfast, you will have a private full day tour of Guanajuato . The first stop will be Diego Rivera’s birth house where you'll visit of the museum Casa Diego Rivera. The museum opened in 1975 in the birth house of the artist, whose fame chiefly rests on his large murals. It provides a comprehensive survey of his oeuvre, and the works, spanning the time from his earliest youth until shortly before his death, allow you to easily follow Diego Rivera’s artistic development. The collection is completed by various paintings by other artists and temporary exhibitions.

Your next stop will be the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The Alhóndiga, a former grain warehouse and afterwards a Spanish fortress, was one of the main theaters of the War of Independence; it was here that a miner who became known by his nickname El Pípila brought about the first important independentist victory in 1810. Today the mighty building accommodates the Regional Museum of Guanajuato, where you can see – apart from pre-Hispanic pottery especially from the Chupicuaro culture – exhibits from colonial times and objects related to the history of Guanajuato. Also on display are the cages that had been hung from the four corners of the Alhóndiga as a warning – they contained the heads of the decapitated first leaders of the rebels.

Your last stop will be the old city of Guanajuato. From the Plaza Allende you start your tour of the old city of Guanajuato. Passing the great Basilica from 1696 and the famous University of Guanajuato, you reach the main square to admire the façades of the great town houses. The magnificent church of San Cayetano, also known as La Valenciana, stands on one of the richest silver mines making this splendor possible. Afterwards, return to your hotel for the rest of the day at your leisure. 

Today's private tour will take you from Guanajuato to Ciudad Valles via Santa María del Río. The first stop will be after approximately 3 hours on the road arriving at Santa María del Río. You will be able to have the chance to visit a Rebozo weaving school. Santa María del Río is renowned for its rebozos, large woven shawls, of one color or with complicated patterns, which are regarded as part of the Mexican national costume. Learn and see how these shawls of silk or light cotton are made and which significance they have in the Mexican culture. Maybe this visit also gives you an idea to enrich your own style by a special touch.

You will then hit the road again for another 3.5 hour drive before arriving to your overnight accommodation at Ciudad Valles where you will have the rest of the day at leisure.

Centrally located in Ciudad Valles, the Grann Hotel awaits you with comfortable, simply furnished rooms. They are equipped with air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi and television and feature their own bathroom with shower and free care products. Room service is also provided. 

Look forward to a large outdoor pool with a whirlpool, which promises refreshment in the patio. On site, there are 2 restaurants to visit. At Monalé, you can enjoy breakfast and international cuisine included in the price. The Mar y Tierra gourmet restaurant serves regional specialties in an elegant setting. Conclude the evening with a delicious cocktail at the bar. 

Other amenities include laundry, cleaning and concierge services. Business travelers can make use of a business centre and conference rooms. There are also several shops and restaurants in the area.

After breakfast, your driver/guide will collect you from your hotel for your full day tour of Ciudad Valles and surounding areas. The first stop will be Xilitla where you'll visit the Sculptures park Las Pozas. In 1962, the eccentric British multimillionaire Edward James began to create Las Pozas de Xilitla, a surrealist park that now unites 36 unfinished concrete sculptures – palaces, temples, winding paths, detached façades, and many other follies – with exotic animals and the predominant nature of the Mexican rain forest, wondrously transforming all these elements into a fantastic “Gesamtkunstwerk.” Edward James was inspired by friends of his such as Salvador Dalí, Magritte and Max Ernst.

After this park visit, you'll jump back in the car for a short ride to Aquismón to visit the Sótano de las Golondrinas. The cave of swallows, in Spanish “Sótano de las Golondrinas,” is the largest open karst cave in the world. Measuring 49 x 62 m at the opening, it widens to 135 x 303 m at the bottom, which is up to 370 m below the surface. The Rockefeller Center of New York would easily fit within this enormous hole. Thousands of white-collared swifts and green paraquets and many other bird species live and nest in the recesses of the cave, which was explored in detail no earlier than 1966.

From Aquismón you will next visit Tamul for a boat trip to the waterfall Tamu. Tour with lanchas (small motorboats) upstream to the place that allows the best view of the Tamul waterfall. Here where the Río Gallinas falls 105 m down into the Río Santa María is the beginning of the Río Tampaón. Steep bluffs, lush vegetation, turquoise blue water, and a rich bird life will impress you during this boat tour. When returning, you make a stop at the Cueva de Agua, a cave with incredibly blue, crystal clear water where you can also swim. Afterwards, you will head back to your hotel in Ciudad Valles

You will be picked up from your hotel by your driver/guide and start the journey from Ciudad Valles to Real de Catorce. This drive will take approximate 5.5 hours and upon arrival you will have a tour of this bustling ghost town in the altiplano. 

Anyone wanting to immerse himself in the surreal world of hippies, artists and locals first has to pass the valley with its miles of lonely cobbled road and dilapidated mining villages and the old Ogarrío Tunnel. During a tour of the half-restored ruins, including visits of the Centro Cultural, the church and the palenque (the former cockpit), you will get to know and love the old silver town.

Look forward to a stay in a unique historic ambience at the hotel Mesón de la Abundancia. Constructed in 1863, the building originally housed the Treasury of Real de Catorce and has been carefully restored to welcome its guests with contemporary comforts. Antique wooden doors and furniture, rustic stone walls and elegant cast-iron elements await you. 

The hotel's individually furnished rooms and suites welcome you with fresh flowers and a selection of regional sweets. They also offer private bathrooms with high quality care products and mineral water included in the price. The historic furniture and the tasteful decoration with original works of art give the rooms the charm of authentic living spaces. Some feature their own balcony or a terrace. Wheelchair accessible options are also available. 

Other amenities include free Wi-Fi in all areas, a 24-hour reception and room service. On site, there is a restaurant with a bar where you can enjoy freshly prepared regional and European dishes in a casual atmosphere. Thanks to its central location, the hotel is a good starting point for exploring the picturesque old town of Real de Catorce.

Your transfer today will take you from Real de Catorce to Zacatecas with a stop at the desert with Peyote cacti. Real de Catorce, a mountain town in a wonderful location amidst the sierra, is the starting point of your tour to the desert plains. A “Willy”, an early 4WD jeep, takes you down an adventurous mountain route. You pass old mining haciendas, stop here and there to visit interesting herb women, and take short hikes in the desert, until you finally arrive at the railroad station of Estación Catorce. 

Learn all about the peyote cactus; known for its psychedelic substances, it has been used by the indigenous Huichol people as a medicine and spiritual drug for times immemorial. Lunch will be in a local restaurant before continuing onto the journey to Zacatecas. This drive will take about 4 hours 

Meson de Jobito offers elegant accommodation in the centre of Zacatecas, just 450 m from the city’s Plaza de Armas. Hotel Mesón de Jobito is set in an atmospheric 18th-century historic home. There are comfortable, stylish rooms and suites around a spacious courtyard with seating.

All rooms at Hotel Meson de Jobito are arranged around a Mexican-style patio. They feature carpeted floors and an elegant colonial-style décor. All rooms are air-conditioned and offer free internet access, flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and balconies overlooking the courtyard

There is a restaurant and a bar at Meson de Jobito. El Mesonero restaurant serves international food, while at Bar Muleros guests can enjoy live music, cocktails and snacks. Room service is also available.

The hotel's central location makes it an ideal base for exploring Zacatecas's picturesque old town, with its many attractions, restaurants and shops within walking distance.

Today you will visit the old colonial city of Zacatecas in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental. It is the richest silver town of Mexico. Your tour of the historic city center (UNESCO World Heritage Site) starts at the cathedral, leads you to the “Museo Rafael Coronel” with a collection of traditional Mexican masks, then to the lookout “Cerro de la Bufa” and finally into the silver mine “Mina El Edén” from the 17th century.

From here you will then head to the silversmith school, Silver de Zacatecas. On the historic premises of former Hacienda de Bernárdez, a group of silversmiths from Zacatecas have made it their business to repopularize the old craft. At the state-run silversmith school, they show great commitment in teaching the production of high-quality silver jewelry. During your tour of the workshops, you can watch the artists and their students at work and during lessons. 

Learn all about the various steps – from design through to quality control. In the large atrium, there are more than 25 small shops, which are associated to the college and where professors and graduates of the school present their works. Here you can buy any object you like.

Before heading back to town there is one more stop to visit the Ruins of La Quemada. The ruined site of La Quemada was built by a Pre-Aztec civilization on a lonely mountain ridge between 400 and 900 AD. It covers an area of more than 250-hectares. Because of its situation, archaeologists assume that La Quemada served as a refuge fort and important trade center. The votive pyramid (a place for oblations and sacrifices), the columns hall, and the ball court have been built of slate, small filling stones and clay. La Quemada was destroyed in a fire in 1,200 AD. After this tour of the ruins, you will head back to your accommodation.

Your drive today will take approximately 2 hours before arriving at Aguascalientes. Upon arrival you will be able to visit the Mexican National Museum of Death in Aguascalientes (Museo Nacional de la Muerte). In the exhibition halls in a colonial building of the university of Aguascalientes, more than 1,200 exhibits related to the subjects of dying, death and transience are on display. Mexico formalizes and exploits death as no other country does. Prehistoric as well as recent artifacts, e.g., death masks, skulls and toys, testify to the worldly end in ways sometimes ludicrous or playful, sometimes powerful and tragic.

You will then visit the Museum José Guadalupe Posada which was opened in 1972 and was the first state-run art museum of Mexico. It is accommodated in a 19th-century building in the heart of Aguascalientes. Supplemented by changing exhibitions, the museum shows works by graphic artist José Guadalupe Posada and his mentor Manuel Manilla in two large halls. The more than 3,000 exhibits include original etchings and prints, zincographies, reproductions on paper, and photos. Particularly inspiring is the “La Catrina” copperplate of 1912 that impressively depicts the symbol of the day of the dead.

In the afternoon you will take an hours drive from Aguascalientes to Calvillo to visit a Guayaba Plantation. The origin of the guava – a plant of the myrtle family is tropical in Central America. During a visit of the plantations and the processing plants of Calvillo, you get interesting information about the cultivation of this fruit with its intense sweet-sour taste. In the little factory, chocolates, jams and guava bread are produced. Did you know that guavas have six times as much vitamin C as oranges? You will then head back to Aguascalientes.

The Francia Hotel is located in the heart of the gorgeous old town of Aguascalientes. With its characteristic architecture, the building, completed in 1925, is a true city jewel. The exterior is fashioned in the French style while the interior is modern and practical. All 74 rooms of the Francia are decorated in a classic European style and guarantee a pleasant atmosphere for the duration of you vacation. 

Its central location makes it an ideal starting point to enjoy the combination of culture and shopping the city offers, or to visit the many historical places such as the Plaza de la Patria or the Plaza de las Tres Centurias. The Francia is connected to the popular Mexican department store Sanborn’s. 

While staying at the Aguascalientes Francia Hotel, guests can enjoy in-room coffeemakers as well as free wireless internet access. The hotel also provides on-site dining at Sanborns restaurant, which offers international cuisine along with traditional Mexican dishes.

Your driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel this morning for your transfer to Guadalajara. You will have a 4.5 hour drive and then will have a stop at a Agave field of Tequila. When visiting the agave fields at the foot of the volcano Tequila,  you'll learn interesting facts about this plant, which belongs to the asparagus family – from cultivation to the different forms of cutting to harvest. A jimador demonstrates the art of agave cutting, a knowledge handed down from father to son.

You will then visit the town of Tequila and Casa José Cuervo. After a short walk along the zócalo, you visit the Casa José Cuervo where, after a tour of the historic production facilities, you are invited to a tequila tasting in the vaulted cellars. Learn how tequila is stored, how it ages, and how, when and with what you should drink it best.

Afterwards, continue the journey to Guadalajara. Upon arrival you will be given the chance to see some Charrería  or Mexican cowboys. The charrerías have their origin in the competitions of Mexican cowboys, the vaqueros. At a charrería, they demonstrated their daily work on the haciendas and showed off their horsemanship. Today, however, the charrería is much more than just a demanding sport – it is a social and folkloristic event with much dancing and singing. Thoroughbreds, the charros in their typical costumes, lovely adelitas – in short, it is a fiesta Mexicana par excellence and for many Mexicans the only true national sport.

Located in the charming historic district of Guadalajara, Mexico, the Hotel de Mendoza offers guests a peaceful setting while exploring the attractions of this historic city.

The spacious rooms and suites stylishly combine wooden furniture with light tones and are equipped with free WiFi, flat-screen TVs, air conditioning and safes. The hotel is also suitable for guests with reduced mobility. 

The restaurant La Forja offers Mexican and international cuisine, the fresh American breakfast can also be enjoyed in the room. An outdoor pool with whirlpool awaits you in the courtyard. A spacious, furnished roof terrace with a panoramic view of the sights of the old town invites you to relax. 

The hotel also has a fitness center and three conference rooms with a view. Its central location makes De Mendoza an ideal base for exploring the historic city center. 

This morning, you will have a sightseeing tour of Guadalajara. Visit the center of Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico, birthplace of Mariachi music and tequila. Your first stop is the Cabañas Hospice, the largest colonial building in America; the construction includes 23 patios, surmounted by an impressive dome. In 1997, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The center of Guadalajara is the cathedral, which is surrounded by four beautiful plazas.

Afterwards your driver/guide will start the journey to Puerto Vallarta. You will have a stop at the artisans’ town of Tlaquepaque on the old Camino Real. The picturesque shops of the small town, close-packed as on a large market, offer you all traditional Mexican crafts. Stroll the pretty pedestrian area, or have a look into the romantic patios. How about a refreshing drink in the Patio Café? Afterwards continue on your journey to Puerto Vallarta, this drive will take approximately 5.5 hours. 

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Now Amber Resort and Spa features an outdoor swimming pool and private access to the beach. It offers luxurious all-inclusive accommodation and includes on-site water facilities.

Now Amber Spa includes hot tubs, a sauna and steam cabin, a Swiss shower and an acupressure shower. There is also a relaxation lounge and guests can enjoy a range of beauty and massage treatments.

Now Amber Resort’s air-conditioned rooms feature an elegant décor and offer garden or ocean views. In-room amenities include free Wi-Fi, cable and satellite TV, and free bathroom toiletries.The Preferred Club Suites feature a private hot tub on the balcony with panoramic views of Banderas Bay.

Offering 5 restaurants including 1 buffet, 4 à la carte, 1 barefoot grill and 1 café with no reservations required. All restaurant openings rotate throughout the week. The five bars range from a swim-up bar to a lounge with dance floor and casino. Live entertainment is provided every evening. 

In addition, as part of our Sip, Savour & See dining program the adult guests will be delighted with our three more venues for dinners only, located at our sister Resort Secrets Vallarta Bay.

This complex also features free-roaming local and international calls through the Now Resorts & SPA mobile app using the on-site Wi-Fi connection.

Puerto Vallarta is a relaxed, beachside town on the coast of Jalisco, Mexico, that has long been popular with tourists from all over the world.  A former mining town in the Bahía de Banderas (Bay of Flags), Puerto Vallarta today is a booming resort city with a cosmopolitan crowd.

A holiday in Puerto Vallarta will be a joyous blur of beaches, tasty cuisine and bars. You can take trips into the Sierra Madre mountains or out onto the bay, which has protected islands with caves, reefs and tunnels. Humpback whales come down to the bay at the same time as the tourist hordes, and are not to be missed on a spotting expeditions. here are some suggestions to do whilst in this popular destination:

Las Islas Marietas: Formed thousands of years ago by volcanic activity, these uninhabited islands lie just off the coast of Nayarit, Mexico. Las Islas Marietas are accessed only during low tide and via tours from both Puerto and Nuevo Vallarta, and the trip is well worth it. 

Cerro de la Cruz: Recently remodeled, for lack of a better word, the Cerro de la Cruz is the peak of a steep and sweaty climb that affords absolutely astounding views of all Puerto Vallarta. 

Vallarta Botanical Gardens: Further out from the center of Vallarta, snaking down the coastal road towards the south of the state, you’ll find the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. Often underrated and ignored by holidaymakers in this pretty town, these gardens are spectacular.

Canopy Tour: Scared of heights? What better way to conquer your fear than by zip-lining over some absolutely gorgeous valleys and forests in the heart of the jungle? 

Vallarta Marina: Wind down after a day of adventure by visiting the docks at the marina in Puerto Vallarta. Littered with a slew of great dining options and bars, it’s the perfect place to gaze out at the night sky and the twinkly lights of the boats that are docked there

Playa Las Gemelas: As a rule, the beaches improve the farther from the center of Vallarta you venture. Avoid the popular and most well-known Puerto Vallarta beach, Los Muertos, in favor of more tranquil, authentic, and beautiful sandy delights.

Snorkel at Los Arcos: What is one of the most awe-inspiring places to snorkel on the west coast of Mexico? Just off Los Arcos, the magnificent rock formations familiar to all who have visited Puerto Vallarta.

Release Turtles in Nuevo Vallarta: Another excellent day trip to take if you’re vacationing in Puerto Vallarta is the journey to Nuevo Vallarta to take part in a conservation project and release baby sea turtles.

Today you have the day to enjoy the all inclusive facilities at your resort. You can spend the day exploring the islands off the coast or relax with a cocktail by the beach, the choice is yours.

You will have the morning at leisure before bidding farewell to your driver/guide who will pick you up and transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.