San Sebastian del Oeste

A Cool, Misty Former Silver Mining Town At About 1,400 M With Cobbled Streets, Red Tile Roofs, An Old Mint, A Church And A Coffee And Raicilla (Mountain Spirit) Tradition. A Day Trip From Puerto Vallarta For People Who Want Mountains And Colonial Streets Instead Of The Beach. Foggy In The Rainy Season · San Sebastian del Oeste, Jalisco

San Sebastian del Oeste is a former silver-mining town in the Sierra Madre Occidental at about 1,400 m, roughly 65 km north-east of Puerto Vallarta by a winding mountain road that takes about an hour and a half. Founded in the early 1600s, it keeps cobbled streets, red-tile roofs, a simple parish church, the remains of an old mint (Casa de Moneda) and a small museum. Mist settles in the rainy season, so the town feels cool and green after the coast. Visitors come for mine tours, coffee grown on nearby farms and tastings of raicilla, a mountain spirit from agave. It suits people who want colonial streets and mountain air instead of the beach, and it is worth a long day trip or an overnight from Vallarta. It is not worth it if you need nightlife, shops or lots of sights: the town is small, quiet midweek and can be crowded at weekends. Do not count on ATMs working, so bring cash, and bring a jacket for the cool evenings.

San Sebastian del Oeste, a Pueblo Magico in the Sierra Madre Occidental about 65 km north-east of Puerto Vallarta, reached by a winding mountain road; coordinates approximate, San Sebastian del Oeste, Jalisco, Mexico

The streets, plaza and church exterior are open at all hours and FREE to walk. The church is usually open in the daytime except during services. The small museum and old mint area keep short daytime hours and are often CLOSED on Mondays, and a small entry fee may apply. Mine tours and tasting rooms mostly run from late morning to mid-afternoon and may need a booking. Many restaurants close early on weekday evenings in the low season. Confirm hours locally.

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