Exploring San Sebastian del Oeste Sylvia McNamee - VisitPuertoVallarta.com
go to original October 1, 2012

Photo Source: mexplora.com

One of the many reasons that Puerto Vallarta is such a popular tourist destination is that it is the ideal home base for exploring the many little towns and villages around Banderas Bay. San Sebastian del Oeste is a perfect place to spend the day exploring.

San Sebastian is located approximately 90 minutes from Puerto Vallarta during a scenic drive through the lush Sierra Madre.

It was founded as a mining town back in 1605 and was a principal supplier of gold, silver, lead and zinc. In fact, San Sebastian was integral in the founding of Puerto Vallarta, as our city, then called Las Peñas, began as a shipping point to send precious metals back to Spain.

The last mine in San Sebastian closed in 1921 and today the population of the town is a mere 600 inhabitants, a shadow of the booming city of 20,000 residents back in the early 1800's.

Beautiful colonial architecture remains and visitors will feel like they are stepping back in time as they wander the charming cobblestone streets.

Some popular activities in San Sebastian are a visit to the town's beautiful church, first constructed in the 1600's but then rebuilt in 1868 after it was damaged by an earthquake, the Dona Conchita Museum which is a wonderful place to learn about the history of the town, and the Hacienda Jalisco Museum and Tour which will give you a taste of Spanish Colonial Mexico.

For the more adventurous, there are also ATV and horseback tours available for very reasonable prices.