Tour Around the City from tip to tip and Beyond

This is a guided introduction to Puerto Vallarta: what the city offers, where locals enjoy spending time, and part of the culture and traditions of both the city and Mexico in general. The tour lasts about 240 minutes and combines short walks with stretches by vehicle.

It begins at the old cemetery, whose walls are decorated with murals alluding to the Day of the Dead. You get a brief explanation of the celebration and some of its elements. Right across the street is the Mercado del Mar, where the guide explains the corn tortilla process and why it matters in Mexican culture, followed by a short walk inside the market (about 20 minutes).

You then walk through downtown to see the main sculptures, with time for photos, and continue past the Malecón to the main church. On the way you cross the main square, where the origin of the port's name and a bit of colonial influence are explained, and at the church entrance you hear a short story about the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

After crossing the Cuale Bridge you arrive in Old Vallarta and head into the Romantic Zone. You visit Plaza de los Azulejos (formerly Lázaro Cárdenas), one of the newer attractions, and walk a block to Playa Los Muertos, the most popular beach, where the pier is the main sight (about 30 minutes).

You then drive south along federal highway 200 to the Los Arcos de Mismaloya viewpoint, a rock formation that began forming thousands of years ago (about 30 minutes), and continue to the Playa Mismaloya viewpoint. This is the beach that put the destination on the international map when the movie Night of the Iguana was filmed there, and where the romance between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor is said to have intensified. On the way back you stop at the craft market for souvenirs (about 30 minutes).

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels and wheelchair accessible, and help can be provided to people in wheelchairs who can stand and climb into the vehicle on their own or with a little help. A bilingual accredited guide and private transportation are included; refreshments are not. The meeting point is a hotel lobby, a villa address or the Maritime Terminal.