Travel tips

When you stay in a luxurious rental villa in Puerto Vallarta, it’s pretty easy to grow so content with your surroundings that you don’t venture far from the villa. Believe it or not, the city has a very interesting past. Situated on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta’s is a story of modern economic prosperity - whalers, silver mining, fresh fruit exports, and today, tourism all help explain the city’s growth. The region’s cultural roots are deep, however, as a day trip to the Mascota region will show.

Some people believe that the first settlers in Puerto Vallarta migrated from Mascota, in the highlands, to the coast. A lush green agricultural region, Mascota lies approximately two hours inland from Puerto Vallarta. People of European descent have been living and working in this beautiful valley, which today is famous for the horses it produces, for more than four centuries. Horse lovers from all over Mexico travel to Mascota to purchase fine animals, and many bring their horses to the valley to be trained.

Europeans were not the first inhabitants in the Mascota area, situated in Jalisco’s western highlands.  Ancient peoples who made their homes here left a vivid  record of their lives and ceremonies carved in the rocks in the form of fascinating petroglyphs. Artifacts from their ceremonial sites and cemeteries also reveal the rich cultural heritage of the region. The region’s pre-history has made it the subject of serious archaeological research for many years; local treasures are housed in Mascota’s museum, a terrific collection of dolls, pottery and a lovely faceted gemstone.

It is possible to get a glimpse of Mascota’s past at the Mascota Museum and the Mascota Casa de Cultura. The museum represents the fond labors of Raoul Rodriguez, his personal collection. Much of his collection reflects modern Mascota, including mementos of Mascota native and film star Ester Fernandez, who filled the screen during Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema. The collection also features the oil paintings of Mascota artist Gilberto Guerra. A half-block up the street, the Mascota Casa de Cultura houses a permanant exhibit of photographs that explore some of the 12,000 petroglyphs left by ancient inhabitants that pay homage to sun, water, and fertility.

It is very easy to get to Mascota from Puerto Vallarta, although it’s a very long day trip. Buses from town make the trip daily, or if you prefer, you can drive your own car on the newly finished road. For travellers with a taste for upscale adventures, it is possible to jump on a special charter flight and tour the entire region, including stops in San Sebastian, Talapa and Mascota.

When you finish your tour and you’re back in Puerto Vallarta, settle in for a pleasant night at your luxury rental villa. Relax on your private patio with an icy beverage and watch the sun set over Banderas Bay. If you’re still looking for the perfect villa rental, do a keyword search for villa rental Puerto Vallarta to find accommodations that suit you perfectly.