The word Charro identifies Mexicoâs traditional horse r...
Attractions of Jalisco
PUERTO VALLARTA
Located in the second largest bay in America, the Banderas bay, the city and beaches of Puerto Vallarta welcome millions of visitors each year. Famous for the fishing tournaments taking place every year on November, and for the hectic nightlife across its numerous bars and clubs facing the seafront, now this popular destination presents a new option, the beautiful beaches of Nuevo Vallarta, located just 30 minutes away from the original compound, and now one of the most modern and complete tourist developments in the country, as it contains five kilometers of beaches framed by wonderful resorts and high-end hotels, and also offers a luxury Marina with a capacity of no less than 250 vessels. The beaches of both Vallartas, the traditional and the new, represent the ideal location for those inclined towards sporting activity, such as diving, snorkeling and windsurfing, as well as cycling, tennis and golf.
TEQUILA EXPRESS
A unique route in its kind is awaiting visitors who embark on the train trip known as the "Tequila Express, the Legend", a ride on a luxury train that takes an hour and a half during which the passengers may admire the superb Jalisco valleys along with a complementary bar offering beer, snacks, and of course, tequila.
The final destination is the old Hacienda or large estate known as San Jose del Refugio, home to the famous tequila called Herradura or Horseshoe, in the state municipality of Amatitan, where the liquor's production goes as far back as the XIX century, and were a guided tour takes visitors through the various steps in the production of the strong yet exquisite Mexican spirit. And, as the icing on the cake, the experience is rounded up with a buffet displaying typical Mexican dishes while enjoying a traditional folkloric show typical of the region of Guadalajara.
Currently, the cultivation fields around the area are considered as UNESCO patrimony, and other distilleries open to the public include La Rojeña, Tequila Souza, Jalisco, Azteca and Rubio Distilleries, La Cofradia, and Tequilas Don Roberto and Orendain.
GUADALAJARA
The colonial capital city of the state of Jalisco, Guadalajara attracts countless tourists arriving to the city for both pleasure or business, due to the wide scope of options and possibilities it has to offer, which in turn makes it rather difficult to fully get to know the city in just one visit. Founded in the year 1542, the historic core is kept in mint condition and contains grand plazas of a distinctive Spanish ambience, while the modern metropolitan area enjoys an intense economical and commercial dynamism, propelled and nourished by the daily celebration of the most Mexican of expressions: Tequila, Mariachi, and Horsemanship.
Handicrafts made of ceramic, blown glass, tin, gold, and silver are manufactured in the municipality of Tlaquepaque, also one of the most important centers nationwide regarding the pottery industry and tradition, and all this locally made items are offered to visitors and residents alike in the many artisan shops that abound in the center of this region.
Counting no less than eleven different techniques for working with ceramics, the municipality of Tonala represents a major artisan locality, only 14 kilometers from downtown Guadalajara, and also features a stunning folkloric dance performed by the Tastoanes, a show visitors are advised not to miss. Meanwhile, the municipality of Zapopan, "the place of sapodilla plum" or zapote , offers lovely craftworks made of carved stone and dry corn leaves, as well as fine wooden furniture.