Zona Romantica - Old Town South of the River

Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Puerto Vallarta: Malecon and Old Town, a free self-guided tour.

Welcome to the Zona Romantica, also known as Old Town, the neighborhood between the Rio Cuale and Los Muertos Beach. It takes in the colonias of Emiliano Zapata, Alta Vista and Amapas, a grid of cobblestone streets, small hotels, galleries, cafes and taco stands climbing toward the hills.

The name sounds old, but it is mostly a modern tourism label. A popular story ties it to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, though their houses stood on the other side of the river. Since the 1980s the neighborhood has also become known as one of the most welcoming places in Mexico for LGBTQ+ travelers, and you will see rainbow flags on many streets.

You are at Parque Lazaro Cardenas, a neighborhood plaza named for the president who led Mexico in the 1930s, a block from the beach. In the evening locals gather here to talk and watch the kids play. Wander a side street before heading to the sand.

Getting here: Cross the Rio Cuale to the south bank and walk about 400 meters south and toward the sea, along Calle Olas Altas or Calle Ignacio L. Vallarta, to the park.

Did you know?: The Zona Romantica's neighborhood of Emiliano Zapata is named for the hero of the Mexican Revolution.

Photo op: Look up any side street toward the hills and frame the cobblestones, colorful facades and green slopes beyond.

Zona Romantica - Old Town South of the River

Stops on this tour