Puerto Vallarta Named One Of The Best Cities In The World In Condé Nast Traveler's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards

Puerto Vallarta, where the wild beauty of the Pacific coast meets the vibrant spirit of Mexico, has once again been named one of the Best Cities in the World in Condé Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards. Celebrated for its breathtaking natural landscape, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sierra Madre mountains, along with its rich heritage and warm hospitality, Puerto Vallarta earned the #9 spot in the Small Cities category, as voted by over 575,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers. This accolade crowns a year of record-breaking international arrivals and all-time high hotel occupancy rates this summer, making Puerto Vallarta a must-visit destination for the upcoming holiday season.

Photo by Allen Barkus

The Readers' Choice Awards, revered as the longest-running and most prestigious accolades in the travel industry, showcase destinations travelers eagerly anticipate revisiting. The full list of winners can be found here.

"We're incredibly honored to be recognized by Condé Nast Traveler readers once again," said Luis Villaseñor, Managing Director of Puerto Vallarta's Tourism Board. "Puerto Vallarta invites travelers to embrace the unexpected, whether through breathtaking adventures in our jungles, tranquil moments on our beaches, or the deep cultural connections they experience throughout the city. We're grateful to everyone who voted—it's a testament to why so many visitors fall in love with our destination and keep returning."

Puerto Vallarta welcomed 2.97 million international visitors from January to September 2024, marking a 3.7% increase compared to the same period last year. This summer also saw record-high hotel occupancy rates, further emphasizing the city's growing appeal as travelers seek out its unique landscapes, authentic experiences, and world-class hospitality.

The city continues to expand its array of accommodations, catering to every type of traveler. This fall, Tryst Puerto Vallarta, a luxurious new hotel, will open in late October in the heart of the lively Romantic Zone, adding to the city's inclusive and inviting atmosphere as a renowned destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. Visitors can also choose from a variety of resort options, from all-inclusive stays at Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort, Velas Vallarta, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa, and Hyatt Ziva, to charming boutique hotels such as Casa Kimberly, BellView Boutique Hotel, and Hacienda San Angel. For those looking to reconnect with nature and themselves, Xinalani and the adults-only Villa Lala offer eco-friendly retreats off the beaten path.

Puerto Vallarta's Pacific & Wild spirit shines this fall and winter, inviting visitors to explore the region's diverse landscapes and wildlife. Whale-watching season runs from December through March, while the tail end of sea turtle nesting offers unforgettable wildlife encounters. Adventure seekers can enjoy thrilling activities with Canopy Rivers and Vallarta Adventures, from zip-lining through the jungle to river tours. Athletes can test their endurance at the Puerto Vallarta Mexico by UTMB on November 7-9, an ultra-trail running event with races ranging from 10K to 147K that traverse the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, the jungle, and down to the Pacific coastline. While outdoor adventures are plentiful, Puerto Vallarta's cultural traditions also remain a highlight, with Día de los Muertos November 1-2 providing a meaningful way to honor and remember departed loved ones, followed by the Festival Gourmet International November 7-17 for food and wine lovers, and concluding with the Our Lady of Guadalupe Festival December 1-12, which brings lively processions and folkloric dancers to the streets.

The 2024 Readers' Choice Awards are published on Condé Nast Traveler's website at cntraveler.com/rca and celebrated in the November issue.

For more information on Puerto Vallarta, visit https://visitpuertovallarta.com.

The State Of Guanajuato Continues In Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards As One Of The Best Cities In The World

The Mexican state of Guanajuato has been included in one of the tourism world’s most prestigious recognitions, the Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2023, where San Miguel de Allende once again place as one of the best cities in the world, the only Mexican city on the list. In addition, three hotels in Guanajuato made the “Top Hotels in Mexico” list: Rosewood San Miguel de Allende No. 8, Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada No. 2 and topping the list as the Best Hotel, is Hotel Matilda.

San Miguel de Allende has appeared on this prestigious list since 2013, over the course of these years, it has been recognized as “Best Small City in the World” among others. Known as the “Heart of Mexico”, the city is known for its architecture, traditions, and art scene, but some may find it surprising that its natural light and beauty is also favored by winemakers. The region around San Miguel de Allende is one of the world’s newest places for viniculture.

Part of Guanajuato’s La Ruta del Vino Valle de la Independencia (The Wine Route). Wine country here is located right in the center of Mexico, in the Bajío area, known for its year-round spring-like weather and majestic backdrops of evergreens, cacti, farms and haciendas.

Visitors to the area will experience Mexican rural living while tasting fine wines and food pairings. Find out how to pair local wines with international cuisines and learn about the winemaking production process and Mexico’s rich history of winemaking at different winery tours and events held throughout the year. It’s a fantastic destination for friends’ getaways, corporate functions, and weddings and honeymoons.

Guanajuato’s wine region has four paths that depart from the city in the direction of either Guanajuato City, Queretaro, Celaya or Dolores Hidalgo. The following are some highlights along each route.

Towards Queretaro

Traveling towards Queretaro, visitors will find the natural, organic, and sustainable space known as Toyan Vineyard, a place full of mysticism and energy that offers exquisite artisanal wines surrounded by unique medieval architecture. This site boasts mysterious experiences in its underground cellar and lounge with tours in three modalities — diamond, gold, and silver — accompanied by a “pet-friendly” mode. www.vinicolatoyan.com

This tour ends with San Lucas and San Francisco wineries, sister properties just 15 minutes away from SMA’s historic center. Among lavender crops, olive trees and grapevines, visitors can enjoy the magic of oenology through sensory experiences — tasting tours of the properties accompanied by lavender workshops. It is worth mentioning that this development also has two hotels, a spa, a pool and two restaurants serving Mediterranean, Mexican, and international cuisine of the best quality. Also available are polo, biking, yoga, horseback riding, grape crushing, and swimming with the day pass service. www.vinedossanlucas.com

Towards Celaya

Heading out on the San Miguel de Allende Highway towards the city of Celaya, visitors will find the 400-year-old San Miguel vineyard, run by the Cuadra family. Its 60 hectares (148 acres) of vineyard are full of 13 varieties of grapes, including three popular in the region: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. The Bodega San Miguel cellar, measuring 10,000 square meters (108,000 square feet), is one of the largest in the state. This agricultural landscape of great history and beauty is considered a “must” in the destination. www.vinedosanmiguel.com.mx

Towards Guanajuato city and Dolores Hidalgo

On the way to Guanajuato City, on a hill overlooking the lights of the Heart of Mexico, lies the San José la Vista Vineyard, characterized by many as the most exclusive and beautiful place to celebrate a dream wedding. The property boasts a restaurant, wine cellar, gardens, terraces, a hotel and the place where magic happens — the winery. This is an artisanal concept, with first-rate, modern facilities offering Malbec, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, as well as four tasting options and wine pairing accompanied by a guided tour. www.haciendasanjoselavista.com

Continuing the way to the “Pueblo Magico” of Dolores Hidalgo, at Km 73 on the highway, is Tres Raices. This grand complex features enormous sculptures and artworks inspired by Mexican culture, a series of lakes and multiple spaces to escape. A complete concept, it offers local cuisine, tastings, wine tours and an underground cellar wrapped in 60 hectares (148 acres). Unique experiences include guests doing tastings while blindfolded to enhance the smell and taste; bottling one’s very own wine; and delighting in a five-course tasting menu. Tours of the property and open-air tastings are also available. www.viñedotresraices.com

Guanajuato’s main airport is the Bajio International Airport (BJX) in Silao, which provides connectivity to the main destinations in Mexico and the United States.

Philadelphia Makes National Geographic’s Best Trips List for 2020 As Best City

     

PHILADELPHIA – With the publication of its annual Best Trips list, National Geographic announces the 25 must-see destinations and travel experiences for 2020. Within the list, 17 of the 25 destinations were nominated, researched, reported, and written in collaboration with National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 17 international editorial teams. Philadelphia was selected in the City category.

With a goal to bring readers a global itinerary of destinations to discover and transformative experiences to seek in the new year, the list champions National Geographic’s sustainable tourism goals, which include supporting cultural engagement, community benefit, geographic and thematic diversity, affordability and value. The list is organized into four general categories: Culture, City, Nature, and Adventure.

“Best Trips is our annual list of where to go, what to know and how to see the world in the year ahead,” says George Stone, Executive Editor, Travel. “The list features 25 timely and global destinations and experiences that make for a year of transformative travels. To build the list we worked with National Geographic editors around the world as well as photographers, writers, explorers and, of course, passionate travelers to report on the essential sites to see and places to be in 2020.”

“We’re thrilled that Philadelphia is featured so prominently and beautifully in this influential publication that we know drives travel decisions,” said Jeff Guaracino, VISIT PHILADELPHIA® president and CEO. “In 2005, National Geographic Traveler called Philadelphia the ‘Next Great City’. It’s awesome to see that more than a decade later, they’re still enamored of and advocates for our historic, modern and always-evolving town.”

National Geographic’s Best Trips 2020 destinations:

CULTURE 

1. Asturias, Spain
2. Guizhou Province, China (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler China edition) 
3. Gobekli Tepe, Turkey (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Turkey edition) 
4. Maya, Guatemala (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Latin American edition) 
5. Mendoza Province, Argentina  
6. Abu Simbel, Egypt (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Israel edition) 

CITY 

1. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2. Telc, Czechia (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Czechia edition) 
3. Fort Kochi, Kerala, India (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler India edition) 
4. Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Netherlands edition) 
5. Parma, Italy 
6. Puebla, Mexico 

NATURE 

1. Magdalen Islands, Quebec, Canada   
2. Kalahari Desert, Botswana (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Romania edition)  
3. Bialowieza Forest, Belarus/Poland (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Poland edition) 
4. National Blue Trail, Hungary (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Hungary edition) 
5. Canary Islands, Spain (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Spain edition) 
6. Maldives (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler France edition)
7. Grand Canyon, Arizona

ADVENTURE 

1. Tasmania, Australia (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Korea edition)  
2. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Germany edition)  
3. Wales Way, United Kingdom (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler U.K. edition)
4. Tohoku, Japan
5. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Russia edition) 
6. Zakouma National Park, Chad (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Italy edition) 

The Best Trips 2020 list is available online now at NatGeo.com/BestTrips, where readers will be transported to each place through iconic photography and vivid narratives. Readers will be able to dive deeper into four of the Best Trips destinations — Asturias, Philadelphia, Iles de la Madeleine and Tasmania — with full-length articles that explore the culture, history, food and terrain of each place.

To learn more about each destination, visit NatGeo.com/BestTrips.

National Geographic Partners LLC

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

VISIT PHILADELPHIA is the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.