San Sebastian del Oeste

If you live in Puerto Vallarta or are visiting and want to experience a different environment, San Sebastian del Oeste is a great option. Although it is very close to here, just 67 kilometers away, the change is remarkable. To begin with, the height. In San Sebastian you will no longer be at sea level, but at an altitude of 1,480 meters. This change is noticeable in the weather. No more heat and humidity that makes you sweat. Here you will wake up among clouds! Literally, the fog embraces you and gives the streets of the town a unique touch.

This magical town on the edge of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and of mining origin, had its best moments during the Colony, when it had 20,000 inhabitants; visiting it is like going back in time: its churches, haciendas and old mines are still there.

Its average annual temperature is 20º C; its climate is warm and sub-humid, although dry during winter and spring; made up of forests, plateaus, ravines and rivers.

Visiting San Sebastian is like going back in time to the era of its mining splendor, when in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was an important center for the extraction and processing of silver, with a population four times larger than it has today. Its mines stopped working during the Mexican Revolution, leaving behind its architecture and cobblestone streets that are now an attraction.

How to get to San Sebastián del Oeste

Strangely enough, you can reach San Sebastian by air! That’s right, at the entrance of the town there is an airstrip that can receive small aircrafts. There are also the ATM buses, which have their terminal in the Versalles neighborhood, although the most practical way to get there is by car on State Highway 544. It will take approximately 90 minutes.

One stop worth trying is the delicious bread from San Sebastian del Oeste | Carmen’s Bakery.

On the way to San Sebastian on the highway just at the beginning of the Progreso Barranca Bridge over the San Sebastian River is Carmen’s Bakery.

Without a doubt an obligatory stop when passing through here, they are open Wednesday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mondays they work until noon and rest on Tuesdays.

What to do in San Sebastián del Oeste

When you go, you can’t miss the most interesting spots:

• The church of San Sebastian – is a simple building dedicated to the patron saint, Saint Sebastian Martyr. It was built in the 18th century by Augustinian monks, and its pastor was Fray Servando Alonso Poca Sangre. In the temple you can see the image of the patron saint of the town. Its style is neoclassical and its decoration is baroque.
• Plaza Principal – the typical central plaza of Mexican towns, with a central kiosk and benches to enjoy the afternoon.
• Santa Gertrudis Mine – It was one of the most productive mines in San Sebastian in the 19th century, when silver mining was at its peak, which benefited the Hacienda Jalisco. The mine has a depth of about 60 meters in a straight line, the height is 1.80 meters and the width is 1.70 meters, reducing its size until reaching the end. The location is 2 kilometers east of San Sebastian on the Paso del Norte road. Part of the road is dirt and reduced.
• Hacienda Jalisco – is an old Spanish hacienda that has no electricity, home to the largest mining company of its time and one of the largest in the area, now converted into a mining and metallurgy museum, where maps, documents and objects from over 200 years are exhibited, using tools such as fireplaces and oil lamps which provides a touch of charm. also provides lodging.
• Old Cemetery – yes, a cemetery whose main feature is that the remains of the town’s personalities lie there.
• Viewpoint at the Cerro de la Bufa.

La Bufa Viewpoint

Climb the Cerro de La Bufa, to reach this viewpoint you have to go to the town of San Sebastian del Oeste, in the town you will find several tour providers with an approximate cost of $200 to $250 MXN per person, to make the journey more exciting and the adventure more extreme you can rent 4×4 motorcycles, at the top of the hill there is a natural viewpoint that is 2,411 meters above sea level. From there, above the clouds, you will see the forested sierra and even Banderas Bay, the view is worth it all.

Festivities

• Feast of San Sebastian, January 20th. Celebration with charreadas and traditional fair.
• Feast of the Virgin of the Assumption, August 15. Processions and religious rites.
• Independence party. September 15-16. Great celebration with Mexican night and parade.
• Virgin of the Rosary, October 7. Processions and religious rites.
• Christmas parties. Colorful pastorelas and nativity scenes in the portals.

Photo Credits Courtesy of Francisco Salcedo Photography © La Vista de Frank Special thanks!