Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Condé Nast Traveler magazine on Monday announced the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Small Cities in the World.”
For the 2019 ranking, more than 600,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers across the globe submitted a record-breaking number of responses rating the world’s cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, airlines, and airports – good and bad.
In terms of cities, Mexico had a nice showing in the smaller cities category, with Mérida coming in at #1, Puerto Vallarta at #5, and Puebla at #8 among Condé Nast readers’ favorite destinations for travel in 2019.
“We welcome this honor with open arms because it represents so many of the people who have visited our great shores,” said Javier Aranda, Director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board. “We believe this is the result of the warm and welcoming atmosphere offered by the city and its people. During the voting period, we read so many kind posts in social media by people pushing for us; this kind of accolade is a testament to the destination’s friendliness… and that those who visit Puerto Vallarta return its love.”
Promoted as the “Mexican beach with the heart of a pueblo,” Puerto Vallarta offers an unrivaled combination of simple pleasures and sophisticated charms. Fine dining restaurants, art galleries, upscale shopping centers, internet cafes and nightclubs peacefully coexist alongside taco stands, street-side vendors and open air markets selling Mexican handcrafts, and strolling Mariachi bands.
Add to this accommodations for every budget, a wide variety of outdoor activities and adventure excursions, including mountain biking, bird watching and paddle boarding, and Puerto Vallarta is one of the most versatile travel destinations in the world.
For those who want to incorporate pampering and holistic healing into their vacation, PV is a wellness retreat with many salons and spas delivering a wide range of outstanding treatments to satisfy your mind, body and spirit. The destination hosts a number of wellness-focused events, one of the biggest being the annual Free Soul Festival, which is set to take place from November 29 through December 1st of this year.
Puerto Vallarta is also home to one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing arts scenes in Mexico. With more than 30 galleries displaying works by local, national and international artists, the art on offer ranges from native indigenous art and traditional Mexican silverware, glasswork and pottery to folk art, contemporary paintings and sculptures. Art aficionados will enjoy the numerous gallery events and guided art walks that are an integral part of the local art scene.
The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.” Puerto Vallarta has had a long and prosperous history with the Readers’ Choice Awards, first appearing on the list as “World’s Friendliest City” in 2001.
More recently, in 2017, Puerto Vallarta was one of three Mexican cities listed in the “Top 40 Cities in the World” and one of just two cities in Mexico added to the “Top 20 Small Cities in the World” category. Puerto Vallarta was also the only beach city to be added to both lists.
The 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards have been published on Condé Nast Traveler’s website and will be celebrated in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s U.S. and U.K. print editions.