Puerto Vallarta

Nestled amid a sweeping mountain landscape, the vibrant beach resort town of Puerto Vallarta is renown as the gourmet beach capital of Mexico, featuring culinary delights at every turn along streets peppered with restaurants, bars and boutiques. Puerto Vallarta, which sits within the state of Jalisco on Mexico’s largest bay on the Pacific Ocean, also boasts 25 miles (40 kilometers) of beautiful beaches and features the lush greenery of the jungle-clad Sierra Madre—all worthy of exploring during an MSC World Cruise.

MSC Cruises excursions offer plenty of exciting activities and things to see and experience including:

• Culinary Discoveries
• Jeep Safari & Beach Adventure
• Boardwalk Malecón

With plenty of places to whet one’s appetite in Puerto Vallarta, our World Culinary Discoveries excursion takes you on an adventure that starts at the local market, whose stalls are laden with fruits and vegetables, and ends at Hacienda Doña Engracia, the only family-owned and operated artisanal tequila factory in the area, for an authentic cooking lesson of Pork Tostadas and Chicken Enchiladas and a tequila tasting at the ranch. Meanwhile, our Taste of Mexico excursion takes you on a jungle drive through the Sierra Madre Mountains to a villa nearly 1,000 feet above sea level where a master chef will prepare local delicacies for you to feast on while taking in one of the best views in Mexico.
For something more adventurous, our Jeep Safari & Beach Adventure will have you trekking caravan-style through the scenic countryside, past fruit and tobacco plantations, to relish the spectacular natural beauty of the area.
To embrace the city’s vibe, don’t miss the picturesque Romántica Zone, where quaint cobblestone streets and red-tile roofs converge with modernity to create a magical atmosphere full of culture, art, entertainment and history. Here, on our Puerto Vallarta Highlights excursion, enjoy the famous Boardwalk Malecón, a mile-long promenade along the expansive coastline of beautiful Banderas Bay where artistic pavings form drawings created from pebbles and bronze sculptures, including the emblematic “The Boy on the Seahorse” statue by artist Rafael Zamarripa, line the path. Heading past City Hall, see one of the city’s prettiest landmarks, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose bell tower rises majestically, showcasing a wrought iron crown held up by angels. Then soak up the view from Olas Altas, one of the most popular beaches in Puerto Vallarta.