Ixtlán del Río is a town in southern Nayarit and the seat of the municipality of the same name, on the road between Guadalajara and Tepic. Its main draw is the archaeological site of Los Toriles, just outside town, known for a circular temple. The center is an easy place to pause, walk the plaza and eat before continuing through the region.
History
The clearest record of Ixtlán del Río's past is the archaeological site of Los Toriles, on the edge of town, where a pre-Hispanic settlement left platforms, plazas and a round temple. The site shows that people were living and building here long before the Spanish arrived.
Today the town is the seat of its municipality and a stop on the route that connects Jalisco with the Nayarit capital. It joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2023.
Climate mild
Best months to visit: Jan, Mar, Nov, Dec (driest months with comfortable afternoons)
Average daily high and low (°C) and monthly rainfall, 2020–2024.
Plan your trip
Tours & activities
Guided tours, tastings, and day trips in and around Ixtlán del Río.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.
Photos
Where it is
Ixtlán del Río within Mexico
The town up close · Open in Google Maps
Getting there
- Fly into TPQ: Amado Nervo National Airport, about 59 km away in a straight line
Drive times are estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic.
Nearby Pueblos Mágicos
5 km away
7 km away
25 km away
45 km away
Sources: population from Wikidata (may count the whole municipality) · elevation and climate from Open-Meteo · airports from OurAirports (straight-line distance).