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    Bandstand in the Plaza de Armas of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Plaza de Armas with the tower of the Guadalupe church, Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Papel picado over the Plaza de Armas, Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    Landmark Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Municipality of Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay

    The town's main square by the Malecón, with its bandstand, Ignacio Vallarta statue and danzón on Thursday and Sunday evenings.

    From Puerto Vallarta: 5 min by car (4 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Tours to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    Look for tours of the area around Sayulita that stop at Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta.

    Tours from Puerto Vallarta Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ★ 5.0 (3,971) · From US$59
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    How to get to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 5 min by road (~4 km)
    • Nearest airport: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), 41 min by car to Sayulita
    Rent a car at PVR Flights to PVR

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Puerto Vallarta, near Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ★ 5.0 (3,971) 3 h 30 min From US$59
    Puerto Vallarta Extreme Adventure: Wildest Bridge, ATV & Ziplines ★ 4.9 (3,357) 6 h From US$69
    Puerto Vallarta Zipline, Rappel, Water Slide & Speedboat tour ★ 4.9 (2,144) 6 h 30 min From US$69
    Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails ★ 5.0 (1,949) 4 h From US$98
    Puerto Vallarta Rhythms of the Night, Dinner Cruise and Alma Show ★ 4.5 (2,093) 5 h From US$119

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    The Plaza de Armas is Puerto Vallarta's main square, in the old town (Centro) right on the Malecón. It sits beside the Presidencia Municipal, the city hall, directly across the street from Los Arcos, the open-air amphitheatre with four arches where the original Malecón ends, and a block from the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, whose crowned tower rises over the square.

    It is a classic Mexican plaza: shady trees, benches, a raised bandstand in the middle and a bronze statue of Ignacio L. Vallarta, the 19th-century Jalisco jurist the city is named after, by the sculptor Miguel Carmona. The square is known for showing art, such as travelling mural exhibitions.

    The best time to come is a Thursday or Sunday evening, when, after 6 pm, couples gather to dance danzón to live music, a long-standing local tradition. In December the Guadalupe celebrations take over the neighbourhood: in the days leading up to the 12th, fireworks follow the evening rosary at the church a block away. The rest of the time it is simply the place where downtown meets, a pause between the Malecón, the church and the streets of Gringo Gulch behind it.

    How to get to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 5 min, 4 km

    The plaza is in Centro, on the Malecón opposite Los Arcos amphitheatre and beside the city hall; walk the Malecón south from Hotel Rosita (about 800 m) or north from the Cuale River. Many city buses run along Morelos and Juárez a block away, with stops at Morelos y Guerrero and Iturbide y Juárez.

    Directions to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta: hours, prices and tips

    Best time of day
    Thursday and Sunday evenings after 6 pm, when people dance danzón to live music in the square. PuertoVallarta.net · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    Around December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the church a block away holds evening rosaries followed by fireworks in the days leading up to the feast. Wikipedia · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta: what to see and do

    Watch or join the danzón dancing on Thursday and Sunday evenings after 6 pm.
    See the bronze statue of Ignacio L. Vallarta by Miguel Carmona and the central bandstand.
    Cross to Los Arcos amphitheatre on the Malecón for free shows and the sunset.
    Walk a block to the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and its crown.
    Come in early December for the Guadalupe celebrations and fireworks.

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    Places to stay in Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

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    Tours & activities

    Look for tours of the area around Sayulita that stop at Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta.

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    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at PVR (Puerto Vallarta): about 41 min by road to Sayulita, then 36 km more to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta, on your own schedule.

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    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puerto Vallarta (PVR), about 41 min by road from Sayulita, the base for Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta.

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    Signal can drop away from Sayulita: download a map of the way to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

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    Photos

    When to go to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta warm

    Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta shares the climate of Sayulita, 36 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

    See the month-by-month climate of Sayulita

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Sayulita

    Palm-shaded street of shops and stalls in the center of Sayulita, Nayarit warm
    Nayarit Sayulita

    Sayulita is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Near Plaza de Armas de Puerto Vallarta

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.