Puerto Vallarta is again the best small city in Latin America and the second-best small city in the world, according to the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2026. The Jalisco state government reported the result on October 7.
The 2026 edition drew 798,867 readers. Puerto Vallarta placed behind Victoria, Canada, and ahead of Florence, Italy; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and Lucerne, Switzerland. It is the second consecutive year the destination has held the global No. 2 ranking in this category.
Readers highlighted more than resort beaches. They pointed to the Historic Center and its cobblestone streets, the Romantic Zone, the food scene, art, and easy access to nature around Banderas Bay. Boat trips toward Yelapa and the Sierra Madre Occidental are part of that mix.
Jalisco officials also noted the destination’s visitor infrastructure: 27,504 hotel rooms across 456 lodging properties, and Puerto Vallarta International Airport service to 55 destinations, including 15 domestic and 40 international routes, with 24 to the United States and 16 to Canada.
If you are planning a few days in town, that ranking still points to a simple walking loop. Start in downtown Puerto Vallarta around the parish and Plaza de Armas, follow the Malecón, then continue south for dinner. Wear comfortable shoes and leave extra time for sunset on the waterfront.
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