October 04, 2016

PLAZA DE ARMAS IN PUERTO VALLARTA

In every city and town in Mexico, you will find at least one plaza (town square) located in or near the center of town. For generations in Mexican culture, the plaza has been a meeting place for recreation, dining, art and culture and the tradition continues today.

Most plazas will have a covered pavilion where often musicians will play, dancers will perform or artists will paint and park benches for people to relax and enjoy. They are often prettily landscaped and may have decorative stone work, making them charming and picturesque.

In the day, the plaza is often a small marketplace with newspaper and magazine sellers and other vendors. In the evening, the plaza becomes a main social scene with kids playing games, love-struck teenagers holding hands, and people gossiping and laughing. And there will be food vendors selling corn, tacos, sweets, pastries and drinks like tuba or coconut water.

In Puerto Vallarta, the Plaza de Armas is the main city plaza, ideally located between theMalecon, Our Lady of Guadalupe church, the Tourism Office and the Arches on the Malecon amphitheatre. It has all of the charm and feel of a traditional Mexican plaza with a few updated extras like free wifi, a Starbucks and ATM machines. But for all the modern conveniences, Plaza de Armas in Puerto Vallarta is still very much a wonderful place to get a taste of Mexican culture.