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Nestled
in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains, San Sebastian's
remote location and historic appeal have made it one of Mexico's
last great getaways. Even though this little mountain enclave
(elevation 4500 feat) is not very far from Puerto Vallarta,
this half-forgotten former 17th century mining town is a world
away from typical resorts and ordinary tourist attractions.
As the road weaves through the mountains, you'll enjoy fantastic
scenery and typical scenes of rural Mexican life, making the
journey both breathtaking and relaxing. The road from Puerto
Vallarta comes in on the west side of this historic mining
town. Originally settled in 1605, San Sebastian reached its
peak of prosperity in the 1700s, when over 30,000 people populated
the area. Over the years, the town's population fluctuated
wildly as gold and silver were mined intermittently between
the 1600's and the 1930's.
Today, although the "gold fever" has subsided and
the people afflicted by it have long since departed, this
beautiful mountain village of 600 residents retains its colonial
heritage as an outstanding example of the traditional ways
of living and working in a remote Mexican village. Nowadays,
in addition to the traditional corn and cattle, local folks
also cultivate coffee and agave on the mountainside.
It is a joy to wander around in this very peaceful town, which
has changed so little in hundreds of years. With a quaint
cobblestone plaza lined by dignified white buildings, a classic
Porfirian bandstand, an 18th century church dedicated to San
Sebastian, and the 150 year old "Hacienda Jalisco,"
San Sebastian is a living museum untouched by time, and an
experience that is difficult to surpass.
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