A day trip from the seaside town of Puerto Vallarta to visit Talpa de Allende and Mascota is a must!

First stop before we really get on the road to visit Talpa de Allende and Mascota is Panaderia Carmen’s Bakery to pick up some breakfast. This is a must-do on the way to San Sebastián, Mascota, or Talpa. Carmen’s is located just before the Progreso Bridge.

You can not go wrong with any choice you make here. They make the. most delicious fresh baked bread and pastries filled various fruits, one with delicious vanilla filling, another warm sausage, or meat. The bakery is a garden oasis where you can sit, relax, and enjoy your break. Each item was roughly $25MXN pesos or $1.15USD

We have stopped here twice and would go back again in a heartbeat.

Talpa de Allende is a municipality and magical town in the state of Jalisco

Talpa de Allende is home to the Virgin of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Talpa, housed in the magnificent Cathedral built in 1644  and visited by pilgrims from all over the world. Founded in 1599 the town of about 10,000 people sits in a valley, surrounded by mountains. Most of the visitors here are religious pilgrims from Mexico, who travel to Talpa to visit the Virgin, not to play. But Talpa is a beautiful place and a great experience with or without participating in religious ceremonies. We surprised (and pleased) to see the art line streets juxtaposed to the traditional buildings and religious feel of the town.

On the way into Talpa de Allende you’ll pass the Cruz de Romero by the Talpa sign (pictured above). From here you can climb to the top of the monument up some winding stairs for the most incredible view of the mountains and the town below.

Like most Mexican towns the center of Talpa is the plaza and the Church. The town is very walkable so just park up or jump off the bus in the town center and start walking.

We visited the Church and were blessed by the bishop and received a diploma to verify our first pilgrimage to Talpa de Allende, despite neither of us being Catholic we appreciated the experience and would recommend anyone visiting to embrace it and take the time to gain some understanding of the main religion in Mexico. There is a museum just behind the Church (this is also where you pick up your certificate) where you can learn more about the history of the town and the Virgin of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Talpa.

The plaza itself is the social center for the town, and you will see all ages of people gathered there during the day and into the night. It is flanked by shops and restaurants. We recommend heading into the main market for Birria at Birrieria El Gran Chivo for a cheap, authentic meal. It was $320MXN / $15USD for lunch for and drinks three people.

The farther you get from the plaza, the more varied and modern the architecture. The walk from the Church up the main street (Independencia) out to the large arch just where you enter Talpa follows La Ruta del Peregrino, which is the route of the pilgrims who walk through the countryside on a pilgrimage to see the Virgen de Talpa.

When you are finished exploring the Church and town center you can take in the scenery further up the hill, at the statue of Christ the King. The views from the statue, overlooking the town and the valley, are remarkable, and worth the climb.

On the way back down from the lookout, you’ll pass through the beautiful callejones (alleys) filled with murals, be sure to take your time and check these out – it was a highlight for us.

Mascota

Fun fact: The name (Mascota) is not Spanish (where it would be translated as “pet”), it is from Teco and means, the place of deer and snakes.

When you drive into Mascota you immediately notice it is a beautiful and picturesque town like you’ve traveled back in time, to a quiet, peaceful period, you’ll also notice that the air is cooler here especially if you compare it with Puerto Vallarta.

There is, of course, another beautiful church and town square to see in Mascota but the real gem here is the Unfinished Temple de la Preciosa Sangre (Temple of the Precious Blood) The temple is an unfinished ruin of a church that was to be built in the late 1800’s. Its entrance is framed in a Roman arch; its neoclassic altarpiece is one of the best in the region. There is also an active church on the property. The bougainvillea in the gardens provides vibrant color on the stone background.

We booked a private driver for the trip, less risky than a group tour with Covid-19 still an ongoing issue. a similar price to a group tour and gave us a lot more freedom to see what we wanted. We used Jose from Xplore with Chamaco who we’ve now booked four times because he’s the best.

For a 12-hour day, it cost us $4500MXN / $200USD plus $500MXN / $22USD for our food, coffee and beer, and snacks for the day.

Avatar
Author

Zahn is a travel junkie born and raised on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Zahn spent two years in South Korea where she met Addison in 2018. She has visited 17 countries and is on a mission to literally work her way around the rest.

1 Comment

  1. Avatar

    Thanks for finally talking about > Talpa de Allende and Mascota, Jalisco – Brazils on Tour < Loved it!

    Also visit my web blog; perros

Write A Comment

Pin It