Zona Romántica is the unofficial designation for an

LGBTQ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...

-friendly tourist area in southern

Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta ( or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican resort city near the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific coast of the Mexico, Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara ...

, in the Mexican state of

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

. The zone is made of three colonias Emiliano Zapata, Alta Vista, and Amapas. The area is also commonly referred to as Old Town.

Features

The Malecón spans

Centro Centro may refer to: Places Brazil *Centro, Santa Maria, a neighborhood in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro, Porto Alegre, a neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro (Duque de Caxias), a neighborhood of Du ...

and Zona Romántica. Beaches within Zona Romántica include

Playa de los Muertos Playa de los Muertos (Beach of the Dead) is an archaeological site from the Middle Formative period and is located on the Honduras north coast, in the Ulua valley,Joyce, Rosemary A. and John S. Henderson 2001 Beginnings of Village life in Easter ...

featuring Los Muertos Pier,

Playa Olas Altas Playa Olas Altas (English: High Waves Beach) is a beach in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Description South of the Cuale River, Lonely Planet describes the beach as the "handiest" one to the Zona Centro. Accor ...

, and the smaller Las Amapas Beach. Notable buildings include Iglesia de la Santa Cruz. Notable restaurants include Andale's Restaurant & Bar, Archie's Wok, Le Bistro, The Blue Shrimp, Coco's Kitchen,

El Dorado El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...

, Fredy's Tucan, Kaiser Maximilian, La Palapa, The Pancake House, Pancho's Takos, River Cafe, and Tintoque. Public art in the district include ''

Ándale Bernardo ''Ándale Bernardo'' is a bronze sculpture by Jim Demetro, installed in Puerto Vallarta's Lázaro Cárdenas Park, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. According to ''Banderas News'', the artwork "honors all the workers, burros, residents, and visitors ...

'' by

Jim Demetro Jim Demetro is an American sculptor. Forty-seven of his public artworks were displayed internationally, as of 2009. Early life and education Demetro was raised in South Chicago, Chicago, South Chicago. Both of his parents died before he was twe ...

and a

statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or Casting (metalworking), cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to ...

Lázaro Cárdenas Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (; 21 May 1895 – 19 October 1970) was a Mexican army officer and politician who served as president of Mexico from 1934 to 1940. Previously, he served as a general in the Constitutional Army during the Mexican Revo ...

Lázaro Cárdenas Park Lázaro Cárdenas Park () is a park in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Features A statue of Lázaro Cárdenas and the sculpture ''Ándale Bernardo'' are installed in the park. Natasha Moraga is completing an ...

, as well as '' The Fisherman'' (1996) by Ramiz Barquet, '' The Fishermen'' (2018) by Jim and Christina Demetro, and ''

The Washer Woman ''The Washer Woman'' () is a sculpture by Jim Demetro, installed on a wall of Puerto Vallarta's Molino de Agua Condominium, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Description and history The statue depicts a woman washing clothes on a rock, next to a ...

'' by Jim Demetro.

Isla Cuale Isla Cuale, or Isla del Río Cuale, is a narrow island with art galleries and restaurants along Puerto Vallarta's Cuale River, in Zona Romántica, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. La Iguana Bridge connects Centro to Zona Romántica via Isla Cu ...

features '' Identidad '' (2019) and a

John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics. He rec ...

, installed in 1988.

LGBT culture

Almar Resort Almar Resort is a luxury LGBTQ resort in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Description Almar Resort is a 100-room beachfront property in Zona Romántica, Puerto Vallarta. It is an adults-only gay hotel and the ...

and Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea are popular gay resorts.

Gay bar A gay bar is a Bar (establishment), drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) clientele; the term ''gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communi ...

s include Bar Frida,

CC Slaughters CC Slaughters is a gay bar and nightclub located in Portland, Oregon, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Portland bar is located in the Old Town Chinatown, Portland, Oregon, Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, and the Puerto Vallarta bar is located in ...

, the martini bar Garbo, La Catrina Cantina, La Noche, Mr. Flamingo, Paco's Ranch, and Reinas Bar. Other gay-friendly establishments include Mantamar Beach Club Bar & Sushi and

Ritmos Beach Cafe Ritmos Beach Cafe (sometimes nicknamed "Green Chairs") is a gay-friendly beachfront cafe along Playa de los Muertos (Puerto Vallarta), Playa de los Muertos in Zona Romántica, Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Description and rece ...

(nicknamed "green chairs") along Playa de los Muertos. The

Palm Cabaret and Bar The Palm Cabaret and Bar (sometimes abbreviated as The Palm) is a bar and performance venue in Zona Romántica, Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Description The venue hosts a variety of comedy, music, and theater acts. According ...

is a performance venue.

References

External links

* {{Zona Romántica Gay villages in Mexico Geography of Jalisco LGBTQ culture in Puerto Vallarta