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Explore Mexico

10 Most Beautiful Villages in Mexico

Mexico’s most beautiful villages stretch from mountain pueblos to laid-back beach towns—think cobblestone streets, colorful homes, local markets, and scenery that makes you want to stay a few extra days.

10 Most Beautiful Villages in Mexico

Mexico’s most beautiful villages are the places that make you slow down without even trying—cobblestone lanes, colorful homes, mountain air, and beach towns where the jungle runs right up to the sand. They’re scattered across the country, from the Sierra Madre to Oaxaca’s coast to the lakeside towns of Michoacán, and each one has its own feel—some are quiet and remote, some are packed with markets and local culture, and some are the kind of place you reach by boat and immediately start looking at real estate “just for fun.”

This guide covers Mexico’s most beautiful villages to visit if you’re chasing scenery, food, history, and that smaller-town charm you can’t really find in the big tourist hubs. Expect hilltop pueblos with cool mornings, coastal villages with sunsets that don’t look real, and lakeside communities where afternoons are for wandering, snacking, and taking your time.

Let’s dive into the villages—starting with a mountain town near Puerto Vallarta that feels like Mexico from another era.

San Sebastián del Oeste

Aerial view of San Sebastián del Oeste, Mexico, a mountain village surrounded by dense forest and rolling hills, with a mix of tiled rooftops and rural farmland.

Hidden in the Sierra Madre Mountains just two hours from Puerto Vallarta, this tiny village feels like a step back in time. With fewer than 1,000 residents, San Sebastián del Oeste is full of whitewashed buildings, cobbled streets, and views of beautiful mountain peaks all around.

Highlights

  • Stay in old haciendas
  • Hike or ride ATVs to scenic overlooks
  • Peaceful forest setting and cool mountain air

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Cuetzalan del Progreso

A view of Cuetzalan del Progreso, Mexico, featuring a historic stone church with a red dome and tiled roof surrounded by traditional homes with red rooftops.

Tucked into the green hills of Puebla, Cuetzalan del Progreso is a village known for misty mornings, waterfalls, and stone streets lined with white houses and red roofs. You’ll hear Nahuatl spoken, and you can shop handmade textiles in the open-air market.

Highlights

  • Surrounded by lush jungle and waterfalls
  • Local Nahua culture and crafts
  • Underground river caves and zip lines nearby

Capulálpam de Méndez

In the mountains of Oaxaca, this quiet village sits at nearly 7,000 feet. Capulálpam de Méndez is known for its stone homes, gorgeous forest views, and deep indigenous roots. It's a great spot for hiking, birdwatching, and unplugging.

Highlights

  • Traditional Zapotec village
  • Forest trails and eco-tourism cabins
  • Clean mountain air and herbal medicine center

Real de Monte

Picturesque town square in Real de Monte, Mexico, with manicured gardens, a central fountain, pastel-colored colonial buildings, and people strolling under a dramatic stormy sky.

Real de Monte, Also known as Mineral del Monte, this Hidalgo village is full of Cornish-Mexican history and sits high in the mountains. Real de Monte has winding streets, tiled roofs, and cool fog rolling in most mornings—giving it a cozy, old-world charm.

Highlights

  • Visit old silver mines and cemeteries
  • Try “pastes,” the Mexican version of Cornish pies
  • Surrounded by mountain forests and hiking trails

Batopilas

Colorful colonial buildings with red rooftops and a large domed church in the historic town of Batopilas, Mexico, surrounded by lush green hills and scattered homes.

At the bottom of Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Batopilas is one of the most remote villages in Mexico. Reaching it means driving deep into the canyon, but once you're there, the mix of desert landscape and river running through the village is unforgettable.

Highlights

  • Dramatic canyon setting
  • Colonial ruins and quiet plazas
  • Crystal-clear river and desert views

Mazunte

Vibrant street scene in Mazunte, Mexico, with people walking and biking past pastel-colored buildings and thatched-roof restaurants, framed by blooming bougainvillea and palm trees.

Mazunte really is a true village—tiny, walkable, and filled with thatched-roof homes and yoga centers. Located on Oaxaca’s coast, it’s surrounded by pristine beaches, jungle hills, and turtle nesting grounds.

Highlights

  • Low-key eco-tourism vibe
  • Incredible sunsets and quiet beaches
  • Close to Punta Cometa coastal viewpoint

Yelapa

Aerial view of Yelapa, Mexico, showcasing a horseshoe-shaped bay with turquoise waters, boats anchored offshore, and dense green mountains surrounding the coastal village.

Accessible only by boat from Puerto Vallarta, Yelapa is a car-free village set where jungle meets the sea. Palm roofs, sandy trails, and waterfalls create a peaceful place that feels a world away.

Highlights

  • Waterfall hike right from the beach
  • No roads, no cars, just trails
  • Set along a quiet bay with gorgeous coastal views

Tzintzuntzan

Open-air street market in Tzintzuntzan, Mexico, with artisanal pottery and crafts on display under red-tiled roof stalls, and classic cars parked along the pedestrian pathway.

Located on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan was once the capital of the Purépecha Empire. Today it’s a lakeside village with ancient ruins, olive trees, and a beautiful monastery surrounded by gardens.

Highlights

  • Visit the Yácatas pyramids
  • Peaceful lake views and historic churches
  • Traditional pottery and crafts

San Juan Teitipac

A hillside home with modern architecture and a wooden carport, nestled in a desert landscape with stone retaining walls, native grasses, cacti, and tall trees under a clear blue sky in Teitipac, Mexico.

A lesser-known Zapotec village in the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca, San Juan Teitipac is surrounded by rolling farmland and cactus-covered hills. It’s not touristy, but its simplicity and beauty make it feel like the real heart of Mexico.

Highlights

  • Walk through agave fields
  • Visit quiet rural churches
  • Gorgeous sunsets over the valley

Malinalco

Colorful cobblestone street in Malinalco, Mexico, lined with shops, flowering bougainvillea, and a rustic stone building with a rooftop terrace, set against a backdrop of lush green hills.

Tucked into the mountains of Estado de México, Malinalco is a village rich in Aztec history and surrounded by rugged cliffs and jungle. Its hillside temple ruins are a short hike from the center of town.

Highlights

  • Climb to the Aztec Temple of the Eagle Warriors
  • Stunning valley views
  • Artisan shops and fresh mountain air
10 Most Beautiful Beaches in Mexico You Must Visit
Mexico is known for it’s beautiful beaches, but some are in a class of their own. Whether you’re looking to snorkel in crystal-clear waters, or simply relax on soft clean sand, these beaches hold the titles of Mexico’s most beautiful beaches.
Jetsetter AlertsKylie Jones

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