Puerto Vallarta just landed No. 2 on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 list of the world’s best small cities, the top spot in Mexico and a fresh boost for a destination that lives on word-of-mouth hospitality. The ranking comes from 757,109 voters. It also arrives as Puerto Vallarta stacks up seven Travvy Award nominations this year. Fans won’t be surprised. The city’s mix of beaches, neighborhoods, and inclusive spirit keeps winning over travelers—and that story shows in the data.
Puerto Vallarta didn’t just chart this year—it surged. In the 2025 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, the Pacific city placed No. 2 among the World’s Best Small Cities, finishing behind Victoria, Canada, and ahead of European heavyweights like Florence and Lucerne. The survey tallied 757,109 votes in its 38th edition, a scale that turns a flattering headline into a meaningful snapshot of traveler sentiment.
Puerto Vallarta best small city
The Condé Nast gallery calls out the Vallarta people know—and the one many still discover after a quick detour from Old Town. Readers highlighted the charm of the malecón and cobblestone streets, then pointed beyond the spring-break clichés to boat-in lunches at cliff-side coves and lazy afternoons in Yelapa’s hammocks. The list places Vallarta squarely among global favorites, with Victoria at No. 1 and a supporting cast that includes San Sebastián, Galway, Palma de Mallorca, Hobart, and others—evidence that “small” can still feel world-class. For anyone keeping score, this was published October 7 and confirms Mexico’s top spot going to Vallarta.
Awards are only as useful as what they say about the experience on the ground. Here, the recognition tracks with what travelers already report: strong air connectivity into PVR, a tight, walkable core that still feels local in the mornings, and a long-standing reputation for inclusive hospitality that draws repeat visitors. The accolade also lands in a year when the tourism board has pushed consistency over flash, keeping attention on neighborhoods and nature rather than just nightlife. Those choices tend to be what readers reward.
By the numbers, the 2025 Readers’ Choice survey was broad enough to cover hotels, airlines, spas, islands and cities. Vallarta’s second-place finish among small cities does more than burnish pride; it anchors planning decisions for travelers who treat the awards as a filter. That matters in a region with multiple competing beach towns and a firehose of social media advice. With this list, the signal cuts through the noise.
Why this global ranking matters
There’s another data point behind the headlines. Puerto Vallarta is up for seven Travvy Awards this year, including destination and romance categories—votes cast by travel advisors who steer real bookings. Those nods sit in the sweet spot between reader buzz and industry confidence, a combo that often predicts durable demand into the next high season.
Local tourism officials have also framed the Readers’ Choice placement as validation for the city’s outdoors-first pitch and its well-worn “friendliest city” image. While that’s marketing language, it aligns with the award’s write-up, which points visitors to quieter corners and boat-only beaches—experiences that still feel personal at a time when many destinations are wrestling with crowding. The city’s own recap echoes the ranking and rounds up the other nominees Vallarta beat to claim Mexico’s top slot.
So yes, the trophy is shiny. But the useful takeaway for travelers is simpler: the elements that won votes—walkable neighborhoods, accessible nature, and the easy welcome—are the same ones you feel on arrival. That’s what keeps the city in repeat-trip territory and, this year, makes Puerto Vallarta best small city more than a slogan.
