San Francisco: Art And Polo In The Riviera Nayarit

San Francisco—better known as San Pancho—is bona fide art capital of the Riviera Nayarit. A visit to the Riviera isn’t complete without a stop in San Francisco to enjoy its biodiversity, its traditions, its art and its polo club.

San Francisco is only 40 minutes from Nuevo Vallarta and is part of the communal land of Sayulita, established in 1936. It boasts approximately a kilometer and a half of fine, golden sand on its coast, sheltered by the Western Sierra Madre, making it ideal for a relaxing getaway. It encourages harmony among its inhabitants and artists look to it for inspiration, which they manifest through different media.

This is how one of the best-known civil associations in the area, Entre Amigos, began with a very simple idea: To teach what you know and invite others to do the same. Besides offering art classes, they also teach on ecological topics and offer educational scholarships and a welfare program, as well as workshops on topics that vary according to the volunteers’ knowledge and skills. There are classes for both adults and children, plus a library with a bilingual collection of more than 5,000 top-tier titles.

The Jaguar Alliance is a civil association that promotes the conservation of the jaguar and its habitat. It works in harmony with human endeavors as well, promoting sustainable activities, fair trade, gender equality, respect for cultural and ethnic diversity, human rights and a culture of peace—all activities that encourage community and environmental wellness.

The San Pancho Collective is comprised of a group of Mexican and foreign artists that came together with the objective of making it clear that art is the best way to change the world. The fourth element is the physical space where these civic organizations come together: the Bodegas Art Space.

These four civil associations that began to generate what today has become a cultural revolution have united to create the Fábricas de San Pancho Cultural Center. This new organization serves as a liaison to direct their efforts in a more integrated way and thus obtain better results when dealing with the three levels of government and sponsors. This also gives their projects more reach, which brings about a better social and touristic impact.

Where polo is concerned, San Francisco is the home to the only Polo Club in the Mexican Pacific, La Patrona Equestrian Center. This club offers stalls for 60 horses; arenas for jumping and dressage; a training area and a vaulting arena. Professionals offer lessons in Polo, Riding, Jump, Dressage, Horseback Riding, Endurance Riding, Vaulting and Horseback Pilates. The Club also offers Equine Therapy, Driving, Carriage Rides, Stable Boarding, Grooming and Training.

San Francisco is a gem you can’t afford to pass up—and we have no doubt you’ll fall in love with its charm, its authenticity and its bohemian personality.