Reinos de México (Kingdoms of Mexico) is an innovative tourism initiative recently announced by Mexico’s Secretaría de Turismo (SECTUR), designed to complement and expand upon the success of the well-known Pueblos Mágicos program and diversify Mexico’s tourism offering.

While Pueblos Mágicos highlight towns with deep historical and cultural significance within Mexico, Reinos de México offers a fresh alternative, creating themed towns inspired by international cultural influences yet firmly rooted in Mexican authenticity and style.

What are Reinos de México?

Reinos de México are carefully constructed communities that draw creative inspiration from regions abroad, particularly European locales, and blend those influences with Mexican traditions and architectural styles in these new “Reinos de México” towns.

The goal is a rich cultural exchange, architectural mestizaje, where the fusion of styles creates unique, immersive places that feel both familiar and novel, designed to provide extraordinary experiences that combine the charm of a foreign culture with the warmth and spirit of Mexico.

Val’Quirico is the first and flagship Reino de México, perfectly embodying this concept. Val’Quirico tourism is gaining international interest as one of the most unique new tourist destinations in Mexico, blending European charm and Mexican authenticity.

The two foundational pillars

The creation of Reinos de México rests on two main pillars:

  • Thematic architecture and cultural fusion
  • Circular economy and sustainable development

The towns are developed through a collaborative creative process that fuses Mexican architectural materials, craftsmanship, and culture with the essence of a “sister” culture from abroad to form distinctive cultural tourism experiences.

This results in beautiful towns with plazas, streets, and buildings that evoke, for example, Italian medieval villages or other European styles, all adapted to the Mexican landscape and lifestyle. These are unique alternatives to Pueblos Mágicos for cultural travelers.

Reinos de México is committed to sustainable growth that benefits both the local community and the surrounding areas, offering a visionary model of development promoted by SECTUR tourism projects and welcomed by ecotourism advocates and regional planners.

This includes promoting local production and businesses, encouraging ecological responsibility through resource reuse and waste reduction, and ensuring that tourism development does not harm the environment or social fabric of each host region.

The model fosters economic activity that circulates wealth within the region, creating jobs and improving quality of life. This is especially important in areas looking to attract sustainable tourism in Mexico and avoid the downsides of mass-market travel.

Reinos de México vs. Pueblos Mágicos: understanding the difference

Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos are iconic destinations like San Miguel de Allende, Taxco, or Zacatlán, known for their rich national history, legends, and cultural symbolism. They are essential to heritage tourism and cultural identity in Mexico.

Reinos de México, by contrast, offers a complementary but distinct experience. These towns are not historical per se, but new tourist destinations in Mexico created with international inspiration and cultural storytelling through architecture and theme.

They focus on the creative fusion of Mexican culture with foreign inspirations, producing a kind of cultural mestizaje that emphasizes international architectural and thematic influences while maintaining Mexican authenticity and community focus.

It’s less about historical symbolism and more about cultural dialogue and innovation through design, community, and sustainability. “Reinos de México” towns are ideal for visitors looking for alternatives to Pueblos Mágicos that blend global ideas with local flavor.

Official recognition and economic impact

SECTUR recently awarded Val’Quirico the first official “Distinctive Kingdom of Mexico”. This recognition positions Val’Quirico as the leading example of creative sustainable development in Mexico’s tourism industry and part of a new class of cultural destinations.

Val’Quirico is a pioneer in this new category of destinations. Val’Quirico features Italian-inspired plazas, cobblestone streets, boutique hotels, galleries, restaurants offering Italian and international cuisine, and vibrant cultural activities for all ages.

The impact on the local economy is significant: over 200 businesses operate in the town, generating thousands of jobs. Val’Quirico tourism continues to grow and demonstrates how Reinos de México can be key to driving regional tourism growth in Mexico.

Upcoming projects and future outlook

Following Val’Quirico, another destination joining the Reinos de México is Sassi del Valle in Baja California. This adds to Mexico’s portfolio of themed tourist towns and expands SECTUR tourism projects into new regions and tourism markets.

Sassi del Valle is inspired by the ancient stone-carved town of Sassi di Matera in southern Italy. Sassi del Valle promises a unique urban and cultural experience blending Italian and Mexican elements in a wine country setting ideal for eco-cultural tourism.

This expansion illustrates the ambition of the Reinos de México program to diversify Mexico’s tourism offering, prevent overtourism in already popular spots, and create distinctive, sustainable destinations that attract visitors seeking new cultural options.

Reinos de México represents a visionary approach to tourism and community development. Rooted in architectural and cultural fusion, supported by sustainable economic models, it offers a fresh alternative to traditional cultural destinations in Mexico.

By blending Mexican tradition with global inspiration, it creates magical yet real places where visitors can experience beauty, culture, and community in innovative ways. Reinos de México is redefining what international-style cultural tourism in Mexico can be.