Tucson neighborhood, Barrio Viejo, has been included in Condé Nast Traveler’s (CNT) “Best Places to Go in 2024.”
Through Visit Tucson’s efforts, Tucson has received tremendous recognition in the past year with inclusions in New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2023” and Time Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places 2023.“ The accolades keep on rollin’ in with the recent announcement of Tucson being one of only 12 destinations in North America and the Caribbean included on Condé Nast Traveler’s list.
“Our communications team has been working hard to put Tucson on the radar for this highly reputable publication,” said Felipe Garcia, Visit Tucson President and CEO. “Condé Nast Traveler helps motivate readers’ travel decisions and we are honored to have Tucson and Barrio Viejo recognized.”
The downtown Tucson neighborhood is among the honorees selected by a global network of editors working in CNT’s seven territories: the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, India, the Middle East, and China. The list has been released each year for a decade and recognizes the best destinations in any given year.
The Barrio Viejo neighborhood is on track to receive designation as a historic landmark neighborhood, too, as home to the historic El Tiradito Wishing Shrine — the only Catholic Shrine in the U.S. dedicated to a sinner instead of a saint. It was this shrine that gave neighborhood residents the fuel needed to save Barrio Viejo from being absorbed into Tucson’s downtown area.
In recent years, the more than 170-year-old neighborhood has undergone a renaissance with the restoration of historic buildings like Teatro Carmen and the relocation and expansion of businesses like Etherton Gallery and EXO Roast Co. And, since we’re on the topic of local businesses, here’s a list of places to grab a bite or something to drink.
Barrio Viejo Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Etc.
- 5 Points Market & Restaurant
- Cafe Desta
- The Coronet/Coronet Cafe/Nightjar
- EXO Roast Co./Crisol Bar
- El Mezquite Grill & Taqueria (it’s close enough)
- El Minuto Cafe
- Red Light Lounge at Downtown Clifton Hotel (it’s on the edge of Barrio Viejo)
Check out the full Condé Nast Traveler’s article at cntraveler.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
