Things to do in Ponce

Paseo Tablado La Guancha is a boardwalk that hugs the shoreline of Ponce’s dazzling waterfront district, Playa Barrio. Experience life like the Ponceños and revel in the live salsa music, tasty street food and exciting beachside atmosphere. Visit the marina and rent a paddleboat or take advantage of the sweeping sea views from the observation tower.

Sample locally grown coffee and learn about coffee production, both today and in the past at the Hacienda Buena Vista. This traditional coffee farm in southern Puerto Rico is one of the best illustrations of a centuries old industry. When Don Salvador de Vives formed the farm in 1833, he grew fruit. It wasn’t until later in the 1800's that coffee was first planted. The Hacienda Buena Vista hit its stride during the coffee boom of the 1880s. For the next fifty years the farm was considered one of the finest producers of coffee in the world, exporting to the United States, Europe and even the Vatican. Today visitors to the Hacienda will find 87 acres (35 Hectares) of fertile farmland, a series of restored historic buildings and a museum in the Hacienda itself.

This historic firehouse is named for the traditional hand-pumped water units once used on the island. Situated in Ponce’s town center, the Parque de Bombas is hard to miss. Considered by many to be one of the most iconic building in Puerto Rico, the small wooden structure is painted in vibrant reds and blacks, the traditional colors of Ponce. The former fire station houses a museum that unveils the history of southern Puerto Rico, and includes fascinating information about Ponce, the firefighters and the great fire of 1899. A visit to the Parque is a great excursion for history buffs and families with young children, who will enjoy the traditional fire trucks.

El Museo Castillo Serrallés is a magnificent mansion that symbolizes the prosperity of Puerto Rico’s rum-distilling industry. Established in the 1930s as the home of one of Ponce’s wealthy magnates, the Castillo Serrallés overlooks the entire city from the El Vigía hilltop. Peruse the exhibits housed within the sumptuous villa and learn about the sugar boom that fueled the immense success of rum distilleries such as Juan Serrallés’ Don Q Rum. Stroll around the symmetrical gardens and appreciate the timeless elegance of the terraces and courtyards.

Spend some time in Ponce’s Plaza of Delights (Plaza las Delicias) and the city will show you its heart. Landmark colonial architecture dominates the city’s main square, while leafy Indian laurel trees and pretty gardens provide a feeling of serenity. Take a break from the bustle of downtown Ponce and enjoy people-watching in the city’s favorite meeting place. The plaza is split into two halves, Luis Muñoz Rivera Plaza to the north and Frederico Degetau Plaza to the south.

El Vigía Hill seems to loom around every corner in the jumble of narrow streets in Ponce’s historic center. Topped with the enormous Cruceta del Vigía and the exquisite mansion Castillo Serrallés, the northern Ponce border of El Vigia Hill is visible from all over the city. Make your way to its summit to find a vantage point that is entwined with Ponce’s colonial heritage.

Admire the updated neoclassical façade of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) from its prominent position overlooking Ponce’s historic central square. Since its establishment in 1670, fire and earthquakes have repeatedly razed Ponce’s main Catholic landmark. Each time the building was nearly destroyed, it was rebuilt and remodeled until it reached the magnificence you see today.