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Ponce is the unofficial capital of Porta Caribe, and from its port zone you get a magnificent view of the region. It is an historic city, with homes and public buildings reflecting a variety of architectural styles popular at the turn of the last century. It also boasts modern comforts, from resorts to shopping malls, and a jewel of a museum.
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Located at the seaside end of Road 14, Ponce's boardwalk and port district, known as La (iiianclia, is now quieter than during its boom decades, but on weekends it bursts into life. Residents of all ages take to the bayside walkway, stopping at reasonably priced eateries to sample seafood in vinaigrette and other Caribbean specialties. Young people listen to open-air concerts, and children enjoy what must be the largest playground in Puerto Rico.The best place to start our official tour of Ponce is at Plaza ijls I Idas, historical and physical center of the city. From San Juan, take Expressway 52 across the mountains to the outskirts of Ponce; get off at the Ponce/Route 1 exit, and follow the signs along Route 1 into the historical district (the signs are somewhat confusing, so pay attention). Driving time is about one and a half hours. There are a number of small parking lots scattered near the plaza. The plaza's origins go back to 1692, when Ponce was founded and named in honor of the Ponce de Leon family. Today, this "delightful" square has shady grounds and a large fountain. Two historic buildings divide it — the centuries-old Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupt' and the distinctive red and black Parque de Bombas, built in 1882 and long used as the city's firehouse, now a museum. The plaza is also the setting for Sunday evening band concerts. The city's Catholic origins merge with Afro-Caribbean elements during Carnival, usually held in February. Parades and lavish costumes compete with vejigante revelers and plena rhythms. The vejigante mask, many-horned and made of paper-mache, is Ponce's most cherished craft. Much of Ponce's historical district has been restored. Head off in any direction from the plaza and you'll find a whimsical mix of colonial, neo-classical, Creole, and art deco styles adorning the elegant homes and buildings of turn-of-the-cen-tury Ponce. Several have been converted into small museums featuring history, architecture, music and more. Be sure to pass by the venerable La Perla Theater, the gazebo-dominated Cluvell Park, and Ponce de Leon Plaza, an old-style, open-air market, with stalls offering everything from shoe repair to a popular grapelike summer fruit known as quenepa. When you're done, search out one of the district's several fine restaurants and cafes, where you can linger over a leisurely lunch — seafood is popular here — or join ponceños as they frequent their favorite "watering holes" on weekend evenings. Most sites lie a short walk from the plaza. Those exploring by foot should start out before the sun heats up. Maps are available in hotels and at the tourism center in the Parque de Bombas on the plaza. The plaza is also the place to catch a ride on trolleys and "trains" that make regular daily city-wide tours of Ponce, stopping at key sites along the way. There is a lot more to Ponce than its historical district, and you'd do well to plan several days here. On shady Las Americas Avenue south of the plaza, steps lead to an elegant building housing the Ponce Museum of An, finest in the Caribbean. The building and adjacent gardens provide the perfect setting for the museum's collection — more than 2,000 paintings, sculptures and prints representing the important schools of Western art in the last five centuries. Two of the museum's most popular works are Flaming June by Lord Leighton and The Sleep of King Arthur by Burne-Jones.
The history of Ponce began long before the Spanish conquistadors, and Tibes Indian Ceremonial Center offers a glimpse of the indigenous people who lived here a millennium ago. Bilingual guides lead you on a one-hour tour through the museum and park grounds, setting for native plants, re-created Indian huts, and a series of ceremonial plazas and ball courts. The key to Ponce's importance in the past century was its agriculture, particularly the production of coffee and sugarcane. Hacienda Buvna Vista showcases a century-old farm where corn was ground and coffee processed. Beautifully restored, the farm features colorfully painted estate buildings and water-powered machinery that actually works, all in a lush tropical setting. The Serralles family long dominated the sugar empire in Ponce. Enormously wealthy in the early decades of this past century, they built a magnificent three-level, 14,000-square-foot mansion in the northern hills. Today, Castillo Serrallés. has been restored and decorated with opulent Serralles furnishings, providing a fascinating look at the lives of the locally rich and famous. A documentary tells the story of the rum and sugar industry in Ponce. Up the hill is la Cruceta del Vigía, a cross-shaped observation tower, and the city's new Japanese Garden, complete with gracefully arranged trees, ponds, elevated bridges and a tea house. From the deck of La Cruceta, you can see across the city to the Caribbean and a coffin-shaped islet known as ('aja de Muertos. Accessible by charter boats, the islet makes a great day adventure, where you can bathe in clear calm waters, hike to a century-old lighthouse, or snorkel along an underwater trail (advise your operator you want to take the trail before you go). Along the coast, El 'ftique Complex operates a water park in the summer months. WHEN YOU GO Ponce Tourism Office. Off Plaza Las Delicias. 787-841-8044. La Guancha Complex. End of Route 14. Open daily. No fee. 787-844-3995. Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Plaza Las Delicias. Open daily, limited hours. No fee. 787-842-0134. Bombay Plaza Las Delicias. Open daily. No fee. 787-284-3338. Museum of Art. Las Americas Avenue opposite Catholic University. Open daily except certain holidays. Self-guided tours in English and Spanish. Small fee. 787-848-0505. Tibes Indian Ceremonial Center. Km. 2.5, Road 503. Open Tuesday through Sunday, holiday Monday. Bilingual guided tours. Small fee. 787-840-2255. Hacienda Buena Vista. Km. 16.8, Road 123. Open Wednesday through Sunday for general public. Reservations required. Bilingual guided tours. Small fee. 787-722-5882 (San Juan), 787-284-7020. Castillo Serralles. 17 El Vigia Hill. Open Tuesday through Sunday, holiday Monday. Bilingual guided tours. Fee. 787-259-1774. La Cruceta del Vigia/Japanese Garden. El Vigia Hill. Open Tuesday through Sunday, holiday Monday. Small fee. 787-259-1774. Caja de Muertos. Seven miles south of Ponce. Accessible by charter boat operators. Complex. Off Route 2 west of Ponce. Water park open in summer months. 787-290-2000. Wiechers-Villaronga Residence/ Ponce Architecture Museum Ponce History Museum 49-53 Isabel Street. Open Tuesday through Sunday. No fee. 787-844-7071. Museum of Puerto Rican Music. Corner n Isabel and Salud streets. Open Wednesday through Sunday. No fee. 787-848-7016. Wiechers-Villaronga Residence/Ponce Architecture Museum. Corner Reina and Mendez Vigo streets. Open Wednesday through Sunday. No fee. 787-843-3363.
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