Experience Ponce

Overview

Ponceis nestled on the southern coast of Puerto Rico, a well-preserved town featuring grand mansions built in the unique ‘Ponce Creole’ architectural style which earned it one of its many names ‘Ciudad Senorila’ (Majestic or Noble City). Ponce has several other names, it is known as the 'Museum City’ due to its abundance of museums as well as La Perla del Sur (Pearl of the South), and La Ciudad de los Leones (City of Lions). It's the second largest city in the country and is part of the region known as Porta Caribe ‘the Gateway to the Caribbean’. The city is packed with many cultural and historical attractions, it boasts a balmy coastal atmosphere, especially along the La Guancha boardwalk lined with beachfront restaurants, shops, and bars.  

Things to see and do

Visit the beautiful Plaza Las Delicias and stroll along the streets of the charming town square which provides access to the iconic Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the elegant Fuente de los Leones, and the iconic Parque de Bombas fire station. Exploring this area allows visitors to get a feel for the city with a great variety of restaurants, coffee shops, shops, galleries, and museums to visit. 

The unique red and black, centuries-old wooden firehouse Parque de Bombas is still in use to this day. It was built in 1882 for an exposition and from 1883-1989 it served as the headquarters of the Ponce Fire Corps. In 1990 the firehouse was reopened as a museum with exhibits on the second floor, and a municipal band that plays a free concert every Sunday night. 

Visit the Museo de Arte de Ponce (MAP) which is considered one of the top art collections in the entire Western Hemisphere. An extraordinary collection of around 4,500 pieces of European and Puerto Rican Art is on display in a grand mansion that overlooks downtown. There are 14 galleries that make up the museum, making it the largest art museum in the Caribbean. There are paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, ceramics, photographs, video, and sound installations on display. 

Check out the Serralles Castle perched on a hilltop boasting breathtaking views over the city of Ponce, this grand estate was formerly the home of the Serralles family, the owners of the Don Q Rum Distillery. The stunning Spanish Moroccan castle was built in the 1930s, the grand estate is now a museum where visitors can learn about the sugar cane and rum industries in Puerto Rico. The immaculate grounds are decorated with manicured gardens, a lavish swimming pool, a Japanese Garden, bonsai trees, and ponds. 

Stroll along the picturesque seaside boardwalk of La Guancha brimming with restaurants, bars, and shops. It offers visitors a great spot to sit back and relax after a busy day of exploring with stunning views of the sunset and plenty of entertainment after dark. 

Spend a day on the quaint, uninhabited Caja de Muertos Island just a short boat ride away from Ponce. It is a nature reserve with a jungle-covered interior, idyllic beaches, gorgeous hiking trails, a lighthouse, and a cave. The island is a popular breeding spot for endangered sea turtles.

Take a guided tour of one of the city’s coffee plantations that are nestled between the mountains. Puerto Rico is known for many things, it is famous for its coffee which has a world-class reputation thanks to the rich soil and cool mountain regions. Hacienda Buena Vista is a beautifully restored 19th-century coffee mill and plantations where coffee lovers can learn about the planting, growing, and production of coffee. 

Visit the Cruceta del Vigia is a 98-foot tall cross with an observation deck built into the crosspiece, located on a hilltop that overlooks downtown. It allows visitors to get some great views from the 70-foot-wide sky bridge. The hilltop was once the place where the island’s settlers looked out for ships arriving in Ponce Bay. 

Shopping

There are some good shopping opportunities to explore when visiting Ponce including shopping malls, plazas, and markets around the city. The commercial hub for retail has been centered around Paseo Atocha for years in the city of Ponce but has shifted in recent years to various malls, especially the Plaza del Caribe, Ponce Mall, and Centro del Sur Mall. Ashford Avenue in the city’s Condado district is where shoppers can find exclusive shopping opportunities with big-name brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, and Cartier with other upscale boutiques by local designers. The weekday marketplace located at Calles Atocha and Castillo is a colorful place open Monday through Friday from 8 am - 5 pm. There is a vibrant shopping district that radiates from Ponce’s historic downtown to central Plaza Las Delicias. The Atocha Pedestrian Mall runs north of the plaza with bustling sidewalk merchants selling sweets, jewelry, and clothing. If you follow it to the end there is Plaza de Mercado where a traditional farmer’s market is held. Plaza del Caribe Mall is home to flagship stores such as Macy’s, JC Penney, and Sears along with over 130 stores, dining, and entertainment. Ponce Mall features stores like IKEA and TJ Maxx along with clothing and discount stores. Plaza Las Americas is the largest mall in the city featuring stores such as Chicos, Clarks, Foot Locker, and American Eagle Outfitters.

Beaches

Ponce is home to some spectacular beaches, and bustling boardwalks to spend your day and evenings soaking up the sun, sand, shops, and dining options all found beachside. La Guancha is the perfect slither of sand for sunbathing and relaxing for the day it offers visitors some great views and is a lively area home to the boardwalk brimming with restaurants, bars, and entertainment. Puerta Al Mar is a nice beach with gentle waves, great for sunbathing and swimming in the clear beautiful blue waters. Isla Sea Park is a very popular beach in Ponce. Caja De Muertos is the number one beach to visit when in Ponce, technically it's an island and is reached by taxi boat, or kayak. El Tuque is a family-friendly stretch of sand with a wide beach and calm waters for safe swimming. Isla Cardona is an island popular for snorkeling, different tour companies offer boat rides and snorkeling tours here.

Cuisine

There’s a wide variety of restaurants to choose from when visiting Ponce, many can be found along the beachfront boardwalk called La Guancha where there are beachfront dining options and street stalls selling food. Fine dining options are available, with some sensational chefs cooking up abuelita recipes and showing their love for people through their food. After all, food is a very important part of Puerto Rico’s culture blending elements of Spanish, African, and native Taino cuisine into delicious dishes full of flavor. Some of the staple dishes to try on the island include mofongo; deep-fried green plantains, and tostones; double deep-fried plantain wheels, and lechon asado; a slow spit-roasted* pork dish with mouthwatering meat and crispy skin which has been declared a Puerto Rican culinary legacy. There is a large coffee culture in Puerto Rico to sample some head to the hills and tour Hacienda Pomarrosa, and Hacienda Buena Vista estates and see how the beans were harvested, and roasted in colonial times.

Nightlife

Puerto Rico is the birthplace of the delicious, refreshing Pina Colada.

The nightlife scene in Ponce is concentrated around two major areas; the historic downtown zone and the seafront La Guancha complex. Ponce’s nightlife offers visitors many different venues and exciting events such as parties, bands, live music, concerts, and stand-up comedies in bars, pubs, cabarets, nightclubs, cinemas, and theatres.

Ponce is considered the City of Rum, and rum lovers can taste the historic Ponce rum on select tours to the local distillery where rum is served straight from the barrel.