Visit Ponce, Puerto Rico
A Natural for Meanderers, Second City is an Historic Jewel
Ponce Museum of Art, Degatau Plaza, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the firehouse at Parque de Bombas, the El Vigia Hill view and El Tunque Beach are Must-Sees.
Although San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital, is the country’s largest city, travelers looking for unaffected charm should head for Ponce, the island’s second largest city. Named for it’s founder, Ponce de Leon’s great grandson, this charming old-world city on the island’s south coast offers art and history equal to that of the capital at a slower pace.
Cultural crown jewel, the Ponce Museum of Art, houses the most complete collection of fine art in the Caribbean. The more than 1,000 paintings and pieces of sculpture include works by Gainesborough, Van Dyck, Murillo, Rivera, Rubens and Velazquez. Among the most prestigious of the museum’s works by Puerto Rican artists are “Retrato de Jaimito” by Jaime Correro and “Fisherman of Vacia Talega” by Lorenzo Homar. Be sure also to see the most unusual building in town. The firehouse at Parque de Bombas, painted in bold red and black stripes with red and yellow fanlights, was constructed especially for an industrial fair in 1883.
Any street in Ponce is in itself an outdoor museum of sorts. The city’s architectural treasures, dating back to the 17th century, are lavishly decorated with wrought iron balconies, window grilles and ornamental trim. Centerpiece of the city is Degatau Plaza, the sprawling public square with its Indian laurel trees and beds of flowers. Fronting on the plaza is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The two-towered cathedral, begun in 1670, incorporates both colonial and neo-classical styles of architecture.
North of the main square, Ponce’s municipal market covers an entire city block. Live turkeys, their legs hobbled with string; bright orange carrots, religious pictures, garlands of dried peppers, hand woven hammocks and carved wooden santos share the stalls with plastic shoes and homemade brown sugar candy. Among other native crafts are cuatros (five-string guitars) and percussion instruments made from gourds . If you’re lucky, you may also find some intricate bobbin lace called mundillo.
Due to its natural harbor and calm waters, Ponce is one of the largest ports in the Caribbean. For an overall view, go to the top of El Vigia Hill, once a lookout point used to determine whether approaching ships belonged to friend or foe. Take time, too, to stroll along the waterfront where there are several outdoor restaurants with fresh seafood and a delightful ambience. If you prefer a picnic, the perfect spot is at El Tuque Beach, two miles west of town. There’s a swimming pool at El Tuque and a variety of beaches along the route from San Juan, some of which are public.
Most colorful time to visit Ponce (it’s little more than an hour’s drive from San Juan; twenty minutes by air) is in February during Carnival..
