Top 10 things to do in Ponce
Ponce is one of the most historical places in Puerto Rico. It is no coincidence that it calls itself “The Pearl of the South”. Whether it’s music, dance, art, politics or love; Ponce has all kinds of stories to share.
History plays a huge role in the City of Ponce, however… Did you know that Ponce has many other things to offer? Food, festivals, museums, crafts… It is a place where everyone is welcomed with open arms and the strong joy of the Ponceños in the streets.
Here is a list of those places that are a “must-see” when you visit the beautiful city of Ponce so that you have an unforgettable experience in the “Ciudad Señorial.”
1. El Parque de Bombas
The Parque de Bombas is the old fire station in Ponce. With unique colors and architecture, it is a structure so distinct, originally built as a pavilion for a large trade fair: La Feria Exposición de Ponce in 1882.
Its structure, history, and colors have a lot of meaning for Ponce, and ponceños. It is considered one of the most loved and appreciated attractions by the people due to its sentimental and historical value. Today it serves as a museum to exhibit the history of the Ponce Fire Department, firefighter artifacts, and stories about the heroic acts that were carried out in this space.
The Parque de Bombas is located in Plaza Las Delicias in Ponce and is open all week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except Saturdays and Sundays where they open at 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The entry is completely free. For more information, click here
2. Plaza of Delight
The Plaza de las Delicias is the center of the urban area of Ponce, the central square of the Cuidad Señorial. You will frequently find activities such as exhibitions, craft sales, and local gastronomy. It is decorated with beautiful flora, surrounded by local businesses — which will always welcome you — and a fountain with majestic statues of lions, a symbol of the City that is also featured on the Ponce flag.
Every year in the Plaza de Delicias, at the beginning of April or at the end of March, the Ponce Craft Fair is held, organized by the Carmen Solá de Pereira Cultural Center. It is one of the many events in this Plaza and moves the entire town.
The Plaza is to be enjoyed any day at any time, and you cannot leave without trying the famous Kings Cream ice cream or buy your souvenirs at local businesses such as Utopia. For more details click here.
3. Carmen Solá de Pereira Cultural Center
The Carmen Solá de Pereira Cultural Center is essential for those who love art, crafts, music, and community cultural projects. From the moment you step foot inside you can appreciate its historical value with its colonial architecture dating from the 1870s. Since their purpose is to promote culture, they often offer drawing classes, dance lessons, Bomba and Plena workshops, and artistic presentations such as art, literature, fashion, and music exhibitions.
The Carmen Solá de Pereira Cultural Center begins to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day of the week. It is an excellent place to relax and appreciate the cultural expositions of Ponce. For more information click here.
4. Puerto Rican Music Museum
The Museo de la Música Puertorriqueña is a tribute to the artists and composers of Puerto Rico. It documents artistic events from the 19th century to the present day. The museum is made up of exhibits of musical instruments used by our ancestors: the Tainos, the Africans, and the Spanish. Each room is dedicated to a different style of music and stories along with the tools used to create them and you will have the opportunity to appreciate them up close.
You can visit it from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., being the hours of operation of this establishment. It is important to note that the space closes during lunch hours from 12:00 pm — 1:00 pm. If you are passionate about music and history, this is the perfect place to not only enjoy a tour full of musical history but also one with stories from Puerto Rican musicians and composers.
For more information click here
5. Ponce Art Museum
Founded in 1959, the Ponce Museum of Art is one of the most important art institutions in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. This space is full of artistic pieces by Puerto Rican and European painters. It is considered an artistic connection between the Old World and the New World. However, it not only has exhibitions of paintings, but we also find photographs, sculptures, African objects, “sound art”, etc.
Although the Museum suffered damage from the 2020 earthquake, it is mainly operating, offering tours of some of the rooms. At the moment the tours are on Fridays and Saturdays and we recommend visiting their reservation platform to have the most up-to-date schedules and tours. You can visit their website here.
6. Serrallés Castle, La Vigía Crosshead and the Japanese Garden
The Serrallés Castle is located in the sector of El Vigía alongside the Japanese Garden and La Cruceta. The Serrallés Castle is a beautiful mansion with unique architecture, the work of the famous Puerto Rican architect Pedro de Castro.
Originally it was the country house of the Serrallés family, but today it has become a one-of-a-kind museum telling not only the story of Ron DonQ but also the story of his life since the 1930s. Here, in addition to the interior collection of the residence, you can enjoy extremely large outdoor gardens with fountains, ponds, and statues decorating their surroundings.
The Japanese Garden, just minutes from the Serralles Museum, is a recreation of East Asian architecture. Where you have ponds with “Koi” fish (originally from Japan), statues, terraces, and beautiful flora that surrounds you while you enjoy the peaceful stroll.
La Cruceta del Vigia, just seconds from the Japanese Garden, is a cross-shaped tower approximately 100 feet tall that tells the history of how our marine safety system worked in the 19th century. It is open to the public, inviting everyone to climb up and appreciate the iconic view of the town of Ponce and the Caribbean Sea.
They operate from Thursday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a cost of $15 for their regular tours inside the residence, including the entrance to the Japanese Garden and Cruceta del Vigia. You can separate your space here. They also offer specialized tours on the theme and the Don Q Rum experience, find out the details here.
7. Playa de Ponce
Playa Ponce is one of the 31 neighborhoods of Ponce, a place with a lot of historical importance, and wonders to discover. Playa de Ponce was the commercial port of Ponce and at the end of the 19th century the most important port in Puerto Rico by the amount of trade and flow of merchandise. This led to it being a center of exchange, art, culture, music, among other things. Today there are many spaces to see this legacy and learn about the relevance and pride of Playa de Ponce such as:
The Museum of El Vejigante, where they pay tribute to the culture of the vejigante, the main character of the Ponce carnival. Here you can enjoy the history of the vejigante, they exhibit masks of all colors and traditional toys hand-made by artists such as Miguel Angel Pérez. The Museum of el Vejigante offers Plena classes, mask-making workshops, and historical tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. To take a tour you should call ahead and reserve spaces, details can be found here.
The House of Art and Culture is also located in this area. Conceived by the internationally renowned artist: Diógenes Ballester, it is a cultural house founded to promote the arts and culture on the Ponce beach. They have artistic events, painting workshops, and other cultural offerings such as art presentations and musical events. The House of Art and Culture works from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. For more details and information, visit here.
The Antonio Martorell Gallery, also known as “Taller de la Playa”, is another hidden gem in Play de Ponce. They offer tours dedicated to art and nature exhibiting portfolios, paintings, sculptures, and books for all art lovers. Admission is $20 + service fee and tax, but you should call ahead and check weekly opening dates as they work by reservation. To book and enjoy visit here. Note: Spaces for the tour are limited, do not forget to call and reserve in advance.
8. Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center
The Tibes Indigenous Center is one of the biggest attractions in Puerto Rico, as it is one of the most complete pre-colonial archaeological sites in the Caribbean. In this place, you can come across several indigenous artifacts including ruins of the squares where games, areitos, rituals, etc. were held. Here you can find the oldest human-made structure in Puerto Rico, the ceremonial plaza dates back to pre-Taino times, about 1,500 years ago!
They offer tours with detailed history and even the opportunity to appreciate the bones of our ancestors up close. You will have a unique experience while you walk through a botanical area with trees and plants endemic to Puerto Rico and that our ancestors used to eat and cure diseases. The Ceremonial Center does not charge admission and operates from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To know its details visit here.
9. Hacienda Buena Vista
Hacienda Buena Vista is a historic plantation that is over 100 years old. It is considered one of the best examples of a plantation in Puerto Rico that still exists and is functioning. The tours inside the Hacienda are a journey through our history that involve characters that impacted the economic and even political development of Ponce. Tours must be reserved in advance and for this you must call during business hours; Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more details and information, click here.
10. Historical Tours with Isla Caribe
History is not only read, history is walked, is one of the mottos of Isla Caribe, where we are dedicated to telling the history of Puerto Rico on foot, particularly the history of Ponce where our tours began. The tours of Isla Caribe are an excellent opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the Cuidad Señorial. Ponce has a lot to offer and a walking tour is a great way to get to know the City and experience it authentically.
The price of the tours may vary depending on the tour, which includes the classic Ponce walking tour, Ponce Caminando, or themed private tours such as the Ponce Salsa Tour or the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center Tour, you can see the next tours here. No matter who you go with, it will be a beautiful and moving experience for anyone who takes the opportunity to get to know the City of Ponce.
To reserve your spot and enjoy a good day out click here.
BONUS: Isabel II Plaza del Mercado
Two blocks from Plaza Las Delicias, you will find La Plaza de Mercado de Ponce, a place full of life with gastronomy, music, and pleasures, plus structures full of fascinating stories. We include it in this list because it is a place that continues to grow and where you can enjoy a different offer at any time.
Inside, the Plaza del Mercado has architecture that dates back to 1863, by the engineers Timoteo Luberza de San Martín, and Juan Bertoli. But on the outside, you will find another style of architecture dating from 1941 by the architect Pedro Méndez Mercado. Inside and outside are different experiences, since inside you can find dozens of kiosks with food, drinks, clothes, souvenirs, fruits, and coffee, and outside you can find a wide variety of restaurants. Also in its front is the Paseo de la Salsa, with a stage where you can enjoy live music from Wednesday to Saturday, and the third Tuesday of each month.
Today full of life, and with dozens of businesses, the Plaza de Mercado de Ponce is a unique space in Puerto Rico.
