16 Best Sights in Ponce, Ponce and the Porta Caribe

Built by Salvador de Vives in 1838, this was one of the area's largest coffee plantations. It's a technological marvel: water from the nearby Río Canas was funneled into narrow brick channels that could be diverted to perform any number of tasks, like turning the waterwheel. (Seeing the two-story wheel slowly begin to turn is fascinating, especially for kids.) Nearby is the two-story manor house, with a kitchen dominated by a massive hearth and furniture that hints at life on a coffee plantation nearly 150 years ago. In 1987, the plantation was restored by the Puerto Rican Conservation Trust, which leads several tours each day (at least one in English; by reservation only, call several days in advance or reserve online). A gift shop sells coffee beans and other souvenirs. Allow an hour's drive on the winding road from Ponce.

This lovely Spanish-style villa—so massive that townspeople dubbed it a castle—was built in the 1930s for Ponce's wealthiest family, the makers of Don Q rum. Guided tours provide a glimpse into the lifestyle of a sugar baron, and a permanent exhibit explains the area's sugarcane and rum industries. Highlights include the dining room, with original hand-carved furnishings, and the extensive garden, with sculptured bushes and a shimmering reflection pool. A large cross looming over the house is an observatory; from the top, you can see the Caribbean.

Designed by Edward Durell Stone, who also designed the original Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Ponce's art museum is easily identified by the hexagonal galleries on its second story. It has one of the best art collections in Puerto Rico, which is why residents of San Juan frequently make the trip. The 4,500-piece collection includes works by famous Puerto Rican artists such as Francisco Oller, represented by a lovely landscape called Hacienda Aurora. European works include paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Thomas Gainsborough, as well as pre-Raphaelite paintings, particularly the mesmerizing Flaming June, by Frederick Leighton, which has become the museum's unofficial symbol. The museum also offers special exhibits, three sculpture gardens, and a café.

In a city filled with neoclassical confections, this is one of the most elaborate. Alfredo B. Wiechers, who returned to his native Ponce after studying architecture in Paris, designed the house. Though small in scale compared with some of its neighbors, it makes a big impression with details like huge arched windows and a massive rooftop gazebo. No wonder that soon after it was completed in 1911 the Villaronga-Mercado family decided to make it their own. Check out the stained-glass windows and other fanciful touches. The house, restored by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, now operates as the Museum of Puerto Rican Architecture, so, in addition to original furnishings, you'll find exhibits on Wiechers and other Ponce architects of his era.

After El Morro in Old San Juan, this distinctive red-and-black-striped building may be the second-most-photographed structure in Puerto Rico. Built in 1882 as a pavilion for an agricultural and industrial fair, it was converted the following year into a firehouse. In 1990, it took on new life as a small museum tracing the history—and glorious feats—of Ponce's fire brigade. Kids love the antique fire truck on the lower level. Short tours in English and Spanish are given on the hour starting at 10; if the trolley is running, you can sign up for free tours of the historic downtown here, too. Helpful tourism officials staff a small information desk inside.

This pale blue cathedral has always been one of the city's jewels, but it regained much of its luster after a complete renovation in 2007. Dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, it is built on the site of a 1670 chapel destroyed by earthquakes. Part of the current structure, where Mass is still held, dates from 1835. After another earthquake in 1918, new steeples and a roof were put on and neoclassical embellishments were added to the facade. Inside, you'll see stained-glass windows and two alabaster altars.

This archaeological site, discovered after flooding from a tropical storm in 1975, is the island's most important. Dating from AD 300–700, it includes nine playing fields used for a ritual ball game that some think was similar to soccer. The fields are bordered by smooth stones, some of which are engraved with petroglyphs that might have ceremonial or astronomical significance. In the eye-catching Plaza de Estrella (Plaza of the Star), stones are arranged in a pattern resembling a rising sun, perhaps used to chart the seasons. A village with thatched huts has been reconstructed. Visit the small museum before taking a walking tour of the site. Last entry varies from day to day, so call ahead to confirm.

At the top of Cerro Vigía—a hill where the Spanish once watched for ships, including those of marauding pirates—is this colossal concrete cross. You can climb the stairs or take a glass elevator to the top of the 100-foot cross for a panoramic view across the city. Purchase tickets at nearby Castillo Serrallés.

Route 3 going eastward intersects with Route 901, the eastern portion of the cross-island Ruta Panorámica. Along the way you'll pass animals grazing in fields and cliffs that drop straight down to the ocean. If you turn off on Route 760 and take it to the end, you'll be rewarded by a dramatic view of the Faro de Maunabo (Maunabo Lighthouse) at Punta Tuna. While not open to the public, it's a must-stop spot for photos.

Named for its shape, this island, which stretches for 3 km (2 miles) and is 8 km (5 miles) off the coast, has the best beaches near Ponce and some of the best snorkeling in southern Puerto Rico. Due to hawksbill turtle nesting (May–December), the island is protected by the Reserva Natural Caja de Muertos, but you can still swim, snorkel, and dive here. A 30-minute hike across the island leads to a small lighthouse dating from 1887. Scheduled boats aren't currently available, but some of the many boatmen at La Guancha will take you out for about $40 round-trip. You must pack what you need (food and drink) and remember to take your garbage with you! Amenities: toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Ponce's public beach is simple but lovely, with shallow water perfect for small children. You'll find bathrooms, a playground, and a few kiosks selling fried food. There's some shade under thatched umbrellas, but bring sunscreen. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: swimming.

Encircling the cove of a working harbor, the seaside boardwalk features a small lookout tower and kiosks where vendors sell local food and drink. The adjacent park has a large children's area filled with playground equipment and, on weekends, live music. The nearby public beach has restrooms, changing areas, a medical post, and plenty of free parking. On Sunday night, this place gets packed with locals strolling the boardwalk. Weekend visitors might want to take advantage of tour outfitters, including Island Venture, which lead day trips to Caja de Muertos from here, as well as evening bay rides.

Banker and industrialist Carlos Armstrong and his wife, Eulalia Pou, lived in this neoclassical house designed and built for them in 1901 by Manuel V. Domenech. The building has undergone a top-to-bottom renovation, and now you can admire the ornate facade, which is chock-full of columns, statues, and intricate moldings. Original furnishings belonging to the family are on display.

Housed in two adjoining neoclassical mansions, this museum includes 10 rooms with exhibits covering the city's residents, from the indigenous Taíno people to Spanish settlers to the mix of the present. Guided tours in English and Spanish give an overview of the city's history. Although descriptions are mostly in Spanish, displays of clothing from different eras are interesting.

At this museum you'll learn how Puerto Rican music has been influenced by African, Spanish, and Native American cultures. On display are dozens of instruments, such as the tres (a small string instrument resembling a banjo), as well as memorabilia of local composers and musicians. The small museum takes up several rooms of a neoclassical former residence, which alone is worth the trip.

This theater was restored in 1941 after an earthquake and fire damaged the original 1864 structure. The striking interior contains seats for 1,047 and has excellent acoustics. It's generally open for a quick peek on weekdays.