Barranquitas

Introducing Barranquitas

One of the most quintessential of Puerto Rico’s lofty mountain towns, Barranquitas is a diminutive but picturesque settlement that clings like a toy village to the muddy slopes of the rain-lashed Cordillera Central. Lying on the north side of the Cañón de San Cristóbal, about a 20-minute drive out of Aibonito on Hwy 162 (or an even shorter detour off of the Ruta Panorámica via Hwy 143), the town is known locally as the Cuna de Próceres (Cradle of Great People) for its historical propensity to produce poets, politicians and governors of national (and international) distinction. Most notable in this list is the legendary Muñoz clan, Puerto Rico’s substitute ‘royal’ family whose evocative mausoleum has assured Barranquitas’ place as a pilgrimage site for both local patriots and curious visitors for a long time to come.

This is not, however, a fairy-tale village of architectural heirlooms. Hurricanes and fires have ravaged Barranquitas several times (the name translates to ‘Place of Little Mud Slides’), and the oldest structures, such as the church, date only from the early 20th century. Barranquitas’ charm lies in its narrow streets, tightly packed with shops and houses, which fall away into deep valleys on three sides of the plaza. Indeed, the view from the mountain road descending into town, when the afternoon sun sets the church tower ablaze above the shadowy and thickly settled central neighborhoods, is truly memorable.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009