Ponce

Introducing Ponce

Ponce native son and author Abelardo Díaz Alfaro famously called Ponce a baluarte irreductible de puertorriqueñidad – a bastion of the irreducible essence of Puerto Rico – and strolling around the quaint square and narrow streets of the city’s historic center certainly evokes the stately spirit of Puerto Rico’s past. Unfortunately, the neighborhoods that surround the square bear witness to a woeful characteristic of Puerto Rico’s present: irreducible snarls of congested traffic. Even though the honking and ceaseless construction are signs of the city’s continual growth, the communities surrounding San Juan have grown much faster, unseating Ponce’s status as Puerto Rico’s second-most populated metropolis.

To understand the essence of Ponce itself, start at the city center, lined with shops, banks and surprisingly affordable hotels. The city has a more easygoing spirit than other major cities on the island, with businesses that open late and close early, couples who stroll circles around the city’s fountains, and breezy evenings 2 miles south at the shore line. There, at a developed facility called Paseo Tablado La Guancha, clusters of attractive restaurants and cafés draw families for open-air dinners on the weekend. After the kids go to bed, the drinks flow and the area jumps with a booming mix of reggaeton and salsa.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009