Ponce: Puerto Rico’s La Perla del Sur
As Puerto Rico’s second largest city next to San Juan, Ponce (pronounced as PON-sai) is not only known as La Perla del Sur or Pearl of the South. The former Spanish capital of the south possesses several other names including Ciudad Señorial (Majestic City). Its preserved colonial infrastructure dates as far back as the 17th century making the city a national treasure.
Best Time to Visit
You can enter Ponce, Puerto Rico via the Mercedita Airport (PSE), if you’re looking for a perfect summer getaway months from mid-April to June. Also, if you want to avoid any rain from ruining your vacation, take note that the hurricane season is from months of August to October. Carnaval Ponceño is an annual event held in February famous for its parade of floats, lights, music and extravagant costumes.
What to Do & Area Attractions
If you prefer to see live performance but want to skip the tight crowd, you can catch theatrical performances over at Teatro La Perla, the second oldest theater in Puerto Rico. Not too far is the Meliá Century Hotel Ponce, another historical landmark found in the Ponce Historic Zone. Situated in downtown Ponce is another historical site named Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino. An interesting fact about this is that its façade was colonial structure named Casa Saurí, which was regulated by the Puerto Rico Institute of Culture. Don’t forget to take a day tour at Ponce History Museum.