Ponce, Puerto Rico's fourth-largest city, is the birthplace of a long roster of Puerto Rican writers, statesmen, singers and poets.
Known as the Ciudad Senorial (the Noble City) or La Perla del Sur (the Pearl of the South), Ponce has taken equal pride in its architecture. In the mid-1800s, Ponceno leaders used the profits from their vast sugarcane and coffee crops to construct ornate buildings for various civic, cultural and artistic institutions—turning the downtown into a showplace. When Ponce's city economy waned in the 1930s, however, the buildings slid into disrepair.
Ponce has undergone a revival in the past decade or so, receiving hundreds of millions of dollars to revitalize its wooden and plaster buildings (increasing the number of historically significant protected ones to more than 1,000), many of which are adorned with pillars, balconies and intricate latticework. The refurbishment campaign, known locally as Ponce en Marcha (Ponce on the Move), has had impressive results.
In addition to its architecture, Ponce also offers visitors a standout art museum and a picturesque boardwalk.
Ponce has made great strides in its recovery from Hurricane Maria in September 2017, especially in tourist areas. Central Ponce around Plaza Las Delicias appears fully restored, although some individual museums may still be undergoing renovations. Further from city center, expect to see rougher roads, downed utility lines and ongoing repairs.
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