The Ponce Port, located in Ponce, Puerto Rico is the second largest city after San Juan on the island. Known as "la Perla del Sur" or the pearl of the south, the city was founded by Juan Ponce de Leon's great grandson, a man named Loiza Ponce de Leon. The city has strong Spanish ties and unique architecture and design. The city has dedicated one billion dollars to preserving the very core of the colonial city, allowing it to remain just like it did in the 17th century and is a natural treasure.
Shopping
The Ponce cruise terminal is large and contains a great deal of shopping. Start by visiting the Centro Commercial Plaza del Caribe. Here, you will find an upscale shopping mall. There are more than 100 shops located within, as well as six theaters and several restaurants. This location offers name brand clothing, perfumes, luxury goods and jewelry. The Centro del Sur Shopping Center is another mall in the region, with about half as many shops. Both offer everything you need from local artisans to high-end goods.
Things to Do
The Ponce Port does offer a great deal of things to do. Start by visiting the Caja de Muertos Lighthouse. A 19th century lighthouse overlooks the Ponce cruise terminal. It underwent recent renovations and now offers a lookout point and a local museum within it.
Stop by Casa de la Masacre de Ponce. This site speaks to the city's political unrest during the early 1900's. In this area marchers and police collided, some 20 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.
The region has many ornate churches. The Catedral de la Guadalupe is a beautiful church with origins dating back to the 1880's. There are others throughout the city, all of which you can stop into for a visit. The Centro Ceremonial Indigena de Tibes is an ancient Indian site that dates back to 700 A.D. Today, it is home to ball courts, dancing grounds and the astronomical observatory. You can visit most days for a small admission charge.
Restaurants and Bars
The Ponce Port offers restaurants and bars throughout. For Italian cuisine, stop by the Hilton Ponce Golf and Casino Resort, the food is said to be excellent. Cava is a fine dining restaurant serving dinner and offers an excellent wine list. The menu is international. Many of the more common restaurant chains are available throughout the city as well.
For Puerto Rican food, visit Ciaccios on Ave Munoz Rivera or Croilooisimo Restaurant at Ave Hostos #28. You will find seafood and mofongos rellenos here.