Ciales
Ciales is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico in the interior mountainous region of the island, in the transition zone between the Northern Karst and the Cordillera Central mountain range. The town is most famous for its coffee heritage, its caves and mountains, and its traditional food. It is referred to as the Door to the Cordillera Central (Puerta De La Cordillera Central).
Understand
editCiales is one of the municipalities in "La Montaña", the mountain. Ciales has its historic pueblo with a Roman Catholic church, a Spanish-style recreational plaza and streets that run perpendicular to the plaza, dotted with quaint shops. The best time to visit is between November and April. Puerto Rico is hot anytime, and temperatures reach well over 30°C in the summer shade.
Get in
edit- San Juan: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
- Aguadilla: Rafael Hernández Airport
- Ponce: Mercedita Airport
Get around
editBy car
editGetting around Ciales is best done by car.
A word of caution: if driving, you are sharing the road with trucks, and locals. The mountain roads have steep descents and ascents, hairpin turns, and cliff drops that are not always protected by railing. Some roads may look like one-lane highways but are made to handle two-way traffic.
- Jibarito Aventurero, jibaroaventurero@gmail.com. Certified tour guide specializing in eco-tourism, visits to waterfalls and hikes.
See
edit
- 1 Ciales Pueblo (downtown Ciales). See the historic Roman Catholic church, Spanish-style recreational plaza, and the municipal buildings surrounded by streets and shops.
You can drive around the pueblo or park your car and walk around the square and into the plaza. The Spanish law, which regulated life in Puerto Rico in the early 19th century, stated the plaza's purpose was for celebrations and festivities.
- 2 Manatí Bridge at Mata de Plátano, PR-6685, km 9.7 Barrio Hato Viejo. Historic steel, one-lane bridge built in 1905 is in Ciales, over the Río Grande of Manatí.
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- 3 Las Delicias Falls at Bosque Estatal de Los Tres Picachos (Route 149 to KM 34.6, then turn onto Road 533. Take Road 533 west to KM 2.5 (about a 4-minute drive)). There is a waterfall, but there are no trash cans; facilities and parking is basically on the side of the road. Drive carefully.
Do
editSome of the highest elevations in Puerto Rico are found in Ciales. So if you're adventurous, take a drive and photograph the scenic views, after you've found a safe place to park.
- 1 Cialitos Barrio. This barrio is high up in the mountains at an elevation of 755 m (2477 ft)
- 2 Hacienda Tabonuco. This coffee farm is high up in the mountains at an elevation of 785 m (2575 ft)
- 3 Lago El Guineo. This reservoir is high up in the mountains at an elevation of 895 m (2936 ft)
- 4 WNRT-FM Tower. This radio tower is high up in the mountains at an elevation of 723 m (2372 ft).
- 5 Los Tres Picachos Summit. This summit is at an elevation of 968 m (3,176 ft)
- 6 Casa Corretjer Ciales Cultural Center, Calle Betances, Ciales barrio-pueblo, ☏ +1 787-368-6813, casacorretjerciales@gmail.com. 10AM-3PM Fridays and Saturdays. Cultural Center, Literary Arts, Museum dedicated to Juan Antonio Corretjer Montes
- 7 Cerro Rosa. This summit is at an elevation of 1,263 meters (4,144 ft) above sea leve
Buy
edit- 1 Don Pello Coffee, ☏ +1 787-313-0925. Don Pello Coffee comes from small-scale coffee producers who grow coffee in the mountains of Ciales. You can either buy the coffee via their website or you can buy the coffee at the Coffee Museum in Ciales' pueblo.
Eat
edit- 1 Vista Las Cañas, PR-149 Km 23.5, ☏ +1 787-639-3407. Bar & Restaurant.
Drink
edit- 1 Museo del Café (Coffee Museum), 42 Calle Palmer PR-149 Barrio Pueblo, ☏ +1 787-313-0925, museodelcafepr@yahoo.com. Discover the history of coffee growing in Puerto Rico at this museum in the pueblo. Several large cans containing a variety of coffee beans and instruments used in coffee processing are at the Coffee Museum. There's a shop, and a coffee bar. Outside, in the back there is an enclosure which is home to a few baby goats- a nice petting zoo with photo opportunities.
Sleep
edit- 1 Hacienda Negron, Street 149 km 38.5 Bo. Toro Negro Sector Alas de la Piedra, ☏ +1 787-400-7573, info@haciendanegron.com. Waterpark and hotel. USD $.