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Gurabo.- Exploring the tourist areas of Gurabo is how you get to know a little about its history and the essence of its people. In every corner you can feel the pride and sacrifice of a town that, “step by step,” has managed to transform itself to attract visitors and keep economic activity alive.

We invite you to visit some of the emblematic places of this municipality, also known as El pueblo de las escaleras (The Town of the Stairs).

The construction of the Plaza de los Próceres took place in 1814. Its name is attributed in honor of political figures such as former governors Luis Muñoz Marín, Luis A. Ferré, and others. The plaza is the town’s recreational center, where people fraternize, walk, relax and even rest and play dominoes under the shade of the trees.

The Museo del Deporte Gurabeño (Gurabo Sports Museum) is located near the public square. It honors the achievements of athletes from all disciplines. There you will find an exhibition of how sports began on the Island, whose precursors are the indigenous Taíno people.

Likewise, impressive life-size plaster and plastic figures are presented. They are made to look realistic and honor dozens of athletes from the Pueblo de los halcones (Town of the Falcons). Each piece is accompanied by a card with the athlete’s story.

The space also has a real vault where the Salón de los Tesoros (Hall of Treasures) was established, since the building used to be a bank. It houses a special gallery with unique pieces, ranging from medals and awards to important memorabilia of Gurabo athletes.

In the town center of Gurabo, when the time strikes the hour, it is normal to hear the chime of the clock located in what used to be the old city hall and Casa del Rey (House of the King). This device was manufactured in 1892 and arrived from France on a ship called “Venecia.” On that trip, two clocks came; one arrived in Gurabo and the other to the island-municipality of Vieques.

It was not until 1910 that it was installed in Gurabo. Since then, this ancient clock has been working and giving the town the time of day.

The Panadería Carrasquillo in Gurabo is not only a place to enjoy delicious bread baked in a brick oven; it has also been operating for 120 years, and the history of the town is shown. There you will be able to appreciate a gallery of images and information of important town figures. There are also photographs and paintings that are exhibited and demonstrate how this town has developed since its foundation.

One of the symbols of Gurabo’s identity are its five stairways, built in 1946. They lead to the community of El Cerro. Each one averages between 80 and 142 steps. The purpose of the construction of these stairs was to make life easier for the citizens residing in that area. They were mostly freed black laborers from the haciendas, to whom a rich man donated the land for them to live on.

But, during rainy seasons, the area was not accessible. The people who lived there were servants to the rich who lived in the plaza area, so they needed better access to carry out their work.

In recent times, the stairs of Santiago Street were part of a project where 15 young people from Gurabo made a mosaic on 57 steps. They used elements of the town’s folklore to decorate each step.

Those who decide to accept the challenge and climb the stairs of Gurabo, not only have a privileged view of the town center and being part of the iconic space, but can also make a refreshing stop at the house of María Judith Ayala. She sells exquisite limbers of various flavors in the form of a popsicle.

“I help visitors cool off with my business. Many tourists and school groups come here and I sell them my popsicle limbers. If they don’t have a stick at the top, they’re not María’s,” said Ayala, who is one of the faces of the working people of Gurabo.