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Guayanilla.- The panoramic beauty that characterizes “La tierra de Agüeybaná” makes this town—founded in 1833—one of the jewels of the southern area. And all due to its spectacular hills and abundant waters.

To take advantage of its charms, just travel along the PR-132 highway, towards the PR-378 called the Ruta verde or Ruta de los charcos (“Green Route” or “River Pool Road”). You will find at least a dozen unique river pools on the way, each crowned by beautiful waterfalls that promise to refresh those who let themselves be welcomed by its crystalline waters.

Further along is the “charco de oro” (“golden river pool”) which takes its name from the color of its stones. The stones have traces of pyrite, which is “a mineral made up of iron sulfide, which has a metallic shine and yellow color.”

Another area that attracts visitors is the “charco de los peces” (“river pool of fish”), known for its 100-feet-tall waterfall. There are other beautiful river pools around, such as “la iglesia” (“the church”), “la rosa” (“the rose”) and the “Cristo te ama” (“Christ loves you”) waterfall, among others.

According to the municipal official, Gliden López-Torres, “(the river pools) begin at Barrio Sierra Baja, which is the start to the river route. On the way, there is an area where El Ventorrillo establishment is at that has a bridge with the flags of Puerto Rico and Guayanilla painted on it.”

“This route is part of the Guayanilla riverbed, which begins in the southern part of Monte Guilarte until it flows into La Playa. It has several river pools where people can go and spend time with their family. There is an incredible diversity with more than a dozen options,” he added.

However, “they suffered through a change after Hurricane María. Some of these pools didn’t recover and now they can’t be used for bathing. New ones were created, but the majority are all right.”

Barrio Playa in Guayanilla contains a huge array of restaurants and kiosks, which attracts thousands of people weekly who rave about the variety of fresh seafood in all its culinary forms.

Considered the main economic axis of the “villa de los pescadores” (“fishermen’s village”), this tourist sector is a space to share with family or friends who prefer an amazing environment that contrasts with the bay.

The boardwalk displaying the letters of the name of Guayanilla is there. Further on is the Placita del Pescador, which is a tribute to the fishermen who had gone out to sea to fish, but never returned.

“This is the best culinary area on the island, with a variety of restaurants from which you can get all kinds of fresh seafood. A lot of it is caught by Guayanilla fishermen who, day after day, go out to do that work. The boardwalk is also there, holding kiosks with great culinary options as well,” he highlighted.

“That’s where the Placita del pescador is, which is dedicated to the missing fishermen; the men who had gone out to sea to earn their daily bread and never returned. There’s a pyramid in memory of those fishermen at the little plaza,” he said.

In fact, it is one of the busiest areas in the southern town.

“The letters that make up Guayanilla are on the boardwalk, which is something different from the other [towns] because you have the bay in the background when you take a photograph. It’s one of the deepest bays in Puerto Rico. It’s also unique for how it’s surrounded by two mountains, and you can see the Castillo Mario Mercado just beyond,” he stated.

“Currently, this castle is private property, but it was the residence of Don Mario Mercado, a landowner from Guayanilla and owner of the properties holding the sugar plantation. It is one of the three recognized castles in Puerto Rico, apart from Castillo Serrallés in Ponce and San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan,” he said.

Despite the damage caused by the 2020 earthquakes, the Guayanilla town center preserves the essence of the Luis Muñoz-Marín public square, where the acoustic shell stands out with a mural dedicated to the two school bands.

Likewise, it exhibits the so-called “fountain of wisdom.” It is a bust made in tribute to the local teachers and dedicated to Anabel Torres-Rivera, the “teacher of teachers” who dedicated her life to the service of Puerto Rican education.

“In addition to this beautiful recreational area, we have the city hall, which is the center for the local government. And, although it’s in ruins today, there’s the Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción, which was a parish built in 1841. There is also the Museo Padre Nazario which is currently undergoing repairs after suffering damages from Hurricane María and then the earthquakes,” he said.

“This museum houses a large number of pieces from Father Nazario’s stones. They’re recognized worldwide because their inscriptions give evidence about the founding of our towns and the discovery of Puerto Rico. The stones belong to the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. [The museum] is being prepared to house the pieces back. And there is also an art exhibition section by visual artists from Guayanilla,” he said about the building, located on the side of the plaza.

It should be noted that, according to projections made by the town, the Museo Padre Nazario would be reopening before the end of 2023, as well as the Castillo del Niño and the Parque Infantil Julio Rojas Reyes, which are also being restored.