Puerto Rico sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

One of the most famous resorts, the country is also rich in magnificent architectural landmarks, beautiful nature resorts and great choice of entertainment centers. The best way to start your acquaintance with Puerto Rico is to visit Cordillera Central, where you will find several ancient cities hidden among mountains and green hills. Travelers are welcome to participate in excursions to the piedmont region, climb up to the snow-capped mountains and walk in centuries-old forests. Yabucoa is a small town famous for best beaches and close proximity to a beautiful nature reserve named Bosque Estatel de Carite. There are as many as three rivers in the territory of the reserve - Rio Grande de Patillas, Rio de la Plata and Rio Grande de Loíza, which banks are truly picturesque and perfect for fishing.

Don't forget to include visits to San Cristobal Canyon and unique forest Toro Negro Reserve into your excursion program. The forest covers an area of more than 7 thousand acres and provides shelter for 700 types of plants and over a hundred of different bird and animal species. Cabo Rojo is also a great destination for fans of nature sights. It is located in the southern part of the country. The lighthouse named Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo has become a symbol of the area. The lighthouse is equipped with an observation deck, from which visitors will enjoy beautiful panoramic views. Cabo Rojo will be a perfect choice for travelers who seek beautiful secluded bays, lush park zones and plenty of space for walking. The famous Bahia Fosforescente (Phosphorescent Bay) is located to the east from Cabo Rojo. This bay attracts thousands of visitors due to unique properties of local plankton. Every evening one can see how coastal waters start shining in a mysterious way. Such natural phenomenon is very rare.

The piedmont region is home to the Arecibo Observatory, which is famous thanks to the oldest radio telescope in the world. The telescope keeps functioning and is used to study distant objects in space. Not so long ago the Museum of Science and Space was opened in the observatory. Visitors of this place will learn more about the latest achievements of scientists. Don't forget to visit Rio Camuy Cave Park and Ceremonial Park on your way back from the observatory. The park was founded by the Taíno Indians 800 years ago. Various religious ceremonies, celebrations and important events of the tribe took place in this park. Several buildings and temples have survived till our days. Finally, old buildings and interesting museums can be found in the city of San Juan, which historic heritage is protected by the government. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

History and Entertainment

The discoverer of the island state was Christopher Columbus. His team boarded the coast of Porto Rico in 1493. The archeological research has shown that the first settlements in the islands were formed about 4 000 years ago. Little is known of the pre-Colombian history of the archipelago. Spaniards formed the first colonial settlements in the islands in 1508. The archipelago gained its present name in 1521. When the colonization began, almost 30 000 Indians resided in the islands. According to the official data, only 1 000 native people survived by 1530. The causes of aborigines’ death were virus diseases brought by Europeans. Many people died because of the heavy physical labor.

The islands had been under Spain by the 19th century. The second half of the century was marked by the local residents’ struggle for independence. In 1860, more than half a million people permanently resided in the islands. At that time, the vast majority of local residents were below the poverty line. In the second half of the 19th century, many cities saw uprisings for independence. In 1898, the first autonomous Government was established.

However, the country had managed to maintain the autonomy for several months. In July 1898, the war between Spain and the USA began and, as a result, the whole territory of the islands was conquered by the USA. At present, the islands are still under the United States. In recent years, local residents are pushing for the archipelago’s accession to the USA as the 51st state.

Besides interesting nature attractions and perfect conditions for beach recreation, the island state is notable for its eventful cultural life. During the year, a lot of interesting festivals and carnivals are held here. Some exciting holidays are dedicated to saint patrons.

Local residents borrowed many beautiful traditions from Spaniards, for example, their passion for salsa. Every festival includes performances of local dance groups. It will be interesting for fans of the event tourism to visit the islands at the end of January when the traditional Saint Sebastian Festival is held. In November, it will be also interesting to visit Ponce. At this time, the Bomba y Plena Festival is organized.