Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Mayagüez (Puerto Rico). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo, Plaza Colón, and Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. Also, be sure to include Teatro Yagüez in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Mayagüez (Mayagüez).
Table of Contents
Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo
Traditional zoo plus insects and birds. Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo is a 45-acre zoo located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It is the largest zoo on the island. It is named in honor of Juan A. Rivero, its first director. It has an extensive collection of animals from all continents. The premises of the zoo have remained closed to the general public following the passing of Hurricane Maria over Puerto Rico in September 2017.[1]
Plaza Colón
Park in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Plaza Colón is the main plaza in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón. The plaza presents the traditional urban relationship in Puerto Rico with the church, now Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Cathedral on one end of the plaza and the "Alcaldia" or Mayagüez town hall in the other. Its location was designated in 1760 close to the city founding.
The plaza is paved in marble is graced by a group of lampposts in bronze that date over more than one hundred years. Each lamp is held by an oriental odalisque, including characteristic clothes, turbans, and veils. The plaza was designed after the Great Fire of 1841, approximately in 1842; years later, after being paved the plaza had a fountain in the center. The plaza has been remodeled several times including when Benjamin Cole was mayor and under the current mayor José Guillermo Rodríguez.[2]
Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria
Catholic cathedral in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria or in English, Our Lady of the Candelaria Cathedral, is the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mayagüez located in the eastern end of the Colón Main Square facing the town hall in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.[3]
Address: 55 Calle Iglesia, 00680 Mayagüez
Teatro Yagüez
Building. The Teatro Yagüez in Puerto Rico is a historic building that today is a performing arts theater. It is located at Candelaria Street, and Dr. Basora Streets, in the city of Mayagüez. It consists of the Lucy Boscana Hall and the Roberto Cole Cafe Theater.[4]
City Hall
City or town hall in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The Casa Consistorial De Mayaguez or as it is more commonly known Alcaldia de Mayagüez is the City Hall for the Municipality of Mayagüez. It is located in front of the Colón Main Square facing the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Cathedral.[5]
Address: 8 Calle Peral, Mayagüez
Cementerio Municipal de Mayagüez
Cemetery in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The Cementerio Municipal de Mayagüez, also known as Cementerio Viejo, was constructed in 1876 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. It was designed by the municipal architect Félix Vidal d’Ors following the master plan for the city from 1804. The outskirts of the cemetery are defined by brick walls and niches, the area is divided by two streets that intersect. Following an 1872 law the cemetery provided separated areas intended for non-Catholics and for the poor, located in the east.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The listing includes two contributing buildings, one contributing site, and five other contributing structures. It is one of the most elegant and carefully designed cemeteries on the island.[6]
Address: Chairel 401, Mayagüez
Parque de los Próceres
Park in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The Parque de los Próceres is a park in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
In 1977 the mayor of Mayagüez, Don Benjamín Cole obtained a grant from the Economic Development Administration of the United States Department of Commerce for the construction of the "Parque de los Próceres Puertorriqueños". The park is located in the banks of the Yagüez River between roads PR-108 and PR-65. The name of the park is Spanish for "Puerto Rican Patriots Park". It is located across the street from the Palacio de Recreacion y Deportes.
The park's gardens are accentuated by commemorative plaques about prominent Puerto Ricans. It contains many paths appropriate for walks and bike riding, ornate gazebos and decorative ponds. Parque de los Próceres has been called "the lungs of the city of Mayagüez".[7]
Address: 64 Calle R Martinez Nadal N # 00680, 00680-5489 Mayaguez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
University in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish, is a public land-grant university in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. UPRM is the second-largest university campus of the University of Puerto Rico system. In addition to its status as a land-grant university, it is also a member of the sea-grant and space-grant research consortia. In 2009, the campus population was composed of 12,108 students, 1,924 regular staff members, and 1,037 members of the education staff. In 2013, the student population remained relatively steady at 11,838, but the instructional faculty dropped to 684. In the second semester of 2019 around 12,166 students where enrolled. UPRM has been accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education since 1946.[8]
Parque del Litoral
City park in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Parque Litoral Israel "Shorty" Castro is a park located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It is commonly named "Parque del Litoral".[9]
Edificio José de Diego
The Edificio José de Diego in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, also known as the Rectoría, is a historic building on the grounds of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. It was built in 1913. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[10]
Port of Mayagüez
The Port of Mayagüez, located northwest of downtown Mayagüez, is the third busiest port on Puerto Rico. The port is situated along Puerto Rico routes 64, 341, and 3341, and stretches for 3.8 miles along the coast. Its main canal is.4 miles wide and its depth ranges from 47 to 120 feet; the water's depth along the piers ranges between 28 and 29 feet. Until April 2010, the port's main tenant was Ferries del Caribe which provided daily ferry service to the Dominican Republic. Its sole vessel, Caribbean Express was scrapped at Alang in late 2010. Since March 2011, ferry service to the Dominican Republic has been offered by America Cruise Ferries.
During the Winter 2010/2011 cruise season, the port was visited periodically by ships of the Holland America Line, including the MS Prinsendam.
The port is protected from rough seas by reefs which run along its northern and western sections. The port is located in Mayagüez Bay.[11]