San Germán is the second-oldest colonial city in Puerto Rico. It was established in 1573 after the original village, built in 1511, was sacked by the French. It’s a lovely town where many streets are lined with grand 18th- and 19th-century homes painted pastel shades of blue, pink, and green, and decked out with verandas, columns, and intricate wrought-iron work. San Germán has two plazas. The oldest, Plazuela Santo Domingo, is the smaller of the two, and it is home to many historic houses and Porta Coéli, one of the oldest churches in the Americas. The largest plaza is Plaza Francisco Mariano Quiñones, and here you’ll find the alcaldía (town hall) and Iglesia San Germán de Auxerre.
The drive is a pleasant and shady venture through winding mountain roads, making it an ideal option for a leisurely day trip from Ponce or Mayaguez.Accommodations are limited in San Germán, but in recent years the restaurant scene has expanded to include a couple of destination restaurants. The drive is a pleasant and shady venture through winding mountain roads, making it an ideal option for a leisurely day trip from Ponce or Mayagüez and a great opportunity to experience a colonial town mostly untouched by mainland influence.
Porta Coéli Chapel and Museum of Religious Art. Photo © Suzanne Van Atten.
Porta Coéli Chapel and Museum of Religious Art (at Calle Ramos and Calle Dr. Santiago Veve, on the south end of Plazuela Santo Domingo, 787/892-5845, Mon.-Fri. 9am-noon and 1pm-4:30pm, $3) is one of the few examples of Gothic architecture built in the New World, and it’s the oldest chapel in Puerto Rico, having been established in 1606. The original structure, now razed, was completed in 1607 as a chapel for the convent of Santo Domingo. It was rebuilt in 1692, and although many of its components have been rebuilt and restored over the years, it retains the original characteristics, featuring interior columns and a roof made from tile and wood, as was common in construction in the 17th and 18th centuries. Set high up on a hill overlooking Plazuela Santo Domingo, the structure appears to live up to its name, which translates to “gateway to heaven.” Its primitive, dark sanctuary contains a fantastic collection of 18th- and 19th-century religious paintings and sculpture, including striking primitive-style wood carvings of the 12 stations of the cross. Beside the chapel are the brick ruins of a building that once housed the parish priests. Information is in Spanish only.
Built in 1739, San Germán de Auxerre Parish (Plaza Francisco Mariano Quiñones, 787/892-1027) has been restored and rebuilt in part multiple times over the years, but it retains the classic beauty of its neoclassical origins. It contains three naves, 10 altars, two chapels, and a belfry tower, which was rebuilt after it was damaged in the 1918 earthquake. The ceiling and archways feature trompe-l’oeil painting made to resemble wood coffers, and in the choir loft is a painting by José Campeche, a renowned rococo artist from Puerto Rico, and 18th-century wood carvings.
La Fiesta del Acabe del Café celebrates the end of coffee harvest season in mid-February at a three-day celebration in Maricao, near San Germán. Festivities include musical performances, crafts, and food vendors.
De Lirious (Calle Santiago Veve Plaza, 787/264-4600, Wed.-Thurs. 1pm-10pm, Fri.-Sat. 1pm-11pm, Sun. noon-8pm, $8-18) serves creative interpretations of Puerto Rican cuisine. Order the house specialty—a filet of dorado with coconut and pumpkin—or try El Volcán, mofongo stuffed with churrasco and shrimp in white sauce. There is indoor and outdoor dining.
A romantic little jewel of a spot, Tapas Café (50 Calle Santiago Veve, Santo Domingo Plaza, 787/264-0610 or 787/370-5227, Wed.-Thurs. 5pm-10pm, Fri.-Sat. 5pm-11pm, Sun. 11am-9pm, $2-15) features a blue tiled bar and table tops, giving the place a Mediterranean vibe and providing the perfect setting for a menu of expertly prepared Spanish dishes. As its name implies, the menu primarily serves tapas, including piquillo peppers stuffed with tuna, sardine spread with mussels over toast, chorizo in red wine, and tortilla española. But a variety of paellas are available for two or more diners.
![Paella dish. Photo © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yasmapaz/385969164/">Yasmapaz</a>, [<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APaella_in_Salinas%2C_Puerto_Rico.jpg">via Wikimedia Commons</a>.](https://www.holidaytravel.cc/Article/UploadFiles/201602/2016021614492604.jpg)
Paella dish. Photo © Yasmapaz, [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons.
San Germán is 173 kilometers (107 miles) southwest of San Juan, and 51 kilometers (31 miles) south of Aguadilla. From San Juan, take Highway 52 south to Carretera 2 to Carretera 362 north. From Aguadilla, take Carretera 2 south to Carretera 360 east to Carretera 396 west.
Hospital Metropolitano de San Germán (Javilla CDT, 787/892-5300) supplies medical services to San Germán, and Walgreens (10 Ave. Fenwal, 787/892-4482) has a pharmacy. Call the Oficina de Turismo (2nd Fl., Casa Alcaldía Antiqua, Plaza Francisco Mariano Quiñones, 787/892-7195, Mon.-Fri. 8am-noon and 1pm-4pm) to schedule a free walking or trolley tour.
Excerpted from the Fourth Edition of Moon Puerto Rico.
