Barranquitas and the Cordillera Towns

Barranquitas sits high in the central mountains where the land drops away into the San Cristóbal canyon, a gorge more than two hundred metres deep cut by the Usabón river and the deepest on the island. The town is small, steep and cool, arranged around a plaza with a church rebuilt several times since the eighteenth century. Every July it holds the Feria Nacional de Artesanías, the country's oldest and largest craft fair, when several hundred artisans fill the streets with santos, masks, hammocks, musical instruments and lacework and the population multiplies. The surrounding cordillera towns, Aibonito, Orocovis and Comerío among them, make the same drive worthwhile at any time.

What to look for

• San Cristóbal canyon - a two-hundred-metre gorge below the town.
• The artisan fair - the country's oldest, held each July.
• The plaza and church - the centre of a steep mountain town.
• The surrounding towns - Aibonito, Orocovis and Comerío on the same roads.

When to go

December to April is driest for the mountain roads. The artisan fair is in mid-July and is the single best time to come, though accommodation is scarce and most people drive up for the day. The mountains are cool and evenings need a layer.

Practical notes

Descending into the San Cristóbal canyon requires a guide and proper equipment; the rim viewpoints are the realistic option and access to them crosses private land. Mountain roads are narrow and slow. During the July fair traffic and parking are difficult, and going early is essential.

Nearby

Aibonito is fifteen minutes; the Ruta Panorámica runs through the town.