Basílica de la Monserrate

The basilica at Hormigueros stands at the top of a hill above the town, reached by a broad flight of steps that pilgrims climb, some on their knees. A shrine has been on the site since the seventeenth century after a farmer's account of being saved from a bull by the Virgin; the present building is largely eighteenth century with later work. It was made a minor basilica in 1998, and the feast on 8 September brings pilgrims from across the island.

What you actually see

• The steps - a broad flight climbing to the church, used by pilgrims.
• The basilica - a mostly eighteenth-century church on the hilltop.
• The image - the Virgin of Monserrate, the shrine's focus.
• The view - the town and the western valleys from the terrace.

When to go

Year round; the church keeps daily hours. The feast on 8 September is the pilgrimage and by far the busiest day. Mornings are quietest otherwise.

Honest expectations

The steps are steep and there is a road up for anyone who cannot manage them. The visit is short outside feast days. Parking near the top is very limited.

Nearby

Mayagüez is northwest, and San Germán is southeast.