Mayagüez
The main city of the west coast, with a grand plaza, a zoo and the brazo gitano cake it is known for.
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Mayagüez is the third city of Puerto Rico and the centre of the west, rebuilt after an earthquake in 1918, with a large plaza around a statue of Columbus, a theatre, a cathedral and the island's only zoo. It is a university town and the agricultural research station here holds a substantial tropical plant collection. The city is also known nationally for brazo gitano, a rolled sponge cake with filling, made by a bakery here since 1963.
What you actually see
- The plaza - a large square with the cathedral, theatre and Columbus statue.
- The zoo - the island's only zoo, on the edge of the city.
- The brazo gitano - rolled sponge cake, a city speciality since the 1960s.
- The agricultural station - a tropical plant collection dating from 1901.
When to go
December to April is the drier season and the most comfortable. The city's patron festival is in the spring. Summer is hot and humid.
Honest expectations
Parts of the centre are run down and vacancy is visible. The zoo has been closed for extended periods and its status should be checked. Traffic and parking in the centre are difficult.
Nearby
Hormigueros and the basilica are southeast, and Rincón is north.
What to pack for Mayagüez
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.