Ruinas de Caparra

A few crumbling walls and foundations are all that’s left of Ruinas de Caparra (Carr. 2, km 6.4, Guaynabo, 787/781-4795, Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–4 p.m.), the site of Juan Ponce de León’s first settlement on the island, established in 1508. Attempts to develop the settlement didn’t last long. The property is in a swamp that proved nearly uninhabitable, so settlers quickly relocated to Old San Juan [1]. The small museum contains historical documents and Taíno artifacts pertaining to the site.