Reflect at the Grotto of Saint John the Baptist
If you happen to be exploring the center of the western part of the island, Maricao is a cute town that has a lot of nice places to see. As it turns out, Saint John the Baptist is Maricao's patron saint. So it makes sense that they have made a beautiful monument of him: La Gruta de San Juan Bautista (Grotto of Saint John the Baptist).
This lovely sculpture garden is built right into the side of a mountain, with a small waterfall. They have life-size bronze statues of both men, depicting the baptism of Jesus by Saint John. They designed it so the water from the waterfall flows into the vessel St John is using to baptize Jesus. It is really lovely.
There are a decent number of steps on the right side that lead right up the statues, so you can get close or even touch the statues. Or you can just stay at the base, and sit on the benches to relax and reflect while looking up at the lovely scene.
While not a must visit place, it is really pretty and a nice place to reflect and enjoy the scenery. Be aware, it is in need of some TLC. The stairs and walkways are very slippery, so be careful if you decide to go up to the statues. There are handrails - use them!
Details
There is no fee.
Plan to visit during daylight hours.
The grotto is located on Route 410 KM 0.2 in Maricao. Parking is on the opposite side of the street across from the grotto.
Getting there
Tap a place to see it on Google Maps, or choose Directions to plan your route.GPS coordinates (latitude, longitude) for the places in this article.
- Grotto of Saint John the Baptist · Directions 18.179029, -66.980634
Puerto Rico Day Trips LLC assumes no responsibility for your safety during the activities described in this article. Conditions change, so use common sense: if that little voice in your head says it's a bad idea, listen to it. Read more about safety →
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