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Hacienda means “estate” in Spanish, but it is much more than a grand home. Haciendas represent an entire era, when the humble mountain folk of Puerto Rico – known as Jíbaros – worked the land and wealthy landowners drove the agricultural industry.

There were many kinds of haciendas in the 18th and 19th centuries during the island’s agricultural boom, but one of the most lucrative was the coffee hacienda.

Puerto Rico’s coffee once ranked among the world’s finest (it was once the preferred choice of the pope!), and to this day, we are proud to produce a smooth, aromatic and richly flavored brew that is second to none. The days of the hacendados are over, but many of our haciendas still continue the fine tradition of growing artisanal Puerto Rican coffee. They invite you to visit them, learn how coffee is made using techniques and secrets passed down from one generation to the next for over 100 years, and experience the rural, rustic countryside of Puerto Rico’s interior.

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Hacienda Tours

  • Hacienda Buena Vista

    Located between Ponce and Adjuntas, Hacienda Buena Vista is a unique and meticulously restored 19th century landmark, and one of only five working coffee plantations in the world that functions using water power. Guided tours of the plantation will take you to the historic estate of the original owners and show you how coffee was harvested and roasted using the latest technology in the 1800s.

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    • An engineering marvel

      Hacienda Buena Vista houses the only remaining, operating model of a Barker hydraulic turbine, named a Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineering in 1994.

    • Know when to go

      Guided tours are conducted daily at the Hacienda, but tours in English are held only at 1:30 from Wednesday to Sunday, or by appointment.

    • Pick your own brew

      If you can, plan your visit to Buena Vista in October, when you can participate in the entire coffee-making process, from picking the beans to roasting and drinking the end result.

  • Hacienda San Pedro

    Take a journey back to 19th century Puerto Rico at Hacienda San Pedro, a coffee plantation in the town of Jayuya. A family business now into its fourth generation of coffee-producers, Hacienda San Pedro’s coffee has been grown, picked, dried and roasted the same way for over a hundred years. Today, you can visit the property, immerse yourself in the rich aroma of coffee trees, and sample its smooth, flavorful finished product.

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    • Getting there

      Hacienda San Pedro is located on Route PR-144 in the town of Jayuya, west of San Juan and north of Ponce. It’s an easy daytrip from either city, and a lovely drive through Puerto Rico’s verdant and mountainous interior.

    • San Juan outlet

      If you can’t make the trip but still want to taste Hacienda San Pedro’s coffee, visit their shop in 318 Avenida de Diego in San Juan, where coffee is toasted on-site to keep the flavor fresh and smooth.

    • Best enjoyed

      The finely ground coffee sold at Hacienda San Pedro is best enjoyed as an espresso or a cortadito, which is an espresso with a sheen of steamed milk.

  • Hacienda El Jibarito

    Located in the hills of San Sebastián, Hacienda El Jibarito is an expansive facility that is both a hotel and an agro-tourism destination. Of course, it all starts with the coffee. The Hacienda’s beans are toasted, ground, packed and sold at the “Casa Café.” The Hacienda is a beautiful colonial estate with guestrooms decorated with a rustic elegance. Outside, enjoy two pools, a Jacuzzi, pool bar and two restaurants. For a more natural setting, head to the river or one of the four nearby waterfalls, visit the resident animals, or go for a horseback ride. After, relax like a true lord in an outdoor hammock and let the mountain breeze sway you to a siesta. This might be the closest thing to hacienda living left in Puerto Rico!

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    • On-site massages

      To really feel like an hacendado, treat yourself to a massage, available on the premises.

    • Guajataca Forest

      Located near the Hacienda is the Guajataca Forest, a large verdant sanctuary set in a hilly karst landscape. Here you can explore numerous hiking trails and two dramatic limestone caves.

    • Agro-Bazaar

      A treat for visitors to this area is the weekly Agricultural Bazaar hosted by the Agriculture Department. Held every Friday at Plaza Agropecuaria in San Sebastián, it starts early and carries a little bit of everything!

  • Hacienda Gripiñas

    Established in 1858, Hacienda Gripiñas has been synonymous with fine coffee in Jayuya for over 150 years. Its founder, Don Eusebio Perez del Castillo, was one of the richest men in the region and among the most influential coffee producers on the island. The colonial estate he built in the mountains has been restored and now offers visitors a serene escape. The airy, spacious guestrooms, panoramic vistas and back-to-the-land beauty of the hacienda makes it the ideal place to relax, unwind and disconnect from the modern world.

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    • About the Coffee

      The coffee produced at Hacienda Gripiñas once ranked among the best in the world. See how it measures up today with the Tres Picachos brand, grown here.

    • Museo Casa Canales

      To fully experience 19th century life in the mountains, visit Casa Canales in Jayuya. This small, well-maintained museum captures the history and culture of the region through the eyes of the family of the first mayor of Jayuya.

    • Toro Negro

      One of the highlights of a visit to this part of Puerto Rico, the Toro Negro State Forest is home to plunging waterfalls, myriad hiking trails and a breathless eco-adventure tour, courtesy of Acampa.