2 Best Sights in The North Coast and the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico

Hacienda Don Carmelo means different things to different people. To couples getting married, it's a gorgeous backdrop for a dream wedding. To jockeys and horse lovers, it's a school of equestrian art and a venue for the finest horse shows on the island. To visitors who stop by on the first Saturday of the month, it's a pleasant opportunity to take a break from the traffic on a walk through a 60-acre property with views of the Atlantic Ocean. The branches of a 130-year-old tree hold a beautiful tree house. If the property looks vaguely familiar, you might have seen it before: the hacienda appeared on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. You will, however, need to make a reservation if you want to access the property and go on a tour of its grounds.

One of several Conservation Trust properties around the island is a restored sugar plantation with a functioning steam engine that once powered the sugarcane press, increasing production fourfold. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hacienda requires an appointment for tours, but visitors with a little time will find it a worthwhile opportunity to learn a great deal about the bittersweet role of sugar in Puerto Rican and Caribbean history.