Cayey is a municipality in the mountainous interior of Puerto Rico, set in a valley among the Sierra de Cayey and Sierra de Jájome ranges of the Cordillera Central. At roughly 1,300 feet above sea level, the town enjoys the cool, often misty climate that gives it one of its nicknames, "La Ciudad de las Brumas," or the city of the fog. With about 42,000 residents, Cayey is one of the largest municipalities in Puerto Rico's mountain region, second only to Caguas among the island's highland towns. The town was founded on August 17, 1773, by Juan Mata Vázquez as Cayey de Muesas, named in part for the Spanish governor Miguel de Muesas. It grew along the old Spanish military highway that linked San Juan on the north coast with Ponce on the south, and its cool summers made it a favored stop and military post. The name Cayey is said to derive from the Taíno word "Jayey," meaning a place of waters. Cayey is a college town and an economic center for the central mountains. It hosts the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, a liberal-arts campus of the island's public university system, and is home to a Coca-Cola manufacturing facility. The district of Guavate is famous across Puerto Rico for its "Ruta de Lechón," a winding strip of lechoneras serving roast pork with live music on weekends. The Carite Forest, Charco Azul swimming hole, and mountain overlooks complete a town defined by its highland setting, its food culture, and its role as a gateway to Puerto Rico's central range.