Cidra is a municipality in Puerto Rico's central mountain region, positioned among the highlands between Cayey and Caguas and connected to the San Juan metropolitan area by the island's road network. Its cool, spring-like mountain climate is the source of its nickname, "Pueblo de la Eterna Primavera" — the Town of Eternal Spring. The municipality traces its recorded history through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when agriculture formed the backbone of the local economy. In 1899 the first United States census recorded a population of 7,552, and in 1902 Cidra was briefly consolidated with neighboring Cayey before being re-established as a separate municipality. Through the 20th century the population grew steadily, and the economy shifted from crops such as tobacco toward poultry and other industries. The construction of Lago de Cidra in the mid-1940s transformed the municipality. Built as a reservoir to supply drinking water to San Juan, the lake also became one of central Puerto Rico's most scenic recreational areas, drawing residents for kayaking, fishing, and lakeside outings. Its waters and the surrounding forested hills — including features such as Perico Falls — define Cidra's landscape and provide a year-round outdoor setting. Cidra is divided into twelve barrios, the administrative wards common to every Puerto Rican municipality. The town center anchors civic and commercial life around the plaza and municipal buildings, while the higher, more rural barrios extend into the surrounding mountains with small farms and scattered homes. The municipality is also known for the Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, celebrated each July with processions, music, artisan vendors, and traditional food. Because of its elevation in the island's interior, Cidra experiences noticeably milder temperatures than the coastal lowlands, reinforcing its spring-like reputation and its appeal as a place to live away from the heat of the coast. The municipality blends a walkable urban center with a broader rural agricultural landscape, giving residents access to everyday services in town alongside the open countryside of the interior.