San Juan Attractions

City Guide

Activities

Cruising in San Juan

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Attractions

San Juan is the busiest cruise port in the Caribbean and a major tourist hub and destination for North American travellers. It is a city with much to offer its visitors: the beauty and history of the old town, artistic treasures of the Museo de Arte, and sun-soaked beaches only minutes from the city centre.

The best way to see the sights and experience the city's attractions is to take a walking tour; either self-directed with a guide book, or led by a professional guide. The city is compact and flat, and so is ideal to explore on foot. One of the chief tourist attractions in San Juan will be below your shoes: the 500 year-old flagstones, first laid under the direction of Christopher Columbus. Take regular rests at the charming piazzas as you explore the old town - it can get busy and crowded as the day wears on.

High tourist season is from December to April, while June to November is far quieter (although the island can experience hurricanes during this period).

Old San Juan

This area, encompassing about seven blocks, dates back about 500 years to the Spanish occupation when it served as a military stronghold that even withstood Sir Francis Drake's armies. The original cobbles on the streets are blue-tinged, and were originally used as ballast on... see full details

La Fortaleza

The Fortaleza was built in 1540 as a fortress to guard the entrance to the San Juan harbour, but later became the official Governor's residence. During succeeding centuries the original structure has been remodelled and expanded, with a neoclassical façade being added in 1846... see full details

$St John\'s Cathedral$

Saint John the Baptist Cathedral

San Juan's Cathedral was originally built in 1521 by Puerto Rico's first Spanish bishop as a thatched wooden church, but was destroyed in a hurricane in 1526. The current medieval structure, built from stone brought in from inland quarries by horses, dates from 1540,... see full details

La Casa Blanca

The family of Puerto Rico's first governor, Ponce de Leon, built the historic homestead of Casa Blanca in 1523 and then went on to inhabit it for 250 years. It was subsequently taken over by the Spanish and then the United States military.... see full details

Casa del Libro

The 18th-century mansion known as Casa del Libro houses a vast collection of rare sketches, illustrations, ancient manuscripts and books, some dating from before the 16th century. The museum's most prized possessions are two royal mandates signed by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain in... see full details

University of Puerto Rico Campus

The University of Puerto Rico campus in the Rio Piedras offers several attractions for visitors and non-students. The Museum of History, Anthropology and Art contains archaeological and historical exhibits and holds monthly art exhibitions, and the Art Museum Dr. Pío López Martínez de Cayey... see full details

Museo de Arte

Puerto Rico's showcase art gallery opened just a few years ago at a cost of millions of dollars. The gallery is housed in a former city hospital in Santurce and offers a permanent and visiting exhibition. The aim is to highlight the island's... see full details

Casa Bacardi Visitor Centre

Undoubtedly one of the top tourist attractions in Puerto Rico, a trip to the Casa Bacardi Visitor Centre is a must for travellers to San Juan. Following their exile from Cuba in the 1950s, the Bacardi family moved to Puerto Rico and set... see full details

Isla Verde

Isla Verde ('Green Island') is San Juan's hippest area, and home to many of its best beach resorts and upmarket hotels. The area's name is inspired by the colour of the water in its bay: a rich, green-turquoise shade that will prove irresistible... see full details

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