San Juan
A star of Old San Juan, brooding El Morro sits atop a headland, deterring would-be attackers. The 140ft walls (some up to 15ft thick) date to 1539 and it…
Must-see attractions in San Juan
San Juan
The city's second major fort is one of the largest Spanish-built military installations in the Americas. In its prime, it covered 27 acres with a maze of…
San Juan
This museum presents an impressive overview of cultural development in the Americas, including indigenous, African and European influences. Four permanent…
San Juan
San Juan boasts one of the largest and most celebrated art museums in the Caribbean. Housed in a splendid neoclassical building that was once the city’s…
San Juan
With countless tanned bodies lounging or flexing their biceps around the volleyball net, this urban beach basks in its reputation as the Copacabana of…
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San Juan
The ‘Cathedral of Rum’ sits in vast grounds near the mouth of San Juan Bay. Three signature tours (45 minutes to 1½ hours) are offered throughout the week…
San Juan
Protected by offshore reefs and caressed by cooling seasonal trade winds, this wide sweep of diamond-dust sand is a favorite of locals. But this…
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San Juan
This sheltered arc's raked sand, decent surf breaks, local action and a 17th-century Spanish fort shimmering in the distance are the hallmarks of what's…
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San Juan
Close to the Museo de Arte Francisco Oller, this modern museum features thought-provoking work from emerging artists in Puerto Rico and beyond, including,…
San Juan
Since 1780, tens of thousands of penitents have come to pray for miracles at the Capilla del Cristo, the tiny sanctuary at the end of a pedestrian street…
San Juan
First constructed in 1521 as a residence for Puerto Rico’s pioneering governor, Juan Ponce de León (who died before he could move in), Casa Blanca is the…
San Juan
While San Juan's cathedral is smaller and less flamboyant than many Spanish churches, it retains a simple elegance. The first church on this site was…
San Juan
On the southern end of Calle del Cristo, the pigeon-filled Parque de las Palomas is in a tree-shaded cobblestone courtyard on the top of the city wall,…
San Juan
Guarded iron gates mark the imposing La Fortaleza. Dating from 1533, it's the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the western hemisphere. The…
San Juan
One of the three remaining gates into the old city, the lofty red portal known as the Puerta de San Juan is a popular photo stop. Spanish ships once…
San Juan
This diminutive gem of a square with lovely views over the bay is home to an interesting, stylized bronze sculpture of a former bishop of San Juan and…
San Juan
Conjuring up a distinctly European feel, broad Paseo de la Princesa is a 19th-century esplanade just outside the city walls. Lined with antique…
San Juan
Built in 1854 as a military barracks, the cuartel is an impressive three-story edifice with large gates on two ends, a series of arches and a large…
San Juan
The capitol of the Commonwealth is in an impressive columned and domed neoclassical building in a commanding location overlooking Puerta de Tierra's wave…
San Juan
Hemmed in by hotel towers and punctuated by rocky outcrops, Condado’s narrow beaches are busier than Ocean Park’s and less exclusive than Isla Verde’s…
San Juan
Tracing its roots back more than a century to the 400-year anniversary of Columbus' first expedition, Plaza de Colón is dominated by its towering statue…
San Juan
At the waterfront end of Paseo de la Princesa, this fountain was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Spain's 'discovery' of the New World. The…
San Juan
Built in 1910, the Mercado de Santurce has been the center of activity for over a century, vendors doing a roaring trade in fruits and vegetables from…
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San Juan
What it lacks in grandiosity it makes up for in age: the Iglesia de San José is the second-oldest church in the Americas, after the cathedral in Santo…
Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño
San Juan
The grand edifice with a red-roofed dome, arches and porticos across from El Morro was an insane asylum during the 19th century; now it's a prestigious…
San Juan
This pretty little park faces the Catedral de San Juan Bautista. Its ironwork benches and shade trees make it a good place for people watching, especially…
San Juan
Towering over the Plaza de Armas, the Alcaldía, which dates from 1789, has twin turrets resembling those of its counterpart in Madrid. This building…
San Juan
Built in 1812, this tropical pink villa first served as barracks for Spanish troops. In 1881, it was converted into officers’ quarters. The building has…
San Juan
This small cobblestone plaza is dominated by a statue of Juan Ponce de León, cast from English cannons captured in the raid of 1797. It's a popular spot…
San Juan
A two-story Baroque building dating from 1792, Palacio Rojo once served as the living quarters for Spanish commanding officers. Today it houses…
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San Juan
This is the city’s de-facto central square, laid out in the 16th century with the classic look of plazas from Madrid to Mexico. A highlight is the…
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San Juan
Isla de Cabras is a pleasant seaside park, popular with local families. It has grassy areas, lofty palm trees, picnic areas and a rocky shoreline. You can…
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Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras
San Juan
If you enjoy the bustle of a traditional market where locals barter for everything from bananas to bacalao, this is for you. As much a scene as a place to…
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Parque de las Ciencias Luis A Ferré
San Juan
A veritable smorgasbord of family-friendly museums and exhibits plus a minizoo are housed in the expansive Parque de las Ciencias. Kids learn about…
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San Juan
Next to the gorgeous Balneario El Escambrón, this namesake marine park is a popular destination for snorkelers and divers. See schools of blue tangs,…
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Parques Luis Muñoz Rivera & Parque del Tercer Milenio
San Juan
Spanning the broad swath between the Atlantic and Av Ponce de León, Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera injects a much-needed green space into the urban landscape…
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San Juan
Once the residence of a political reformer and Puerto Rico’s first representative to the Spanish court, this 18th-century house is now the headquarters of…
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San Juan
Located in the former city hall on the plaza of Bayamón’s historic district, this art museum pays tribute to native son Francisco Oller (1833–1917), one…
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Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis
San Juan
This 19th-century cemetery sits just outside the old city's northern fortifications, backed by dazzlingly blue ocean. The colony’s earliest citizens are…
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Museo de Entomología y Biodiversidad Tropical
San Juan
This small but fascinating museum houses one of the largest collections of insects in the Caribbean. The three rooms contain case upon case of winged…
