Experience San Juan

Overview

The bustling capital city of Puerto Rico is the spectacular San Juan, the oldest European-founded city in the Americas, and it is the largest city in the country nestled on the island’s Atlantic coast. A true hidden gem with beautiful beaches, world-class shopping, vibrant nightlife, delicious cuisine, and the charming streets of Old San Juan. The colonial city is filled with historic landmarks like El Morro and La Fortaleza both massive fortresses boasting sweeping ocean views. 

San Juan is filled with high-energy and vibrant neighborhoods decorated with visually stunning Spanish colonial architecture. It is home to fascinating museums, shaded plazas, and public squares, go swimming, snorkeling, or surfing at the beaches. Visitors can check out the Bacardi factory where the world-famous liquor is made. 

Things to see and do

Take a walk around the historic walled city of Old San Juan, wander down the charming narrow cobblestone streets, and take in the stunning Spanish colonial architecture, the vibrant colored buildings, the striking monuments, and cultural landmarks. 

Visit Plaza de Armas in front of the San Juan City Hall, here you will find many authentic restaurants and cafes where you can enjoy lunch while soaking up the authentic atmosphere. 

Old San Juan is decorated with shaded plazas and bustling public squares, it is also one of the best neighborhoods in the city for shopping. Other must-see sights include Capilla del Cristo, the statue of La Rogativa, Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, and the San Juan Cathedral. Be sure to wander down Fortaleza Street, the famed street where the iconic colorful umbrellas that hang above the street are sometimes on display.

Check out Castillo San Felipe del Morro or El Morro Fortress and Castillo San Cristobal Castle, which are two of San Juan`s most important citadels and landmarks that dominate the city. Sitting high up these two impressive ancient 16th-century fortresses were built by the Spanish to protect the city, by sea, and by land back in the 16th century. Explore the ancient city walls, tunnels, and dungeons, and see the authentic cannons still on display.

Head out to some of the many fascinating museums San Juan has to offer. Museo de las Americas is a must, with an impressive presentation of the cultural developments of the Americas, browse through four permanent exhibits displaying integrated art, history, and anthropology with audiovisual highlights and guides.

Check out Casa Blanca Museum, set in a Spanish colonial home that was built for Ponce de Leon, take a journey into Puerto Rico`s captivating history with fascinating informative displays.

Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico is another great museum found in the Santurce neighborhood, one of the largest art museums in the entire Caribbean. The museum is housed in a grand neoclassical building boasting 18 exhibition halls displaying local artists such as Jose Campeche, and Francisco Oller`s collections in the form of paintings, sculptures, carvings, posters, and more. There are some fantastic hands-on exhibitions here for children and a beautiful sculpture garden spread over 2.5 acres. Stroll through the winding pathways that lead you through immaculate lawns and gardens decorated by over 100,000 vibrant plants and 16 sculptures.

San Juan boasts some of the best and most picturesque beaches in the country, the main lineup is Condado Beach, Ocean Park Beach, and Escambron. Choose a spectacular stretch of soft white sand to set up camp for the morning and relax, unwind, and soak up the sand, sun, and seas.

Condado is a lavish beach resort neighborhood known as the `Riviera of the Caribbean` for its laid-back vibe and features the Condado Lagoon. El Escambron is a Blue Flag beach featuring plenty of fun water sports activities including jet-skiing, snorkeling, banana boat rides, and stand-up paddleboarding.

Visit the Bacardi House distillery and take a fascinating historical tour. Casa Bacardi is home to the iconic rum brand that started in Cuba and moved to different parts of the Caribbean over time, it is still owned by the Bacardi family. There are a variety of different tours providing you with information on how Bacardi came to existence and how the rum is made, you can sample a handful of different rums on your tour and receive a certificate validating you as a knowledgeable Bacardi taster.

Shopping

There are some good shopping opportunities to explore when visiting Ponce including shopping malls, plazas, and markets around the city. The commercial hub for retail has been centered around Paseo Atocha for years in the city of Ponce but has shifted in recent years to various malls, especially the Plaza del Caribe, Ponce Mall, and Centro del Sur Mall. Ashford Avenue in the city’s Condado district is where shoppers can find exclusive shopping opportunities with big-name brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, and Cartier with other upscale boutiques by local designers. The weekday marketplace located at Calles Atocha and Castillo is a colorful place open Monday through Friday from 8 am - 5 pm. There is a vibrant shopping district that radiates from Ponce’s historic downtown to central Plaza Las Delicias. The Atocha Pedestrian Mall runs north of the plaza with bustling sidewalk merchants selling sweets, jewelry, and clothing. If you follow it to the end there is Plaza de Mercado where a traditional farmer’s market is held. Plaza del Caribe Mall is home to flagship stores such as Macy’s, JC Penney, and Sears along with over 130 stores, dining, and entertainment. Ponce Mall features stores like IKEA and TJ Maxx along with clothing and discount stores. Plaza Las Americas is the largest mall in the city featuring stores such as Chicos, Clarks, Foot Locker, and American Eagle Outfitters.

Beaches

The city of San Juan is a shopper's dream destination and home to Plaza Las Americas, the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean. The city boasts tons of different shopping opportunities including department stores, outlets, small local shops, chain retailers, unique boutiques, malls, and more.

The Plaza Las Americas is the mega mall situated in the financial district of the Hato Rey district boasting over 300 stores selling anything and everything along with a plethora of dining options, a full Cineplex, bowling, and art galleries. This glitzy modern complex is quite beautiful decorated by fountains sculptures, and architecture.

Condado`s Ashford Avenue is the equivalent of Rodeo Drive,with beautiful boutiques and interesting shops lining the upscale avenue. There are also fine dining options, luxury hotels, art galleries, local designers, and more. Stores featured here include Mademoiselle, Nono Maldonado, 1054 Ashford Avenue along with some of the most luxurious brand names in the world.

The authentic cobblestone streets of Old San Juan lead to some of Puerto Rico`s best shopping. There are high-quality jewelers, excellent art, and great quality clothing boutiques such as Custo Barcelona by Lisa Cappalli and Guayabera shirts for men found at Clubman. The streets of Calle Fortaleza, Calle San Francisco, and Calle del Cristo are the major venues for shopping in Old San Juan, shops are now free to be open except between 6:00 am and 11:00 am on Sunday mornings.

Cuisine

The food in San Juan is out of this world!! So many restaurants and eateries to check out and so much food to try! Famous Mofongo is said to be the best Puerto Rican food and there are so many different options to try, the mashed dish is made of fried green plantains seasoned with garlic and stuffed with vegetables, chicken, shrimp, steak, and pork, is so good!! The food scene in San Juan is vibrant and varied with Spanish, African, and French influences blended, the city is a food lover's dream. There are local authentic traditional restaurants, colorful eclectic restaurants, upscale dining experiences, high-class dining, beachside dining, trucks, and shacks where delicious food and tasty drinks can be enjoyed in the city.

Nightlife

San Juan has a very lively and colorful nightlife to offer, home to the Pina Colada, and a city filled with so many different options for where to spend an evening out on the town. There are beachside bars, restaurants, and other venues boasting sunset views and exotic tropical cocktails where visitors can sit back with their feet in the sand and soak up the atmosphere. There are cosmopolitan lounges, sophisticated piano and jazz bars, rooftop terraces, alfresco dining, and more elegant spaces found all over San Juan. There is an exceptional selection of things to do on an evening in San Juan including dancing, drinks with stunning backdrops, live music, and sundowners. Plaza del Mercado in Santurce is a lovely place to be after dark with alfresco bars and cafes set in a beautiful square, this can be a popular place to gather at night. Numero Uno Beach Bar is found in Ocean Park, one of the beach resort areas offering a classy cocktail menu and set right on the soft sands. The opportunities are endless for a great night out in San Juan.