You will be expected to tip at restaurants in San Juan. Over the years the colonial houses and buildings in Old San Juan degraded into a state of disarray. The old city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. , or octopus. Check out the map below for the points of interest youll need to hit on this self guided walking tour of Old San Juan. Plaza de Armas is one of the citys main plazas. There are tons of organized tours so its not an issue getting there. These two places are great spots for after-sunset ventures. Make a stop and grab a refreshing rum cocktail or a bite to eat. The Bishop and towns-women held a procession. Up the hill, by theCaleta de las Monjas, is the Catedral de San Juan where, if you stand right outside, aligning yourself with the altar, youll be standing in the exact spot where a compass would mark true North, South, East, and West of San Juan. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. After you have your information and maps, head outside and enjoy the Bahia de San Juan (San Juan Bay). La Perla was first established as the location of a slaughterhouse as both slaughterhouses, cemeteries, and homes of former slaves and non-white servants were required to be outside of the main city center in the late 19th century. For more travel product recommendations, check out my, Spain Bucket List: 15 Photos That Will Inspire You to Visit the Cies Islands. This self-guided walking tour of Old San Juan will help you hit all the main sites and areas in just a few hours. Hitting all these spots will log 8-10 miles on your Fitbit. Welcome to Old San Juan Calle Marina This tour begins at Calle Marina which is where the cruise ships dock. If you make this walking and tasting tour withSpoon,you can ask to try their garbanzada de mero, a grouper and chickpea stew that showcases the very base of every Puerto Rican dish, thesofrito. There are a number of museums, Your children may like Museo del Ninos. She created this statue to celebrate a procession of faith, famous in history. I would recommend taking some time to explore all that is there. The roast, though slightly different from an espresso, brings out all the complex flavors of the Arabica beans without burning off its fragrances. At this local bakery that is filling out a need for accessible, inexpensive food available in Old San Juan be sure to try Puerto Ricos most popular baked-good: thequesito, a cream cheese, caramelized sugar-coated puff pastry thatll make you lick your fingers. Get a quote with Insubuy here. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The largest cruise ships can hold thousands of people. Its hard to beat the prices! The two fortresses worked like a charm and Spain held on to Puerto Rico until it was surrendered to the United States in 1898. To this day, many of Puerto Ricos most prominent citizens are laid to rest here. Located at 51 Calle San Jos, a mural of the Puerto Rican flag is painted on the door of an abandoned historical building. Buy a cheap kite at CVS near the pier and fly it on the expansive grounds there. Admire the citys beautiful colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. Down that beautiful and narrow alley is the Puerta de San Juan, the main entrance to the walled city during its Spanish colonial ruling. Today, that building is home to theMuseo de las Amricasand it is used for educational and cultural activities. Hotel El Convento is a chic 4-star hotel with a rooftop pool thats conveniently located in the middle of the city. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. A walking culinary tour ofOld San Juan,the second oldest European-founded city in the Americas, will give you just that. The cemeterys location by the water was chosen as a way to symbolize a persons spirit crossing over to the afterlife. If youve got your own wheels then I suggest parking in La Puntilla Parking lot. through the underground tunnel to reach the cemeterys entrance. Right across from the Plaza del Quinto Centenario, is the Cuartel de Ballaj, an open-concept building built from 1854 to 1864 for Spanish troops established within the walled city. Experience immersive rum tastings and mixology classes at Casa BACARD. The food, though, is more expensive than at your average Old San Juan restaurant, but I think this place is definitely worth a visit. Theres a reason the Island is the rum capital of the world. I would budget three hours to give you enough time to take in the sites, tour the historic buildings, and enjoy the food. Follow the walkway as it bears to the right. This building served as theprison from 1837 to 1960. Puerto Rico's cocktail scene is a fuego (on fire), literally, at Gallo Negro in San Juan. Also lots of walking tours. Across the street from La Rogativa, theres a sign that says limbers.. A street thats really a staircase. WebOld San Juan Walk & Taste Tour Adults $ 129 Kids (3-12) $ 109 Non-Participant Kids (under 3) Free Quick Details Category: Food Tour When: Daily 10 a.m. AST Duration: Approximately three (3.25) hours Group Size: 12 guests maximum Meeting Point: Old San Juan near El Morro Fort (exact meeting point provided with booking confirmation) amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = "bottom"; There are a number of museums, Your children may like Museo del Ninos. They wont be that much more expensive than staying outside the Old Town in one of the major brand hotels, but there are definitely more options and larger hotels outside. There arent really any major hotel brands in Old San Juan. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visitors can learn about the indigenous, African, and European influences that shaped the Americas into the multi-faceted countries that they are today due to colonization and modern development. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. At the very end of La Forteleza Street, is the official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. He led a European expedition for gold, traveled to the southeast coast of the United States, and explored a small island to be later named, Puerto Rico. Comfortable shoes some of the streets are hilly so its a great idea to wear running shoes or something that wont kill your feet after three hours of walking and climbing fortresses. Now may be the time to reassess, with this comprehensive breakdown of travel credit card options. How To Experience the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico (2019), El Morro was one of the original fortifications built by the Spanish to protect San Juan from foreign invaders. Admire the citys beautiful colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. No more fending off invaders! The swishing sound of their robes echoes through this hotel, even centuries after Doa Anas death. Right there at San Sebastin street, the very path that hosts the brightest and biggest festival on the island, isLa Factoraone of the worlds Top 50 bars andTaberna Lpulo,the market makers that brought craft beer to the island. They are the only bean-to-bar manufacturer in the Caribbean, and they celebrate it by making chocolate the star of almost every dish. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. After lunch, we continued our self-guided tour to Paseo de la Princesa and around the city wall along a trail called Paseo del Morro. Meander toward San Juans most beautiful promenade, El Paseo de la Princesa. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Lechn asado: Puerto Rican succulent pig, Pastelon: Puerto Rican lasagna, made with plantains, Paella: this Spanish staple is found nearly everywhere in Puerto Rico. might not use our travel credit card benefits at all this year. What I love most about Booking.com is the variety of properties you can find, from luxury apartments to treehouses to university housing. El Morro is a great stop. This self-guided walking tour of Old San Juan will help you hit all the main sites and areas in just a few hours. Walk to San Sebastian Street and turn right on Calle Sol. WebA self-guided tour through Old San Juan can be broken down into two main sections: The coastal perimeter (marked in black on the map)- Where most of the historical landmarks are located The interior streets (marked in burgundy on the map)- Where most of the photo spots, restaurants, and shops are found Discover the best oceanfront resorts in Puerto Rico and enjoy some beach time. In those months its very possible to have a day where three cruises stop at San Juan. Puerto Rico has a tropical climate and its hot and humid year-round. Admire the citys beautiful colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. WebSan Juan Island's agricultural history is still visible in its landscape, dotted with weather-worn barns and farmhouses, fields of hay, cattle, horses and market gardens. However, in Puerto Rico they have evolved into a very popular sweet bread sandwich or pastry perfect to start off the day. Disclosure Policy. Next time, Ill wear some tennis shoes. Its on par with smaller US cities in terms of the cost of everything. Hitting all these spots will log 8-10 miles on your Fitbit. Puerto Rico has its own unique cuisine. Taste your way through three restaurants and sip on a rum cocktail along the way. Given the uncertainty around future travel, globetrotters (myself included!) A great starting point is the Plaza del Quinto Centenario at the north side of the city. Along with being an educator, lawyer, philosopher, sociologist, and writer. There is also a bar serving cheap pia coladas. You can find some rooftop bars and cafes though. Address: Calle Tiburcio Reyes + Calle Lucila Silva + Calle San Miguel + Calle Bajada Matadero. WebA self-guided tour through Old San Juan can be broken down into two main sections: The coastal perimeter (marked in black on the map)- Where most of the historical landmarks are located The interior streets (marked in burgundy on the map)- Where most of the photo spots, restaurants, and shops are found Looking across the bay youll see a few wind turbines spinning. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Founded by the Spanish in 1521, its a walking museum. Continue walking towards the left and you will see a plaza with a totem pole or El Totem Telurico. Lastly, if you want to try the original pina colada, head over to Barrachina, where the drink was invented by bartender Ramon Portas Mingot in 1963. Any visitor will quickly see that Old San Juan is an oasis of art, from brightly painted buildings to beautiful murals on doors. Rogativa means procession. The ideal time might be late spring to early summer. Boulevards and Byways is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates, and Partner Viator Programs. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You can also create your own self-guided walk to visit Old San Juan is a compact area so this tour would take you less than 45 minutes if you simply walked to each location without stopping. It does not store any personal data. After you have your information and maps, head outside and enjoy the Bahia de San Juan (San Juan Bay). Next to the chapel on Calle de Tetuan, is Parque las Palomas or Pigeon Park. It has remained an American territory now for over 100 years. WebOld San Juan small-group food tour. Its full of colorful houses and right on the water, but you can tell the residents are not quite as rich as those inside the wall by one walk through the village. Its similar to San Felipe but has more viewpoints over land. A collection of bronze sculptures sit along the outside of the city walls called Crecimiento. These are the creation of Carmen Ins Blondet in 1996. An immense red gate or La Puerta de San Juan, built between 1634 and 1638 turned the city of San Juan into an impregnable fortress with its 15 feet thick walls. Arroz y habichuelas: red beans and white rice, served as a side with many meals. With a myriad of historical sites and rich architecture, its a perfect way to spend the day. Walk down Calle Beneficencia and pass thePlaza de la Beneficencia. Completed in 1771, Fort San Cristobal Its delicious. Taste your way through three restaurants and sip on a rum cocktail along the way. Castillo San Felipe del Morro (also known as El Morro for short) is the islands trademark fortification built at the tip of the San Juan Bay. Address: 209 C. de San Francisco, San Juan, Your email address will not be published. He dedicated his life to educational causes and advocating womens rights to higher education. We hope that adds - pun intended - to your experience. WebYOUR SELF GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF OLD TOWN SAN JUAN The Old Town is not large but there is a lot to see and do. In my experience, it lasts 9 hours. It provides a well-rounded introduction for first time visitors, as well as offer new opportunities for those whove traveled to the island before. There are a number of museums, Your children may like Museo del Ninos. Youll find a Sheraton on the south coast, but thats really it. While it may seem strange that a cemetery is a landmark, the beautiful graveyard overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is definitely with a visit. The colors and architecture of these 400-year old homes, the beautiful Moorish title, and hidden courtyards make this my favorite street. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and uses the US dollar. 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