During our trip to Puerto Rico, we dedicated a whole day to exploring Old San Juan. It was literally breathtaking stepping off the ferry boat and seeing the vibrant colors of this historic town. This small town attracts a lot of people. And for that reason, we chose to take the Cataño ferry (for $.50 per commute) rather than driving into Old San Juan. If you aren’t staying in Old San Juan or the Condado area, you might find it helpful too!
Of course, being me, I mapped out our route in advanced so we could make the most out of the day. Feel free to follow my route as you walk through this lovey town. However, no pressure! Explore how you want to explore.
1. Started our day walking down Calle de Fortaleza until we reached Umbrella street
When in San Juan, it’s an absolute MUST to stroll down Fortaleza street. It’s such a vibrant area with tons of shops along the way. The street ends right before the governor's house (La Fortaleza) at an area called “Umbrella Street”. This regularly changing street often times features tons of umbrellas hovering over the street. If you happen to go at the right time, you’ll get to see this eye-catching street in all it’s glory!
2. Hung out with the pigeons hunting for food on Calle del Cristo
Right next to Umbrella street is Calle del Cristo. It’s basically a dead end. But, you won’t want to skip it! Right at the end of the street lies a swarm of pigeons worth visiting. If you're brave enough, you can feed them while they're perched on your arm!
3. Grab an ice cold piragua right in front of Puerta de San Juan
My “In the Heights” fangirl self was freaking out seeing a Piragua cart on our way to Puerta de San Juan. Given the fact that we watched the musical a week before leaving, it felt just so amazing to experience it while enjoying a nice view of the coast of Old San Juan!
Right next to La Puerta is this beautiful fountain with benches underneath shades of trees. It was the perfect spot to sit down and enjoy the moment! It also gave us a nice break from walking as we made our way up to El Morro.
4. Take a peak at Casa Rosa after passing by Plazuela la Rogativa
After enjoying the views behind the monument Plazuela La Rogativa, you can walk up a bit further to check out Casa Rosa! Although you cannot go into this lovely home, it’s a nice stop on your way up to see El Morro (and might I add… very Instagrammable).
This home is not only cute but used to be a housing unit for soldiers in 1812. After being converted into an office, it was then converted yet again. Till today, it remains as a day care center for the children of government employees!
5. Explore the beautiful Castillo San Felipe del Morro
This was by far our FAVORITE part of Old San Juan! With a $10 entrance fee per adult, you can explore the second oldest fortress built on the island. In order to enter, you’ll need a credit/debit card as they do not take cash. But, the perks of going to this fortress is that you can visit it’s sister fortress (Castillo de San Cristobal) during the same day for free. So think of it as paying $5 to enter each fortress. Oh! And children under 15 years of age can get in for free too.
This fortress was mind blowing alone, but it also included interactive portions with information regarding it’s history. You’ll find out how this fortress was used to protect those in the island. As well as it's role in relation to Puerta de San Juan. And if you had to choose between the two castles… I’d say you should visit El Morro!
5. Peruse the grounds of Casa Blanca
Yes, Puerto Rico has it’s very own “White House”! This historic mansion was originally built to be the residence of the former governor of Puerto Rico by the name of Ponce de León. However, he passed away before actually living in it. Today, it remains a museum used to display artifacts from that time period. In order to walk about the outdoor grounds of this lovely museum, you do not need to pay anything. However, if you’d like to check out what’s inside the home, each adult pays a $5 entrance fee.
We did not go into the museum as we still had a few more spots to stop by. But we did spend a significant amount of time walking around the outside of the house and exploring. It was very fun to see the gardens and the cats lingering around! And if you stroll along the back of the house, you’ll get the best view of the water! You’ll even be able to see Puerta de San Juan.
6. Stroll down Calle de Sol and stop by El Jibarito for a quick bite
You can’t go to a place like Old San Juan and not eat the best Puerto Rican food! As you stroll down Calle de Sol, you’ll come across a small green building attached to many of the other colorful buildings. It’s not just any other house.. it’s actually a restaurant. And probably one of the best in Old San Juan. But, be prepared to wait! This small restaurant is super popular and doesn’t have much seating.
7. Explore the beautiful Castillo de San Cristóbal
If you still have time and your ticket from Castilla San Felipe Del Morro, you can check out it’s sister fortress right down the street from El Jibarito! It’s a little smaller but still worth it! And you get a completely different view from here.
As opposed to the other fortress, this one is located on the Eastern coast of San Juan. It is surrounded by buildings as well as the ocean. It makes for a perfect end to the day and a great addition to your wealth of knowledge on Puerto Rican history.
No comments:
Post a Comment