San Juan Travel

Travel to San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico may be called “La Ciudad Amurallada” – “The Walled City” but that hardly means that it's a city that keeps to itself. In fact, this city happens to be an important Caribbean seaport, the site to some major sports events in the area, and is one of the favorite tourist destinations in the country. Being the oldest city in Puerto Rico, this capital under the jurisdiction of the United States of America bears a charm that is hinged on its almost five hundred years of existence.

Apart from being home to some historically significant structures which most certainly include the Fort San Cristobal and Fort San Felipe del Moro, visitors are treated to a special kind of experience when walking through the streets of Old San Juan, a district of the city. In that area, tourists can take in the beautifully-designed colonial architecture of the buildings as their feet travel over cobblestones. They can also find El Palacio de Santa Catalina, which may have existed since the 1500's but is still used today as the governor's mansion, in Old San Juan as well as some art galleries, churches and museums. For all of these attractions, it's almost tempting to say that Old San Juan alone would make your San Juan vacation worth it.

Of course, it's not true. Even though Old San Juan is the historical and cultural hub of the city which makes it very appealing to many of its visitors, it is in no way the only interesting area in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For example, the Santurce district is home to the Puerto Rico Contemporary Art Museum, while the University of Puerto Rico, the San Juan Botanical Garden and a rather colorful marketplace could be found in Rio Piedras. If the historical and cultural features of the city seem a little to quaint for you, you can always go to Miramar, which is not only one of the major cruise ship ports, but is also home to the Puerto Rico Convention Center. Then, there is Condado, which is pretty much where all of the best beaches in San Juan, Puerto Rico are – needless to say, Condado is the upscale resort area of the city and thus plays home to a fairly large number of luxury hotels.

All over the city, you can find places that encourage you to live your life to the fullest – restaurants, shopping centers, even some nightclubs. This just goes to show that even though the strength of the city's tourism program is its historical nature, San Juan is more complex and fascinating than the past it had survived. This city is one that experiences the present as it appreciates the past and looks to the future.