Visiting Old San Juan in Puerto Rico
One thing you must do while in Puerto Rico is visit the Old San Juan, where you can wander the picturesque streets painted in pastel shades, check out the restaurants and craft shops, and take a tour of the superb forts of El Morro and San Cristobal. It's a doleful fact that many guests at Puerto Rico comprehensive resorts never ever make the effort to go and see the real Puerto Rico
Old San Juan is located in a promontory that is a component of the harbour, the most important natural harbor in the Caribbean. If you're travelling from San Juan then it is an simple trip from your hotel and many resorts eg the Caribe Hilton in Condado offer tours.
The old town has real character, with the homes dating more than a century and they have the appearance of a picture postcard, so be sure you take your camera. It can get pretty busy with day-trippers landing from the cruise liners that often arrive there, but worth seeing all the same.
During the night - particularly at weekends - there are tons of bars and cafes so you can go for a meal and go salsa dancing - or merely go for a drink if that isn't your thing - before heading back to the confines of your resort.
Construction on El Morro started in 1539 to guard San Juan from seaward attacks and guard the mouth of the harbor during the reign of the Spanish Empire. San Juan was a stopping off point for the galleons travelling from Spain to the New World, and on the return journey, laden with gold. On the other hand, San Cristobal was built to offer protection to the city from inland attack.
Nowadays you can visit both for a few dollars and they make a fun and attractive few hours. Some of the turrets of El Morro are spectacularly photogenic and it's fun to envision how life would be back then in Old San Juan when life was much harder than it is today.
Old San Juan is located in a promontory that is a component of the harbour, the most important natural harbor in the Caribbean. If you're travelling from San Juan then it is an simple trip from your hotel and many resorts eg the Caribe Hilton in Condado offer tours.
The old town has real character, with the homes dating more than a century and they have the appearance of a picture postcard, so be sure you take your camera. It can get pretty busy with day-trippers landing from the cruise liners that often arrive there, but worth seeing all the same.
During the night - particularly at weekends - there are tons of bars and cafes so you can go for a meal and go salsa dancing - or merely go for a drink if that isn't your thing - before heading back to the confines of your resort.
Construction on El Morro started in 1539 to guard San Juan from seaward attacks and guard the mouth of the harbor during the reign of the Spanish Empire. San Juan was a stopping off point for the galleons travelling from Spain to the New World, and on the return journey, laden with gold. On the other hand, San Cristobal was built to offer protection to the city from inland attack.
Nowadays you can visit both for a few dollars and they make a fun and attractive few hours. Some of the turrets of El Morro are spectacularly photogenic and it's fun to envision how life would be back then in Old San Juan when life was much harder than it is today.
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