Plaza de Colón (Columbus Square) was originally called St. James Square was renamed in 1893 to honor Christopher Columbus on the 400th anniversary of his discovery of Puerto Rico; bronze tablets at the pedestal of the Columbus statue record important episodes in the explorer’s life.
Plaza de San José is a favorite meeting place for young and old alike. At its center stands the bronze statue of Ponce de León, made from a British cannons captured in during Sir Ralph Abercromby’s attack 1797. The plaza is skirted by a number of historic buildings. Abutting Plaza San José is the Plaza […]
Plaza de Armas (Old San Juan) — The Old City’s original main square was once used as military drilling grounds. Bordered by Calles San Francisco, Rafael Cordero, San José, and Cruz, it has a fountain with 19th-century statues representing the four seasons as well as a bandstand and a small café. The Alcaldía commands the […]
Paseo de los Presidentes (Presidents’ Lane, Old San Juan) — is just across the street from the Capital building. Here, you can find life-size bronze sculptures of all the US presidents who have visited (or even stepped foot in) Puerto Rico. There are monuments to Puerto Rican police who have died in the line of […]
Paseo de la Princesa (Princess ‘Lane, Old San Juan) – Construida a mediados del siglo XIX para honrar a la princesa española de Asturias, esta calle tiene un amplio camino peatonal y está adornada con flores, árboles, bancos y calles. lámparas Desplegando hacia el oeste desde la Plaza del Inmigrante a lo largo de la […]
El Capitolio de Puerto Rico – the capital building is right at the end of the Puerta de Tierra sector of Old San Juan, just before you get to the old section. To get there, you can walk east from Fort San Cristobal on Muñoz Rivera Avenue (along the waterfront). You can also take the […]
The U.S. National Parks Service maintains this huge colonial military complex, comprising Castillo El Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal. These fortresses were constructed throughout the 17th and 18th centuries to defend the San Juan coastline from other European powers who at one time or another attempted to invade Puerto Rico. It’s an area that rises […]
In Old San Juan, Calle Fortaleza and Calle San Francisco have everything from T-shirt emporiums to jewelry stores to shops that specialize in made-to-order Panama hats. Running perpendicular to those streets is Calle Cristo, lined with factory-outlet stores, including Coach, Gant, Guess, and Ralph Lauren. On weekends, artisans sell their wares at stalls around Paseo […]
Atlantic Beach Bar (Atlantic Beach Hotel, 1 Calle Vendig, Condado) — The oceanfront-deck bar of this hotel is famed in the gay community for its early-evening happy hours. But the pulsating tropical music, exotic drinks, and ever-pleasant ocean breeze would make it a hit in any case. Good food is also served on deck.