VACATIONS

HISTORY
El Morro Castel, Fun to do
Old San Juan Beach
Foods

Puerto Rico
 Happy Place in Old San Juan
El Morro is the most recognized landmark in
Puerto Rico and the most beloved by Puerto Rican
families. Just about every child has ran on the

O ld San Juan “San Juan Antiguo“, is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean and the
Esplanade flying a kite. Every level has breathtak-
ing views of the Atlantic and colorful walled islet,
most visited place in Puerto Rico. Old San Juan is special in every way, known for it’s rich history, five century The Parque de Bombas making it a popular spot for photographers, many
old forts, romantic ambiance, Old World elegance, exquisite food, and festive atmosphere. “El Viejo San Juan” is couples come to El Morro for wedding photo-
no ordinary cookie cutter destination. The Parque de Bombas firehouse is a histor- graphs. If you’re in San Juan for a day, this fortress
ic firehouse building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is one attraction you don’t want to miss. Castillo
What Paris is to Europe, Old San Juan is to the Caribbean. You can’t leave Puerto Rico without visiting this is one of Puerto Rico’s most notable buildings, San Felipe del Morro, commonly known as “El
fantastic place. Whether you explore it on your own or with a tour guide, it will not disappoint. Old San Juan is with some considering it “by far the most easily Morro” is one of the most scenic locations in the
an islet connected to the main island by three bridges, views of the Atlantic Ocean and the San Juan Bay add to recognized landmark in the Island.” The building Caribbean with resplendent architecture. This fort
the magic of the city. Tourists can enjoy a variety of interesting attractions, stay at elegant romantic hotels, shop housed the city’s main fire station for many years, was designed for serious reasons, today this his
at unique shops, play at San Juan Beaches, and and it is now a museum. Its name comes from
savor exquisite cuisine. There’s a great variety the mobile hand-pumped fire fighting units the
of hotels, from mod- ern, world class luxury building once housed. The building has been
hotels, to small inns for every budget, right in heralded both for its historical and architectural
the heart of Old San Juan, giving you access to roles in Puerto Rican society. It was Puerto Rico’s
everything within walk- ing distance. first ever fire station. It was listed in the National
Register of Historic Places on 12 July 1984.
If you’re the traveler type, Old San Juan is
an authentic commu- nity where you can
experience the exuberant, warm culture of one of
the happiest places in the world. Puerto Ricans
from all over the island come to San Juan to toric site can be a lot of fun to explore for people
enjoy cultural fun events throughout the year. all ages. El Morro is divided into six levels, each
We invite you to mingle with locals to experi- offering something interesting even for children,
ence our food, culture, music and traditions. with rewarding awe-inspiring views.
A visit to Puerto Rico is not complete until you take a walk on the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan. Every-
where you walk, there’s something beautiful and interesting to see. Bring comfortable walking shoes so you Castillo San Felipe del Morro
can explore all the attractions, you may find yourself wanting to do it all over again, only to find new interesting
things to do and see. There’s a plaza about every few blocks, a place locals enjoy from morning til night, you can
relax your feet as you cool off with a piragua. The weather is always at a comfortable mid-80’s, and once you get Casa Blanca Museum
to the seaside by the forts, the cooling trade winds offer a wonderful refreshing touch. If you are unable to walk
for long, the free trolley makes a stop at the most popular attractions. Casa Blanca is a house museum located in Old San Juan within the historic colonial section of the
capital of Puerto Rico. After visiting fort El Morro, be sure to make a stop at this house museum for
The best way to admire the rich architecture of Old San Juan is by foot. Old San Juan feels more like a living a relaxing tour. Tour elegant gardens, a living room with perhaps one of the prettiest views in San
gallery, it’s like stepping into a rich exhibit of colorful, elegant paintings of Spanish colonial architecture. Puerto Juan, the dining room where Ponce de Leon’s family ate dinner. Casa Blanca was built in 1521, is the
Ricans respect and celebrate the island’s past, evident with carefully restored buildings painted in colors first fortification in San Juan, and was Juan Ponce de Leon’s residence. Sadly, Juan Ponce de Leon
that represent the vibrant and diverse culture of the island. In the 1940’s, Old San Juan went died before he was able to occupy it. Today Casa Blanca is a museum with 16th and 17th century
artifacts and managed by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. It is well worth a visit and one of
through a restoration of buildings, setting new standards for other countries in Latin America the attractions you can enjoy without crowds.
and islands in the Caribbean. Architecture is part of the attraction of Old San Juan, visitors are
captivated by the balconies, elegant doors, and Colonial details. These buildings house resi-

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dents, businesses and government executive offices.
The History Museum
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 Enjoy a place to visit in Old San Juan
Walk to the streets old San Juan
Plaza Las Ame
ric as
San Juan offers a great variety of shops ranging
from local art galleries, unique souvenir shops,
boutiques and luxury stores. Head to Ashford
Avenue in Condado, New San Juan, for boutiques
and luxury stores. Head to Plaza Las Americas, the
biggest mall in the Caribbean with a great variety
of stores. In Old San Juan, you’ll find many typical
souvenirs shops, but if you look more closely as you
walk the city, you’ll find some of the most unique
and interesting shops with exquisite jewelry, cloth-
ing, artisans, art galleries, and the popular authen-
tic Panama hats.
Casinos
3 https://sanjuanpuertorico.com/things-to-do-in-san-juan-puerto-rico-1/
Fortaleza Street, in Old San Juan
The colorful umbrellas have been installed
during the summer season, giving this street a
festive air. Taking selfies and enjoying the View
Puerto RIco.
L uxurious Casinos with a winning ambiance and
friendly staff ready to give you personalized service.
The hotels and resorts with casinos typically offer free
or discounted parking and/or discounted accommoda-
tions for casino members. A membership is typically
free to get with a valid ID (i.e. driver’s license) and
social security number. Make sure to ask about casino
membership and affiliated discounts before choosing
which casino to go to. The official minimum age for
casino entry in Puerto Rico is 18. Many of the casinos
are open 24 / 7 for slot machines and video poker, with
gaming tables open in the afternoon/evenings until
the wee hours of the morning. All of the casinos have
progressive jackpots and hundreds of slot machines
ranging from penny to $25 plays.
Fun things to do:
El Yunque National Forest, formerly known as
the Caribbean National Forest, is a forest located
in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical
rain forest in the United States National Forest
System and the United States Forest Service.
1. Jump into the Rainforest
2. Hiking Trail
3. Plan for 3-4 hours of hiking
The Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río
Camuy (Camuy River Cave Park) is a cave system in
Puerto Rico. It is located between the municipalities
of Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares in northwestern Puer-
to Rico, but the main entrance to the park is located
in Quebrada, Camuy. The caverns are part of a large
network of natural limestone caves and under-
ground waterways carved out by the third-largest
underground river in the world, the Río Camuy
Cueva Ventana (Cave Window) is a large cave (Camuy River).
1. Zip-lining
situated a top a limestone cliff in Arecibo, Puer-
to Rico, overlooking the Río Grande de Arecibo 2. Take Off Headfirst with the Beast
valley. The cave is a popular tourist attraction to Teen and adult thrill-seekers will want to
brave La Bestia, The Beast.
Puerto Ricans as well as tourists visiting from
3. The World’s Longest Zipline ~ The Mon-
outside Puerto Rico. An initial admittance fee for
ster.
4. Bull Maze Ropes Course
Toro Verde is the largest adventure park in the
Caribbean and Americas where you can enjoy our
beautiful landscapes that will leave you breathless,
with a spectacular view of the mountains of Oroco-
vis and spend time experiencing the most exciting
tours full of adrenaline to enjoy with friends and
family.
Saturday and Sunday visits was established by the
owner of a nearby gas station, due to the loca-
tion’s popularity. The number of visitors is at its
largest on both Saturdays and Sundays from early
morning to an hour before nightfall.
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 The Best Beach of Puerto Rico Famous Puerto Rico Foods
Culebra Mofongo
1. Culebra may be small and tranquil, but there 1. Similar to other dishes on this list, the main
ingredient in mofongo is the green plantain and
are plenty of activities for nature lovers to keep it is often accompanied by some type of fish, beef,
visitors entertained with Culebra’s natural wonders. or chicken. The plantain is cut up and the piec-
Enjoy hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, es are fried, then crushed and molded into the
fishing, and sightseeing in awe-inspiring places. shape of a bowl, sometimes hollow on the inside.
When hollow, the meat (fish, beef, or chicken)
Esperanza Beach is placed into the middle of the plantain and if
the plantain is kept whole, the meat is placed on
2. Vieques is a Caribbean island of Puerto Rico’s or around the mound of plantain. Mofongo can
eastern coast. It’s known for boat tours of Biolu- be found at many restaurants and various food
minescent Bay (or Mosquito Bay), where micro- trucks.
organisms give the water a blue-green glow. It also
offers secluded beaches and snorkeling. Wild horses
roam the countryside, much of which is preserved Alcapurrias
as the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. The Fuerte
de Vieques is a mid-19th-century Spanish fort and
2. Alcapurrias are deep-fried stuffed fritters.
The outside is commonly made of green plantains
museum. or yucca, while the stuffing on the interior tends
to be beef or pork. Like bacalaitos, alcapurrias are
Isla Verde typically found in kiosks, especially those road-
side.

3. Isla Verde is one of the top beach destinations

in Puerto Rico, the beach and great beachfront Pasteles
hotels are the main reasons. Isla Verde is ready
for visitors, most of the hotels, restaurants, and
3. Pasteles are made up of yucca or green ba-
nana stuffed with meat or pork. The pasteles are
water sports activities are open and operational. wrapped in green banana leaves and boiled until
Like many beaches around the island, the water of ready and then the leaves are peeled off – not
Isla Verde Beach is even clearer and more beauti- eaten! Pasteles are a staple at Christmas time and
ful. The water is better for swimming than nearby are also served in some school cafeterias.
Condado Beach yet still close enough to Old San
Juan so visitors can enjoy the wonders of the old
city. Whether you’re in Isla Verde for the day or a
week, we think you’ll enjoy your visit. Right after
Arroz con gandules
the last beachfront resort on the east side of Isla 4. Arroz con gandules is a combination of rice,
Verde (Courtyard Marriott in Isla Verde), you’ll pigeon peas and pork, cooked in the same pot
find Carolina Beach, formally named “Balneario with Puerto Rican-style sofrito. This is one of the
de Carolina”, the public beach of Carolina, which signature rice dishes of Puerto Rican cuisine. Ar-
recently received the Blue Flag Award in November roz con gandules is part of Puerto Rico’s national
after Hurricane Maria. dishes along with pernil.

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“ Enjoy a Puerto Rico Vacation”

PR PR
By Yami Lugo