24-hours in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

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We were in San Juan for 24 hours before we departed on our Southern Caribbean cruise, and tried to see as much as we could in that short time. Was 24 hours enough? Absolutely not. I would recommend at least a full weekend in Old San Juan to take your time and see what this lovely area of Puerto Rico has to offer. In this post I’ll share more about our stay and what we did in 24-hours in Old San Juan.

About Old San Juan

Old San Juan is the historic area of Puerto Rico dating back to the 1500s. This area is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is where you’ll find narrow cobblestone streets, brightly coloured homes, and beautiful water views from the walls of the fort (or anywhere overlooking the water!). The area is a main tourist attraction in Puerto Rico – especially for travelers embarking on a cruise voyage, or stopping in this cruise port.

Arrival & Transportation

We arrived on a Saturday in the early afternoon at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Our flight was on time, and luggage collection took the standard amount of time. It was very convenient that we didn’t have to go through additional security or screening upon arrival. The luggage carousel was right beside the doors to exit, and even more conveniently the taxi line was immediately through these doors. We used a taxi and were given a flat rate for our destination, number of passengers and number of suitcases. It was $20 to our hotel, plus $2 for our suitcases for a total of $22 USD. Given the convenience, and our lack of phone service/wifi, we were happy to take this option. Our cab driver was very friendly and gave us some great tips for local food to try and sights to see – most of which were free!

Accommodations

We stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan that was approximately a 20 minute cab ride from the international airport. We had a nice room and the hotel was conveniently located for dining, shopping and exploring the old city. There were many hotels available in the area for various price ranges, however I will say that in general accommodation costs were on the high side. If you want to avoid paying premium prices, try booking ahead or staying a little farther out of the main tourist area. Alternatively, if you want to be in the action you could also look for vacation rentals to save some money. We prefer hotels, so ended up paying a slightly higher price for convenience and comfort. But, there’s no wrong answer here. You can do what works for you, your travel style and your budget.

Things to Do in Old San Juan

There are so many beautiful sights to see in Old San Juan. Before we left I researched the area and found the options to keep busy in Old San Juan (and Puerto Rico in general) were vast. When we arrived I was pleased to find numerous places to dine and to try local food, plenty of bars and cafes, shopping for souvenirs, historic attractions like the fort, and generally we felt very safe as we walked around. We decided to get situated at the hotel before exploring the town, so we were out and about by 3:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon. I’m not sure if it was just our Canadian climate, but it was a hot and beautiful day! Here’s what we were able to see and do in 24-hours in Old San Juan.

I Love PR Sign

This sign is located along the boardwalk by the cruise terminal. Clearly placed for cruise ship tourists to easily get a photo op. We were able to get photos with no one else in them because there were no cruise ships in port the day we arrived. I’d put money on a long line for photos if there was a cruise ship docked.

Paseo de la Princesa

This street is a tree-lined road that was built in the 1800s. The road leads to a dead end where there is a large fountain and beautiful ocean view. As we walked along this promenade, there was a public market open with vendors selling handiwork, crafts, local food and ice cream as we went. If you were looking for some more unique souvenirs, this would be a great place to stop if it’s open when you arrive. At the end of the road you can continue along the Paseo del Morro, or head back to another side street to explore Old San Juan.

Paseo del Morro

We decided that we would continue along the ocean and walk on the Paseo del Morro, which is the walkway along the ocean and the outside of the old fort wall. Walkers beware: this is a commitment! The walk is absolutely beautiful and not too difficult because it is all paved… but there is no shade to be found until you reach the fort area. Also, it’s not an accessible walk, as there are many stairs right at the end so if you’re unable to do stairs, I’d research your options before heading out on this walk.

Puerta de San Juan

This door was the main entry into the walled city during the 1600s when it was under Spanish rule. It’s a great photo opportunity and links the Paseo del Morro with the town (you know, if you want to abandon the walk around the wall).

Castillo San Felipe del Morro San Juan

The 16th century Spanish citadel pointing toward the ocean is a main attraction in Old San Juan. We learned that there are more than two million visitors at this attraction each year – and that’s mainly because it is a cruise port city. In the 1980s the United Nations granted this site World Heritage Site status. It’s a great spot for families, couples, or anyone who would like to learn more about history on their visit. There is also a vast green space where there were at least 50 kits up in the air! A very windy coast makes this the perfect spot to fly a kite for tourists and locals alike.

Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery

From the walls of the citadel you can overlook this historic colonial-esque cemetery. Another of the island’s famous landmarks, this cemetery is elaborate and decorative – with plots above ground. This famous cemetery hosts many notable historical figures who call this their final resting place. It’s one of the prettiest cemeteries I’ve ever seen and also comes with a stunning ocean view – definitely something to see if you are in the area.

La Perla

Just beyond the famous Santa Maria cemetery is another landmark of Old San Juan – La Perla. This neighbourhood is located below the wall and is surrounded by this ancient wall and ocean. The area is full of bright coloured buildings and looks very cheerful from afar – but up close you can see the destruction from the recent hurricane. This neighbourhood typically gets a negative reputation related to drug trafficking, poverty, and crime and is often avoided by tourists. As cautious travelers (and also because it was getting late) we decided not to venture into the neighbourhood but stopped to view it from the wall.

Castillo de San Cristobal

As we continued on our ocean view walk, we headed to Fort San Cristobal. This fortress is part of the San Juan National Historic Site and was built to deter land attacks on the city. The fort was closed when we arrived, so we came back the next day to explore. As we read about this site we learned it was the Largest Spanish fort built in the new world and entry to San Juan was through the fort’s large gates. You can get some great views of San Juan from the top of this fort, and is definitely a great activity while in the city.

Plaza de Colon & Calle Fortaleza

Next on our walk was the Plaza de Colon on the corner of San Francisco and Fortaleza streets. There is a statue commemorating the discovery of Puerto Rico by Christopher Columbus. This was a nice area with musicians playing, shops and restaurants. This is also where we were hassled by a scam artist claiming he was beat up and robbed in La Perla. He was trying to get money to get back to his cruise ship, and like I mentioned earlier – there were no cruises in port that day. Otherwise, this was a lovely area. We went back to our hotel after this to get ready for dinner.

Dining

Old San Juan has numerous restaurants and cafes if you are looking to try some delicious local food. We found it very hard to pick just one spot to eat because there were so many places that we wanted to try. In the end we found ourselves at a restaurant called Mojitos for dinner. We tried the pork and beef mofongos with plantains and they were delicious! So good that we didn’t have room for dessert. This restaurant was conveniently located to the Sheraton Old San Juan – only a 5 minute walk away.

Calle Fortaleza & Paseo de Sombrillas

The next day we checked out of the hotel and left our luggage locked in their storage room so we could have a final few hours of sightseeing. We headed straight to the Paseo de Sombrillas – the umbrella street. This street is typically jam-packed with tourists, and I’ve seen hundreds of photos on Instagram with other tourists crowded into the shot. When we arrived there was no one else on the street. Not a single person. We had roughly 15 minutes here taking photos and video and didn’t feel rushed at all. As we were getting ready to leave there were more and more people arriving. We weren’t even here that early! I think a cruise ship arrived in port and this was where tourists headed. So if you want tourist-free photos, visit when there are no cruises in port!

Plaza de Armas & Café Cuatro Estacione

After the umbrella street success, we continued walking and found an amazing little cafe in the Plaza de Armas – a big square in Old San Juan. This cafe had a variety of hot and room temperature pastries, coffee, tea and other drinks. It was reasonably priced and had numerous “local specialties.” Based on the suggestion of the employee, we tried the cheese mallorcas. These were hot bread-like pastries filled with delicious melted cheese and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sweet and savory – a perfect breakfast. We also got iced coffee because it was already a hot day – definitely a wise choice for us! The cafe was situated in the corner of the square and had a lovely patio area set up with chairs and tables. A great morning spot if you’re in the area.

Sightseeing in Old San Juan

After breakfast we continued to sight-see and walked along the top of the old fortress wall. We found picturesque homes, colourful streets, old buildings, lovely gardens, and walked again through the green space of the forts open to the public. We spent about 2 hours looking around inside the Castillo de San Cristobal and taking photos of the city below. Make sure you check when it closes because it was closing when we arrived the day before. You could easily spend an entire day walking through the colourful streets of Old San Juan, and one day I hope to go back and spend some more time in this city.

Old San Juan Visit Summary

If you’re visiting Puerto Rico, Old San Juan should be a stop on your itinerary. And, if you’re a cruiser like me I urge you to arrive a few days early or extend your trip so you can experience the culture and sights. Stay tuned for more posts from my Southern Caribbean cruise, and more from San Juan!

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