Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a historic district, subject to guidelines for the preservation and restoration of its buildings. The Municipality of San Juan and the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture strive to preserve the authenticity and appearance of the district, from the architectural details to the color of the exterior paint on buildings. Join us for a tour of the unique details and colors of Old San Juan. When a city is more than 500 years old, you see architectural influences from different periods and from all over the world. Take a close look at the rooflines, balconies, alcoves, moldings, doors, windows, and ironwork. For a deep dive into…
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The United States National Parks System has over 400 parks, including places of great natural beauty and historic significance. Included in our magnificent parks system is the San Juan National Historic Site, which brings together the history of many European nations and the beginnings of our country. The native population of Puerto Rico, the Taino, inhabited the island for more than 1,000 years before the Spanish arrived in 1493, with the second expedition of Christopher Columbus. The Spanish claimed the island for Spain, calling it San Juan Bautista. In 1508, Juan Ponce De Leon, of the “Fountain of Youth” fame, founded the first settlement on the island. This port city…
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Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud (Chapel of Christ the Savior) Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud was built in 1753-1780 on top of the city walls. The placard near the chapel reads, “Legend traces its origin to a miraculous happening at the site.” A little bit of research revealed a few different stories, but generally, the story goes that in the 1750’s, there was a horse race. A young rider named Baltazar Montañez was unable to stop his horse, and rode off the cliff in the area where the chapel stands. Legend goes that the Secretary of the Government, Don Tomás Mateo Prats, or the young man…
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The streets of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, are known for the colorful buildings and colonial architecture, but it is also filled with historic sites, monuments, and statues, marking contributions to the city’s rich history. Here are just a few of the moments in history along a short walk around the city. Plaza Colón Plaza Colón marks the entrance to the walled city of Old San Juan, where the Santiago Gate once stood. Looking uphill to the northeast, you will see Castillo san Cristóbal, part of the National Parks Service San Juan Historic Site. At the center of Plaza Colon is a monument to Cristóbal Colón, Christopher Columbus to us…
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As part of this year’s North American Travel Journalists Conference in Puerto Rico, we were guests at a food tour of Old San Juan by Spoon, Authentic Culinary Experiences and Food Tours. Spoon offers a variety of tours, from cocktail tours around Old San Juan to cooking classes in private homes. Our guide, Lorna, walked with us around the streets of San Juan, pointing out historic places and other points of interest, as we set out to eat and drink our way around the city. Stop #1: Mofongo at Deaverdura The first of our three stops was Deaverdura, located at 200 Sol Street. It was hard not to be…
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On our last day in Puerto Rico, we decided to explore a bit more of Old San Juan, but first, we needed to fuel up with a great breakfast. After a bit of searching, we came upon a great spot in Old San Juan, La Carreta Mercado Local. La Carreta has two locations in San Juan. The one in Old Town is located at 279 Luna Street, which was an easy walk from our starting point at Plaza Colon (a four-minute walk per Google Maps). I started off with a double cortadito, and then looked over the menu. You can view it yourself online here. I opted for the Bandeja…
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We’re just back from our trip to Puerto Rico last week for the NATJA (North American Travel Journalists Association) conference, held May 2 through 6. I have downloaded my memory cards and will be sending my film off to the lab in the morning. So stay tuned for posts on our trip, including an Old San Juan Walking Food Tour with Lorna from Spoon tours, a VIP tour at Bacardí Rum, historical sites including the San Juan National Historic Site, and much more. Start exploring posts from our trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico here.
