Old San Juan

Old San Juan, the historic heart of Puerto Rico's capital, is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric colonial towns in the Americas, a compact grid of narrow streets famously paved with blue-tinted cobblestones and lined with brightly painted pastel houses, balconies and plazas. Perched on a headland above the Atlantic stand two mighty Spanish fortresses, the sprawling El Morro and San Cristobal, together a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built over centuries to guard the harbour. Lively with cafes, galleries and music, it blends history, colour and Caribbean spirit.

History

Juan Ponce de León founded the first settlement, Caparra, in 1508, and in 1509 it was moved to the site then called Puerto Rico, rich or good port; the diocese founded in 1511 was the first in the Americas, and the first wooden cathedral followed in 1513 with a Latin school under bishop Alonso Manso. In 1521 the town was named Ciudad de Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista and laid out with its first streets and plazas, among them Calle del Cristo, Plaza de Armas and Plaza de la Catedral, and Casa Blanca went up the same year, followed by the convent of Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1523 and a hospital in 1524. Foreign attacks led to a city wall between 1530 and 1560, La Fortaleza from 1533 to 1540 and the first battery at El Morro, the full circuit of walls was completed in 1641, and San Cristóbal, the largest of the forts, was finished in the later 18th century; by 1776 half of the 6,000 inhabitants were soldiers, and since 1983 La Fortaleza, the walls and the two castles have been a World Heritage Site, though the old town around them is not part of it (Wikipedia, Old San Juan).

The main sights

• Castillo San Felipe del Morro - the great clifftop fortress and views.
• Castillo San Cristobal - the vast second fortress guarding the city.
• The blue cobbled streets - the pastel houses and colonial plazas.
• The city gate and walls - the old defensive walls and Paseo.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, for the sunniest, most pleasant weather, though this is also the busy cruise season; the summer is hotter and wetter with a hurricane risk from June to November. Evenings, when the cobbled streets glow and music spills from bars, are especially lovely.

What to expect

When cruise ships are in port, the compact old town and its forts can get crowded, so early mornings or evenings are calmest and most atmospheric. It is a small district, easily seen in a day or two, and pricier than the wider island. As a gorgeous, walkable, historic and lively colonial gem, though, with its blue streets and mighty forts, Old San Juan is a genuine Caribbean highlight.

Nearby

The El Yunque rainforest and the beaches of the north coast are close by.

Key facts