Last Updated on December 24, 2023
Vibrant and colorful are the first words that come to mind when trying to describe Old San Juan. The old district of Puerto Rico’s capital, full of colonial buildings painted bright colors, is bustling with action. People strolling down picturesque cobblestone streets, enjoying outdoor cafes and Latin music blaring everywhere. With cruise ships in town, the number of people in the city nearly doubles. Normally, I would see it as a negative, but in this case it’s a good thing. Puerto Rico is happy to see people come back to the island, after the devastation caused by the hurricane months before.
We all watched as hurricane Maria ripped through Old San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico in September 2017, causing absolute devastation to the island. So when I stopped in Old San Juan for a couple of days before heading to Culebra, I was thrilled to see how the city bounced back. Although the recovery is still work in progress, a good part of the island, especially San Juan area is back on its feet and absolutely ready for visitors. Let’s face it, there’s no better way to help the recovery process than tourism. Puerto Rico can definitely use tourist dollars to re-build and make up for the losses in the aftermath of Maria. In case you had any doubts, here’s some pictures to further convince you, that Old San Juan is as beautiful as ever.
Calle Fortaleza is one of the main streets running through Old San Juan, and one of the most vibrant. This cobblestone street is lined with restaurants, art stores, shops and hotels. The most picturesque part of Fortaleza street, is without a doubt, the umbrella installation at the end of it, right by the Governor’s home. This is a new trend seen in cities all over the world. However, in Old San Juan the addition of the umbrellas is more than just adding color to the already colorful city. The umbrellas are a symbol of color coming back to this beautiful city and the island, after days of darkness. It represents Puerto Rico’s resilience.
Castillo de San Cristobal is one of the two defense forts in Old San Juan. While El Morro on the opposite side was built to protect the city from attacks coming from the sea, Castillo de San Cristobal protected it from land attacks. Both forts are part of San Juan National History Site. Make sure to wander around all levels of the fort, the views from the upper ones are amazing. The $7 entry ticket to Castillo de San Cristobal gives you access to El Morro, and the other way around.
La Perla, a neighborhood tucked between the two forts stands out with its bright colored houses along the rocky shore. A history of crime, mostly drug related, gave La Perla a reputation of a rough neighborhood. Recently, the area was made famous by the biggest hit and most overplayed song of 2017 ” Despacito “. The streets of La Perla were the filming set for a good part of the song’s video, which spiked people’s curiosity in the neighborhood. To be fair, although quite picturesque, La Perla is a strictly residential neighborhood, with no particular tourist attractions.
If you are going to try just one traditional Puerto Rican dish, make it Mofongo. A delicious mix of fried, mashed plantain, seasonings and different fillings ( beef, shrimp or chicken ) is definitely a Puerto Rican staple.
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