route hop on hop off bus san juan puerto rico map

Hotel concierge informed us that, while the distance from the hotel to the fort is not far, it’s mostly uphill. We stayed at the Sheraton located on the waterfront near the cruise ship port. We planned to walk from the Sheraton to the entrance of the castle grounds because our map showed that if was fairly close. This 16th century citadel, along with the fortified walls and gates that surround the old city, have been declared a San Juan National Historic Site, so it’s often the first stop on most first time visitor’s sightseeing list. On our first day in the city, the plan was to first visit Fort San Felipe del Morro, also known as Castillo San Felipe del Morro or Morro Castle (see above photo). It dates back to Spanish colonial times when it was designed as the city’s main town square. The beautiful Plaza de Armas in the San Juan Historic District. In 1983 the old fortified city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a well deserved designation. The city’s rich history is on display as you walk up and down its historical streets. San Juan is also the second oldest European-established capital city in the Americas, founded by Spanish colonists in 1521. It’s a full blown city that’s more comparable to Miami or Panama City. It’s huge!ĭon’t make the mistake of assuming that San Juan is a quaint Caribbean town sheltered by palm trees. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we looked out the airplane window as we approached the city. Many people are surprised to learn that San Juan is the second most populous metropolitan area in the Caribbean (following Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic). Related – Should you add San Juan to your travel wish list? While these historical forts are definitely worth a visit, the clear highlight from our time in Puerto Rico was wandering its cobblestone streets and admiring the colourful buildings and European-influenced architecture. Most of our research highlighted San Juan’s former defensive forts, Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristobal, as the prime tourist attractions in San Juan. Our research on Puerto Rico did nothing to prepare us for how much we would fall for Old San Juan. This historical colonial section of San Juan, it’s capital city, is a must visit for all first time visitors to Puerto Rico. One of the best surprises from our trip to the Caribbean was discovering Old San Juan, the oldest settlement in Puerto Rico.

Route hop on hop off bus san juan puerto rico map