Viejo San Juan

What a beauty! There’s an underground parking garage at the top about 1 mile from el Morro and an outdoor parking lot at the bottom near the pier. Free trolleys all around old San Juan. The outdoor parking lot closest to the pier will often charge a flat rate of $ 3.00 in late afternoon otherwise all lots are about $ 2.00 for an hour then adding $ 1.00 for each additional hour (Approximate pricing). You will often see families flying kites here in the big open space.

I’ve been to Puerto Rico twice and both times I had to visit Old San Juan. There are hundreds of shops and restaurants situated on beautiful cobblestone streets. There is so much culture and history in this city. The people are so incredibly friendly. My favorite things to do were explore the forts, the old city walls, and shopping. It can get extremely hot during the summer time at mid day. Have sunscreen and water no joke! You can definitely trek around on foot but there are plenty of taxis circling around if you need a break. Wear decent shoes because those cobblestone streets are beautiful but really old and uneven. There are tons of great restaurants and bars in Old San Juan as well. Greengos Caribbean Cantina is really good as well as several of the local, small cafes. You MUST try some Puerto Rican rice and beans, and fried plantains! During one of my trips there was a craft fair set up around the courtyard with the statue in the center. Numerous local artists were set up selling hand made crafts, art, and jewelry. It was really neat! Definitely set aside some time to explore this wonderful part of San Juan!

The architecture, the forts, museums, restaurants, and bars make this a must do while visiting Puerto Rico. I highly recommend spending a few days here. You can’t do it in just one day. There are two forts; I actually enjoyed San Cristobal more than El Morro. A great Pre Columbian exhibit is in The Museum of The Americas. Wander into The Gallery Inn and get lost in the labyrinth of stairs and art. Take a stroll down the Princessa Plaza after shopping on Calle Christo. Eat at as many Mom and Pop restaurants as possible. There are some really good bars as well. There are some local boutiques for soaps and handmade arts and crafts, which are well worth the effort to find. There is an antiques bazar and a junk shop, which are fun for finding treasures. Check out the beautiful cathedrals. Wander around. Relax on a bench and people watch, and then wander some more.

Beautiful city! This is definitely a place every tourist needs to visit when visiting Puerto Rico! You will regret it if you do not here at least once.
This is great place to visit for all foodies, people who love shopping, and people who love sightseeing (the whole town is beautiful! The houses, the old buildings, the museums, the forts. Too much to see in one day!
Just walking around in the streets is such a great experience. There are many vendor selling hand-​made crafts among other thing. Old San Juan has so many great places and coffee shops. You wont believe how amazing the food is here! YUM! Your taste buds will not be disappointed.
You can drive there and find a parking garage which you have to pay, parking on the side of the street is hard to find or you can take the lancha. I came here many times before and it has gotten better. They work so hard to keep the street clean and everyone is so polite and helpful. The old building are so beautiful and colorful. Honestly, this is one of the most beautiful places that I’ve been and definitely a must go to anyone who wants to experience such a wonderful place and culture.
It is one of the oldest city in Puerto Rico and you feel like you have travel back in time to the Spaniard era and it is such a great experience. I’m so excited to go back very very soon and experience all the wonderful things and the things I couldn’t last time.

Old San Juan is a breathtaking city. You can easily fly there direct from NYC in 3 hours, so if you haven’t been I highly suggest taking a trip here. Especially if you live on the east coast!
We only came out for a three day weekend, and that was plenty of time to explore all of San Juan’s beautiful offerings. The city isn’t too large and you can easily walk from place to place — just make sure that you have got comfy shoes because of the hilly cobblestone streets.
There are of course, plenty of shops, bars and restaurants to visit. But, my favorite part was checking out the vibrantly colored homes. San Juan is known for this, and I definitely didn’t realize how unique they were going to be. I made a point to try and walk down every street because I didn’t want to miss out on anything!
Besides shopping and eating, there is plenty of great history to enjoy. We checked out the Castillos and El Morro forts which were both great. During my three day stay here, I got to try a ton of delicious and authentic eats, checked out lots of great bars (maybe one too many) and saw some of the cities oldest and most historical sights.
Usually when I travel to the Caribbean I spend my days laying on the beach, but it was nice to experience a city vibe too. And, when it is a city on the sea you really just can’t go wrong!

This has to be a must see if you like history or just walking a beautiful old city. I have traveled the world and this ranks as one of the best city’s I have visited. I have walked the streets so many times.

We spent hours wandering around, shopping and taking in the ambiance.

This is just a must when visiting PR. There’s plenty to do. See a list of some of my favorites below.
El Morro (on a windy day hangout here and lay on the green, fly a kite or watch other fly them)
El Parque de las Palomas
El Paseo de la Princesa
El Paseo de el Morro
Drink Mavi
Eat piragua (be on the lookout for the little carts and when you spot one that says piragua ask for a tamarindo one; they’re the PR version of shaved ice)

It is such a treat to have a day to spend in Viejo San Juan, the ancient colorful and colonial city situated on Puerto Rico’s largest and oldest ports.
Our local tour guide argued that Viejo is actually the Second Oldest City in all of the Americas! Possibly true, as the city was «discovered» in 1493 by Christopher Columbus aboard the Nina and settled in 1508 by Ponce de Leon. We were told that the beautiful blue cobblestones that line the roads in Viejo were stone weights from the Nina herself. Who knows!
Within walking distance of the port, there are palm trees, bright colorful buildings, the aforementioned cobblestone roads, and old fortresses and forts to explore! There is plenty of delicious cuisine– try the Mofongo– a dish made of crispy fried plantains stuffed with rice, beans, chicken or pork. Delicious!
It always seems to pour down rain when we are in town, so it is good advice to pack a small umbrella. Don’t let the rain stop you! One of our funnest days was getting soaked and sampling sangria in this friendly port!

Saturday, 11:00 AM.
*Rolled the dice with parking.
Quickie:
* Hygiene
+ Variety of places to explore
+ Small city charm
And then???
Take a break from the mofongo and explore this cool part of the island.
**********
Constructive comment:
*Recycle and compost options

Very walkable city, small and beautiful. Weather is meaningless, bring sunblock and umbrella regardless.
Wonder around as much as possible, nothing to lose.

I love Old San Juan! If you’re in Puerto Rico, you have to make a quick stop at el Viejo San Juan. «Mi Corazon se quedo frente al mar, en mi Viejo San Juan.»

This is Old San Juan. This is probably the must do of any trip to PR. Even if you just have a short port via a cruise, you gotta stop by here and visit the old forts and just walk the streets. We came here twice during our last trip. First off, parking is HELL in this area, so if you can take a cab whatever here and back so that you do not have to look for parking.
Once here, explore and take full usage of the free trolley system. It doesn’t seem that big but Old San Juan is HUGE. If you walk you will be very sore. There is a lot of chain touristy junk. But ignore that and take in the history.

If you’re coming to San Juan or Puerto Rico, be sure to spend a few hours in Viejo San Juan (Old San Juan)! Parking is a pain, so hopefully your hotel is nearby or you could take a taxi to drop you off. The entire area is walkable and the distance from one end to the other is just about 2 miles.
There are a bunch of tiny little stores and hole-​in-​the-​wall coffee shops, in addition to a plethora of restaurants/​cafes. When my boyfriend and I walked from one fort to the other, we stopped by three of them to get brunch, coffee, and tea, partly because we wanted to check them out but primarily because it was scorching hot outdoors and it was nice to take air-​conditioned breaks. If you want to enjoy the breeze, you could walk along the coast from one fort to the other.
There aren’t many places like this– cobblestone streets, colorful buildings and apartments with plants hanging over the balconies, steps and stairs to various establishments. Loved them all :) The area would definitely be prettier if there weren’t so many cars parked all over the place.

I’ve visited San Juan twice, once flying there directly, and another time as a port stop on a recent cruise. On both occasions, I have been really impressed and in awe of Old San Juan. The gorgeous brightly-​painted building, the narrow blue cobblestone streets, the historic sites, it’s just such a special place to visit.
A trip to San Juan would be utterly lacking without a stop at Old San Juan. While the culture and beaches in Puerto Rico are fantastic, the heart of the island is right here in the small tight-​knit center of the capital.
And while you’re there, definitely stop by the actual Capital building near the San Cristobal fort. Entry is free and the interior is absolutely stunning, made up of over 20 different types of marble from several different countries. It also houses the Puerto Rican constitution and has an incredible view from the front steps!

I expected more cute old streets and less touristy shops. You really have to wander around to find places that are not just bars charging a lot more than the rest of the island or run down with boards over the windows. That being said, I like exploring, so it was still fun. Look out for graffiti, there’s someone tagging a lot of places with the same thing over and over again…

Cute old town with a mix of interesting shops, junk shops, Puerto Rican craft shops, antique shops, bars, restaurants and churches, oh and random Harry Winston and Coach mixed in.
We stopped at Hotel Convento for a drink. Cute hotel with open air lobby. If you sit at the bar, there is an outlet underneath where you can charge your cellphone. Beautiful church next door.
My favorite was Olé — a handmade had and espadrilles shop. They also had other interesting antiques inside. I purchased a custom hat, they fit you for size and you pick out a ribbon color and hats are made to order.

Old San Juan defiantly is a must if you’re visiting Puerto Rico. This area will instantly transport you back in time with its narrow streets and cobblestone roads. This colonial port is vibrant with its multi-​colored buildings full of old world charm that won’t disappoint.
Old San Juan is rich in history with plenty of sight-​seeing for those who want to explore. There are lots of hidden gems for those in search of trinkets within their street markets and wonderful little souvenir shops– for those who want to bring back goodies for loved ones back home.
Our favorite thing to do in Old San Juan was simply wander the beautiful streets taking photos and of course snacking on local treats. We made plenty of stops periodically eating at various cafes. There is plenty to see and eat in Old San Juan and you can spend most of your time roaming around and soaking in the brilliantly colors like we did. If you have time to walk to the fort. DO it-​to it. It is a walk but worth seeing!
Food wise– try to sample traditional Puerto Rico favorites like… Mofongo– mashed plantain and seasonings that is served with your choice of filling; vegetarian, shrimp, steak, pork, seafood. There are plenty of hot spot restaurants where you can sample this dish.
Final Words… Old San Juan is a must see if you are in the area. Come here to soak up that old colonial charm and transport yourself back in time.

Took a taxi from our hotel to Old San Juan earlier to get the sightseeing out of the way. Maps are very helpful and so many Police Officers in most popular streets to also ask for directions.
Me and my mom got to see all the favorite places on my Foursquare list such as San Juan Gate, Paseo el Morro, Paseo de la Princesa, the PR flag mural, and the two Castillos (just outside of them because we didn’t feel like paying admissions)
Its a must to do when you are vacationing in San Juan, PR! Make sure you wear comfortable shoes like sneakers because the sidewalks are very narrow and there are a lot of hills.
Hop on the free Trolley to circle around Old San Juan!

On the way to the airport we managed to spend a little bit of time in Old San Juan. There wasn’t enough time to do the forts but we did get to walk around the city a bit and experience the blue cobblestone roads, tourist shops, small restaurants, architecture and culture.
Again, my experience here was very limited, but I can’t wait to find time to come back and experience it properly. A beautiful little town with a great feel!