La Capilla del Cristo

View from the park

Street view

The Capilla del Cristo is a chapel located in the Cristo street in the Old San Juan. The chapel was build in the 1750 because of a tragic accident in the place. The legend tells that the secretary of government of Puerto Rico was at a horse race in the “Calle del Cristo” and a young man couldn’t control his horse and fell of the cliff. 

Tomas Mateo Prats, the secretary, prayed to the Christ of wellness to help the man survive the fall. Legend says that the man survived and to honor the miracle the chapel was build. Actually, he did not survive and the chapel was build to avoid another accident.

Next to the chapel there is a park called “El Parque de las Palomas” where you can buy pigeon food to feed them. The park is full of birds looking to be fed and are willing to eat from your hand.

It haves a really nice view, and a great history. A great place to visit.

El convento

In Old San Juan there is a convent that was transformed into a hotel. The monastery was founded in 1651 by Ana Lanzós, a wealthy widow that donated her house and her money for the construction of the hotel. During in 1903 to 1909 the building was closed and later on was reopened as a hotel.

In 1962 the renovation was concluded and reopened as El Convento Hotel and Casino. It is a small luxury hotel hotel located in "Calle las Monjas" in front of the second oldest church in San Juan. During the Fiestas de las Calles San Sebastián, the Convento hotel is full of people who come eat at the tapas restaurant Picoteo and a bar next door.

El Convento also has a casino, a swimming pool and a magnificent spanish restaurant. It is located right in the middle of the Morro fortress and the Paseo de la Princesa. If you are looking forward to staying in San Juan, El Convento is definitely the place to go.

Paseo la Princesa

The “Paseo de la Princesa” is a 3 mile walk near the cruise port where you can get a clue of what is the puertorrican culture. Within the walk you can see craft makers, food carts, restaurants, architectonical features and a nice view. You can find from piraguas and piña colada, to typical foods.

Within the view you can see the ocean, the San Juan Bay, the "Isla de Cabra", new architectonical features, the Morro fortress the "Raices" Fountain and an antique Spanish prison that is now used as the turism center.

In the route there is a Café where you can enjoy the peacefulness of a good meal under the tree shadows, live music and great service. The Café la Princesa serves as a bar, meeting place and restaurant. The average cost goes form $4.95 to $20 a meal. It is a perfect peaceful place that is covered with trees to keep the freshness and the relaxed intimate mood.

There are two parts of the Paseo de la Princesa, the interactive one, where you can buy goods, dance and enjoy a nice meal; and the historical part, where you can enjoy a nice view of the water and the Morro fortress where many naval battles where held. 

The walk is walking distance from the cruise port. It also haves a boat called "La Rumba" where you get onboard  and dance  while having a tour of the bay. It also haves a lot of artisans and food booths.

If you really want to see and learn about the cultural life in Puerto Rico and appreciate the view, the Paseo de la Princesa is definitely a good place to visit.

Fortres of San Cristobal and El Morro

If you are visiting Puerto Rico for the first time, you can not leave without visiting El Morro. The fortress once served as the guardian of the New world when the Spanish got control of the Island. It was heavily attacked by many nations, mostly the Dutch and the British because of the wealthiness of the Island. It was armed with cannons and guards posted on the “garitas” to alert the troop in case of an invasion.

El Fuerte San Felipe del Morro. 

The story tells that there was a garita named the “garita del diablo” that was so close to the sea that every time a soldier guarded  the fortress from there disappears mysteriously without leaving any clue. the legend tells that the night the soldier Sanchez was guarding the "garita del diablo" in san Cristobal nothing was heard of him. Later in the morning his fellow soldiers came to see why he was so quiet and found only his uniform and riffle, without a trace of Sanchez. What might actually had happened was that Sanchez, white spanish soldier, was in love with Diana, a mulatto girl. Since their parents and commander did not approve their love, Diana went late at night to the sentry box to meet with him and leave to be together. Since then, nobody heard of Sanchez nor Diana.

There is a guided tour inside the fortress of El Castillo San Felipe del Morro and El Castillo San Cristobal, throughout the battle zone and the jails. The fortress of El Morro was built looking through the opening of San Juan and in the other end the Castillo San Cristobal to protect the city.

Fort San Cristobal, seen by far.

On the other hand, in Front of the Morro Fortress there is a place where you can fly kites, and a booth that sells them. There is also a fountain in a mini plaza that you can bathe in and a sculpture called El Totem. That plaza also serves as an underground parking.

In a normal day the plaza is a peaceful place where you can walk and enjoy the view; but if you like intense partying, there is a festival called Las Calles De San Sebastián where Old San Juan gets full with people for 3 days almost non stop. Every street is full, with music and drinks.... barely walkable. 

There are also many artisans on the streets that expose their work to sell it. In every plaza there is a stage with performers, bars and interesting people. The party is in january (finals), so come and join us in the adventure.

Cemetery located in the Morro. It is filled with statues in every tomb.

Fountain located in the plaza in front of the Morro. Can bathe in it.

El Totem. Sculpture in the plaza. Haves an underground parking

Triana Restaurant

Did you know Triana restaurant was once an american bank? 

Around the 1910’s the American Colonial Bank of Puerto Rico was located in the capital city of San Juan, after Spain gave the island to United States. It was functioning until after the WWII, and it went to bankruptcy. Later on, it was converted to the Ponce’s Bank, but it had to be closed because the city was too far from the city’s bank. Then it was purchased by the Banco Popular bank, but then again had to be closed because there was another bank from the same profiteers next door. After the banks failed, the building spot was purchased by jewelers to make a store. Then it was a spanish restaurant with a 500 years of fame in Spain, but did not have the same luck in Puerto Rico. 

Now it is a spanish tapas restaurant for the enjoyment of all... and best of all, the boult is open for the public. The owners have recreated a salon place where you can reserve and have a nice tapas meal with a side of Sevillana classes. The building was remodeled  in the inside to have a bar boult, a caba, and a dance floor. 

On the upper level there is another bar with a full recreated atmosphere of a terrace in Spain. Every night they delight the customers with live music and Sevillana Dancers. They also have a second floor made a studio to give salsa, flamenco and sevillana classes. They also have an itinerary for every week where they give free classes and have recognized artists playing. 

If you want to have a unique experience and a really good time, go to Triana’s.

Inarú Restaurant

The family owned restaurant Inarú is one of the best typical restaurants in all San Juan. It was founded by a Puerto Rican family that longed for tourists to have a taste of our popular culture in a family restaurant.  The owners promote the regional artists by decorating the walls with their paintings and sculptures.

The restaurant name itself promotes the Taino culture from Puerto Rico. Inarú, meaning woman’s spirit, is directed by a women, and dedicated to women. It also features the caguana sculpture, a replica of a Taino painting of a woman giving birth. It represents the life of our culture. The restaurant also contains a Vejigante, a  traditional costume used as fright masks.

Vejigantes were used as fright mask in Loíza and many other  cities.

Also counts with dine out tables

Counts with a nice bar

And plenty drinks to choose from 

Caguana sculpture: it represents a women giving birth. To the right we have the Taino sun and the Coqui. To the left we have the Taino symbol of a spider.

A blend of the instruments from our 3 cultures that created the folkloric puerto rican music of bomba and plena.

For a family night out, have a nice dinner at Inarú’s

Everybody's City

Old San juan is the city where great views meets history. Being a peninsula, the capital of Puerto Rico is a great place to enjoy the ocean views, the sun, the breeze, the culture... well, the caribbean paradise. 

If you are planning a vacation to Puerto Rico, San Juan is definitely the place to go. It satisfies everybody’s needs: For the one looking for sun and water, we have a beach; for the one looking for souvenirs, we have many artisans all over the city as well as many in store souvenirs shops; for the one looking for great restaurants we have a street full of them and many to hunt down; for the one looking to visit museums and historical places, well, you came to the right place because from the blue bricks on the streets to the fortress of El Morro, everything has history. It is full with a diversity of unique and delicious restaurants, numerous bars, plenty stores, and historical architecture... San Juan has it all.