What We Discovered in Puerto Rico

A town hidden from the luxury resorts of Puerto Rico; simple, charming and antiquated, Old San Juan is a historic landmark for the country, a cluttered jut of white and crème buildings, palm trees, and dilapidated walls that trace an outline of the town.

San Juan offers all the quaint, old-world Spanish elements one would expect from a Caribbean town prefixed with "Old". In the summer months, the temperature and humidity are raging, but the city retains its perpetual beauty. The brave tourists, those not to be thwarted by heat, discover what was the scene for many famous movies, the infamous Cathedral of San Juan, San Cristobal Fort, a field of marble graves and statues, and much more striking scenery.

What visitors are initially taken by are the narrow cobblestone streets and passageways that circulate throughout; curvaceous and erratic, they mount and sink with the town's inconsistent elevation. Tiendas are scattered throughout the town, but what dignifies Old San Juan are the extravagant cultural and governmental structures and vestiges of a civilization that no longer exists.

Venturing to Old San Juan is a trip suggested for the early and later months of the year. As the weather is at its coolest and breeziest state, the potential for experiencing the town and not leaving with your clothes plastered to your body is greatest.

Renting a car or commuting the town by taxi is an option but, because of the confining nature of the streets, is an option that is commonly nixed for walking. If not for the history, the culture, a change of pace to compliment the beautiful hotels in Puerto Rico, visit Old San Juan for the lush scenery and the vivid memories.