San Juan is the second oldest city established in the New World, one of the most historically significant destinations in the Caribbean & the Western Hemisphere. Walk through 500-year-old forts with breathtaking views of the Atlantic, various UNESCO sites, historic churches, tour the second oldest cathedral in the Americas, visit museums, step foot into Ponce de Leon’s mansion, tour La Fortaleza Palace, and so much more.
The Arecibo Lighthouse and Historical Park is a cultural theme park located in the surrounding area of the Arecibo Lighthouse. It has an innovative and unique concept that includes among other things five cultural representations of the Puerto Rico's history, which transports all of our visitors through historical and cultural events from the Spanish Conquest of 1493 to the 1898 when this lighthouse was built and the Spanish-American war occurred.
The museum features fine arts, paintings, sculptures, canvas reproductions, expert framings, and moldings.
The Caparra Ruins are those of an ancient fort where Ponce de León founded the first settlement on the island in 1508. The Museum of the Conquest and Colonization of Puerto Rico located near the ruins offers historical documents, exhibits and artifacts.
The Casa Alegria Museum, former residence of master painter Marco Juan Alegria, features an exhibit hall, an art school and memorabilia from past decades.
Casa Blanca was built in 1521 by the family of Ponce de León, who lived in it for 250 years until it became the residence of the Spanish and then the US military commander-in-chief. It now houses two museums, one on the Taino Indians and one on the house's history, with emphasis on life in the 16th and 18th centuries.
Bacardi Rum Plant is the largest rum distillery in the world, processing some 100,000 gallons daily. The tour includes a trolley tour of the distillery and bottling plant, a museum and a free rum cocktail.
El Morro was initially fortified in 1539 and completed in 1589. Rising 140 feet above the sea, its 18-foot-thick wall proved a formidable defense. It fell only once, in 1538, to a land assault by the Earl of Cumberland's forces. The fort is a maze of tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps.
Built in 1883, this beautiful church stands in the center of the plaza, surrounded by lovely fountains, bench sitting denizens, and a century old wooden firehouse. Located on the Plaza Degetau.
Built in 1525 on behalf of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción and on the attempts to convert Taíno Indians to Christianity.
San Juan Cathedral was built in 1521 by the Spanish colony's first bishop, Alonso Manso. The original church had wooden walls and a thatched roof. The Cathedral as seen today is the result of work done in 1917, when major restorations were performed. This Cathedral is an authentic and rare New World example of medieval architecture, considered one of the most impressive religious monuments in Puerto Rico. Since 1913, the Cathedral, which features Doric columns and elliptical vaults, contains the marble tomb of the island's first governor Juan Ponce de Leon and the relic of San Pio, a Roman martyr.
More can be found at http://welcome.topuertorico.org/thingstodo/whattodo.shtml
Inquiries? Contact us at the following: