The umbrellas are no longer there. There are some Christmas lights in its place. There is no idea…read morewhen or if the umbrellas will return. The area where the umbrellas were has a high police presence because it is right in front of the governor's mansion. There was a huge Christmas tree up while I was there in mid January as well. Even though the umbrellas are long gone, it is still worth a peak. And it is right around the corner from the pigeon park.

Doesn't exist any longer. Residents said it's be gone for about 2 years now. There are no longer…read morecolored umbrellas there it looks like just clear beads/string.

I was 11 years old when I first visited this house. I remember the beautiful garden and the very…read moresmall 16th century bed displayed in one of the rooms. We were told it was the type of bed used during the times of Spanish Conquistadors. After all, the house was originally built (a wooden structure) for Juan Ponce de Leon. Although, he never got to live in it. His descendents lived in the rebuilt stone structure for 250 years until they sold it to the Spanish government. It was then transitioned to the US Military after the Treaty of Paris (1898). It became a museum in 1974. Today, it's also an event space for weddings and celebrations. I have to be honest. I was a little disappointed during this last visit. The garden and pathways are not being maintained regularly. I wanted to step down into the area overlooking the ocean, but there wasn't a clear enough pathway due to overgrown shrubs. I was fully prepared to pay the $5 admission fee to go inside, but decided not to after seeing the condition of the public garden in the front and back of the house. We visited on a Saturday, so it's not like it was some off day for lawn services. It's a highly anticipated touristy day. Looking back at it, we probably should have paid the fee and given an extra donation for a clearer path to the ocean view. I've read that the money is needed for restorations of this historical safe haven. Don't let this review discourage you. Just pick a day to visit before or after a wedding or garden event. Then you'll be sure to see it at its best. Because... why would you have your wedding here otherwise?

La Casa Blanca ~ A historic house museum in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, originally built for the…read morefirst governor, Juan Ponce de León. Just $5 to tour and see the museum contents and garden grounds. Worth the visit if in the area.

Great visit to Castillo San Felipe del Morro on a Sunday morning…read more Arrived when they opened up at 9am and there was no wait to get in. Spectacular views of the castle itself as well the surrounding areas. Lots of history about the castle displayed through some great exhibits. Lots of walking, hills and some stairs throughout...so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Great gift shop. Friendly and helpful staff throughout. Admission fee is $10, but grants access to Castillo San Felipe del Morro as well as the nearby Castillo San Cristobal up until the following day...so be sure to take advantage and visit both within that period. There is a reasonably-priced nearby parking garage (Ballaja Parking Garage) just a short walk to the entrance. There is also free street parking along Bulevar del Valle in the early morning hours.

Checking out El Morro (Castillo San Felipe del Morro) in San Juan, PR was 1 of those experiences…read morethat really stays w/ you long after you leave. This historic Spanish fort was built in the 1500s & played a major role in defending San Juan from sea attacks during the colonial era. Walking through it, you can really feel the weight of that history. The thick stone walls, open courtyards, tunnels, and lookout points all reflect how strategic & intense life had to be back then, especially w/ the constant threat of war & invasion. What really hit me most emotionally was just being there & taking it all in. Standing on the grounds overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, it was easy to imagine what it must have been like centuries ago(soldiers watching the horizon, waiting for ships to appear). There's something powerful about physically being in a place that played such a major role in PR's history. It was honestly a really memorable moment for me. Not just b/c of what I learned, but b/c of how it felt being surrounded by so much history in 1 place. It gave me a deeper appreciation for San Juan & the stories built into the island itself.

We did the tour and our Guide Francheska was fantastic. We had the opportunity to walk around the…read moregardens, the chapel, visit the Dungeon... and furthermore learn the history of this historical building. LinK: https://www.fortaleza.pr.gov/recorridos

This was the perfect area in Old San Juan to spend your day in, lots of shops and restaurants to…read morewalk around and shop.

Great way to explore iconic history. The San Juan National Historic Site includes both Castillo San…read moreFelipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal, and a $10 ticket gives you access to both for 24 hours, which is a great value. I really enjoyed walking through the forts, tunnels, and open plazas while taking in the ocean and city views. There's a lot more to explore than you'd expect, and every section has something interesting, from massive stone walls to lookout points overlooking the coastline. Definitely recommend comfortable shoes and starting early if you plan to see both forts in one day. Overall, a great mix of history, views, and outdoor exploring right in the heart of Old San Juan.

Castillo San Cristobal should be your first tourist stop in Old San Juan. I visited the castle…read moretwenty five years ago, but I did not really see the entire site. This time, I was determined to explore every inch, and it was spectacular. From the views to the historical recreations to the overall sense of place, it was absolutely worth the extra effort. I have two recommendations. First, go before noon, which is what we did. The afternoon sun in Puerto Rico can be intense, and there are often afternoon showers. Most of the castle is exposed to the elements, so the earlier visit makes a big difference. Second, I wish I had brought my America the Beautiful National Park Pass, because it would have allowed me to enter for free. It would have been nice to save a few dollars, although the ten dollar admission fee is still much lower than what many other national parks charge. One final tip. Just outside the entrance, there is a wonderful juice bar called Bien Papayas. It is a great place to refresh and recharge after walking around the expansive Castillo San Cristobal. San Juan's National Historic Site is absolutely worth doing on day one, and I am very glad I experienced it properly this time.

Bastión de las Palmas de San José in Old San Juan, was built in the 17th century in 1625 after the…read moreDutch attacked. Two green-colored benches, a railing, and a masonry wall made out of stone and bricks can be observed. Bastión de las Palmas de San José was later turned into a park. The San Juan Bay and the coast of the municipality can be seen from a distance.

A this is a nice little park with a great view…read more We found it by walking down some streets just to ser what is down there.

It's the cute stone chapel that was built on the city wall near La Fortaleza at the end of Calle…read moredel Cristo in the late 1800s. The legend is that Baltazar Montañez lost control of his horse during a race and they both fell over the wall (or cliff). He was miraculously saved by divine intervention. The chapel was built at that very same spot of the miracle. Another account of the story is that he didn't survive the fall, and that the chapel was built to prevent this type of accident from ever happening again. Maybe the real story is somewhere in between the lines. Did he survive and later succumb to his injuries? Either way, it's a believable part of history which brings people to this chapel looking for miracles. The facade and bell tower make it look even more mysterious, and especially at nighttime. This is my second time visiting it. I've never been inside it. It's usually closed to the public to protect the religious relics inside. Try visiting it in the afternoon on a weekend. You may have a better chance of entering the chapel. Don't forget to visit Pigeon Park while you're there.

The legend says that the chapel of the Cristo de la Salud was erected to honor a miracle…read more Legend has it that for the years 1750 or so, there had been a horse race along the Cristo Street. One of the participants could not stop his horse and fell down the cliff. Don Tomás Mateo Prats, who was Secretary of Government for that time, invoked the Santo Cristo de la Salud and that the young man who fell off the precipice was saved. Thanking the Santo Cristo de la Salud, Don Tomás Mateo Prats ordered to build the chapel. The truth was not that. Studies by Don Adolfo de Hostos confirmed that the young man who fell down the cliff, died. Don Tomás Mateo Prats ordered to erect the Chapel to prevent future tragedies.

This place is an old prison that is converted to a tourism/welcome center. The staff there was very…read morefriendly and helpful. I went their to get a map of the local area attractions. The map was very helpful and they highlighted points of intrest for me to visit and the route to take to get to them. There is not much to this place. Inside you will find a display of local art and some history information placards. If you out of the back door you will come across a courtyard with a few tables and chairs. And if you go to the right, you will and through a very narrow walk way, you will come across three originals cells from the old prison. They do not have doors and are very primitive. If you are doing a self guided tour of San Juan, this should be your first stop. It gave me my marching orders and I was able to organize my stops.

My family and I took a seven day cruise out of Miami aboard the Carnival Celebration to Dominican…read moreRepublic, Puerto Rico and Saint Thomas. We took a shore excursion in Puerto Rico to see famous sites throughout San Juan. Our first stop was the Antigua Prison de la Princesa. This prison was built in 1837, taking the name of the walkway, the Paseo de la Princesa, that runs along it. In 1854 during the reign of Isabel II, the tower and watch were built and placed. While it was in operation it had capacity for 240 inmates, continued as a prison until the 1965. The building was rehabilitated in 1989, and currently houses today the office of the tourism company of Puerto Rico and contains a contemporary art exhibition. We toured the old prison area. It was definitely not a very nice place to spend. We were told about the history of this prison while we were inside it. Its cool that it now houses the tourism company of Puerto Rico and I really wished we had the time to actually see the art exhibition. Still, this was a great first stop on our tour of beautiful San Juan.

This was another huge sign/landmark that was used a lot for photo opportunities by people getting…read moreoff the Carnival Cruise boat we were on as well as other tourists. The sign is just outside the Port of San Juan, a bit down from the I Love (Heart) PR Sign. Not a boricua, but I can certainly appreciate the sign.