Last Updated on April 3, 2024
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Vibrant and colorful are the first words that come to mind when trying to describe Old San Juan. The old district of Puerto Rico’s capital is full of colonial buildings painted bright colors, cobble stone streets and historical forts. Even though the city is realtively small, there are quite a few things to do in Old San Juan to keep you busy.
Founded in 1521 by Spanish, Old San Juan ( Viejo San Juan in Spanish ) is a vibrant port city and a popular stop on many Caribbean cruises.
Old San Juan is pretty small and you can easily walk to all the attractions and points of interest. You can definitely spend 2 days, which will allow you to see everything at a slower pace. But if you only have one day in Old San Juan, you can still see and do a lot. While you might not be able to check off everything from this list of things to do in Old San Juan, one day will be sufficient see the top sights.
Visiting Puerto Rico
Old San Juan is a very easy destination for Americans. Since Puerto Rico is a US territory, visiting from the United States is like visiting any other place in the US. Flights are also generally not too expensive and direct, especially if you are coming from the East Coast.
- No passport necessary – because Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, all you need is a driver’s license or ID.
- The currency is the US dollar
- Your phone will work just like in the US – you don’t need an international plan or a SIM card
- English is widely spoken – yes, Spanish is the main language, but most people speak English really well, especially in tourist areas like Old San Juan.
Things to do in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Walk the colorful Streets
One of the absolute best things to do in Old San Juan is to walk around and enjoy the beauty of the streets. The Spanish colonial architecture, brightly colored buildings and cobble stone streets are a feast for the eyes and the main charm of Old San Juan.
This city is every photographer’s dream. Pretty much every street is stunning. It’s the perfect place to get lost and and just walk around, without any map.
You can easily explore Old San Juan independently. But if you’d like to learn more about history, you might want to join a guided walking Tour. If you are not too familiar with Puerto Rico and San Juan in particular, it’s a great introduction to the city. Below are a couple highly rated walking tours of Old San Juan, one during the day, the other one around sunset time. Both last about 2 hours.
Explore Castillo San Cristóbal
Old San Juan is home to two impressive forts. They were built to fend off the attacks from both land and sea. Both forts are parts of San Juan National History Site. Today, they are open to visitors and are some of the top Old San Juan attractions.
Out of the two forts Castillo San Cristóbal is the one closer to town and waterfront, so it’s a great place to start exploring the city. It’s also why I recommend visiting first thing in the morning before the cruise ship crowds arrive.
The massive fortress ( it covers 27 acres! ) was built between 1765-1785 to protect the city from land attacks and was used all the way through World War II. Castillo San Cristóbal has three levels, so be sure to take your time exploring it. The upper ones offers amazing views of the city and the Caribbean Sea.
There are several garitas ( sentry boxes ) you can go in, that offer amazing views of the water. Even if you are not a history buff, Castillo San Cristóba is definitely worth visiting, even if just for the views and photo ops.
The entrance fee is $10 and covers both forts. So hold on to your receipt, you’ll need it if you plan on visiting El Morro too.
Castillo San Cristóbal is open from 9 am – 5 pm every day
Explore Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or simply El Morro, is the other fort in Old San Juan. It dates back to 1400s and it’s the older of the two. It was built by Spanish to prevent attacks coming from the sea.
El Morro is a very impressive structure, it has 6 levels and offers incredible views of the San Juan Bay. Between the different levels, ramps, tunnels and prison cells, there is a lot to see. Plan a couple of hours if you’d like to explore El Morro in depth.
As I already mentioned before, you can visit El Morro on the same ticket as Castillo San Cristóbal ( within 24 hours ).
There is a huge lawn area around the fort and it tends to be quite windy there. So you might see people flying kites there.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro is open 9 am – 5 pm every day
Stop at the Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery
If you are anything like me and like to visit beautiful cemeteries around the worlds, this is a must stop in Old San Juan. Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis is a colonial cemetery, established in 1863, and it’s a final resting place of many Puerto Rico’s important people.
The cemetery is located between El Morro and La Perla. It’s just a short walk from the fortress across the big grass area.
If you’d like to take a close up look at the graves, you can walk through it. But the most impressive views can be seen from the historic walls of El Morro. From there you can see the cemetery, the Caribbean Sea and the colorful neighborhood of La Perla in the distance.
Walk Paseo de la Princesa
This beautiful tree lined promenade is a great place for a relaxing walk with vendors and historical landmarks along the way. The walk takes you by a couple of Old San Juan’s attractions like Fuente Raíces ( a beautiful fountain ) and the historical Old San Juan gate. The 40 foot tall red gate was once the only way to enter the city.
If you keep walking Paseo de la Princesa, it eventually turns into Paseo del Morro, a scenic, oceanside pathway.
Take a scenic walk down Paseo del Morro
The scenic 3/4 mile walk starts at the San Juan Gate and runs beneath the historic city walls all the way to El Morro. It offers spectacular ocean views along the way and was hands down one of my top things to do in Old San Juan. As you walk you also get a close up look at the walls and Castillo San Felipe del Morro.
The path goes around El Morro and you exit to the side of the fort. You can also continue a bit further down the scenic nature path. But it’s a short walk, which ends at the cemetery and you’ll have to turn around and walk back as it’s a dead end ( no pun intended ).
You can walk Paseo del Morrow between the hours 9 am – 5 pm.
Piña Colada at Barrachina
Piña Colada originates from Puerto Rico, and there are two places in San Juan that claim to be the birth place of it. One of them is Caribe Hilton, the other a restaurant in Old San Juan called Barrachina.
Which claim you want to believe is up to you, but since you are in Old San Juan, Barrachina is the most convenient and the one I visited. It’s a beautiful restaurant with both indoor and outdoor dining and a nice courtyard. It has a full menu, if you need a meal or you can just grab a seat at a bar and have a drink.
Stop at La Casa Estrecha
A fun stop while walking around Old San Juan is La Casa Estrecha, which translates to Narrow House. And at just 5 feet and 3 inches, it is indeed narrow.
The two story yellow house is sandwiched between two regular size houses and used to be a narrow alleyway. Makes for a fun stop and photo op. The address is Calle Tetuán #101, which is right around the corner from Parque de los Palomas.
Stop at Parque de los Palomas
This next thing on the list of things to do in Old San Juan could either be a fun stop, or your biggest nightmare. Parque de los Palomas, which translates to Pigeon Park, is a small park next to Capilla del Cristo, that is a favorite hang out spot for pigeons. Hundreds of them.
They ask you don’t feed the pigeons any food you may have, but you can buy a little bag of bird seeds right there from the kiosk for $2. If you want that photo being surrounded by swarms of pigeons, this will attract them in an instant.
The park also boasts a beautiful view of San Juan Bay. Another reason to make a stop there. Unless you have a bird phobia, then of course, this is not a place for you.
The Park is open every day except for Monday, from 9 am – 6 pm.
Walk Calle la Fortaleza
Calle Fortaleza is often referred to as the most picturesque street in Old San Juan. It’s lined with boutique stores, restaurants and bars. But what it’s mostly known for is for the colorful installations on the last stretch of it.
It started off with the colorful umbrellas, which symbolized color coming back to this beautiful city and the island, after the devastation caused by the hurricane Maria. The street quickly became one of the favorite photo spots in Old San Juan. Over time, the decorations would change and the umbrellas were replaces by colorful kites, bells or a giant Puerto Rican flag. The installations seem to be on rotation, so there’s always a chance umbrellas will be there when you visit.
Unfortunately, when I visited in December 2023, that part of Calle la Fortaleza was blocked off with police officers making sure no one enters. From what I heard, it has been this way for several months. There was also no installation, but it looked like it might have been in between of changing in.
At the very end of the street is La Fortaleza, which is the official residence of the governor of Puerto Rico. La Fortaleza is open for tours, if that interests you.
PRO TIP: A good way to find out what kind of installation to expect on your visit is to check the latest reviews on Google or Trip Advisor.
Take a picture at Puerta de la Bandera
While more like a quick stop than an attraction, Puerta de la Bandera is worth including in your Old San Juan itinerary. It’s a popular photo spot, but for Puerto Rican people it’s symbol of resistance and hope.
Originally, the flag on the door was painted with the traditional colors of red, white and blue. However, in 2016, which was the year of social and economic troubles in Puerto Rico, the flag was repainted with black and white. This was supposed to represent the protest and resistance.
You can find Puerta de la Bandera at 51 Calle San José
Take a food tour
Food is an important part of pretty much any culture and it’s no different in Puerto Rico. The island is known for dishes like Mofongo, Lechón asado, pastones to name a few. If you are new to the island and are not familiar with Puerto Rican cuisine, you’ll get the best introduction by taking a food tour. These tour are great, as you get to sample several different dishes and drinks in a short time.
The San Juan food tour to take is the 3 hour Old Town Walking Tour with Tastings. You’ll visit several local spots, try many local dishes and also get to make Mofongo, which is the signature dish of Puerto Rico. Be sure to book your spot in advance, as this tour is highly rated and popular and often sells out.
If you are a foodie, this is one of the best things to do in Old San Juan.
Photograph the cats
As you walk through the streets of Old San Juan, you will quickly notice the unusual number of cats everywhere. They walk down the side walks, sunbathe on the rocks by the water, hang out in the bushes and some even up on the cars.
The cats are believed to be descendants of the cats brought by Spanish settlers in the 16th century to deal with the rat problem on the island.
Even though most of them are stray cats, they are well taken care of. And that is thanks to the volunteer organization Save a Gato, that cares and feeds the cats of Old San Juan.
Enjoy a night out La Factoria
If you are looking for a fun night out in Old San Juan, La Factoria is a great spot. This is one of the most popular bars in the city and was even names one of the 50 Best Bars in North America.
While it might look like just another bar when you first walk in, there are actually six different bars inside, each with a different vibe. Whether you want to just get a drink or dance your night away, there’s something for everyone.
La Factoria was made famous several years ago as one of the filming locations for the Despacito video. A song by Luis Fonsi, that became the summer hit of 2017.
The bar is not well marked, but you can find it on the corner of Calle San Sebastian and San Jose.
Get food from a food truck
If you are looking for a quick bite while exploring Old San Juan, there are several food trucks located by the waterfront. They sell traditional Puerto Rican food like empanadas, pinchos, tripletas or tostones.
It’s a great, inexpensive option, if you are not quite ready for a big meal, or simply want something really casual.
Take a side trip to visit Bacardi Rum Factory
While Bacardi Rum Factory is technically not in Old San Juan, it does make for a fun side trip from the town. If you are a fan of rum and want to learn the history of it, definitely put that on your itinerary.
Bacardi offers 3 different tours: the Legacy tour, Mixology class and Rum tasting Tour.
I opted for the 45 minute Legacy tour, which focuses on the history of Bacardi rum. The price includes the tour, a free drink and a sample of their Casa Bacardi Special Reserve. Be sure to arrive 20-30 minutes before your starts to enjoy the welcome drink in their outdoor Bat Bar.
I really enjoyed the tour, I thought it was interesting, informative and our guide was really fun. I do think, the price was a bit high for what it was.
Do book your tickets in advance, as they do sell out, especially the most popular Legacy Tour.
As I mentioned, Bacardi is located in Cataño, which is one of the municipalities of Puerto Rico. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Old San Juan. While you can hop in a taxi or an Uber to get there, a more fun way of getting there is by taking a ferry from Old San Juan. The ferry leaves from Pier 2 ( Muelle 2 ), which is right near where the cruise ship dock is. It’s a quick 10-15 minute ride and it costs just 50 cents one way. The ferry runs every hour and you can check the exact times here. You need to take the one that is one hour before your tour starts, to allow enough time to get there, check in etc.
Once you get to Cataño, you can take an Uber ($5-6) or the Bacardi shuttle to get to the factory. If you opt for the shuttle, you can add it to your reservation when booking the tour, and it will be waiting for you when you get off the ferry.
Where to stay in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hotel El Convento – one of the best hotels in Old San Juan, located right next to the Cathedral. It’s beautiful historic building, that used to be a convent.
Casa Blanca – this is where I stayed on my first visit to Old San Juan. Great hotel, in a prime location right on Calle Fortaleza. The beds are really comfortable and there’s a roof top terrace.
The Decanter Hotel – small boutique hotel with just 19 rooms, located in a historical building right in the heart of Old San Juan.
La Terraza de San Juan – another great option and where I stayed on my most recent visit to Old San Juan. The beds were really comfortable. There is a roof top terrace with a pool, which is great spot to hang out.
READ MORE:
- Things to do in Culebra – Puerto Rico’s laid back island
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