Old San Juan, San Juan Viejo was founded almost 500 years ago and designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1983. Ponce de Leon originally founded the settlement, situated a narrow inlet on the northeast entrance to San Juan Bay in 1508 with the purpose of mining gold. With one of the largest harbors in the Caribbean, Old San Juan is the second oldest city in the Americas.
Casa Blanca, ;;or the White House, is located in old San Juan. Built for Ponce de Leon in 1521, it became the homestead for his descendants, as he died before construction was completed. The Casa Blanca is surrounded by magnificent gardens and exemplifies the grandeur of seventeenth and eighteenth Spanish opulence. The Casa Blanca is a National Historical Monument in Puerto Rico and houses a museum featuring sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth century memorabilia.
Casa Blanca
1 Calle San Sebastián
San Juan 00901
Puerto Rico
El Morro is the largest fort in the Caribbean. Construction of the fort began in 1539 but took 250 years to look how it looks today. The fort is surrounded by outposts, barracks, dungeons and tunnels.
El Morro
501 Norzagaray Street
San Juan 00901
Puerto Rico
Situated in the town of old San Juan, La Fortaleza has been designated a World Heritage Site and part of the National Trust. The building was completed in 1540 and aimed at being a strong defense against the Carib Indians. La Fortaleza is the oldest governor's mansion still in use in the Western Hemisphere.
La Fortaleza
52 Calle Fortaleza
San Juan 00901
Puerto Rico
fortaleza.gobierno.pr
This huge and modern structure encompasses 580,000 square feet and can hold up to 10,000 people. It is used primarily for art exhibits and festivals. Upon completion, the center will be one of the largest waterfront developments in the United States, featuring shops, restaurants and theaters.
Puerto Rico Convention Center
100 Convention Boulevard
San Juan 00907
Puerto Rico
prconvention.com
Located up a long, winding road in Arecibo, the Observatorio de Arecibo, or the Arecibo Radio Telescope, features a 20 ac/8ha dish set in a sinkhole. At this location, astronomers have discovered and proved "the music of the stars" (pulsars and quasars) and continue to examine the earth's ionosphere, the moon and numerous other planets. The Observatorio is also currently undergoing a Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI Program).
Observatorio de Arecibo
HC03 Box 53995
Arecibo 00612
Puerto Rico
naic.edu
Located in the nearby town of Ponce, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe built in 1931 stands on the site of the original chapel, built by Colonists in the 1660s, which was damaged by fire and earthquakes. The cathedral is a wonderful, tranquil location with its blue and white colors, twin bell towers and beautiful stained glass windows.
Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Guadalupe
Plaza Las Delicias
Ponce 00730
Puerto Rico
The Ponce Museum of Art features an impressive collection of more than 850 paintings and 800 sculptures. Works by Diego Valasquez, Peter Paul Rubens, Eugene Delacroix and Benjamin West are featured in the museum.
Museo de Arte de Ponce
2325 Avenida Las Americas
Ponce 00717-0776
Puerto Rico
museoarteponce.org
The public beach located in the Isla de Culebra just off the main island, is shaped like a horseshoe with the clearest water in Puerto Rico. The sand is picture-postcard white and the beach is lined with palm trees. Enjoy some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in all of Puerto Rico.
Located one hour Southwest from San Juan, this beautiful mountainside town is famous for the being the birthplace of Puerto Rico's first elected governor, Luis Munoz Marin. The town dates back to 1804, but because of numerous fires and hurricanes, the buildings only date back to the early twentieth century.
