Things to do · San Juan · Puerto Rico
15 best things to do in San Juan
15 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nils Huenerfuerst, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in San Juan are Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Old San Juan streets and plazas and La Placita de Santurce. Of the 15 picks below, 8 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 3 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Castillo San Felipe del Morro
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castillo San Felipe del Morro | Old San Juan | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Old San Juan streets and plazas | Old San Juan | Half a day | Free |
| La Placita de Santurce | Santurce | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Castillo San Cristóbal | Old San Juan | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro | Old San Juan | 1 hour | Free |
| La Fortaleza | Old San Juan | 20 minutes | Free |
| Cathedral of San Juan Bautista | Old San Juan | 30 minutes | Free |
| Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery | Old San Juan | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Museo de las Américas | Old San Juan | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Capitol of Puerto Rico | Puerta de Tierra | 45 minutes | Free |
| Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico | Santurce | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Santurce murals and Calle Cerra | Santurce | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Condado Lagoon | Condado | 1–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Piñones | Loíza | Half a day | Low cost |
| Casa Bacardí | Cataño | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
The 15 best things to do
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Castle · Old San Juan
1.Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Built by the Spanish from the 16th century to guard the entrance to San Juan Bay, El Morro rises six levels from sea to ramparts, with tunnels, barracks, cannon batteries and a lighthouse. It is part of the San Juan National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its huge green lawn is where families fly kites.
Go early before the heat and cruise crowds; one entrance fee covers both El Morro and San Cristóbal.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Old San Juan
2.Old San Juan streets and plazas
The old town's streets are paved with blue-grey adoquines, cast from furnace slag and said to have arrived as ships' ballast, and lined with balconied colonial houses in pastel colours. Plaza de Armas, Plaza de Colón and the shaded Capilla del Cristo at the end of Calle del Cristo are good stops on a walk.
Walk early in the morning or around sunset, when the light is softer and the streets cooler.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- History
Market · Santurce
3.La Placita de Santurce
The Plaza del Mercado is a produce market with fruit stalls and juice bars by day, and at night the surrounding square fills with crowds dancing salsa and reggaetón outside bars and restaurants, especially at weekends.
Visit twice: by day for a fresh juice and lunch, then late in the evening for the street party.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
Castle · Old San Juan
4.Castillo San Cristóbal
Completed in the 18th century to protect the city from land attack, San Cristóbal is described by the National Park Service as the largest fortification Spain built in the Americas. Explore its tunnels, dungeon, sentry boxes (garitas) and ramparts, with views east over Condado.
Look for the sentry box known as the Devil's Garita on the outer walls, and visit San Cristóbal first if arriving from Condado.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Architecture
Waterfront · Old San Juan
5.Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro
A 19th-century promenade along the base of the city walls with the Raíces Fountain, food stalls and bay views, continuing as the Paseo del Morro path that hugs the walls towards El Morro. It passes the San Juan Gate, the old ceremonial entrance to the walled city.
Walk it in the late afternoon, then enter the city through the San Juan Gate and climb up to the cathedral.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- Outdoors
- After dark
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Palace · Old San Juan
6.La Fortaleza
Built in the 1530s as the city's first fortification, La Fortaleza is the governor's residence and is described as the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site; its blue façade at the end of Calle Fortaleza is a classic view.
Photograph it from the bottom of Calle Fortaleza; access inside is limited, so treat it as an exterior stop.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Religious site · Old San Juan
7.Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
First built in the 1520s and largely rebuilt in the 19th century, this is one of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas. It holds the marble tomb of Juan Ponce de León, the island's first governor, and has a cool, whitewashed interior on Calle del Cristo.
Dress modestly with covered shoulders, and visit outside Mass times.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Old San Juan
8.Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery
This 19th-century cemetery sits on the oceanfront below El Morro's walls, its white marble tombs, angels and a domed chapel set against the Atlantic. It holds the graves of many prominent Puerto Ricans and is best seen from the fort's ramparts.
The view from El Morro's walls is the classic photo; if you walk down, go in daylight and be respectful.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Views
Museum · Old San Juan
1.Museo de las Américas
Housed in the Cuartel de Ballajá, a large 19th-century Spanish military barracks around a courtyard near El Morro, the museum covers folk art, the African heritage of the Americas and the Taíno and Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.
Combine it with El Morro; the barracks courtyard is a shaded break on a hot day.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
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Architecture · Puerta de Tierra
2.Capitol of Puerto Rico
The white marble Capitolio, completed in 1929, houses Puerto Rico's legislature beneath a mosaic-lined dome. The rotunda displays the Constitution of Puerto Rico, and the building faces the Atlantic along the main road between Old San Juan and Condado.
Walk the waterfront Paseo Lineal behind the Capitol to Escambrón beach for an easy morning outing.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Gallery · Santurce
3.Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
The island's main art museum occupies a neoclassical former municipal hospital and a modern wing in Santurce, with Puerto Rican art from the colonial era to the present — including works by José Campeche and Francisco Oller — and a sculpture garden.
Follow it with lunch around La Placita de Santurce, a short ride away.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Street · Santurce
4.Santurce murals and Calle Cerra
Large-scale murals by Puerto Rican and international artists cover buildings around Calle Cerra and Calle Loíza, many created during the Santurce es Ley street-art festival. The area also has galleries, cafés and small bars.
Walk it in the morning when it is cooler, and stay on the main streets with other people around.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Condado
5.Condado Lagoon
A sheltered, calm lagoon between Condado and Miramar where visitors rent kayaks and paddleboards, and manatees and rays are sometimes spotted. A path around the edge has views of the Old San Juan skyline.
Paddle in the morning before the wind picks up, and keep your distance if you see a manatee.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Nature · Loíza
6.Piñones
Just east of Isla Verde, Piñones is a stretch of coast with mangrove forest, palm-lined beaches and wooden kiosks frying alcapurrias, bacalaítos and coconut drinks. A coastal boardwalk and bike path runs through the mangroves, and the area is rooted in Afro-Puerto Rican culture.
Rent a bike and ride the boardwalk on a weekday, stopping at kiosks along the way; weekends are packed.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
Experience · Cataño
7.Casa Bacardí
Across the bay from Old San Juan in Cataño, the Bacardí distillery's visitor centre offers tours on the history of the company and rum, with tastings and cocktail classes. Getting there involves a short ferry ride and taxi, or a drive of about 20 minutes.
Combine the ferry crossing with the visit for views of Old San Juan from the water.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tours run on a reservation basis; book a slot online before you go.
- Food
- Couples
- Rainy day
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Museo de las Américas, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and Santurce murals and Calle Cerra |
| History | Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristóbal, Old San Juan streets and plazas and La Fortaleza |
| Views | Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristóbal, Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro and Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery |
| Outdoors and nature | Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro, Condado Lagoon and Piñones |
| Food and markets | La Placita de Santurce, Piñones and Casa Bacardí |
| After dark | Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro and La Placita de Santurce |
| With children | Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristóbal and Condado Lagoon |
| On a rainy day | Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, Museo de las Américas, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and Casa Bacardí |
What to book ahead
- Casa Bacardí: Tours run on a reservation basis; book a slot online before you go.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in San Juan?
Castillo San Felipe del Morro. Built by the Spanish from the 16th century to guard the entrance to San Juan Bay, El Morro rises six levels from sea to ramparts, with tunnels, barracks, cannon batteries and a lighthouse.
+What can you do for free in San Juan?
Old San Juan streets and plazas, La Placita de Santurce, Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro, La Fortaleza and Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in San Juan when it rains?
Head indoors to Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, Museo de las Américas, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and Casa Bacardí.
+What is there to do in San Juan at night?
Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo del Morro and La Placita de Santurce are best after dark.