Your stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico should include a tour of the old and new city and its highlights. You can do this on a deluxe private excursion and be treated with a personal touch. This best in San Juan overview will allow you time to do more in your day in port.
Your private English speaking guide will meet you outside your San Juan cruise terminal and, depending on the number of people in your party, you'll be escorted to your private air-conditioned car, van or minibus. Your guide is going to entertain you for the day with the history, local knowledge and stories of the city and its history as well at its "Old" and "New" sections.
Your introduction to San Juan starts with the "Old" first in the old walled city. It was once a military stronghold built by the Spanish in the early 1500s. The old town is only 7 square blocks big and the buildings are constructed around small plazas. Drive the cobblestone streets and see the more than 400 Spanish buildings that have been carefully restored over the years. You'll drive by the Castillo San Cristobal (San Cristóbal Fort) finished in 1783 to protect the city from any attacks by land. Built on a hill, one of the main attractions is the 5 huge cisterns built for water storage and later used in WWII as bomb shelters. You'll stop at El Morro to take some photos. This citadel was built between the 16th and 18th centuries and was used to defend the San Juan Bay from attacks by sea. It faces a smaller fortification (El Cañuelo) on the opposite side of the bay to complete the defense.
You'll pass the Governor's Palace (Fortaleza) which was the first defensive fortification built for the city's harbor. A chapel was later incorporated into the structure. It's the official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. Since it was built in the 1500s it's the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas. See also the oldest cathedral in the US - San Juan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana BasÃlica de San Juan Bautista). It will be celebrating 500 years in 2021. The original cathedral was built in 1521 of wood but was destroyed by a hurricane and rebuilt in 1540. It is continually being restored and renovated. There will also be a stop at El Capitolio, the Capitol building, just outside of the old city. Completed in 1929 it's home to the Legislative Assembly.
You'll see the "New" city as you drive along the coast to the Condado area. This is a luxury community sitting on the ocean and built with pedestrians in mind. The streets are tree-lined with large walkways. Here tourists can stay at one of the luxury hotels and enjoy fine dining, casinos, and upscale shopping. Locals and tourists alike come for the beautiful beaches and water sports.
Your private vehicle will return you at the end of your highlight exploration. If there's time afterward, you can do some sightseeing and shopping on your own before returning to your San Juan cruise ship.
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