Columbus Cruise Review

Home > Cruise Destination Guide > San Juan

Time zone: GMT - 4.

Currency: US Dollar (US$) = 100 cents.

Language: Spanish and English.

Nearest airport: Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport.

Hotels: San Juan hotels include the Best Western, Hilton, Radisson, Ramada and Ritz-Carlton.

Sightseeing: San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, is divided into an old and a new quarter. Cruise ships stop at the bottom of the old part of the city, which was founded in 1521 and is now officially declared a National Historic Zone. From the cruise pier, it is just a short walk into the city via uneven, cobblestone streets. Alternatively, taxis can be hailed in the street to take visitors into the capital. The old part of San Juan contains many 16th- and 17th-century buildings, which have been fully restored and refurbished in the original Spanish style. The city also boasts several museums including one devoted to the legendary cellist, Pablo Casals. The famous San Juan Cathedral, originally built in the 1520s, was completely restored in 1977.

Shopping: Special purchases include cigars, coffee, hammocks, straw weavings, sculpture, santos (carved religious figures), festival masks and stringed musical instruments. Although San Juan is not duty-free, visitors are not taxed on goods purchased during their visit.

Eating out: San Juan abounds with good restaurants, catering for all tastes from Spanish to Chinese, Italian, French and Greek. The island cuisine is Spanish-based, with rice and beans as the staple diet. Paella, chicken dishes, black bean soup, sancocho (beef stew), jueyes (land crabs) and pan de agua (native bread) are all excellent, as is the delicately seasoned langosta. Island rums such as Barrilito and Don Q are not to be missed.