Puerto Rico is one of the Caribbean Islands with a tropical rain forest, mountains and waterfalls. San Juan is the capital and the port where the ship will stop.
There are lots of sights and experiences in easy walking distance from the ship.
Old San Juan is known for its cobbled streets and friendly bars. Pina Colada is the favourite cocktail of the region.
The two major landmarks are both forts. The Castillo San Felipe del Moro and Castillo St Cristobel. One ticket will gain entrance to both.
Just north of the old San Juan district is the Castillo San Felipe del Moro, a 16th-century citadel or Fortress. It is a World heritage-listed site. It sits on a very beautiful spot overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the spectacular coastline. The grounds are often used for kite flying by the local people
Castillo St Cristobal, a fortress which was built by Spain to protect against land-based attacks on the city of San Juan is part of San Juan National Historic Site.
It is a pleasant walk up to the fortress, along old cobbled streets so wear your trainers!
The fort has two entrances, the historic entrance at the top of the hill on Norzagaray and the main entrance at the bottom east end of Norzagaray.
It is easy to do a self-guided tour. There are three levels of the fortress, the Main Plaza, the Main Firing Battery and the Observation area at the top. It is a very pleasant place to explore in the sunshine.
If you are on a walking tour you will probably go down the Paseo de la Princesa lined with picturesque lamp posts and beautiful trees. It has a magical fountain and the boardwalk offers great views over the bay. This is a perfect place for a stroll and very close to the city walls and there is sometimes a craft fair. You will see the official gate which dignitaries used to enter the city.
The pigeon park is just up from the city gate with a great view and hundreds of pigeons.
San Juan Cathedral is easily accessible on foot. It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral dedicated to St John the Baptist. It is one of the most modern cathedrals in the country.
The Museo de las Americas is also easy to get to, and one of the greatest museums in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1892 by archaeologist Ricardo Algeria and honours the traditions, stories, and artefacts that make up American culture.
If you have overdosed on cultured, why not take a trip to Aguila beach or to the rain forest?
Rum is a speciality of San Juan and you may choose to visit the Bacardi distillery. It is easy to catch the ferry right next to the ship. The journey will take you 8 minutes This is a very popular trip and everyone came back very happy!
Essentials – cruise travel labels and our cruise crime novels – oh, and the seasickness bands.
The Port guides here on Doris Visits are a great way to remember your cruise and share with your friends. The mystery thrillers are a whole new way to experience cruising. You may not have been to the ports in the novels, you certainly won’t have been to the parts of the ship they use. All the cruise crime novels will make you feel like you are in the adventure and on the ship – dodge the bullets and stay out of the romance. Ship and cruise accurate, the novels are a great way for new cruisers to discover a ship too. Please share the Amazon link. .CRUISE SHIP HEIST https://amzn.to/2GKQBIp
