A Self-guided Walking Tour of Old San Juan

When planning our cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, there were many excursions to choose from at each port of call. We had already planned kayaking, snorkeling, zip line adventures, and water parks at our other ports and we were looking for something different to do in Puerto Rico. John had visited many years ago and suggested that we take a self-guided walking tour of Old San Juan.

Old San Juan Shore Excursion

The ship docked at the San Juan cruise port terminal, and we were able to walk into the old town from there. Consider a self-guided walking tour of these sites for your shore excursion instead of the usual offerings – it is a lovely day of wandering.

Upon leaving the Carnival Breeze, the bright colors were the first thing to catch my attention. Even though there were grey clouds and misting rain during our visit, Old San Juan is colorful, vibrant and has a real charm about it.

Where to eat in Old San Juan

Since it was raining when we arrived, we decided to have lunch first before exploring Old San Juan on foot. You’ll want to see Plaza Colón, a beautiful square with markets and a statue, so I recommend Cafe Berlin. Overlooking the square, it has a great terrace for people-watching; and serves delicious Puerto Rican food. I had the Ceviche and it was a real flavor pop!

Things to See in Old San Juan

I recommend that upon arrival at the cruise port, you walk north towards Plaza Colón. This walking tour will take you in a counter-clockwise direction around Old San Juan.

Castillo San Cristóbal

Castillo San Cristobal is the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World. In 1783, when it was completed, it covered about 27 acres of land and basically wrapped around the city. After nearly 100 years of peace, one-third of the fort was demolished to help ease the flow of traffic in and out of the walled city.

The fort served many purposes during its time and in 1961 the US Army moved out of the fort. It then became the jurisdiction of the United States National Park Service, to be preserved as a museum only.  

There are 3 levels at the fort.

• Level 1 is the main plaza and lowest level.
• The 2nd level is the main firing battery.
• Level 3 is the observation area and the highest level.

We explored them all, from the lowest of the dark tunnels to the highest hills above. Admission is free for children 15 and under and for adults it is $5.

Garita del Diablo

One of the sea wall fortifications of Castillo de San Cristóbal is Garita del Diablo. This bastion is right down by the ocean, and you have to walk through a graveyard to reach it. It is said to be haunted by spirits. Spanish soldiers used to be sent out on patrol here as punishment!

Old Fortifications

Upon exiting the fort, we chose to walk along part of the old wall that once protected the city. Payton enjoyed running around the open spaces along this coastal area. John and I spent a long time looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. You can see why the fortifications existed along this coast, Puerto Rico has so much coastline to invade!

There are several bastions along the north coast of Old San Juan. Bastión de Santo Tomás, Bastión de Ánimas, Bastión de San Antonio, and at the entrance to the San Juan Harbor, Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

San Felipe del Morro is a 1-mile walk from Castillo San Cristóbal, and the nearby Panoramic overlook has a good view back towards where you’ve just walked.

Old Town Shopping

Had enough of fortifications? Time to weave your way through the streets of the old town for some shopping!

Weave your way south down Calle del Cristo, and then east along the great shopping street of Calle de la Fortaleza.

Museums

If museums are more your thing instead of shopping, there are a few in the upper left quadrant of Old San Juan. Museo de las Américas – a museum of pre-Columbian and modern art from the Americas. Casa Blanca, a museum in a beautiful estate, built in the 1500s for the Spanish conquistador, Ponce de León.

Or learn more about the local people at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. Built in an old convent, it is definitely an interesting place to visit. Not far from there is the Museum of Art and History, which is housed in an old market building with an internal courtyard.

Needless to say, there is more in Old San Juan than can be seen or done in 1 day of shore excursion. So, pick what suits your tastes on this self-guided walking tour of Old San Juan.

Old San Juan Parks

The joy of a self-guided walking tour is that you can stop when you need to. In the summer, the many lovely gardens and coastal breezes will help you cool down. Payton loved Parque Las Palomas on the south coast of Old San Juan. It has beautiful scenic views, and A LOT of friendly pigeons. I don’t think we’ve ever seen so many. Relax and feed the birds at this park, but maybe don’t try and eat a sandwich – they might steal it!

Walk back towards the cruise port via Paseo de la Princesa, this manicured promenade has fountains, cafes and shady spots to get out of the sun.

Interesting Fact: If you have ever visited Savannah, Georgia, then you know about the cobblestones that make up River Street downtown. Here, in Old San Juan, they have cobblestone streets as well, but they are blue!

These bricks were cast out of the remains of the iron-refining process. The moisture of the iron gives them their deep blue color. Legend says that if you listen closely, you can hear the footsteps of the Spanish soldiers who once walked the streets.

See more of our Caribbean cruise adventures in Amber Cove, the US Virgin Islands, and Grand Turk!

A Self-guided Walking Tour of Old San Juan

We really enjoyed our day in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico while cruising with Carnival. I would recommend taking some time to explore all that is there. The colorful city, the historical forts, and the vast views of the Atlantic Ocean are all worth the visit. From the cruise port, everything we experienced was within a 20-30 minute walk from the port. Perfect for a self paced walking tour!

Have you visited San Juan? If so, what was your favorite spot?

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