Puerto Rico: three ways to see Old San Juan
In honor of the 500th anniversary of San Juan, a place immortalized in so many songs, reporters from Panorama de las Américas have come up with three ways of looking at the glories and revelations of Old San Juan, the city’s ancient heart. Seize the moment.
By Lorna Zayas Rodríguez
Photos: Tito Herrera
The Puerto Rican capital is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. Founded in 1521, it is celebrating its five centuries of existence with myriad activities and events. The city presents visitors with a long and broad sweep of history. Panorama suggests that a guide may be of help in better enjoying the banquet of attractions. The focus is on the old city, an architectural gem whose streets reveal an evolution that began with Spanish colonization. The present-day city features many spaces where local residents meet to relax and introduce their culture and idiosyncrasies to visitors.
Neither Puerto Rico, nor its elegant capital of San Juan, can be tackled heedlessly. These are not contrived destinations that can be neatly packaged and dismissed in a couple of days or even a week. You need to examine the variegated patchwork that is San Juan many times and from many different angles to begin to understand its beauty. In late July, reporters from Panorama de las Américas gave the matter some thought and came up with three ways of looking at the glories and revelations of Old San Juan, the city’s ancient heart. Seize the moment, now that the city is celebrating its half-millennium.
San Juan has always been vibrant,
but now it’s pure passion!
Historic Old San Juan
Since San Juan has one of the best preserved architectural complexes in the Americas, it makes sense to take our first look at it through the lens of history. Start with the cathedral, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is the oldest church in Puerto Rico and U.S. territory, and the second oldest in the Americas. A wooden church built in 1521 was destroyed by a hurricane some years later; construction of the current church began in 1540. Juan Ponce de León, founder of the island’s first Spanish settlement in 1508, rests here. The construction of a second church (Church of St. Joseph) began in 1532, resulting in one of the oldest examples of 16th century Gothic architecture in the Western hemisphere. Don’t miss the Chapel of Holy Christ of Health, built in 1753 to commemorate the supposed miracle of a horseman who survived a fall from a great height. Let your imagination take you back to when the Spaniards raced horses in the narrow street where the church stands today.
The New World was conquered by the cross and the sword, so fortresses rose along with temples. San Juan was no exception. One example is the White House (1521), the oldest governor’s residence in the hemisphere. Construction started in 1539 on another case in point: the San Felipe del Morro Fort, with six levels and an infinity of nooks and crannies. For centuries, it protected the entrance to San Juan Bay from attack by sea; the construction of San Cristóbal Fort, built to protect the city by land, began in 1634. The British, Dutch, and French frequently tried to conquer the city, but these forts managed to repel the attacks. It costs ten dollars to visit both of these neighboring forts, which have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
An impressive wall connects the two citadels and surrounds the colonial settlement. Little remains of the city wall, but you can see the San Juan Gate, which leads to Princess Walk, an ensemble of gardens that features the famous Roots fountain, a modern homage to the Tainos, Spaniards, and Africans who intermarried to give rise to the Puerto Rican people.
Culinary Old San Juan
Y si hay un aspecto en la cultura de un pueblo en el que se manifiesta el mestizaje es en la comida. San Juan tiene una oferta culinaria que convierte una visita a la ciudad en un festín para el paladar. Saque provecho al día y comience tempranito su recorrido en Chocobar Cortés, donde todo en el menú, incluso los cocteles, tiene chocolate… y no cualquiera, sino del cacao que la familia Cortés cosecha desde 1929. En el almuerzo, no es extraño toparse con una fila para entrar a Deaverdura. Su propietaria, Virna Brull, la inauguró en 2014 y, desde entonces, es uno de los lugares más visitados en la ciudad. El plato de arroz, habichuelas (frijoles) y pernil es muy solicitado —pídalo con plátanos maduros fritos (amarillos) o verdes (tostones)—, mientras que el sampler con longaniza, morcillas, sorullitos de maíz, alcapurrias y otras frituras es excelente para compartir
Para un almuerzo ligero está St. Germain, oasis vegan y vegetarian friendly, con ofrecimientos farm-to-table. Descubra su hummus vegano con zanahoria rostizada, lentejas amarillas, nueces, aceite de oliva, recao y curry, acompañado de pan pita integral. El trago de la casa, muy refrescante, lleva ginebra, alcohol St. Germain, sirope de guayaba hecho en casa, canela, clavos, jugo de jengibre y cerveza de jengibre, y parea muy bien con este tipo de plato. La noche se puede cerrar en La Factoría, incluida entre las mejores barras del planeta (la duodécima posición entre las primeras cincuenta de Norteamérica y la primera del Caribe). Los domingos y lunes en la noche presenta una banda de salsa espectacular, mientras que se luce con alrededor de quince mixólogos de primera categoría.
Cultural San Juan
Aside from the churches and cathedrals, the cultural legacy of San Juan can be enjoyed in many places, including the Museum of the Americas, housed in the former Ballajá barracks, which brings together art pieces dating from pre-Colombian times to the present from both the island and around the Americas. Other museums worth a visit include the Art and History Museum and the Museum of the Sea. But for a more lively artistic experience, visit El Bastión. This is where a group of creative souls, led by Argentinean Maximiliano Rivas, offer workshops in aerial acrobatics, circus, ballet, flamenco, music, handicrafts, and pottery on Tuesdays through Thursdays. There are salsa dancing and jazz or theater performances on weekends. Circus artists, dancers, and other performers find a home base here for their cultural projects. El Bastión publishes a weekly schedule of classes and events.
Playita del Condado
A few minutes from Old San Juan, the eastern corner of the Dos Hermanos bridge marks an oasis: a beach of calm, crystalline waters. The bridge links Condado with the islet of Old San Juan; on the other side is a magnificent lagoon, home to manatees and other marine species. Here you can rent everything from kayaks and paddleboards to bicycles, or stroll along Avenida Ashford and pop into the many hotels, restaurants, boutiques, and bars.
This article was produced with support of Discover Puerto Rico discoverpuertorico.com
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