Puerto Rico · Puerto Rico
San Juan travel guide
San Juan is a city in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, home to about 342,000 people.
- Best months
- March
- Nearest airport
- SIG2 km · Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Puerto Rico
- Language
- English, Spanish
About
About San Juan
San Juan is the capital city and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory and insular area of the United States. San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port City").
San Juan has one of the best harbors in the Caribbean in a strategic location in the Atlantic Ocean. The city celebrated its 5th century anniversary in 2008 from the founding of Caparra, and in 2021, it celebrated its 500th anniversary of its official founding in its current location at the Isleta de San Juan.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in San Juan
See
- San Juan National Historic Site
- El Castillo San Felipe del Morro
- El Castillo de San Cristóbal
- Alcaldia
- The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture
- Casa Blanca
- La Fortaleza
- San Jose Church
- San Juan Cathedral
- San Juan Gate
- Cuartel de Ballaja
- Museo de San Juan
Do
A popular point of interest is Old San Juan, a 7-block area that has become popular for tourists and residents. The narrow streets of old San Juan are packed with people so it is recommended to experience Old San Juan by foot in order to avoid too much traffic. You can take a taxi for less than $20 from most hotels but for $0.75 you can also take the B21 bus which picks up from many locations near the hotels and is very easy to use. There are a few things to do in Puerta de Tierra that don't have anything to do with what is in your hotel. There is a large park, a nice beach, and several smaller walkways to take short walks on. Check out the beaches in Condado and Isla Verde.
- Casa Bacardí (Bacardi Rum Factory)
- La Perla
- Segway Tours
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of San Juan to stay in
San Juan has a wide range of accommodation, but few budget options of any kind. European-style youth hostels do not exist in the city. Colonial-style city hotels are clustered in Old San Juan, while the big beachfront resorts are mostly out in El Condado and Isla Verde. These hotels are listed in the district articles. You'll be looking at $100/night for even a basic hotel room, and well north of $300 for a five-star resort. However, discounts are available in summer (low) season. Costs to stay at resorts or near beaches may include "resort fees"; those fees are often substantial and not mentioned until late in the booking process on-line or by agent.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit San Juan
The most comfortable months for a city stay in San Juan are March. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; September is the wettest, with about 205 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to San Juan: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), about 2.2 km from the city centre in a straight line; Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU, 13 km) and José Aponte de la Torre Airport (NRR, 56 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Today the port of San Juan annually accommodates nearly 1.4 million passengers in cruise ship travel alone, making it the third busiest cruise port in the world, according to the Cruise Industry Statistical Review published in 2000. The busiest docks are on the south side of the area near a large city bus station. Another pier adjacent to the old Pan American airport handles mostly Royal Caribbean cruise ships for beginning or ending their cruises; it must be reached by car or taxi. Otherwise, all cruise ships dock at Old San Juan.
Getting around
For those staying in Old San Juan, organized bus/van day-trips to other sights in Puerto Rico can be arranged through most hotels. Some cabs wait at the end of the El Morro esplanade footpath. There are usually many, many cabs standing at the southwest corner of Plaza Colón.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SIG · Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport
SJU · Luis Munoz Marin International Airport
NRR · José Aponte de la Torre Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in San Juan
Drink
There is a public ordinance which bans drinking alcoholic beverages on the street. Although this is rarely enforced, it is recommended to consume all alcoholic beverages inside the establishments. This local ordinance is relaxed during the San Sebastian Festival, when drinking in public areas is allowed within the cordoned area of the festival if using plastic containers: no cans or bottles.
Stay safe
Use common sense when going around. The tourist areas, like the Old City, Condado, and Isla Verde tend to be very safe. There is a wonderfully visible, 24-hour police presence in the Old City. Use caution when riding a bicycle around the city as roads are often crowded and some are unpaved. Be sure to pay attention to the roadway on which you are riding and the traffic. Pedestrians need to use similar caution in Old San Juan. While traffic usually is slower, the streets are narrow, and sidewalks very narrow, sometimes crowded, with occasional trip hazards. Ave. Fernandez Juncos is a major road running across the southern waterfront of Puerta de Tierra.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
San Juan: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit San Juan?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in San Juan are March. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; September is the wettest, with about 205 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to San Juan?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), about 2.2 km from the city centre in a straight line; Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU, 13 km) and José Aponte de la Torre Airport (NRR, 56 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in San Juan?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near San Juan
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.