Experience Puerto Rico

Dining & Nightlife
Puerto Ricans know how to throw a party, and they invite visitors to join right in. Evenings can begin with Latin-fusion cuisine in hip San Juan restaurants, or with traditional cucina criolla meals in traditional dining rooms. The contemporary dinners are most often found within San Juan, many in the SoFo area, and these restaurants attract a young, hip, beautiful crowd who come to sample blends of Latin, French, Asian and even Indian cuisines, all presented in artful ways. For a more authentic Puerto Rican culinary experience, expect plenty of plantains, coriander and cassava, and sample specialties such as asopao, a chicken or shellfish gumbo, and carne guisada puertorriqueño, a beef stew. Outside the capital, look for the Mesones Gastronómicos sign, which proves the restaurants have met the stringent criteria of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Thirty-three of these independent restaurants are scattered across the island.

After dessert, wander over to any one of the many sizzling nightclubs or sophisticated lounges featuring salsa, techno or jazz music. If island beats intrigue you, be sure to seek out Puerto Rico's four genres: salsa, bomba, plena and seis. All call upon Puerto Rico's Latin American, Afro-Caribbean and European roots, and most encourage dancing in the most delightful way.

Zach Stovall

If casinos appeal, there are 20 to choose from, all located within hotels. You can go simple with straightforward slot machines (Puerto Rico has 5,000), or you can try your hand at table games such as blackjack and craps. All told, the island's casinos cover an impressive 18,000 square feet.

History & Culture
Christopher Columbus stopped at Puerto Rico on his second trip to the New World in 1493, and the island's culture hasn't stopped evolving since. Today you'll find buildings from Columbus' day in splendid condition for touring, and you'll be able to stroll from there — along blue-cobblestone streets — to chic modern businesses.

The hub of historic sites is Old San Juan, a seven-square-block center within the contemporary city of San Juan. El Morro is a massive fortress built by the Spanish between 1540 to 1586 to keep Sir Francis Drake's men at bay. Nearby, La Princesa, a former prison, and La Fortaleza, a structure built in 1540 and the governor's home, beckon gawkers. Explorer and governor Ponce de León was the first to live in Casa Blanca, constructed in 1523. Today it houses a museum about de León and one about the Taíno Indians, early inhabitants of the island. Vacationers who have kids along will enjoy a different type of museum altogether: the Children's Museum, in Old San Juan, where hands-on exhibits can keep children entertained for long stretches of time.

With more than 500 historic buildings that have been restored, the city of Ponce, the pearl of Southern Puerto Rico, is a monument to the island's history. In the center of Puerto Rico's second-largest city, visitors will find the Plaza las Delicias, which boasts fountains, gardens and the historic Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Be sure to seek out the Fountain of the Lions, honoring eight heroes who saved the city from fire more than two centuries ago. The Ponce Firehouse, whose red and black stripes date back to 1882, is filled with antique fire trucks and is also worth a visit.

Zach Stovall

If you make a trip to Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Preserve, be sure to see El Faro, a restored lighthouse built by the Spanish in the 19th century.

Old San Juan is practically crammed with art museums. Following a $53 million renovation, the Museo de Arte, which is housed in a 1920s hospital and features the works of Puerto Rican artists, is better than ever. In a colonial mansion in the financial district, the Botello Art Gallery is filled with the works of painter, sculptor and santo (religious objects) maker Angel Botello. Another San Juan destination, the Casals Museum, is dedicated to cellist Pablo Casals, who founded the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. Here you'll be able to peruse his medals, manuscripts and photographs. The African Heritage Museum has paintings, musical instruments and masks, and the Museum of Contemporary Art displays modern works by Latin, Caribbean and Puerto Rican artists.

You'll find more than 1,000 paintings and 400 sculptures about 90 minutes away at the Ponce Museum of Art. Featuring the works of European artists including Rubens and Rodin, the museum was designed by Edward Durell Stone – who was also the architect for New York's Museum of Modern Art. Also in Ponce, the Casa Paoli Museum displays art in the birthplace of late opera singer Antonio Paoli; and the Ponce History Museum is known for its looks into the city's past.

Religious art and colonial paintings are featured in the Porta Coeli Museum, which is housed in a 1606 church located in San Germán, the island's second-oldest town.

Every Puerto Rican town has an annual bash honoring its patron saint, and residents also host several other festivals throughout the year, many celebrating agricultural products. Blending the customs of Africans and Spaniards who lived on the island generations ago, many of the festivals feature regional foods, music, dance and games.

The LeLoLai Festival runs throughout the year and offers an amazing immersion experience with Puerto Rican music and dance in authentic settings such as colonial buildings. The National Plantain Festival, in Corozal, is festive with folkloric dances, and adventurous eaters can taste several dishes made with the fruit. Maricao, in coffee country, has parades and exhibits of harvesting tools at the Coffee Harvest Festival. Come June, the Aibonito Flower Festival is a landscaping dream. Shellfish enthusiasts should time their visits to coincide with the crab festival in Maunabo, where they can sample the crustacean prepared several ways.

In June, tribute is paid to cellist Pablo Casals with the Casals Festival in San Juan; visitors can expect to see guest conductors, orchestras and soloists. For music festivals with more of an island fair, consider planning a stay around the Eugenio María Hostos Troubadour Festival in Mayagüez, the Loíza Carnival in Loíza, the World Salsa Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rican Danza week in Old San Juan, the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest in Hato Rey, or the Güiro and Typical Music Festival in Hatillo.

MORE FROM CARIBBEAN TRAVEL

Caribbean Travel Section Front

The Caribbean's 'Nature Island' 7 Caribbean diving classics Cuba not ready, but expecting U.S. tourists The Caribbean’s new ‘it’ destination Hottest Caribbean hotels The 6 best authentic Caribbean all-inclusives A tale of two sisters Summing up the seasons The Caribbean's exotic indulgences Island for two: Honeymoon on Nevis Caribbean Travel Section Front   Add Caribbean Travel headlines to your news reader: