Your cruise has ended but the adventure doesn't need to just yet. When you dock in San Juan, Puerto Rico you can see the city highlights before heading home with your private guide and transportation waiting right outside your terminal.
Top off your cruise with some fun sightseeing of San Juan. This excursion is private so it will only be the guests in your party. Your luggage can be safely stored while you do your excursion. You'll be in a comfortable air-conditioned car, van or minibus depending on the number of the guests you bring along. Your knowledgeable private guide will entertain you with stories of the city and its history. The magic of the old city is where you'll begin your experience. The Spaniards built the town in the early 1500s in a 7-block area and fortified it with walls.
You'll drive the old cobblestone streets and pass the restored Spanish buildings that surround small plazas. You'll be driven past the largest fort built in the Americas, Castillo San Cristobal (San Cristobal Fort). Finished in 1783, the massive fort surrounded the city and sat on a hill, allowing protection from land attacks. There are 5 huge cisterns that were used for water storage and later as bomb shelters in WWII. Your drive along the wall takes you to El Morro, a citadel built over the ocean. Here you'll have a stop for photos. The fort protected the city from land and the citadel from attacks by sea. Built between the 16th and 18th centuries it protects San Juan Bay along with El Cañuelo, a smaller citadel on the opposite side of the bay.
You'll then see the first defensive fortification built to protect the harbor - the Governor's Palace. Dating from the 1500s it's the oldest executive mansion in the Americas that has been in continuous use. It's now occupied by the Governor of Puerto Rico. See a 500-year-old cathedral, San Juan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana Basilica de San Juan Bautista), the oldest in the U.S. A hurricane destroyed the original wooden structure in the early 1500s and it was rebuilt later that century. Work is always being done to restore and maintain the building. The cathedral is also famous for guarding the tomb of the Spanish explorer, Ponce de Leon. There will be another stop for photos at the Capital Building - El Capitolio. As home to the Legislative Assembly, it's located just outside of the walled old city. This stately building, completed in 1929, has large columns in front and an impressive dome.
After seeing old San Juan you'll then see the new city as you drive through the metropolitan coastal areas to Condado. This oceanside luxury community boasts lavish hotels, upscale shopping, fine dining and casinos. The laid-back atmosphere was designed with pedestrians in mind, having large tree-lined walking paths. The beautiful beaches draw locals and tourists with its sparkling water and a variety of water sports.
When your excursion is over you can continue sightseeing on your own or your guide will take you and your luggage immediately to the airport or your hotel.
A great way to end a wonderful cruise is with a sightseeing day in San Juan. Get to know the old and new city.
5/5 (Visited on March 2019)
5/5 (Visited on April 2019)
