In the 16th and 17th centuries, the traditional way to enter San Juan was through the Puerta de San Juan (San Juan Gate) at the western part of the town. What started out as a tower on the promentory grew to be a small fort, then a castle, and then a walled city.

Puerta de San Juan, in red.

However, most visitors now land at an airport gate east of the city. For lack of a better phrase, we'll call this "New San Juan." The 10 miles of coastline between the airport and Old San Juan are packed with hotels, resorts, restaurants, shops, and traffic. Public buses run to and from Old San Juan for under $1. Taxis cost $8-$10 and will deposit you at the eastern end of the town at Plaza Colon.

And that's a good thing, because the streets of Old San Juan are narrow, often gridlocked, and too full of charm to waste time trying to navigate the traffic. So make sure you have your walking shoes on. You won't be disappointed.

Should you stilll arrive by sea, the cruise ships dock at the new piers at the southeastern end of town.

After a voyage, it was customary to proceed up San Juan Street to the cathedral to offer thanks for a safe arrival.

Old San Juan San Juan, Puerto Rico

Old San Juan
Cathedral of San Juan
Plaza San Jose
Museums
Parque de las Palomas
Plaza de Armas
Walking Around
Large Map of Old San Juan (slow: 150K)
Jumbo Map of Old San Juan (monstrously slow: 798K)