Old San Juan

San Juan is just one of the many places to visit in Puerto Rico. As I have lived all my life here, I've been to most parts of the island.
The metropolitan area of San Juan can be divided into different areas, like Old San Juan, Condado, Hato Rey, Guaynabo, Carolina, Bayamon, and Rio Piedras. The most popular areas include Old San Juan and Condado. But, there is so much more to see than just the old city and the most known monuments and museums. It is also impossible to list all the attractions in San Juan, because they are endless.
Let's start out with Old San Juan. This is a culturally rich area of San Juan, as it evidently shows remnants of its Spanish past. El Morro is, I think, THE most popular tourist attraction in Old San Juan. Its location at the tip of the bay's entrance served as a strategic fort, protecting the city from foreign invasions. The location also gives you amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. In front of El Morro is a big expanse of green grass where winds from the ocean make the place ideal for flying kites. Keep and eye out for the cart vendors nearby who sell sno-cones, (in Spanish called "piraguas"). Apart from El Morro, there is also a major fort near the entrance to the old city, (where Plaza Colon is). The fort's abbreviated name is San Cristobal, and was built to protect the entrance of the city from enemies. This fort is bigger than El Morro and is not as visited, so it makes a good tourist attraction. Nearby is Plaza Colon, which is a square dedicated to Christopher Columbus. In the middle of it there is a large column, and on the top stands Columbus. There is also a theater, called "El Teatro Tapia", facing the square. Farther out from the old city is "El Capitolio", or the Capitol building of San Juan.
Condado is located next to (separated by a bay) Old San Juan, and is an area of many hotels, restaurants, and highrises. Here there are plenty of beaches, and time to relax. There is also a big variety of restaurants, serving delicious food.

walking along narrow cobbled streets & alleyways & finding small shops selling merchandise or restaurants offering a selection of international food or refreshment, locals offering their handicrafts of fancy jewelry made of colored stones & silver wires, hand rolled cigars, magical potions & amulets & voodoo dools makes this part of the trip more interesting.. my grandson pointed out a young man riding on a board rolling at fast speed down a long road full of cars & trucks & expertly weaving himself through traffic -- it was a nervy sight for me but exciting for the kids.. they waved to the young man & ask him to pose & do his thing for them as they took pictures as he smilingly oblidged! we just saw the Fort from the outside with it's massive walls & fortress-like architecture but couldn't go inside as all the kids were protesting.. but this place is something a tourist should visit better alone or with another adult but not with children as they won't like the walking & looking at old buildings, lolz.. i will definitely visit this place again & will then write my personal experience but for now, the other travel blogs will give you a better picture of this amazing tourist spot!:)

Old San Juan to me is the number one thing to see in San Juan. The rest of the city is very spread out and mostly residence to the island's people.
Old San Juan can be walked without need of a tourist bus or taxi. How you get here depends on where you are staying. Most of the hotels are located near by anyways, on Isla Verde or Contado.
Old San Juan is home of the two fortresses El Morro and San Cristobal. The cobble stone streets of this part of town really reflect how aged this place really is. Most of the streets are very narrow and just much easier to go through on foot. There are restaurants, bars, shops and gift opportunities lining the streets. A couple of old churches, museums and little plazas are also found here.
If you got here on a cruise ship your pretty much right next to Old San Juan. If you walk down Paseo de la Princessa you can access Old San Juan through the old city gate or walk around the fortress wall first and then explore the city. All you really need to see is right here!! So if you don't have much time on land I highly recommend to check it out!