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El Viejo San Juan (Old San Juan)

San Juan, Puerto Rico
Update attraction details
As featured in 3 days in San Juan and 1 other guide
Ranked #2 of 91 attractions in San Juan
Type: Historic Walking Areas, Neighborhoods, Historic Sites
Activities: City walk sightseeing, Shopping, Walking, Nightlife, Dancing, Dining
Fee: No
Recommended length of visit: More than 3 hours
Owner description: Consisting of 400 restored buildings from the 16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial period, this area in San Juan is steeped in history with an... more » Owner description: Consisting of 400 restored buildings from the 16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial period, this area in San Juan is steeped in history with an old-world and romantic European charm. « less
Useful Information: Activities for older children
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1,551 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Maitland, Florida
Senior Contributor
35 reviews 35 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 16, 2013 NEW

Old San Juan was a great experience there was so much history on every street. The construction of the area was very interesting and everyone we met was very nice. Be prepared to climb hills and wear good shoes if you plan to walk. There are great restaurants and good places for shopping as well.

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See 9 more reviews by Dynamitetravel for San Juan
Boston, Massachusetts
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 16, 2013 NEW

Fantastic walking city. Nicer restaurants than San Juan. Feels like Europe walking about. Port area is touristy, stick to the northern part.

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See 4 more reviews by Joolesverne for San Juan
Owensboro, Kentucky
Top Contributor
56 reviews 56 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 15, 2013 NEW

We loved Old San Juan very well preserved, it is such a charming place to admire old buildings a lot of history.

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See 7 more reviews by Mariacjones for San Juan
Los Angeles, California
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 15, 2013 NEW

Has the best night life and restaurants of San Juan. Definitely a fun place to visit. I spent more nights in OSJ that anywhere else during my two weeks in PR...

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See 4 more reviews by ss083 for San Juan
Wichita, Kansas
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 15, 2013 NEW

Definitely spend an afternoon wandering the streets of Old San Juan. Buy a fresh coconut and drink the ice cold water inside. Buy food from the carts and kiosks. Go see the old cathedral. Lots of neat shops and vendors. Lots to buy, see do, and eat. Go to Barrachina's for a Pina Colada and food...Neat place that claims to... More

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See 4 more reviews by AGreggTraveling for San Juan
Raleigh, North Carolina
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2013 NEW

We didn't get to stay very long because it started raining. However, Old San Juan was just a short city bus ride, which cost .75cent. Once there we jumped on the free trolley that took us around. We visited various shops before the rain set in. Love the cobblestone streets!!!

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See 2 more reviews by Allwaysajoy for San Juan
Hartford, Connecticut
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
13 attraction reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2013 NEW

If on vacation its a must to visit Old San Juan. Its so pretty here. I must say there was not alot of local vendors as my last trip but the free shuttle around town was great.

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See 3 more reviews by Tobago01 for San Juan
southernsurprise
Senior Contributor
25 reviews 25 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2013 NEW

The buildings are colorful and the streets are cobblestone...It's hot and be prepared to walk! They have a lot of shops (Polo, Coach) and a lot of local souviner and art galleries.

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Dalton, Georgia
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 12, 2013 NEW

The trip to San Juan was terrific. Photo opportunities galore! The streets were filled with terrific quaint spots full of culture and personality. We enjoyed hand feeding the birds in the plaza, exploring the rustic cemetary next to the crashing waves of the see. The Fort was awesome, very interesting and educational. I am a fan of stone and the... More

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Cary
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
8 attraction reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 12, 2013

We were in San Juan for a day prior to flying home from our trip, and I worried that we didn't have enough time to see the old city. Turns out it was plenty of time to walk around and see the sights.

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See 4 more reviews by me27513 for San Juan

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