Global Explorer - Explore Puerto Rico

EXPLORE PUERTO RICO

Rise and shine in sunny San Juan! Enjoy an earlybreakfast at the hotel, then pack a bag with plentyof water, your bathing suits and towels.

MORNING

Head back in time with a private walking tour of Old San Juan. Bursting with Puerto Rican culture and color, this walled city is home to Catedral de San Juan Bautista, the oldest church on U.S. soil, as well as plenty of other historic sites. While touring, a stop in at Chocobar Cortés is a must; this beanto-bar chocolate company has been family run since 1929, and makes a mean chocolate-filled croissant.

Your next stop is Museo Casa Blanca, the city’s oldest home. Dating back to 1521, it was originally intended as a lavish residence for Puerto Rico’s first governor, and is now a beautifully-restored museum filled with 16th and 17th-century artifacts.

AFTERNOON

After exploring San Juan’s past, you’re headed east to discover its culinary future. Lunch is at Lote 23, a gastronomic park featuring many of Puerto Rico’s most popular chefs. If you built up an appetite during the morning, then the Puerto Rican-style pork shoulder sandwiches from Pernilería Los Próceres are a good bet.

It’s time to change into those bathing suits and haul out the towels. A 40 minute drive west brings you to the astonishing sight of Mar Chiquita; this fanshaped natural pool is fed by a small opening to the Atlantic, making its calm turquoise waters the perfect place to swim.

EVENING

This evening, treat yourselves to San Juan’s preeminent dining experience with a meal at 1919 Restaurant. Led by celebrated Michelin Star-rated chef (and Puerto Rican native) Juan José Cuevas, 1919 pairs the best of the island’s natural bounty with Cuevas’ ingenious and sustainably-minded culinary approach. While the menu will be pleasantly impossible to predict, you can be certain it will be a meal to remember.