San Juan, the historic walled city of Puerto Rico, is an ever-changing landscape – a vacation paradise in the Caribbean. For more than five centuries after the Spaniards first settled in the area, San Juan still proudly bears the remnants of its glorious colonial past while confidently embracing the demands of modern times. There is always something for everyone in San Juan whether it be historical and architectural relics for those interested in the city’s colonial past; fine beaches for the ideal Caribbean holiday; gambling for mild thrill seekers, and a bit of music and the arts to draw the culturally refined.
San Juan is one of the 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico, a self-governing territory of the United States. It is also the capital city of Puerto Rico, and its most populated city. The city has a population of slightly over 395,000 is a multicultural and bilingual society. Whites make up more than 60% of the population followed by African-Americans, which comprises 18.6%, mixed races, and those with other ethnicities or foreign race. Both Spanish and English are official languages spoken in the city. Nevertheless, prepare yourself by learning some basic Spanish, which might come in handy in some situations, as most Sanjuaneros can only get by with basic conversational English.
Geographically, the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico lies on latitude 18° 27’ north and longitude 66° 04’ west. The city occupies a total area of 199.2 square kilometers or 76.93 square miles. Water covers 37.83% of the total area, which is equivalent to 75.4 square kilometers or 29.11 square miles. The San Juan Bay and the natural lagoons of Condado and San José are the main bodies of water in the city. San Juan is located at Puerto Rico’s northeastern coast, south of the Atlantic Ocean and north of the municipalities of Caguas and Trujillo Alto. It is also situated west of the city of Carolina, and east of the municipality of Guaynabo. San Juan locals divide the city into three main areas: Old San Juan, which is the original site of the early Spanish settlement and where most colonial-era structures are concentrated; the Beach and Resort area, and the outlying neighborhoods.
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San Juan enjoys a tropical climate with summer temperatures year round, and an average temperature of 26.6 °C or 79.9 °F. From May to October, temperatures can rise above 30 °C or 86 °F. Summers are hot and wet, with trade winds coming from the south. The highest temperature recorded so far was 37 °C or 98 °F in October 1981. During winter, temperatures is known to drop to 22 °C or 71°F but rarely below 20 °C 68°F. The lowest temperature ever recorded was 16 °C or only 60 °F in March 1957. Rainfall is distributed well throughout the year, and is concentrated on the months of July to December. The driest months are January to March. The city gets an average of almost 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and rainfalls on an average of 194 days per year. The best time to visit San Juan is during December to May, when it’s less humid and the trade winds keep the nights pleasant.
For the most part, the city of San Juan is a fairly safe place for tourists. Although incidences of unlawful behavior against tourists are rare, the most common crime of petty theft does exist. Tourists are therefore advised to avoid going through neighborhoods with a notorious reputation like La Perla and Puerta de Tierra in Old San Juan. Avoid walking in dimly lit or almost deserted streets especially at night. It’s also advised to avoid loitering in the beach at night. Never walk alone; stick with groups of people. It’s best to find your way around the city via a taxi. Avoid carrying around huge amounts of cash and wearing expensive jewelry. As much as possible, leave your valuables at the hotel safe. Also, never leave your cameras, purses, bags, and other valuables unattended in the car or anywhere even for just a few minutes.
History of San Juan
When Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León led his first official expedition to the island of Puerto Rico on June 12, 1508, he and his crew anchored in San Juan Bay. Ponce de León chose a site two miles off the bay in what is known today as Pueblo Viejo in Guaynabo, just west of the San Juan metropolitan area, and established a Spanish settlement named Caparra. One year later, the settlement was moved to its current site, which is now known as Old San Juan. The site was originally named Puerto Rico, which means “rich port” in Spanish. The following year, Ponce de León was appointed as the first governor of Puerto Rico. It was only in 1521 that the city was rechristened with its current name of San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico. This was in honor of Saint John the Baptist. San Juan was primarily used as a major stopover in the Americas by military and merchant ships coming from Spain. The city grew economically as many merchant ships carried precious cargoes of silver and gold from the Americas to Spain and the rest of Europe. This made the port city attractive to other European colonizers, including the British. To safeguard the port city, strong fortifications were built like El Morro, a huge fortress. Aside from fortifications, the Spaniards also laid the groundwork for Roman Catholicism and built a cathedral, church and convent.
Despite its fortifications, the city was still susceptible to a series of foreign attacks: English forces led in 1595 by Sir Francis Drake, George Clifford in 1598, and Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1797. The Dutch forces were led by Captain Balduino Enrico who attempted to take the city in 1625, but failed to do so completely. Even when the city was susceptible to attack, Spanish soldiers and Puerto Rican defenses were able to reclaim San Juan.
For centuries, the city of San Juan served as the main legislative and military headquarters of the Spanish Empire in the Caribbean and Central America. That is until 1898, when the Treaty of Paris was signed that formally ended the Spanish-American war. The treaty also stipulated that Spain cede the island of Puerto Rico to the United States. Puerto Rico is currently an unincorporated territory of the United States.
Demographics of San Juan
San Juan is a multicultural society. It is the city with the largest population in Puerto Rico. Based on a 2010 United States census, the population in the urban area of San Juan is pegged at 395,326. Out of the total population in the city, 68% of the total residents are White (with 1.2% comprising non-Hispanic Whites), 18.3% are of Black or African-American descent, 4% are mestizos or of mixed race, 0.8% are of American Indian descent, 0.4% are Asian, and 8.2% are of other foreign races. Majority of Asians in San Juan are Chinese. Other Asians comprise relatively small groups of Filipinos, Japanese, and Vietnamese. San Juan residents with European ancestry include those with English, French, German and Italian descent. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 98.2% of the population, and from this, 87.5% are Puerto Ricans, followed by Dominicans at 12.2%, Cubans at 1.7% and other Hispanic groups at 3%.
Based on the American Community Survey done in 2006-2008, 87.5% of the total city population claims that they were born in San Juan, while 12.5% were born outside San Juan. Recently, an increasing number of Americans (both Caucasians and African-Americans) have settled or moved to San Juan. Other migrations include those Puerto Ricans living in the mainland of the U.S. who moved back into the Puerto Rican capital, and West Indians of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic origins.
Spanish and English are both the official languages of San Juan. English is used as a second language and is taught in both public and private schools in the city. English is also used in business and industry as well as in research.
The major religion practiced in San Juan is Christianity, and majority of the city’s residents are Roman Catholics. Protestants and some other community of Christians make up the second largest religious group.
Economy of San Juan
San Juan is currently the commercial and financial center of Puerto Rico. Centuries before this became possible, during the Spanish colonial era, the city of San Juan started to grow economically from its role as a port city. The city had its share of highs and lows, and it wasn’t as prominent as other Spanish-held port cities in Latin America. Somewhere down the line, the city’s economy stagnated because smuggling was pervasive in different parts of the island. Hundreds of years later, after the U.S. acquired the island of Puerto Rico in 1898 and was annexed as a U.S. territory, San Juan was designated as a primary port. After that, trade flowed more smoothly into the city and the economy started to get back on its feet.
The period after World War II was the time when the city of San Juan went through an industrial revolution and economic growth gradually followed suit. Jíbaros or people from the countryside flocked to the city searching for work. Some neighborhoods in the city swelled. San Juan relied mostly on the manufacturing industry, including the manufacture of cement, chemicals for household cleaning products, clothing, electrical devices and tools, food-based products, metals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles, sugar, rum and other alcoholic beverages. Other industries include brewing, distilling, sugar refining, publishing and tourism. San Juan also relies on exports, especially to mainland U.S. The usual products exported are coffee, fruits, sugar and tobacco.
As a financial center, San Juan is home to many major U.S. banks and offices of U.S. corporations. The city has the busiest port in the Caribbean, the second largest port in the U.S. after New York, and is also the hub of shipping in the Caribbean. The neighborhood of Hato Rey is the business district of San Juan, likened to Manhattan’s Wall Street. This is where the local major banks are located as well as the largest shopping center in the Caribbean, the Plaza las Americas.
The city also focuses on tourism as one of its major industries due to its proximity to the country’s main airport, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Tourism is concentrated on historical locations in the city like Old San Juan, El Cuartel de Ballaja and El Morro, and also in the district of Condado, where luxury hotels have been built to accommodate tourists.
Attractions in San Juan
San Juan is the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean. Many are attracted to its fine beaches, gambling casinos, tropical climate and the architectural remnants of its colonial past.
To get a glimpse of San Juan’s colonial heritage, one should take a leisurely day tour of Old San Juan, the historic part of the city. Old San Juan is popular among tourists and locals, so expect it to be packed with people. You could avoid vehicular traffic by exploring the charms of this area by foot. Old San Juan is the site of the first Spanish settlement in the city; it was where most of the population resided during colonial times. The heart of Old San Juan is lined with narrow cobblestoned streets and preserved colonial buildings dating as far back as the 16th and 17th centuries. The cobblestones are made of adoquine, unique for its blue color. Parts of Old San Juan are surrounded by many defensive structures like massive walls and forts.
El Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or El Morro for short, is a 16th century citadel, and the largest Spanish-era fortification in the Caribbean. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, and forms part of the San Juan National Historic Site since 1949. It’s a massive six-level fortress that occupies 74 acres, towers to a height of 140 feet above the sea, and is held by strong 18-foot-thick walls. The fort was first constructed in 1540 and was finished in 1589. Other parts of the walls were added during the mid- to late 1700s. Inside the fort there are a network of tunnels, barracks, dungeons, outposts, and garitas, which are circular sentry boxes that line the fortress. The garita has been made into a national symbol. At the top level of the fortress, one could glimpse magnificent views of the San Juan Bay. Restoration work on El Morro was undertaken in 1992 in time for the 500th anniversary celebration of Columbus’ founding of Puerto Rico.
El Castillo de San Cristóbal is considered the Gibraltar of the Caribbean. It was built in 1634 and completed in 1771. The fort is 150 feet tall and covers an area of 27 acres. It was built to work as El Morro’s partner in defending the city from attacks. It has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and also a National Historic Site.
El Palacio de Santa Catalina, locally known as La Fortaleza, Spanish word for The Fortress, was primarily used with the purpose of defending the city’s harbor from Indian attacks. But since it proved inadequate for the city’s defense, it has since been turned into the official residence of the Puerto Rican Governor, who is the country’s head of government. It was built in 1533 and finished in 1540. Like El Morro and San Cristóbal, it has also been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. La Fortaleza is the oldest existing executive palace in the Americas. The current governor of Puerto Rico resides in La Fortaleza.
Other fortresses include Fuerte de San Jerónimo, a small fort built at the entrance of Condado, a natural lagoon that lies at the opposite end of San Juan. It also houses a small military museum in Puerta Tierra. The small fort proved valuable when it defended the city from attacks from the English forces of Sir Francis Drake in 1595, Sir George Clifford in 1598, and Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1797. Ruinas de Caparra is what remains of an ancient fort that Ponce de León first built when he established the initial settlement in the city in 1508. The Santa Elena Battery used to be the formal army storage area. It has a long chimney-topped bunker.
There are many plazas in Old San Juan. Plaza de Armas located in San José Street is the main square in Old San Juan. It serves as a social meeting place among the locals, as it has done so for many generations of Sanjuaneros. The plaza features four statues that represent the four seasons, which are all over a hundred years old. Plaza de Colón or Columbus Square was named in honor of explorer Christopher Columbus during the 400th anniversary celebration of his discovery of Puerto Rico. It was originally called St. James Square. The plaza features a statue of Columbus and bronze tablets with inscriptions commemorating the major events in his life.
Plaza de Hostos located near La Casita, has snack stands, artisan displays, and piragüeros, which are sellers of traditional shaved ice dessert called piragua that is served with tropical fruit syrup as topping. Plaza de San José is a favorite meeting place among the locals. At the center of the plaza is a statue of the first Spanish Governor of San Juan, Juan Ponce de León. The statue is made of the bronze extracted from a British cannon that was captured during the attack of Sir Ralph Abercromby’s forces in 1797.
Plaza de la Rogativa was built to commemorate religious women’s procession in that same site in 1797 that inadvertently saved the city from British invaders. There’s a modern sculpture in the plaza that depicts this scene. According to local accounts, it was in spring that same year when Sir Ralph Abercromby attempted to capture the city of San Juan. When his impending attack was discovered, Abercromby started a naval blockade against the city, with the hope of starving the residents and weakening them into submission. The townspeople were desperate because it was difficult to call for reinforcements from neighboring towns, so they asked the saints for divine assistance. As part of the ritual, the women of the city took to the streets in a procession. They rang bells and carried torches. The British thought that the sounds and moving lights meant that reinforcements had come to the city, leading Abercromby to retreat and sail off.
Plaza del Quinto Centenario, or the Quincentennial Square, was opened to the public in October 1992, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World. It features a monumental sculpture made by Jaime Suarez, one of Puerto Rico’s renowned national artists. The 40-foot sculpture, called Tótem Telúrico is made of black granite base and a circular column of ceramic shards that are meant to represent the clay and earthen roots of the history of the Americas.
Aside from fortresses and plazas, the city of San Juan has numerous churches, another legacy from its Spanish colonial past. El Catedral de San Juan Bautista is the Americas’ second oldest cathedral and is the final resting place of Juan Ponce de León. It also houses the relic of Roman martyr, San Pio. Construction of the cathedral began in the 1520s and after that, it has gone through a lot. In 1540, it was rebuilt after a passing hurricane destroyed it. The church was robbed in the late 1500s, and rebuilt again in 1615 after another hurricane damaged it. Parts of the cathedral were changed, restored and rebuilt in 1917.
The Iglesia de San José was constructed in Spanish Gothic style of architecture, built by the Dominican friars in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1523. This was the resting place of Juan Ponce de León for 300 years before his remains were transposed to El Catedral de San Juan Bautista, his final resting place. The remains of José Campeche, a very famous painter in Puerto Rico were also buried in the church grounds.
The Capilla del Cristo has an interesting story. It is located at Calle Cristo and was constructed in 1753. It was said that a man on horseback went off the cliff upon reaching the end of Calle Cristo but managed to survive. Considering the event a miracle, a church was built to commemorate it. Another story said that the church was built at the end of the road to prevent other people from suffering a similar fate because the man who fell off the cliff lost his life. The interior of the church has several Campeche paintings. In 1523 the Dominican friars also built the Convento de los Domenicos, now housing a museum. It was used as the Caribbean headquarters of the U. S. Army and for a time was used as a sanctuary when Indians raided the city.
The city of San Juan has several museums that offer different items of interest. The Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña is located within the Asilo de Beneficencia or Home of the Poor complex. The cultural institute features a wide collection that showcases Puerto Rican culture, including artifacts that date back to pre-colonial times. These include a model of a village setting of the Taíno Indians, stone tools and pottery. Along San Sebastián Street at Old San Juan is the family residence of Ponce de León, the Casa Blanca. His family continuously used the house for 250 years after its construction in 1521. The Spanish military, as well as the U.S. military commanders used it as their residence for a time. It is the oldest surviving and still occupied residence in the Americas until 1967 and was adjudged as a National Historic Monument. Today Casa Blanca has been converted into a museum that chronicles the country’s history for the 16th to the 18th century. The museum also has an ethnographic museum for artifacts belonging to the Taíno Indians.
The oldest residence that still survives to this day is Casa de los Contrafuertes a Spanish term meaning House of Buttresses. It is located in Old San Juan. The 18th century Spanish style house has been turned into three separate museums – the Museum of Colonial Architecture, the African Heritage Museum and the Museum of the Puerto Rican Family. The Casa de Libro on the other hand is another 18th century house that has been turned into a book museum. It contains a collection of manuscripts and rare books that existed as far back as the 15th century. A record of the provisions allotted for the fleet of Columbus for his second voyage in the New World that was signed in 1493 by Ferdinand and Isabella is one of the prized collections of the museum.
The public tourism office of Puerto Rico is now housed in an 1812 building called Casa Rosada. It used to be the residence of the Spanish army officials when they were ruling Puerto Rico.
The Museum of the Americas was once a military medical facility in 1943 and used to be called the Rodriguez Hospital. Nearly a century before, the facility was called Cuartel del Ballajá and was used by Spanish soldiers and their families as their barracks upon its completion in 1863. The large facility is now the showroom for temporary exhibits, Caribbean, American and European artifacts and art pieces, as well as a venue for the exhibition of local crafts. There is also a large collection of different carved statues of saints.
The first female mayor of San Juan was Felisa Rincón de Gautier, who served the city from 1946 up to 1968, a total of 22 years. Her former residence has been converted into a museum and given the name Museo de Doña Fela. The museum focuses on the life and work of Doña Fela. The House of Two Foyers or the Casa de los Dos Zaguanes is located in Old San Juan. The complex contains the Museo del Indio where you would be able to see the exhibits of the artifacts that have been found on the areas formerly inhabited by Caribbean’s indigenous peoples. Another museum that showcases the history of Puerto Rico, important official documents and colonial-era finds from the ruins of Caparra is the Museum of the Conquest and Colonization of Puerto Rico.
One of Puerto Rico’s most famous residents was Pedro Casals who, together with his family moved to San Juan during the 1950s. For his musical legacy as well as his contribution to the development of Puerto Rico’s music when he was the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra conductor as well as the Puerto Rican Conservatory of Music president, a museum was built in his honor. The Pablo Casals Museum showcases several of his manuscripts, photographs, concert tapes and other memorabilia.
The University of Puerto Rico has the University Museum, where you would find art exhibits as well as historical, anthropological, cultural and archeological showcases. Several other museums in San Juan that you might want to check out include the Museum of Contemporary Puerto Rican Art, the archeological museum of Adolfo de Hostos and the Museum of the Seas.
On the Plaza de Armas is the Alcaldia, a classic building built in 1602 that is used as the City Hall of San Juan. It is open to the public on weekday. Visitors are allowed to take a tour of the building on their own and while the courtyard and the interior of the Alcaldia are worth seeing, you might want to check out the back of the building. If you are interested in architecture, this is where you would find the different types of architectural designs that were used to complete the Alcaldia. It has a tourist information center as well as a small gallery where temporary exhibits are put on display. Public viewing is free of charge. The houses of the senate and the representatives are located at El Capitolio de Puerto Rico. The large white painted building, designed in Neoclassical Revival style is located in Puerta de Tierra. Puerto Rican architect Rafael Carmoega designed the building while several Puerto Rican artists collaborated to produce the paintings and murals depicting Puerto Rican history that adorn the walls of the building’s interior.
Rió Piedras, San Juan is the location of the Botanical Garden or Jardin Botánico. It’s a wonderful place to be, to walk among some two hundred species of exotic, endemic as well as tropical and sub-tropical plants of Puerto Rico.
Tourism is big business in San Juan and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company regularly hosts temporary art exhibits at La Princesa, a restored building that was formerly the San Juan Penitentiary that was built around 1837. A beautiful promenade called the Paseo de la Princesa is a place where you could spend several hours. You could take an hour or two walking around the promenade and taking in the sights. One of the features of the Paseo is the Raices Fountain. It features a large multi-figure sculpture of Spanish African and American Indian people to honor the multi-diversity of Puerto Rico. The Paseo is also the location of the San Juan Gate, which translates to Puerta de San Juan. This massive door made of heavy wood was the main portal for those coming to Puerto Rico aboard ships. It was built on the fortified walls of Old San Juan.
Overlooking El Morro fortress and the Atlantic Ocean is the Cementerio de San Juan. It is frequently visited by tourists who are attracted by the elaborately decorated and elegant tombstones. There is also an elegant circular chapel in the premises done in honor of Saint Mary Magdalene of Pazzi (Florence, Italy). Its architecture was Neoclassic.
The Bacardi Rum Factory, also called the Cathedral of Rum is a 27-acre facility. The family conducts an interactive tour of the factory where visitors learn the history of Bacardi Rum, see their first distillery and take a whiff of the different blends and mixes as well as learn intricate process of rum making. There are two free samples of Bacardi cocktails at the end of the tour.
For a welcome respite where you could rest your tired feet, spend some time at one of several parks in San Juan. You could take a leisurely walk along the wide paths of the Luis Muños Rivera Park that is near the Atlantic Ocean, or feed the pigeons at Parque de las Palomas within the Paseo de la Princesa complex. If you are feeling energetic you might want to go jogging or brisk walking at San Juan’s Central Park. For the more daring, visit the La Marqueza Forest Reserve. It is located in Guaynabo and you could have fun looking over the reserve riding a zip line. If you want to see some nesting sites for sea turtles; experience being is a sub-tropical forest, and maybe take a dip at the beach if you still have time during your day trip, then head over to the Piñones Reserve.
Isla Verde and Condado are the areas where you could enjoy the beaches of San Juan. For those interested in shopping, the best place to go to is the Plaza las Américas, the Caribbean’s largest shopping center. If you are after some unique souvenir items to give to people back home, look for the shop on Calle de la Cruz that sells acrylic-encased exotic and stunningly beautiful real butterflies.
San Juan Culture
San Juan is a city that loves the arts, music, and literature. It continues to encourage the flourishing of musicians and artists.
Arts and culture is given much importance in San Juan, as you would find in its numerous classic and modern art museums. Centro de Bellas Artes located in Ponce de León Avenue in Santurce, is considered the largest building dedicated to the fine arts in the Caribbean. It first opened in 1981 and hosts art exhibits and cultural performances such as concerts, operas and plays. Teatro Tapia is one of the oldest theaters in the Americas. It was completed in 1832, and named after Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and native of San Juan, Alejandro Tapia y Rivera. The theater is the venue of fine arts exhibits, ballets, plays and concerts. The San Juan Museum of Art and History was a former market built in 1885 before it was transformed into a cultural center in 1979. It showcases Puerto Rican art, music, concerts and festivals.
San Juan is also a city that promotes sports. It is home to some successful baseball teams in the country like the Santurce Crabbers and the San Juan Senators. Both teams have won the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League title numerous times. Santurce Crabbers won five Caribbean Series titles. There is also a Santurce Crabbers basketball team, which has won five National Superior Basketball League titles.
Being dubbed as La Ciudad Amurallada is one of the distinct features of San Juan. Centuries of Spanish colonial past remain imbedded in its old structures, walls, fortresses, and houses, like those that are to be found in Old San Juan.
Local cuisine in San Juan is characterized by rich and starchy food such as the plantain fritters stuffed with seasoned meat called alcapurrias and codfish fritters locals called bacalaitos, conch salad and mofongo or chopped plantains topped with seasonings and butter.
Sanjuaneros love their festivals and in line with the city’s tourism industry, there are several annual festivals that draw in large crowds of people to either become spectators or participants in the festivities. Every first Tuesday of February until May and again from September to December is called Noches de Galerias where some 20 participating galleries and museums open simultaneously from six to nine in the evening. Noche de San Juan Bautista is held every June to celebrate the feast day of the of the city’s patron saint with several days of religious processions and merriment. The highlight of this festival happens on the 24th of June when people flock to the beach for daytime fun and picnics. They then observe the tradition of walking backwards towards the ocean three times. Celebrants believe that the tradition wards off evil and is done at the stroke of midnight. Classical music concerts are held in June and July in honor of Pablo Casals.
The city celebrates a three-day festival that is equivalent to a town fiesta every January when they hold the Festival de la Calle de San Sebastian at Old San Juan. Parades, foods, music, arts and crafts and folk dances are the features of the annual event. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company hosts a three-day Feria de Artesanías every June.
Interesting Facts about San Juan
- San Juan is the main port of the island of Puerto Rico, and also its commercial, cultural, and financial center. It is the most populous city in Puerto Rico.
- San Juan is the second oldest Spanish-established settlement in the Americas after the Dominican Republic’s capital, Santo Domingo. It is also the second oldest city under U.S. territory. The oldest is St. Augustine in Florida.
- The city of San Juan is named after Saint John, the Baptist. San Juan also goes by the names Ciudad Capital (Capital City) and La Ciudad Amurallada, which means, The Walled City.
- San Juan is but one of the 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico. The city is divided into 18 districts: Old San Juan, Caimito, Universidad, Cupey, Tortugo, El Cinco, Santurce, Gobernador Piñero, Sabana Llana Sur, Sabana Llana Norte, Hato Rey Norte, Hato Rey Central, Hato Rey Sur, Quebrada Arenas, Monacillo Urbano, Monacillo, Pueblo and Oriente.
- Natives and residents of San Juan, Puerto Rico are called Sanjuaneros.
- Two of the oldest Catholic churches in the Americas are located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first one, Iglesia de San José, was built during the 1530s, showcasing Spanish Gothic architecture. It is the second oldest church in the western hemisphere. The other one is Catedral de San Juan, a very important religious landmark of Puerto Rico’s colonial past.
- Plaza las Américas is the largest shopping center in the Caribbean. It’s located in the business district of Hato Rey in San Juan.
- In 1746, to clear up the use of the names Puerto Rico and San Juan Bautista for the island and the city, Puerto Rico became the official name of the whole island, while San Juan Bautista was used to refer to the capital city.
- The city of San Juan contains the largest home-based cruise port in the Caribbean and the second largest in the western hemisphere. The Port of San Juan is included as a major port of call in almost every Caribbean cruise. It is the hub of shipping in the Caribbean.
- Some artistic talents who were born in San Juan include Grammy Award winners and singers Ricky Martin and Raymond Ayala; veteran actors Benicio del Toro and Raúl Juliá; comedian José Miguel Agrelot; painter José Campeche; dancer and choreographer Sylvia del Villard; Puerto Rican Danza musician, composer, and choreographer José Enrique Pedreira; opera singer Justino Díaz; journalist José Julián Acosta; archeologist and anthropologist Ricardo E. Alegría; golfer Juan “Chi-chi” Rodríguez; and writers Manuel A. Alonso, Tomas Blanco and Giannina Braschi.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan,_Puerto_Rico
http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/puerto-rico/san-juan
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/puerto-rico/san-juan/history
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/puerto-rico/san-juan/weather
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/San_Juan_%28Puerto_Rico%29.aspx
http://www.topuertorico.org/city/sanjuan.shtml
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Caribbean_and_Central_America/Puerto_Rico/San_Juan_Municipio/San_Juan-1645724/Things_To_Do-San_Juan-TG-C-1.html
http://gopuertorico.about.com/od/thelocal/tp/TenThingsAboutPR.htm