A trip to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a neighborhood steeped in history. The community is tucked away in the northwest corner of the city of San Juan with streets made of cobblestones dating back over 500 years. For anyone looking for great pictures, it’s a dream come true.
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- People stroll along the Paseo del Morro, a pathway that goes around the foot of the fortress walls and leads to El Morro known as Castillo San Felipe del Morro. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A doorway in Old San Juan located near the intersection of Calle Sol (Sun Street) and Calle Cruz (Cross Street) is decorated in the colors of the Puerto Rican flag. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- Diners enjoy a meal on Calle del Cristo (Street of Christ) near Parque de las Palomas (Pigeon Park) in Old San Juan. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The Ballaja Barracks (Cuartel de Ballaja), a former military quarters, is bathed in a variety of lights. The building is a former military barracks that is currently used for cultural education programs, primarily for children. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A barista at the Caficultura restaurant demonstrates his artistic skills as he spells out “Puerto Rico” in the foam of a cup of cafe con leche, coffee with steamed milk. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A view of the the blue cobblestones that make up the majority of the streets in Old San Juan. Some of these cobblestones have been in place for 500 years and are still in use. The cobblestones are not really a stone but rather the slag of iron smelting that arrived as ballast on ships traveling from Spain. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The Atlantic Ocean laps the shore near the north wall that runs from Fort San Felipe del Morro next to La Perla. La Perla is a historic neighborhood located next to the old walls of Old San Juan. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- An overhead look at Fort San Felipe del Morro, better known as El Morro. The fortress is located in the northwest point of the islet of Old San Juan and was built in the 16th century to protect San Juan from attack by sea. The structure, now a national park, has become a popular tourist attraction. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is the second-oldest building in San Juan. The Roman Catholic church also contains the remains of famous explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The Old San Juan farmers’ market is open on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Its a small market with about 10 vendors offering fresh produce. The market is tucked away in the Old Market Square and is easy to miss, so you’ll need to ask for directions. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- An interior shot of Fort San Felipe del Morro, or El Morro. Located at the northwest point of the islet of Old San Juan, El Morro is a 16th-century fortress built to protect San Juan from attack by sea. The structure, now a national park, has become a popular tourist attraction. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- An interior spiral staircase located inside Fort San Felipe del Morro, or El Morro, leads from the upper levels down to what were the living quarters in the fortress. El Morro, located in the northwest point of the islet of Old San Juan, is a 16th-century fortress built to protect San Juan from attack by sea. The structure, now a national park, has become a popular tourist attraction. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The famous Santa MarIa Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery is located on the Atlantic coast east of El Morro. The colonial-era cemetery is where many of Puerto Rico’s most prominent residents are buried. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A view of the sunset over Old San Juan as seen from Hotel El Convento . Originally, the hotel was a Carmelite convent that opened over 350 years ago and closed in 1903. The building was bought by a member of the Woolworth family in the late 1950s and converted into a hotel. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A mural depicting famous reggae singer Bob Marley is painted on a wall located in La Perla, a historic community located adjacent to the northern fortress wall. La Perla has a rich history in island music. The neighborhood faces the Atlantic coast and lies east of the famous Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery near El Morro. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- Shacks sit along hill in the neighborhood of La Perla, a historic community located adjacent to the north wall of Fort San Felipe del Morro. The neighborhood faces the Atlantic coast and is situated east of the famous Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A street performer plays his guitar and sings for tips outside the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. The church is the second-oldest building in San Juan. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A shack painted with a Puerto Rican flag located on Calle Lucia Silva (Lucia Silva Street) in La Perla, a historic community located adjacent to the north wall of the city. The neighborhood faces the Atlantic coast and is situated east of the famous Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The famous Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery is located on the Atlantic coast east of El Morro Fort. The colonial-era cemetery is where some of Puerto Rico’s most famous residents are buried. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A pelican sits on a pier near where the cruise lines tie up in Old San Juan. San Juan is a popular stop for the big ships. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A cat sits in the dilapidated interior of a former residence located off Calle Caleta de San Juan (Cove Street of San Juan). There is a large population of feral cats in Old San Juan. The cats are fed by area residents and are used to keep the rodent population down. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A shack with a satellite dish on the roof is located in La Perla, a historic community located adjacent the north wall of the city. The neighborhood is located on the Atlantic coast east of the famous Santa Mara Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery near El Morro Fort. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A pedestrian crosses over Calle San Francisco (San Francisco Street) in Old San Juan. The primary architectural influence in the colonial-era buildings is Spanish, much like areas of New Orleans in the United States. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- The Old San Juan farmers’ market is open on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Its a small market with about 10 vendors offering fresh produce and other items such as flowers. The market is tucked away in the Old Market Square and is easy to miss, so you’ll need to ask for directions. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- A street performer plays his accordion in Parque de las Palomas (Pigeon Park) in Old San Juan. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
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- Colorful tropical plants surround a window located near the Hotel El Convento in and alleyway off of Calle Caleta de las Monjas (Cove of the Nuns Street) in Old San Juan. (Robert K. Hamilton/Baltimore Sun)
Narrow avenues are lined with colonial-era homes painted in a variety of colors. For a photographer willing to venture out, there are plenty of areas to explore, with most locations no more than a ten-minute walk. One such place: El Morro fort, otherwise known as Castillo San Felipe del Morro. This fortress protected the city of San Juan from attack by sea for centuries. It provides a dramatic setting for pictures.
Another spot worth visiting is the famous Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, which is located on the Atlantic coast at the foot of El Morro. The 150-year-old cemetery is the final resting place for many of Puerto Rico’s most prominent residents.
The La Perla neighborhood is an area with an interesting history. The community sits on the north shore of Old San Juan on the Atlantic Ocean, not far from Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. It was established in the 19th century for housing slaves and servants. More recently, the area developed a reputation for high crime, but residents have turned to nurturing their own music culture to change the community’s image.
One of the most famous landmarks in Old San Juan is the Cathedral of San Juan Batista, a Roman Catholic church and the second-oldest building in the city. The picturesque church holds the remains of the famous Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Léon, the first governor of Puerto Rico.
There are plenty of quick day trips to be had from Puerto Rico’s capital, either with a rental car or through your hotel. You can see El Yunque rainforest, Luquillo Beach or, if you’re up for a longer getaway, beautiful Vieques, a small island located off the main island of Puerto Rico.
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Lauren
Jul 15, 2013 @ 10:44:18
Makes me want to leave for OSJ tomorrow!
puertoricoistheplace
Jul 13, 2013 @ 16:59:30
Beautiful pictures!